1917 Gibson value?

[lindaton]

Hi, I'm new here and have a couple questions that I am sure I would be better off not knowing the answer to. My Mother 'HAD" a 1917 The Gibson acoustic guitar that belonged to her father. He never played it and got it as a trade for labor I'm figuring in the 30's or 40's. Over the years when money would get tight she would talk about seeing what it was worth and maybe selling it. Well after all these years, she went to a place where they have antique dealers come in and tell you the value of your items and buy. One booth quoted her $700 and the other bought it from her for $800.

 

Now I know its too late, but does anyone have any idea what this guitar is actually worth? If I had known she was thinking about it again I would have gave her some money. I know-lack of communication. I'm seeing guitars from the 40's and 50's selling up into the 1,000's.

 

TIA for any info.

Linda

[jchabalk]

i'm guessing you probably don't want to know the answer :D

[Jayla]

It would be helpful if you knew the model guitar, the shape it was in, whether or not there was any damage, etc.

[ksdaddy]

A Gibson from 1917 won't bring huge money in spite of "what it is" and how old it is. Gibsons of that era have big thick uncomfortable necks and not a lot of tone. They may be cool to own and show off, but they just don't hold up well compared to newer Gibsons. When I say newer, I mean 1930s or so.

 

Chances are it was an L-1. Just a guess, as they seem to have made a lot more of them than anything else. I think she probably made out fine with $800; the shop probably is trying to sell it for $1200 and likely fighting to get that much.

[lindaton]

I dont have a model #. The only thing I can remember is 1917-The Gibson. I did take a couple lessons on it and I know it did tune OK. My dad says it was starting to show some cracking on the back but it has been stored inside all these years.

 

Linda

[lindaton]

Thanks ksdaddy. That helps some to know. I have my Mother mad at me now and she dont even want to talk about it. Ill go call her and this should smooth things over a little.

 

Linda

[ballcorner]

Please post photos of the guitar so we can determine a model etc. As other have said, a 1917 comes some time before the more desired era for Gibson guitars, but if a dealer would shell out $700+ it would be interesting to learn why.

[lindaton]

The antique dealer said he already had a buyer for one so if that was true maybe he knew how much the buyer was willing to pay. Sorry, I dont think I have any photos. If I do come accross a pic I will come back and post it.

Linda

[rscott4079]

Here's a good link for info. You might even be able to identify your guitar. As was mentioned earlier, don't be too surprised to find out that it probably isn't all that valuable. Guitars of that period have an out of date style that isn't very popular with collectors and musicians. Guitars of the 30s, 40s and 50s tend to be the more desirable.

 

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html

 

By the way, here's an example of an out of date style. Yours didn't look like this did it?

 

(Refresh your page if the picture looks tiny)

[Wayne]

Here's a good link for info. You might even be able to identify your guitar. As was mentioned earlier' date=' don't be too surprised to find out that it probably isn't all that valuable. Guitars of that period have an out of date style that isn't very popular with collectors and musicians. Guitars of the 30s, 40s and 50s tend to be the more desirable.

 

http://www.provide.net/~cfh/gibson.html

 

By the way, here's an example of an out of date style. Yours didn't look like this did it?

 

(Refresh your page if the picture looks tiny)

 

I cant stop laughing...

[ksdaddy]

That is insane. Utterly freaking insane. Well at least now I know if I'm ever stranded in Greenland somewhere with no access to a side bending machine I can still make myself a guitar.... with about 16 kerf cuts.

 

Actually it looks like it was designed by the engineering staff at work.... no concept of curves, just straight lines. If it can't be explained with numbers and formulas then it does not compute.

[TommyK]

I...been stored inside all these years.

 

Linda

 

Inside where? Basement? Attic? Next to the furnace? None of which are kind to tone woods.

 

Ah well, it's probably best to not know model as it makes the pain of The-one-what-got-away marginally worse.

[Thermionik]

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ksd - some of the finest formulae describe the most beautiful curves.....

.....and I mean like catenary, hyperbola, spiral, elipse, circle - not Mansfield and Monroe.

 

That angular guitar was merely designed by morons without souls or hearts, and few woodworking skills.

 

38-23-36 to 37-23-37 - the Monroe range, 41-19-36 the Mansfield ideal. Oh lordy - cold shower time.....

[rscott4079]

That angular guitar was merely designed by morons without souls or hearts, and few woodworking skills.

 

Wow, that's not the way I see it all. This is from a time when cigar box banjos and washtub basses were the order of the day. Musical instruments were luxury goods. If you wanted one, likely you made it yourself with whatever skills you had.

 

And as for heart and soul, beauty being in the eye of the beholder, the gent in the picture obviously was proud enough of his guitar that he got all gussied up and had himself photographed with it. Both he and his beloved guitar have my respect and I hope they made beautiful music together for many moons.

 

It is pretty darn ugly, though.

[Wayne]

 

Wow' date=' that's not the way I see it all. This is from a time when cigar box banjos and washtub basses were the order of the day. Musical instruments were luxury goods. If you wanted one, likely you made it yourself with whatever skills you had.

 

And as for heart and soul, beauty being in the eye of the beholder, the gent in the picture obviously was proud enough of his guitar that he got all gussied up and had himself photographed with it. Both he and his beloved guitar have my respect and I hope they made beautiful music together for many moons.

 

It is pretty darn ugly, though.

 

[/quote']

 

While the photo is funny out of context, I agree completely. I play oldtime music and am in awe of the amazing music that people were formerly able to coax out of things as ugly that. Now, sadly, people would rather make no music at all than be caught dead with an instrument like that.

[Thermionik]

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OK - you win - I was wrong about the souls and heart..... :)

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[albertjohn]

(Refresh your page if the picture looks tiny)

 

It's a stealth dreadnought. Inspiration to the B-2 Stealth Bomber many years later.

 

As we know, the term dreadnought was first used by Martin, likening their new design to WW1 era British battleships, the first being HMS Dreadnought.

 

Some say the prototype of the stealth dreadnought, HMS Waderfugizshe (yes stolen from the Gibson lounge), can still be heard on foggy nights off the coast of Jutland, yet no-one has seen her since the day of her launch from the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast on 14 February - yes you guessed it - 1917!

[Thermionik]

Yeah..... the similarities are, ah, er..... obvious.