The Steel Guitar Forum

Tom Keller wrote:The best stuff is still bringing top dollar even in a soft market. Items such as prewar Martin D 28's, Gibson Mastertone Banjos and Gibson F5 Mandolins show no signs at least to me of softening in value.

There's truth in that. But even those markets can decline. Years back when the price on early Stratocasters went sky high, several fairly prominent dealers ended up getting stuck with overpriced stock when the market suddenly declined. It appears that several high roller collectors had completed their collections of Stratocasters, and no one else was out there with both the money and the desire for these guitars. Sure, they are still expensive today, but in today's dollars, they're nowhere near what they were at the peak.

Another factor is that there were very few Loar F5's, for instance. Not that many original 5 string prewar flatheads. But lots of D-28s and Stratocasters. I never could understand how the market for either ended up doing what it did. I guess maybe because you actually could find one of these for sale?


Dave

Bill McCloskey
I would much rather spend money on supporting our living luthiers

Thank you Bill, your comment underscores this important need.

The day I met Herb Remington he played and liked my instruments at the Dallas Jamboree 2002 he told me, " You have a good thing going, I am so glad I am not the only one any more"

Now of daze there are builders far superior to anything GeorgeBoards ever came up with, eg; Todd Clinesmith - Sonny Jenkins - Ryan Rukavina just to name 3.

For Me the final kiss of Death was when some one got the Epiphone 400 bucks unit made in production.
The cost of USA made materials before any labor or machining, is greater than that.

These low cost imports; all of which seem to get some sort of report of inferiority, despite being some of the nicest finishes in the world, are basically destroying the American non pedal market.

Supporting contemporary builders of Quality steel guitars domestic or foreign will also bring up the after market sales too.

I had a perfect swamp ash D8 stringmaster and a pre war Bakelite 8 string richenbacher panda. I sold both of them without regret after I started playing a Clinesmith.

The vintage pedalsteel market is dropping like crazy too. Original Emmons wrap arounds are sometimes selling for much less than the prices you see on line.

It seems like the collectible market is collapsing but the players market is doing okay still.

In 1981 I visited a 1952 Telecaster that was on sale for $5000. I was making six bucks an hour. Forget the legendary mystique, right? I bought a new Fender Bullet instead for about $250 and got a gig with it. I also had a nice $90 Guyatone lap steel, which probably isn’t really worth much more than that today. My mid-50’s Stringmaster that I refinished and built a case for would probably sell here for significantly less than I paid for it in the early 80’s. I had a feeling about buying “vintage” instruments back then, and stopped doing it. That time has come.