The Steel Guitar Forum

A few weeks back I bought an amplifier from a gentleman outside NYC. He doesn't use the internet, and has no real idea what his denim wrapped (actual denim) Emmons is worth. He's considering selling, as he downsizes to prepare to move into a senior center. I told him that I would try to see if there was any information out there about these steels and figured I should try here. The only thing I could find here was a thread from 2013 about wacky finishes that Emmons did for a while, and an SD10 that sold something like a decade ago. Does anybody have any idea what this thing is? Or what it might be worth? I'd like to help this gentleman out however I can, and would appreciate any thoughts/info.

FYI, he's the original owner. Has papers, case candy, receipt of sale, everything.

I don't know the value of the guitar, but I have seen one other denim Emmons P/P. It was a D10 and had a leather Levi's® badge on it though and was darker blue denim.

I don't know what happened to it or it's owner.

If he's original owner then the papers should have the date! I'm not sure but I think they started using "butterfly" Klusons around 1975.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I think the value for this guitar would be somewhere between $2,500-$2,700.

Don

Don Mogle wrote:I'm going out on a limb here, but I think the value for this guitar would be somewhere between $2,500-$2,700.

Don

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Thats about right.. Its as clean as a whistle, doesn't looked heavily played at all, and is a very rare color, I might have seen one or two before in Blue denim...
Plain Jane S10 Emmons in common mica colors[rosewood] usually go 2k to maybe $2200... bob

Feel free to call me for a casual opinion or formal and detailed appraisal.

I had one exactly like that one in the 70s I bought from Clem Schmitz. I sure regret selling that. I would be interested if he decided to sell it.
steve

It's a basic mid-70s S-10, the market value of which seems to be around the low-to-mid 2000s +/-.

The denim factor and how it would affect my valuation, and my personal opinion only, is this: while the denim models were undoubtedly rare birds, I wouldn't want to use that guitar on a professional job that would increase the likelihood of something liquid getting spilled on it. Likewise the equally rare basket-weave covered Emmonses.

Is there a lacquer finish on it over the cloth? I've never owned one of either, but I'll bet cleaning a spill off either of those instruments would be a pain. I would imagine a heavy dosage of Scotch-gard on the denim might offer more protection against liquid spills, but not dirt or dust. So I wouldn't take one of either to a gig situation; maybe church, but with a good cover when not being played, even at home.

It's pretty, but its functional use is somewhat hampered, again IMHO.

Buddy designed the original guitar with impervious finishes, eventually settling on Formica, because someone had put a lit cigarette on his Bigsby (even though he had an ashtray for it, which pissed him off royally ).

But if that guitar does get dirty, I'd wash it with like colors in cold water, line dry, and cool iron if needed.

Herbster,
You're a regular Susie homemaker!

Herb-

It isn't lacquered at all. It would be a serious chore to clean, for sure.

I personally wouldn't sell it for a nickel less than $2500.. Just too rare, too clean, and too many Emmons guys that would love to get their hands on one of these, especially in that super clean condition... bob

Mark Isakson wrote:Herb-

It isn't lacquered at all. It would be a serious chore to clean, for sure.

If anything, even water, got on it I'd wager it'd leave a visible stain. There's probably a reason that Emmons didn't make a whole lot of guitars with those coverings. Problematic.

But for someone who never takes their guitar out of the music room or living room, it would be appropriate. Or for a collector, or as a conversation piece.

Last year I acquired a '67 bolt-on S-10. Totally original and unmessed with, 6 pedals and no knee levers, 24 wide bellcranks. Way cool guitar. I mentioned my find to Jay Dee and he said... "no levers? So, it's a piece of furniture, right?"

Bob Carlucci wrote:I personally wouldn't sell it for a nickel less than $2500.. Just too rare, too clean, and too many Emmons guys that would love to get their hands on one of these, especially in that super clean condition... bob

I agree with Bob on that price for the condition and rarity. I would only hope that the buyer would have the smarts to treat it with kid gloves, and not toss it a hundred times into the back of the band trailer after a long tour of sweaty evenings in the smoke-filled beer bars and skull orchards of our great land.

Yeah Herb,, Its either a good thing or bad one when any guitar, amp, mando, fiddle, whatever, gets to the point when its so clean, so "minty" or just so rare that it really shouldn't be used for its intended purpose,-playing it!

Yes of course you can take this steel and gig the crap out of it 5 days a week, and in 2 years you have an ultra rare instrument thats beat up and nasty looking.
There is just not that many like this one. I mean, for all we know, it might be the only S10 produced in denim, or one of only a very few.

Just like any old acoustic or electric guitar or amp that has stayed mint for many decades, and is highly collectable. Do you start gigging it now at this late date, or do you give it a place of honor in your home because of its rarity and value e, and keep it in perfect condition??.. Tough call, but me personally, I think rare birds like this one need to stay home, under a good cover, and just kept as is, and lightly played once in a while.. There are a ton of great playing and sounding steels out there to play gigs with.. This one has earned its place as a collectors piece, but thats only my opinion.. If it were a Mica guitar, I probably would not feel so strongly... bob

Bob Carlucci wrote:. If it were a Mica guitar, I probably would not feel so strongly... bob

Totally, Bob. It's a mid-70s S-10, of which I'm sure more than a several hundreds were made. A mica guitar would and should be gigged, since almost anything that crossed its path in Harm's Way could be easily removed with a damp cloth or a little elbow grease.

But not this one, or a basket weave for that matter. Better kept at the house.

Those basket weaves are absolutely gorgeous.. Only seen a few in pics but I was amazed.. Just gorgeous.....
Same deal.. If you have a clean one, it needs to stay that way,, bob

I know this has run a little off Mark's topic, but my first pro guitar was a basketweave like in this topic: http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... highlight=

I drug that thing all over the place for about 10 yrs. for awhile even in a busted up case. That covering is not actual woven stuff Herb, it's a 3D textured laminate material. I don't think you can hurt it, it's a lot like a formica material.

The guy I met that had the Levi's® finished D10 was a picker like me. I met him in what used to be a big dance hall here called Doc Hollidays. We both played those places, dives, joints, clubs etc. I don't think either of us was very concerned about any damage and neither guitar looked any worse for wear on the cosmetics. I wouldn't be concerned about it if it were me.

Not much different than a lacquer finished guitar in that respect. Anyone with such misgivings probably ought to buy something else.

Bob Carlucci wrote:
I think rare birds like this one need to stay home, under a good cover, and just kept as is, and lightly played once in a while.. There are a ton of great playing and sounding steels out there to play gigs with.. This one has earned its place as a collectors piece, but thats only my opinion.. If it were a Mica guitar, I probably would not feel so strongly... bob

Bob, I agree 100%, if it survived 40+ years, no sense making a rare guitar a players guitar at this point.

Bob Carlucci wrote:I think rare birds like this one need to stay home, under a good cover, and just kept as is, and lightly played once in a while.

Guys, guys, you gotta get with the times. Worn jeans are so desirable that people pay extra for holes when they buy 'em new!

Herby Wallace had denim covered, Emmons D-10 in the early to mid '70's. He was touring with Nat Stucky at the time.