For example, the 1959 Gibson Les Paul and Fender Stratocasters built in the 1960s and 1970s are considered to be some of the best guitars ever built and so are very valuable, even if they are slightly damaged. Understanding the value of guitars means understanding that the value of these instruments varies widely. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Guitaresque is the #1 place for guitar gear reviews. Our exclusive RMD pricing is based wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. standard mechanism that web sites use to store simple information and it is safe to If you notice the finish starting to flake off, take the guitar to a luthier (someone who builds and fixes guitars) to get it cleaned, rather than trying to do it yourself. Say you want to know the value of a certain vintage Fender Stratocaster, a Keystone-badge Ludwig drum kit, or a Martin that may or may not be pre-War. The Estimated Values shown on each web page are out-of-date in many cases. Our database contains over 240,000 different products and counting. Between the years 1984 and 1989, Guild continued with the system which used a separate serial number prefix for each guitar model. You can search the internet for the value or take it to a music store to get it appraised. IGuide?is proud to host the online Guitars Price Guide.The price guide is maintained by Jon R. Warren, True a 50s strat or Les Paul will always be valuable, but precisely how valuable will be subject to various factors. You could sell it for much more if you know its exact year and if it has any special feature or is a limited edition. Avoid using these to determine the value of your guitar unless your guitar happens to have a similar pedigree. Sold as is. These are very common questions. For a more accurate value of your guitar, check the Blue Book of Guitar Values website or get an appraisal from a guitar dealer. There should be a date on the neck and a date on the body. Do you need a professional appraisal for a guitar? Privacy Policy. How can I value my guitar? Up for sale is a 1983 Ibanez Roadstar II Series Electric Guitar Model RS335 made in Japan - Black. Best of all, Reverb puts your listing in front of the largest audience of musicians in the world, so you can be sure you're getting the most value out of your sale. Every guitar has a different value, and certain guitars will hold their value better than others. on real sales data, gathered from auction sites in near real-time. Each also has a seven digit serial number inside the guitar. Such factors have to be considered. Vtg Nick Manoloff Polished & Signed 3-7 / 8 ounce Steel Guitar Silver Tonebar 1951. Van Zandt Pickups was started by W L. Van Zandt in the late 1980's, but he had been repairing pickups around the Dallas / area since the early 1960's. Condition is everything with an old acoustic, but I'd guess $800 if it's quite a bit worn to more than new price for a 25 year-old in excellent condition. We invite anyone who sees a problem with any Estimated Value to report it to us by clicking the Report A Problem icon at the top of each page (it looks like this Once you know the brand and quality of the guitar, search for a serial number, as well as a model name. Musicians and guitar collectors want used guitars in the same condition or very similar to what they came from the factory. It's just an all around great players grade guitar. If you don't see the brand you're looking for, let us know what you're looking for in the comments at the bottom. Guild made many unrecorded variations of their Guitars. ?s made in Japan Guitar. These factors include how it plays and if it still has it's original finish and/or stings. Of course, any item is only worth what a willing buyer will pay to a willing seller. It is always better to consult with a professional. There are several sites that offer serial number look ups. Please check the fields highlighted in red. You can also look at the back of the headstock to see if theres a serial number and search it online. Our Vintage Guitar FAQ runs through helpful inf like pricing, condition, and value to help you make a savvy, informed purchase. on what you should pay for an item or what you should expect to receive - without having to spend hours On the back of the headstock, you should also find the model or perhaps the serial number, and that will also be helpful. Your email address will not be published. iGuide?is "just a guide." In vintage guitars, the rarer the finish on the body, usually the higher the price because there are just a few guitar models with a certain finish. So here are some links to help you get started. 