| Where Do You Get the Best Buys on Steel Guitars? |
| Garage or Estate Sale |
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8% |
[ 2 ] |
| The Internet - Ebay, etc |
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54% |
[ 13 ] |
| Music or Guitar Store |
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16% |
[ 4 ] |
| From a Friend or Relative |
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12% |
[ 3 ] |
| Steel Guitar Convention |
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8% |
[ 2 ] |
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| Total Votes : 24 |
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| Author |
Topic: Where Do You Get the Best Buys on Steel Guitars? |
Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 2:21 pm |
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The question often comes about where do you get these good deals on Steel Guitars?
The question I pose is "where do you think the best buys on steel guitars are to be had?"
Is it at a Garage Sale, Estate Sale, from a friend,
Ebay, Internet, Steel Guitar Conventions, etc.
For myself it is at Steel Guitar Conventions!!
This year at the 2008 Winchester Aloha Steel Guitar convention there were 3 Rickenbacker Bakelites for sale - 2 post war and 1 prewar. The two postwar Ricks were $700. Would you have been interested?
There was a D-8 Excel for $700
There was a Gretsch S-8 for $300
There were other steel guitars but I cannot remember what they were.
Aloha, 
Don |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 2:42 pm
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Hi Don,
A bakelite Rickenbacker for $700 would definitely be interesting to me, and even more so the opportunity to try one! Alas, over here, steel guitars are very rare. I have bought all my lap steels over the internet from the USA, mostly on eBay, and the deals I've gotten on some were very good.
Fred
_________________
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 5:02 pm C'mon Don, try and remember!
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Hmmm..., I'm wondering if those who've selected in the pole so far are saying they actually do the other possibilities listed, and indeed do get the best deals on the net, or if that is simply where they do their shopping.
I'd say the best deals would be from friends/family, then estate sales, altho rare opportunities for the most part, and 3rd, conventions.
Ebay/the net is a hard place to find real deals these day's, as are most musical instrument stores. But it can still happen. |
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Rick Alexander
From:
Florida, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 23 Jul 2008 5:40 pm
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I found quite a few good steel deals on eBay and the Forum.
To get the good deals you have to watch it like a hawk, checking it frequently - and be ready to jump on it.
They're not as plentiful as they were a few years ago.
_________________
BIG STEEL |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 1:17 am Re: C'mon Don, try and remember!
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| Ron Whitfield wrote: |
Hmmm..., I'm wondering if those who've selected in the pole so far are saying they actually do the other possibilities listed, and indeed do get the best deals on the net, or if that is simply where they do their shopping.
I'd say the best deals would be from friends/family, then estate sales, altho rare opportunities for the most part, and 3rd, conventions.
Ebay/the net is a hard place to find real deals these day's, as are most musical instrument stores. But it can still happen. |
Hi Ron,
If you'd be so kind to point out the Steel Guitar Conventions etc. over here where there's about one lap steel to every billion "normal" guitar, I'd love to check them out.  Buying from the USA on the internet (including eBay) is the best option for anyone in Europe wanting to buy a lap steel, period.
There is a great shop in Paris that have plenty of lap steels. But there is a but, and it's a pricy one. The sell a 1947 National New Yorker for €1,300 ($2,040) - I bought mine on US eBay for about $325, plus about $140 shipping and import taxes, so $465. They sell a 1980 OMI Dobro for €1,950 ($3,070)  - I bought my 1976 ditto from a guy in Ohio for $770, plus about $250 shipping and taxes, so $1,020 (a third of the price the French shop asks, and mine has a much nicer sunburst! ). That's the European perspective.
Ron and Rick are right about one having to look hard for the good deals on eBay - but it pays off sometimes.
Fred
_________________
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
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Steve Hamill
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 5:22 am Craigslist
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| I missed a beauty last week on the local list. 50's Triple neck National in excellent condition for $550. They are out there but Rick is right. You have to be first or it's usually already too late. |
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George Piburn
From:
The Land of Enchantment New Mexico
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 6:42 am edit
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edit
Last edited by George Piburn on 20 Jun 2012 4:53 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Charley Wilder
From:
Dover, New Hampshire, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 8:10 am
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| Rick Alexander wrote: |
I found quite a few good steel deals on eBay and the Forum.
To get the good deals you have to watch it like a hawk, checking it frequently - and be ready to jump on it.
They're not as plentiful as they were a few years ago. |
That about sums it up for me. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 10:31 am Try the ISGA section on the directory page, ask them
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Fred, I'm at a loss to help you on the convention aspect in the UK, other than suggest a google search. I'd say stick with the Ebay and SGForum sales if the stores in your neighborhood are such greedy scoundrels.
Fortunately, you already have some nice guitars!
Enjoy! |
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Will Houston
From:
Tempe, Az
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 4:39 pm
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| I'd say 2 of my best buys were right here on the Forum. I've also seen some other good buys here. |
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Terry Farmer
From:
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 7:25 pm
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I'm with George. There are some wonderfully talented builders practicing their craft right now.
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=134200
Vintage instruments are nice but there are some darn cool customs available from some of these builders. In most cases these guitars are labors of love. The builders charge way less than they are actually worth, usually forgetting to charge for the many, many hours spent building their "baby". I know.  |
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Ron Randall
From:
Dallas, Texas, USA
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Posted 24 Jul 2008 11:22 pm
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How come the Forum is not a choice in the survey?
IMHO best source of used and vintage steels. |
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Bill Creller
From:
Saginaw, Michigan, USA (deceased)
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Posted 25 Jul 2008 7:20 am
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I believe Terry is right. Building guitars is a labor of love alright. I believe I lost money on every one I ever sold. But hey, it was fun!! The labor part is where the loss is, but sometimes even the material and parts are a loss !  |
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Don Kona Woods
From:
Hawaiian Kama'aina
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Posted 25 Jul 2008 6:26 pm
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| How come the Forum is not a choice in the survey? |
Because the guy making up the poll either didn't fully develop the items, or make them more clear or was not bright enough to make up a poll in the first place, or both.
I would probably have put the SGF along side E-bay because they both would be internet IMO. On the other hand SGF is certainly more quality than EBay and probably should not be put on the same line. 
Aloha,
Don |
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Edward Meisse
From:
Santa Rosa, California, USA
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Posted 25 Jul 2008 9:00 pm
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I'm one of those guys that only needs two guitars (ok, three). I need a weisse, a tricone and an electric. I'm just picky enogh that I can't get a, "Deal," anywhere. I need to have what I need to have. And I just pay for it. I think getting a deal is alot more important if you're experimenting or collecting. In those cases you'd be buying alot of guitars.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia |
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Garry Vanderlinde
From:
CA
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