The $4000 Fender Steel

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 13 Oct 2001 5:36 pm

I guess Cleanliness really is next to Godliness: The Golden Steel

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mikey · Post by **mikey** » 13 Oct 2001 7:20 pm

I would NOT have believed it, unless I saw it!!!!!

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 13 Oct 2001 7:37 pm

The only thing that might be missing is Gene Crownover, Leon McAullife or Jody Carver !!

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 13 Oct 2001 7:53 pm

I'm going to put mine in the bank.

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 13 Oct 2001 8:42 pm

That's the first white model I have ever seen...I never knew they came in white!
What a beautiful instrument! (drooool) But it's too darned heavy for an old phart like me to haul around.

mikey · Post by **mikey** » 13 Oct 2001 11:24 pm

Aloha Keoki,
That's not white...adjust your screen!!!!
It's late 50's Blonde....and if that is the original lacquer...that guitar has probably NEVER been out of the case....it looks white because the clear coat never yellowed, unless that particular guitar wasn't clearcoated (it's been known to happen...and that would explain a lacquer finish that kept it's original shade...I have seen underbed Strats that were unexposed for decades that the clearcoat yellowed anyway)
Mike

Andy Volk · Post by **Andy Volk** » 14 Oct 2001 4:42 am

Uh oh ... now we're sure to see "ultra rare Fender 5-neck" show up on E-bay

Well ... I guess now we know what the market will bear. Why did I sell my triple neck custom? I think I'll sign off and go kick myself.

Ian McLatchie · Post by **Ian McLatchie** » 14 Oct 2001 5:42 am

I have no doubt the market value of an instrument like this will exceed $4500 in a few years, but for now that's a whole lotta money to pay even for such a beautiful example. For a much better bargain in a rare and highly desirable lap steel, check out the EH-150 guitar and amp set currently listed on the Elderly site: www.elderly.com/vintage/items/185U-90.htm
If I hadn't just sprung for a triple Stringmaster, I'd be very tempted to grab this one. [This message was edited by Ian McLatchie on 14 October 2001 at 06:44 AM.]

John Tipka · Post by **John Tipka** » 14 Oct 2001 7:17 am

You have seen this guitar before on this Forum. It should have not been a surprise...I know that because the guitar used to be mine...I listed it and sold it on this The Steel Guitar Forum to make sure it went to a player rather than a collector. If you'd like to see additional pictures of this fine guitar, they are available on my web page at:

http://www.iwaynet.net/~steelgtr/quad.html

Note my picture #12 and the nick in the bottom edge of the front neck (my rear view) just to the left of the rightmost diamond covering the neck connector rod ends. Now look at the top two and the bottom pictures at the same position on the EBay site. Voila!!!!

Regards,

John

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 14 Oct 2001 9:30 am

Hmm, The Fender 4000?
John, was this the Fender Quad that you listed on the forum about a year or year and a half ago that sold for $2200.00?

John Tipka · Post by **John Tipka** » 14 Oct 2001 3:57 pm

Yes, Howard

Matt Farrow · Post by **Matt Farrow** » 14 Oct 2001 5:56 pm

The bidding war between the last 2 bidders smells suspicious to me. One has 1 feedback and the other has none. Look for this guitar to be relisted. If it is then they were probably "shill" bidders: fake ebay users who bid on auctions to drive the price up. No offense meant to the bidders if they're genuine, of course, but for two new ebay users to be bidding that much money is a bit sketchy.

My 2¢
Matt Farrow

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Matt Farrow
Marlen 9-string 6+2
Kustom K150

http://www.skybolt6.com/pharaohamps

Eric Stumpf · Post by **Eric Stumpf** » 15 Oct 2001 3:39 am

It's not uncommon for new eBay users with little or no feedback to bid wildly on something they want badly; I doubt there were shills in this auction. After the auction closes the seller has to pay his commission to eBay and in this case it would be a hefty little sum (around $100 plus the listing fee). Why would the seller "shill" the bids up to this amount only to later pay a hundred bucks when no sale was made? In hopes that the re-listed item would go for more? Not likely. In my experience, when an item goes for a record high price, the next similar or identical item listed for auction never sells for as much.

Al Gershen · Post by **Al Gershen** » 17 Oct 2001 11:19 am

Hi group:

I can't justify the high auction price for the Fender four neck Stringmaster (value is subjective....in the eyes of the beholder) but I do believe in a sense, it's a tribute to the Fender Guitar Company and Leo Fender for producing such a magnificant instrument.