1 of 45. How Long Does It Take To Learn Guitar Scales? Guitar is a great player in great condition for its age. There are no corresponding model names or numbers available. This particular guitar was sold for more than six million dollars at an auction in 2020. that I just don't play much any more. cookies disabled, some sections of our site will not function properly. Some expensive, high-end, or famous guitars may appreciate in value over time if the instrument becomes desirable or collectible. The guitar's serial number also may give you a clue to its value. Even then, it depends a lot on the model, the brand, and the type of musician or guitar collector that is after that particular guitar. We catalog the millions of pieces of gear bought and sold on Reverb to evaluate specific products and conditions. If you see something wrong, fix it. It was a fantastic guitar. You can use a special microfiber guitar cloth, available wherever guitars are sold, but an old cotton T-shirt works just fine. The DE-500 (DE for Duane Eddy) from 1962 is one of the most sought after vintage Guild electrics, as is the sunburst X-500 from 1953. And, of course, you all want the highest valuation possible! The model of your guitar also affects its value because some models are more valuable than others. He would pickup broken pickups from different shops in the area and then return them, Vintage Hard To Find! May 5, 2004. Our gear dating guides below can help you determine the exact model and year. Find the current Blue Book value and worth of your new and used guitars, both acoustic, electric and amplifier. The searchable database consists of detailed reports on a ever-growing list of items. The neck is fast and comfortable with great action. Some guitars depreciate while others appreciate in value, and some guitars will never be worth much at all, while others cost many thousands of dollars. ?s- early 1970? Please check the fields highlighted in red. A well-respected guitar brand such as Fender, Gibson, or Martin will always command a higher price even if the model is not one of the most desired. JPMorgan Chase & Co. may be getting a quite a bit more than its money's worth as the deal to buy First Republic comes with assets and big guarantees from FDIC. Not as collectible, but worthy of note, is the Starfire, which, in 1967, Jerry Garcia played on the Grateful Dead's first studio album. There are a few common ways to check and determine how much your guitar could potentially be worth. No two guitars are worth the same amount, and there are several factors that influence the value of each individual guitar. 1999-2019 2nd Markets Corporation. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Press ESC to cancel. Use water-based cleansers for water-soluble dirt and grime. Don't you have anything better to do with your life than pollute this forum? If you repeat this four to six times, you shouldn't have a problem with the guitar staying in tune. Once the instrument is identified, simply look up the estimated cost of the instrument, search for another model of the same kind on the second-hand market, phone your local music store for information, or simply take the instrument to a pawn shop for a valuation. Guild made many unrecorded variations of their Guitars. Published February 14, 2022 by Peter Schu. The better the guitar sounds, typically, the more it will be worth. User Agreement Left-handed guitars and righties are welcome, just give us a call and we can work with you to figure everything out. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. While we are happy to buy used guitars and gear, we absolutely love Guild Guitars since they've got a rich history. X Please avoid putting your guitar up for sale without first checking its value, you want to avoid selling your beloved instrument for less or a lot less than it is actually worth. You have to consider many different factors. With some older guitars, finding one that's all original is so rare that even one that's been tinkered with somewhat over the years can still have a lot of value. This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer. Determining the value of a vintage guitar is a complicated process. All Rights Reserved. The following chart details the year, the guitar model, and the last serial number produced for each model in each given year. For the year 1994, ONLY the model prefix and last serial number for each model produced is available. Between the years 1990 and 1994, Guild continued with the system which used a separate serial number prefix for each guitar model. They will be able to help you choose the best method to clean the guitar. The Reverb Gear Dating Hub. eBay guitars (you can find out the market mentality) The Blue Book of Electric Guitars features comprehensive information and up-to-date pricing. This is especially important with older guitars. The neck on it was fast and comfortable to play; and the action was pretty low for an acoustic. Please contact us at 615.256.2033 or [email protected] to discuss. The following chart details the year, the guitar model, and the last serial number produced for each model in each given year. There are 0 