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Topic: What is this Rickenbacker worth? |
Robert Allen
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 11:04 am |
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Someone stopped by the shop this morning and wanted to sell what appears to be a Model 100 Rickenbacker lap steel, wood body, silver gray finish. The Blue Book says it's worth $450 to $500 in excellent condition but this is in poor condition. The pickup sounds great. Aside from the insignificant things like needing new pots and a jack, it has a split extending from the end into the cavity and the body is warped on the end. How much should I offer? He indicated he would like to get $150.
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 12:02 pm
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The guitar can most likely be salvaged as a viable player, Robert, or parted out for more than $150.
Being a 6 string it's easier to justify parting it out, but sad to see a good guitar die. |
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Robert Allen
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 12:26 pm
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| I am in the repair business so fixing it isn't a problem but it's unlikely I can restore it to where the repair can't be noticed. I'd need to repaint it and it's doubtful I could match the original color exactly. Do you think it's worth more in unfixed condition or should I go ahead and buy it and repair it even if it won't look original afterward? I do like the sound so if I buy it for myself with no thought of reselling it, I'd fix it and I wouldn't bother to repaint it. There's something nice about an old instrument that looks old. My dobro is 65 years old and all beat up. People tell me it has a lot of soul. |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 12:50 pm
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If you save this steel it'll have that much more soul even with some battle scars and it sounds like you're up for it. From the look's of it there might not be much finish damage to worry about in full repair if careful. If the wood grains aren't scrambled inside the split would it need more than a good gluing/clamping and maybe some doweling to solidify the body?
Unfixed it's only worth the parts value, which is around $500. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 1:05 pm
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Wood glue and a big C-clamp would take care of that split in the body. A new output jack is no problem. If the pots work at all, even scratchy, I would leave them alone. I don't mind playing beat up or patched up guitars. I actually prefer them to new ones. I'd say this lap steel is a good buy for $150, especially since you can do the repairs yourself. One of the best sounding lap steels I ever owned was a 1950s English Electronics (Valco) that I bought for $60... the body was split into two pieces! I had my local guitar shop glue the body together and I played the guitar for years.
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Brad Bechtel
From:
San Francisco, CA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 2:04 pm
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| Ron Whitfield wrote: |
| Unfixed it's only worth the parts value, which is around $500. |
I highly doubt the parts would be worth that much. You can buy a Rickenbacker B6 lap steel from several Guitar Center stores for $600.
I think $150 would be a generous amount given the damage.
_________________
Bradβs Page of Steel
A web site devoted to acoustic & electric lap steel guitars |
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Ron Whitfield
From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 2:24 pm
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| The old knobs alone are of decent value and the PU is worth at least $100, of course the right party has to have a real need for most of these particular parts, but the money is there and certainly worth more than $150. As for the guitar as-is, sure, $150 is fair. |
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Jack Hanson
From:
San Luis Valley, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 2:52 pm
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Strip the all the parts off the instrument above the separation, place a saturated sponge in the bottom of a plastic yard bag, insert the instrument past the separation, making certain the instrument itself does not come into contact with the saturated sponge. Seal off the bag with multiple windings of model airplane rubber, and give it a few days for the wood to absorb the moisture from the sponge. The crack is likely to close right up, or nearly so. Glue and clamp, like Doug describes above.
The finish may be patched if desired. Check with ReRanch -- looks a lot like Inca Silver to me.
I'd pay $150.00 in a heartbeat. The knobs alone are worth nearly that much if they're in decent condition. That horseshoe pickup can't be beat.
It would be a shame to part it out; leave it as is or fix it up. Should not be too difficult a repair. |
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Robert Allen
From:
Tennessee, USA
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 3:44 pm
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| The seller phoned and told me he is anxious to sell. He dropped the price to $100. I'll keep it and fix it up. It'll cost about $12 to fix it including new pots and a jack. The tuners are in good shape. For my own use, I won't bother repainting. |
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Doug Beaumier
From:
Northampton, MA
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 16 Jan 2014 7:29 pm
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Nice score! It is a shame that many people do not realise what happens to old furniture and instruments in central heating.
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Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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b0b
From:
Cloverdale, CA, USA
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Paul Honeycutt
From:
Colorado, USA
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Posted 17 Jan 2014 4:11 am
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| I can't tell from the pictures, but are those classical guitar tuners on your Rick? The buttons don't look right. I guess if they work, it's no big deal. |
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