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Regards,
Al Gershen
Grants Pass, Oregon. USA
Fender 1000 (1957),
Fender PS 210 (1972) &
Gibson Electraharp EH-820
(1962)
Photos at http://www.rvi.net/~aldg and http://communities.msn.com/AldgsPhotos/photoalbums.msnw

Dirk B · Post by **Dirk B** » 18 Oct 2001 6:03 am

One of those went for $2000 in Scotty's room at the convention this summer; apparently someone brought it in to sell on consignment and it sold just like that.

Tele · Post by **Tele** » 18 Oct 2001 1:53 pm

http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1476225409

okay $1000 for a D-8 without pictures...and this is the opening bid..what's next, a Champ selling for $1k ??

Andy

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1962 Sho~Bud D-10 : 1969 Emmons D-10 : Bigsby T-8: 1954 Gretsch DuoJet: 1955 GRetsch DuoJet:1957 Standel 25L15
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Chuckie Acevedo · Post by **Chuckie Acevedo** » 20 Oct 2001 7:35 pm

Must be around $500.00/neck I figure, more strings...more $$$$

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Chuckieboy

Jim Landers · Post by **Jim Landers** » 20 Oct 2001 9:40 pm

Just to set the record straight. I bought this guitar from John when he had it advertized here on the forum. The last thing in the world I ever planned to do was to sell it. I thought this one would wind up in my will. But as the saying goes, 'the best laid plans of mice and men oft times go astray'.

Do to a change of my personal circumstances, I had no choice but to sell this beauty and several of my other prize possessions. When I listed it on eBay, I put a very reasonable reserve price on it, and kept my fingers crossed that it would reach the reserve. Believe me, there was nobody more surprised at the final sale price than I was.

The fellow that bought the guitar has been playing steel since he was 10 years old. He started out on non pedal and later switched to pedals. He played professionally for years, including 15 years on the road. Like most of us here in 'No Peddlers', his first love is non pedal steel. He seen this one and was in a position financially to bid whatever it took to get it. The guitar got a great new home with someone that will put it to good use.

There were a couple of comments suggesting this was likely a case of 'shill' bidding. There was none of that involved in this auction. The people that were bidding, were bidding because they wanted the guitar. In fact, I have been buying and selling for about 3 years on eBay, and contrary to what some people would have you believe, there is only a small percentage of that going on. I guess that is the only way some people can justify in their own mind the prices that some of the auctions bring.

Did the buyer pay too much?...The answer to that is not only no, but hell no. Keep in mind that he did'nt run that price up all by himself. There were several other people that wanted that guitar just as much as he did, but he had a high enough proxy bid to fend off the last minute bidders. I have no doubt that he can get his money back, and maybe some extra, anytime he wants.

There are a lot of people, usually the ones that keep getting out-bid at the last minute, that think eBay "sucks", to quote one of the other topics from this past week. Personally, I think eBay is one of the greatest things that has ever happened. I have been able to purchase just about any guitar I have ever wanted, and after I had a chance to try it out, if I did'nt like it I could put it back up on eBay, and in just about every case end up with more than it cost me originally.

Before there was an eBay, you were pretty much restricted to what you could find in ye old pawn shop. The ones that keep complaining about being 'out-bid' in the last few seconds need to realize that that is the nature of the beast, and if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. There is nothing stopping you from playing the same game. I turned into a 'sniper' after losing the first three or four auctions I was bidding on, and I seldom lose one now.

Anyway, with as much responce as this thread has gotten, I thought you might be interested in what "really" took place instead of speculation. When things turn around again for me, I would be more than glad to bid the same amount to get that guitar back. In the meantime you folks up in the Rocky Mountains just may be hearing some great non-pedal steel playing.

Jim

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 21 Oct 2001 2:28 am

Well I suppose I will weigh in as well. I fully argee with Jim on the EBAY issue. This was never about the $4000 it was about being fully emotionally attached to the guitar for sale and being in a position to aquire it. I would bet that somewhere down the line the fellow who won this bid probably lost a couple of Steels that he really wanted .Perhaps he didn't offer enough or bid enough. I am a huge fan of Corvette's, not the Guild guitar, but the American icon Classic car. If you want to see some serious bidding take a look at EBAYs Automotive section and the price tags of some of the classics selling, site un-seen. In this little world of Corvette's it is well understood that if you come across a car that you really like and especially if it's one you've been looking for, buy it , don't haggle, buy it because if you don't the next guy(or gal)will . Ebay, love it or hate it , has probably done more for the PC internet community than any other single source. The greatest thing about EBAY is "you don't have to bid on anything !"