comments on this page so far. The first and fourth of these numbers in reverse refer to the year of production. Now that we have learned about the important factors that contribute to the value of a guitar, it is time now to learn how to estimate the value of a guitar yourself. The engine searches all categories of objects, Can You Teach Guitar Without a Certificate? Once you have the guitar brand, model name, and serial number, it is a simple matter of searching for those elements of identification online. If you suspect your guitar is made of a rare wood or contains rare materials, take it to an expert who can properly identify the material as authentic. This can usually be found on the back of the headstock, near the tuning pegs. The most famous example of a Knowledge Wiki is Wikipedia, of course. Here Is Why Its Not. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Anyone can contribute to the WIKI. I need help: Identifying a mid 1960's Gibson/Kalamazoo. DATING YOUR GUILD 1952-1960 YEAR APPROXIMATE LAST SERIAL NUMBER PRODUCED 1953 1000-1500 1954 1500-2200 1955 2200-3000 1956 3000-4000 1957 4000-5700 1958 5700-8300 . Research source, You can use a special microfiber guitar cloth, available wherever guitars are sold, but an old cotton T-shirt works just fine. This guide is the only such work to cover all this in one very affordable volume! Or get a guitar guide from your local library or online and check the number against the references in your guide. Every Guild Guitar is different, however you can generally look on the back of the headstock or within the guitar itself (in the soundhole). Well-known guitar brands have serial number databases, and all you have to do is to put the serial number there, and it will give you the model of your guitar. For example: #5077019 would mean the seventh guitar made that year, and would date to January 1997. Just wondering if anybody has an idea on a fair price for these. We believe in fair prices for buyers and sellers. This is a long scale guitar like most all Telecasters and their ilk, though true to Guild specs this guitar is not 25 " but rather 25 5/8. This complete guide will help you determine the value of your used guitar and also give you tips to sell it and make sure you get the highest price possible for it. Weve put together detailed guides on how to date gear from Fender, Martin, Ludwig, and other popular brands. For 1995 and 1996, Guild returned to the system which used a separate serial number prefix for each guitar model, and also the first and last serial number produced for each model in each given year. When selling wholesale, or selling your entire collection at one time, expect to be offered anywhere from 30% to 50% of the total retail value depending on the quality and condition of your items. If you only have part of a name, you may want to compare the headstock to pictures of others to see if you can figure out the complete name. Need the value of your guitar? If you are looking to buy or sell a Guild produced piece then the date is vital, this helps provide a provenance or authentic record for the guitar in question and that is one of the key factors which dictates its value. Going to an exclusive dealer of guitars of the same make as the one you're trying to date may be your best bet. For example, if you bought a guitar for around $500 and put in some new pickups and tuners, that can actually increase its value. This can give you a narrower range of years. However, a guitar that is only worth $40 brand new will not sell for much money at all. Simply wiping down a guitar may not get all the surface dirt. Dating a guitar is not only a useful and interesting thing to be able to do, in financial and historical terms it is vital. Old Kraftsman Tenor Banjo! Our goal is to always keep iGuide a FREE site without ever charging users a subscription fee. He's considering $1200. He started rewinding the magnets on pickups for friends and other players, and pretty soon he had a small business going as his reputation grew by word of mouth. Some guitar makers also may offer a service where you can have a guitar certified as authentic. If the guitar is of very good quality, made from good materials, and is in very good condition, it is worth investigating its value further. What is its value in good shape? I have Vintage electric guitar amp: Fender Twin Reverb (Silverface, 1977). For this reason, here is a table that lists the estimated value of several well-known guitars of every type. If the guitar is made by a well-known or major brand, then it should be instantly recognizable and bear the emblem of the said brand on the headstock or body of the guitar. Learning how to estimate the worth of a guitar is important for all guitar players. If you have a website that is targeted toward consumers, we encourage you to pinevillemusic (2,135) 100%. For example, a vintage Fender Stratocaster will be