The Steel Guitar Forum

Anyone have any idea what this one is worth. It's a 1937 model, I'm a 1937 model. It's had a bad break and is still going strong, I fell off a ladder in November and have a plate and nine pins holding my left knee together. If any two things were meant for each other........

Auction on eBay.

Jude

Are the necks bolted to the bodies,,,like they are 2 pieces??? If it were me, and I could afford this, and they were 2 pieces, I would have the neck cast and remount it,,, but then theres the question of scale lenth do to the shrinkage,,,,, but then if it were me I would completely refuiger this guitar,,, because of the once broken neck,,, like 8 strings,,, alumnium neck,,,, pick-up,,,, intonation!!!! I dont know if this could be done??????

I don't know, Jude, but I suspect that pins and plate notwithstanding, your knee may have much better intonation than this guitar. That's a pretty ugly looking neck repair. This isn't an instrument I'd be inclined to bid on unless I had the chance to play it first, and even then I doubt it's something I'd put out much money for. Even if it ends up going for significantly less than most pre-war bakelites, in the long run it's not going to have anything like the collectible value of an instrument in better condition.

Collector value aside, I doubt if the tone is affected by the repaired neck.
Mine sounds as good ,or maybe even better than before the neck got broke.
Of course it's not worth as much as an un-repaired one, but function-wise that pre-war would be nice for the right price.

Shipping a bakelite is risky, if the seller/shipper doesn't take the tension off the strings.

Just took a look at it...
1). tuners bad, original holes very evident. No indication if new tuners were installed correctly.
2). knobs bad, no idea where these replacements came from.
3). neck crack...very, very BAD. The two screws in the neck are absurd

BUT, if you can get it at a good price it is completely restorable! If you have enough patience to find the correct parts and get the neck fixed correctly.

I paid $1200 for a '37 last year with almost no issues (one pesky tuner button, $25 and a broken case handle, $45). If you can buy this one and get it fixed-up for close to that I would do it. I enjoy a good project.

It's meant for you

Go for it!

A few years back, I seem to recall Ray "Skip" Montee had a nasty experience with a broken necked bakelite Rick. Perhaps he might comment on this one in comparison to the one which I think he successfully salvaged ? How about it Skip ?

http://www3.telus.net/public/lake_r/

The value is in the pickup, plates and logo on the head. All else seems to be of little value. Even the body has been drilled into it looks like. Bid accordingly.

I'm not looking at it as an investment or collectors item, just something to play around with. I can fill in the cracks and holes and I'm sure the original tuners are salvagable. It's talking to me, fix me daddy, play with me. I can do it. It's bound to be prettier than my knee when I get done with it. Dang, got to stay up past my bedtime and do some sniping.
Jude

It's over my top bid figure now, back to lusting after Tonemasters. I could have made a nice guitar out of it.

Jude

Dang, got to stay up past my bedtime and do some sniping

Jude,

It’s a bit late in the day, but if you're still watching the auction and it can make any difference to you at all, count me in for a $100 donation to a “help Jude restore C-1109” fund.

I’ll be up after bedtime tonight myself. - doing some sippin’ (and practicing on my B6)

Pat

Hey Jude...I think you quit too soon

We’ll see. Maybe he’ll snipe the ric yet. - my upright bass has had repaired broke-off neck, scroll, cracks and replacement tuners for at least 150 years now and continues playing / sounding like a dream.

Perhaps he'll snag and ressurrect this bakelite yet.

I dont think he wants it as bad as the high bidder......$789. bucks!!!!!
I guess the issues it had didnt stop the high bidder. Hopefully it wont be parted out and sold on ebay.

I came upon the thread at the 11th hour where bidding stood at $500 and was pulling for Jude to get it. But, as Garry pointed out, he himself picked up a sound ‘37 for an additional 4 and change over closing price just a few months back.

Fate seems to have a role in shuffling these instruments about. I too hope it's not dissected for resale. (no way to treat a Lady)

good luck C-1109

It went for twice what I was willing to pay. Pat, thanks much for the offer to help. I'm watching an Oahu acoustic and Tonemaster that go off in about four days, maybe I'll score one of those. I don't need them, perfectly happy with what I've got. My wife spends a lot of money on one instrument whereas I seem to spend a lot of money on a bunch of them. Relatively speaking of course. Everybody, thanks for the words of encouragement and advice.
Jude

Jude, you don't want a bakelite with a busted neck.
It would never be quite right. Consider yourself fortunate (except for the knee injury).
It's a damn shame too, you don't see too many 37 - 38 models these days.

Keoki........thanks for remembering me and our little repair job that turned out beautifully!

I had nothing quite like that mess there on eBay.

Mine was a fresh, clean break and repair went flawlessly, thanks to my friend Wayne Tanner, down Texas way.

I'd run from this one, even if I had the money to waste.

Well, the broken neck may "never be right", but mine works fine. I think you will see more broke as people who ship them leave the strings tensioned when they pack them up. They WILL break with string tension on the neck, and some shipping idiot tosses it (even under-handed). They dont lay in the case correctly for being shipped and dropped anyway, so removing string tension and padding under AND on top of the guitar in the case may save it's life.
I bought one without a case, and had the seller take the neck off and wrap the two parts separately, which works.