Stringmaster T-8

Lap steels, resonators, multi-neck consoles and acoustic steel guitars

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Nick Reed
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Stringmaster T-8

Post by Nick Reed »

I spent the day going to a few Pawn Shops. Low and behold guess what I found. . . . .a nice Fender T-8 Stringmaster. The guy said I could have it for $900. If I'd had the money that guitar would have come home with me. Ohhhwelll!
Bill Hatcher
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Post by Bill Hatcher »

Put it on a credit card. If it is in good shape you can flip it for a lot more money than you would pay for it.
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Rick Alexander
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Post by Rick Alexander »

Absolutely right Bill!
Nick, snag that Stringmaster by any means possible and post it in For Sale: Instruments or sell it on eBay. You'll make a few hundred bucks out of it, and then next time you spot a bargain like that you can get it for yourself . .

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Edward Meisse
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Post by Edward Meisse »

I second that. I just bought an Excel double neck in mint condition for such a low low price that if it doesn't work out for me I'll put it up on ebay, buy the Remington S8 that would probably have been best for me in the first place and still have money left over.
Paul Osbty
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Post by Paul Osbty »

Yeah, just make sure that no one but collectors can afford these kinds of available guitars. Keep jackin up them prices. No players should have them.

*sarcasm off*

If you want one to actually play, you better go buy it, Nick. People here will jack up the price and you will never have one to play. The speculators and ebay-flippers have already ruined it for many.

Flip them all off and keep it. And play it.
Bill Hatcher
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Post by Bill Hatcher »

Paul.

The prices of vintage instruments increased every year before there was an Ebay or this forum. You can be sarcastic if you want to about prices, but you can't stop the value of these from going up. As long as there are buyers out there who will pay big money for Fender Stringmasters then nothing you can say or do will stop it. You can't blame the forum or Ebay either. These outlets have just presented these instruments to a lot more potential buyers who would never have been able to have the chance to get one. Stringmasters were undervalued for a long time.

I advised buying the guitar and reselling it for a profit. There are reasons for that---ala mortgage payments, gasoline, light bills, medical bills, etc. I stopped in a music store recently and bought a single neck string master for what they were asking. I advertised it and more than doubled my money on it. All sorts of players wanted it. Nobody had one word to say about the price of it, because the demand/market dictates what it will sell for and if a player does not want to pay for it then he either will not get one or he will have to wait for the deal to come along that he can afford. I did not just price it to purposefully jack up the price of Fender stringmasters. I went to the buy/sell section of the Forum and to the completed auctions on Ebay to see what they were selling for and priced it there.

Prices on vintage Fender instruments will continue to increase.
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Rick Alexander
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Post by Rick Alexander »

It just comes down to supply and demand. They stopped making them 40 years ago, and now everybody wants one. Two years ago a clean T-8 would sell for around $1100 - $1200, nowadays it's $2000 or more. So if Nick can get one for $900 he should grab it while he can. Whether he keeps it or sells it he can't lose.

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<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 30 September 2006 at 06:28 PM.]</p></FONT>
Casey Lowmiller
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Post by Casey Lowmiller »


Damn...you're breakin' my heart Nick!!!

Here you are with info on a nice T-8 & here I am with enough money to actually afford it.

If I lived closer...I'd be huntin' ya down or pawn-shoppin' like a sick animal.

Casey

------------------
Known Coast to Coast as
"The Man with The Plan"

Carter-Starter, Fender Pedal 800, Fender Champion, Guyatone Double-neck, a cheap Artisan & a Homemade Double-neck!
Paul Osbty
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Post by Paul Osbty »

"I advertised it and more than doubled my money on it."

Fortunately, I got one before you got involved. I paid a realistic price.
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Rick Alexander
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Post by Rick Alexander »

Prices go up on items when there's a big demand for them. That's an irrefutable law of commerce. It's really not Bill's fault, or anyone else on the forum. The buying and selling of vintage instruments has been happening for some time, and will continue. It's only natural that when someone sells an instrument he would like to get more than he paid.
Stringmaster owners should just be happy . .
<marquee Direction="Right"> Image</marquee>

Image <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Rick Alexander on 30 September 2006 at 11:00 PM.]</p></FONT>
Paul Osbty
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Post by Paul Osbty »

"It's only natural that when someone sells an instrument he would like to get more than he paid."

If that's "natural" here, it explains why I avoid the For Sale forum. I don't like paying collector prices.

But, this will be a great place to sell to the willing.
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Rick Alexander
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Post by Rick Alexander »

If there's a place where sellers happily make no profit, I'd like to know about it.


I constantly monitor all available sources for deals on steels.
Generally speaking, the best deals are to be found right here on the forum and on eBay.

Thank goodness everyone is free to shop wherever they like . .


RA
BIG STEEL.
Matt Johnson
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Post by Matt Johnson »

Rick,
Those Stringmasters look like soldiers ready for some serious steelin'! Too cool!
As far as the market for steels, it seems fair that the most cherished classics go up in price. The best ones always do....in almost any vintage market. If that bums people out, get a Dickerson and just play!
From my viewpoint (someone who's never even played a Stringmaster let alone seen one in real life), owners of them should eat, drink, and be merry......and play.
Jason Dumont
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Post by Jason Dumont »

Rick,
Isn't there a rule about posting pics of pornography Image
My god that's one sweet stable of yours!
Edward Meisse
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Post by Edward Meisse »

I just got what I consider to be a super deal right here on the forum. I think if you're patient and watchful, you can still get a good guitar at a decent price. There is also the possibility that you could restore one that's in .....less than mint condition. There are a couple of vintage guitars at a store near me that can be had for a song. A double 6 rik bakelite that I haven't actually seen and a national double neck that needs a serious overhaul. I couldn't do the work myself. But there is a terrific craftsman in town who can.
Michael Scdoris
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Post by Michael Scdoris »

Edward. Please e-mail the location of the store you mentioned in Santa Rosa, Ca. I would like to restore a vintage lap steel
Edward Meisse
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Post by Edward Meisse »

Done.
Tim Tweedale
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Post by Tim Tweedale »

Hey, Rick what is the pink stuff inside your fingerpicks?

-Tim
Gary Boyett
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Post by Gary Boyett »

Tim, those are nose cushions for glasses. He told me about this a few years ago and they work great. Walgreens sell them for about one dollar.

No more sore fingers.

Tip of the day- buy the pink ones, the black ones don't stay on.
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Rick Alexander
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Post by Rick Alexander »

Image
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Mark Eaton
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Post by Mark Eaton »

<SMALL>I stopped in a music store recently and bought a single neck string master for what they were asking. I advertised it and more than doubled my money on it.</SMALL>
Man, I hope pawnshop owners and underpriced music store owners don't read the Forum! Image

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Mark
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Darryl Hattenhauer
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Post by Darryl Hattenhauer »

Please pardon my ignorance, but did they ever make a 4 neck?

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"And if we obey God, we must disobey ourselves." --Father Mapple
Dave Zielinski
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Post by Dave Zielinski »

Rick,

Thanks for the new monitor wallpaper on my PC.

great pic!!!!!

Dave
Dave Zielinski
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Post by Dave Zielinski »

Rick, that pic here makes me wonder....

ok, 176 strings it looks like.

How similar or different do they sound? I have old strats thats are very similar years but sound way different. Do you find the same thing with steels???

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Darryl Hattenhauer
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Post by Darryl Hattenhauer »

I just found pics of Tom Bradshaw's quad 8. Fantastic.
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