a lot more valuable than a Jazzmaster, simply because of the fact that the Stratocaster is a much more desirable model. Be it Ibanez, Fender stratocaster or Ovation guitars; we have the instruments used value. Guitars that are cheaply made or made by unknown brands and manufacturers will typically depreciate with time. Vintage guitar values are NEVER absolute. X For example, you may have a 50-year-old guitar in pristine condition that is still only worth a few thousand dollars. These high-value elements contribute to the overall value of the instrument as well. Each time a used or vintage instrument is sold on Reverb, we record the sale price right here in our Price Guide. There are several individual factors that determine the worth of a guitar, regardless of the type of guitar, it is, how old it is, and how the instrument is made. If you want to sell a vintage guitar, get several appraisals and talk to an experienced collector or dealer who can help you showcase the guitar for the best possible result. For some manufacturers, serial numbers overlapped in some decades, or were used for more than one type of guitar. D300719 D300921, D35 DB104288 DB104477 DB104697 DB104754 DB104754 N/A, D40 DC101972 DC102066 DC102190 D0400233 DC400482 D400640, D40C DG101032 DG101068 DC102190 D0400233 DC400482 D400640, D50 DD101789 DD101878 DD101928 DD101210 D500447 D500478, D55 DE101298 DE101374 DE101406 DE101407 N/A DE101376, D64 KC100031 KC100051 KC100193 N/A N/A N/A, D66 KD100110 KD100162 KD100208 N/A N/A N/A, D80 EG100017 EG100019 N/A EG100024 N/A N/A, D212 AA102114 AA102395 AA102792 N/A N/A N/A, DE500 AG100148 AG100153 AG100169 N/A N/A N/A, DETONATOR JH000341 JH100580 N/A N/A N/A N/A, F20 FA100545 FA100595 FA100663 N/A N/A N/A, F44 KH100078 KH100186 KH100249 F0440017 N/A N/A, F45CE GB100533 GB100683 GB100839 N/A N/A N/A, F46 KJ100029 KJ100089 KJ100121 N/A N/A N/A, FS46CE EJ100306 EJ100370 EJ100401 N/A N/A N/A, F50 FD100600 FD100650 FD100693 N/A N/A N/A, F50R FE100462 FE100479 FE100505 FE100515 N/A N/A, F412 FK100445 FK100476 FK100506 FK100578 N/A N/A, F512 FL100519 FL100543 FL100569 N/A N/A N/A, G37 DF101890 DF101990 DF102135 N/A N/A N/A, G45 GD100053 GD100080 N/A GD100089 N/A N/A, GF25 N/A N/A N/A GF250409 GF250715 GF250845, GF30 N/A N/A N/A GF300269 GF300498 GF300604, GF50 N/A N/A N/A GF500212 GF500290 GF500322, GF60R N/A N/A N/A GF60R0087 GF600206 GF600275, JF30 N/A N/A N/A JF300234 JF300618 JF300663, JF30/12 N/A N/A N/A JF30120198 J230398 J230561, JF65/12 N/A N/A N/A JF65120064 J265153 JF265227, LIBERATOR JK000085 JK000206 N/A N/A N/A N/A, MARK II CA100657 CA100689 CA100733 CA100743 N/A N/A, MARK III CB100406 CB100425 CB100461 CB100463 N/A N/A, MARK IV CC100253 CC100270 N/A N/A N/A N/A, MARK V CD100156 CD100176 CD100184 CD100185 N/A N/A, MKS10CE CE100046 CE100056 N/A N/A N/A N/A, NIGHT BIRD N/A BL100104 BL100324 N/A N/A N/A, NIGHT BIRD I N/A N/A N/A BE100083 BC100103 N/A, NIGHT BIRD II N/A N/A N/A BL100426 BL100489 BL100530, NIGHTINGALE JL000040 JL000082 N/A N/A N/A N/A, PROTOTYPES LL100228 LL100234 LL100237 LL100238 N/A FF000006, S280 - S281 HC100481 HC101039 HC101493 N/A N/A N/A, S284 HG100101 HG100435 HG100637 HG100638 N/A N/A, SB600 BE100456 BE101135 BE101726 N/A N/A N/A, SB602 BE100456 BE101135 BE101726 BE102702 BE103519 BE103826, SB603 BE100456 BE101135 BE101726 N/A N/A N/A, SB604 BH100616 N/A N/A BH100725 BH100744 N/A, SB605 N/A N/A BK100177 BK100290 BK100435 BK100524, SF4 GA100898 GA100911 GA100982 GA100982 N/A N/A, X170 N/A HL100014 HL100076 HL100230 HL100471 HL100558, X500 JB100165 JB100178 JB100194 JB100214 JB100312 JB100341, ARTIST AWARD JA100274 JA100280 JA100328 JA100379, D25-12 D251271 D2251372 D2251570 D2251630, D100/D100C EG100073 EG100085 EG100105 EG100148, JF30-12 JF230820 JF230970 JF231262 JF231502, JF65-12 JF265352 JF265427 JF265544 JF265635, NIGHTBIRD CU BL100597 BL100626 BL100634 N/A, PRESTIGE CL JK000025 JK000038 JK000044 N/A, PRESTIGE EX JL000011 JL000016 JL000037 N/A, PRESTIGE ST JH000089 JH000120 JH000172 N/A, PROTOTYPES FF000015 FF000019 FF000036 FF000057, PILOT/SB602 BE103981 BE104111 BE104420 BE104434, PILOT/SB605 BK100569 BK100594 BK100748 BK100783, STARFIRE/SF4 GA101002 GA101072 GA101115 GA101147, SONGBIRD KK001267 KK001352 KK001847 KK002243, X160/161 HJ000154 HJ000176 HJ000261 HJ000302, ARTIST AWARD AA000039 AA000040 to AA000089 AA000089 to AA000105, B4E AB040487 AB040488 to AB040714 AB040714 to AB041044, B30/B30E AB300132 AB300133 to AB300207 AB300208 to AB300286, BM01/BM01(ST) N/A BHP00004 to BHP00057 N/A, D4 AD042116 AD042117 to AD044518 AD044518 to AD048099, D6E, D6HG, DV6 N/A AD060702 to AD061343 N/A, D25 N/A AD042117 to AD044518 AD044518 to AD048099, D55 AD550114 AD550115 to AD550220 AD550221 to AD550412, D100C N/A AD100015 to AD100022 AD100023 to AD100039, DCE1 N/A AD110842 to AD111713 AD111714 to AD113572, DC5 FC050298 FC050299 to FC050578 FC050579 to FC050964, DV52 AD520445 AD520446 to AD520945 AD520946 to