America in action, supply and demand. But do try to keep the rule in mind, "in order to sell high you first must buy low !"

TP
D-10 Sho-Bud

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 21 Oct 2001 5:45 am

"One man's ceiling is another man's floor"

Steve England · Post by **Steve England** » 22 Oct 2001 7:27 am

Hey Tele, I noticed that double neck with the invisible bid for a thousand. He didn't say what it was or anything. Since he lives in Austin (same as me) I was curious and emailed him some questions. No answer yet. He must really wanna sell it...whatever it is.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 22 Oct 2001 8:34 am

I agree with Jim completely. Not to step on anyone'e toes, but most of the "Ebay Sucks" chanters are really upset with the fact that the toys they've wanted for a long time are no longer within their financial reach, or just more than they want to spend. Or they got aced out of a good deal at the last moment.

Hey, there's lots of stuff on eBay I wish I could afford as well, but if I'm gonna be pissed off at someone/something, I should be pissed off at myself for either 1) not making the choices in my life that allowed me to HAVE the necessary bucks, 2) not being as willing as another buyer to spend what is necessary to acquire the instrument.

When someone shakes their head and says "sorry, but that instrument is just NOT WORTH that much money," they are proven flat wrong when it sells for that much money. What makes something worth a particular amount is that someone other than the seller feels it's worth that amount. It might not be woth that much to YOU, but it is to someone. Whether or not the buyer is educated about the marketplace or instruments in general, if enough buyers spend the money, that's what the item is "worth." Like the $800 Mavericks... are they worth that much to me? No, but they are to some fools!

And if I find a few cheap Mavericks, you can be sure those suckers will be for sale on eBay!

Ebay also educates sellers as well. If a fellow lists a 1962 Fender 400 at 2000 bucks reserve, and gets no interest whatsoever, he should know he's out of the ballpark. He should continue to re-list until someone bids on it, then he will learn where the money feels the item should be priced.

The marketplace sets the value of whatever commodity is brought to market. Basic Econ. 101, and the Capitalism upon which our economy is based. When the marketplace was just the local guitar store and pawn shop in our hometown, it was a small market with little competition. What eBay has done is open the marketplace to the entire world, so there's a lot more opportunity to find the stuff we've lusted for, but a hell of a lot more competitors for that stuff.

It's bigger than all of us. Get used to it.

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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 22 October 2001 at 09:38 AM.]

Paul Warnik · Post by **Paul Warnik** » 22 Oct 2001 2:24 pm

I once heard it said that one who buys something really doesnt know what it is worth untill he sells it-on a fair market value comparison I am aware of two blonde Fender quads that recently sold in the $2000 range-on the face of that I have to say that the guitar sold for double what the current value is-now before anyone gets mad with me let me say that I have sold many Fender Stringmaster steels over the years to premium price paying customers in Japan and I dont think that this guitar would bring even near that much overseas-once again though I will always allow that certain instruments with documented intrinsic value of being owned by a famous player and/or being played on some hit recordings can seriously escalate an instruments price above market value of the instrument without such an association-this guitar has no such advertised association-I love my quad Bigsby and my quad Wright-and I have owned a few quad Fenders-but no way at that kind of price at this point in time-this deal shows again why I dont bother with Ebay to buy instruments-it is strictly a sellers market and some day when I decide to sell my vintage gear hopefully there will still be someone out there who has lots of money and is willing to overpay me for what my stuff is worth-till then I STICK WITH THE FORUM BUY AND SELL SECTION[This message was edited by PAUL WARNIK on 22 October 2001 at 04:00 PM.]

Mike Tatro · Post by **Mike Tatro** » 23 Oct 2001 9:08 am

Jim-

You didn't owe anyone an explanation but it was very classy of you to offer one.

I agree with Herb and others... the www in general and Ebay in particular is a great boon to those of wanting to buy something other than what may be hanging on the wall of GuitarCenter/SamAsh/Mars or in our local pawn shop. It generally takes only a little patience and restraint to find what I'm looking for at a price I can handle.

It's never been better IMHO.