AD521850, DV52HG N/A AD520446 to AD520945 AD520946 to AD521850, F4CE AF040801 AF040802 to AF041355 AF041356 to AF042131, F5CE AF050200 AF050201 to AF050353 AF050354 to AF050614, F65CE AF650118 AF650119 to AF650237 AF650238 to AF650398, JF30 AJ300329 AJ300330 to AJ300779 AJ300780 to AJ301720, JF30-12 AJ320240 AJ320241 to AJ320592 AJ320593 to AJ321101, JF55 AJ550129 AJ550130 to AJ550293 AJ550294 to AJ550483, JF55-12 AJ520062 AJ520063 to AJ520175 AJ520176 to AJ520253, JF65-12 AJ620090 AJ620091 to AJ620188 AJ620188 to AJ620304, PROTOTYPES FB000004 JJ000001 to JJ000009 N/A, S100 FB000132 FB000133 to FB000194 FB000195 to FB000378, SONGBIRD FB000132 AE040104 to AE040343 N/A, STARFIRE 4 AG000014 AG000015 to AG000023 AG000024 to AG000219, X170 AK170059 AK170060 to AK170138 AK170139 to AK170401, X700 AK700028 AK700029 to AK700069 AK700070 to AK700118, 45th ANNIVERSARY 2 of 45 to 33 of 45 5077019 to 5787129, DECO 2 of series to 12 of series 5107019 to 5517069, FINESSE 2 of series to 11 of series 5197039 to 5487069. 200 is about $250US according to google. 3. Explained, Is Learning Guitar a Waste of Time? A guitar that is known to be made very well, a guitar that is of a year that the manufacturer produced excellent sounding instruments or a guitar that was played by a famous guitarist will hold more value than the same guitar without the fame. This is typically why the best guitars are the most valuable guitars and why certain guitars from specific manufacturing years are worth more than other guitars of the same model. One of the main factors that determine the value of a used guitar is the condition it is in. A 2nd Markets Corp. Site While it may seem difficult to know how much your guitar is worth, especially if you are not into guitars, all of the methods we presented in this article are fairly easy to follow and quick. Get an accurate estimate and learn how the value has changed over time. Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments. The first three numbers (beginning with 500), refer to the sequence of units made, i.e. For those interested in knowing more of the backstory of their guitar there are some useful guides, the best of which are The Guild Guitar Book by Hans Moust and Gruhns Guide to Vintage Guitars by Hans Gruhn. Part 1 Cleaning and Inspecting the Guitar 1 Wipe down the guitar's surface. You will learn what factors should be considered to value a guitar, what methods you can use to get the most accurate value, and how you can sell it after. The middle two digits refer to the month. Depending on what you're told, you may want to take it to more than one expert particularly if the first person who looks at it is unsure about their answer. not just this particular category, so you may get some irrelevant items in your search results. Any value you find in the Blue Book or any of the other guides is merely a suggestion. Have a look at our guide on selling vintage guitars online for some ideas on getting the best price for your vintage guitar. Unfortunately, records for Guild guitars prior to 1960 are somewhat unreliable, where they exist at all, so we are unable to fully assure the accuracy of dating before that time but we have been able to ascertain some last serial numbers which may help. Likewise, collectors of certain guitars are not equally spread around the world. For example, some very basic acoustic guitars that are made for beginners on a budget may cost as little as $40 or $50, but very high-end acoustic guitars made by skilled luthiers can easily cost upwards of $100000. Carefully wipe the finish of the guitar with a soft, damp cloth. In general, a lower serial number will be worth more than one with a higher serial number. The maker's name also may appear elsewhere on the instrument, such as inside the sound hole or on the back of the instrument. Here are the steps you need to take: When it comes to guitars, the brand is not everything, but it is as important as it is for cars. This number is typically found on the back of the neck joint where the neck meets the body, underneath the back plate cover, inside the body cavity of the instrument, or even on the inside of the neck joint, which will require the neck to be removed to find it. Say you want to know the value of a certain vintage Fender Stratocaster, a Keystone-badge Ludwig drum kit, or a Martin that may or may not be pre-War. Used Guitar Value: How Much Is My Guitar Worth? users. Used with no amp they range from $120-$200USD. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/7\/71\/Find-Out-the-Age-and-Value-of-a-Guitar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Find-Out-the-Age-and-Value-of-a-Guitar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/71\/Find-Out-the-Age-and-Value-of-a-Guitar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid3263958-v4-728px-Find-Out-the-Age-and-Value-of-a-Guitar-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"