The Steel Guitar Forum

I was thinking about this Fender Champion and have seen some bid over $400. What do you think it's worth? Thanks, Ron

Sorry, forgot the link
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33039&item=3766383910&rd=1

$300

In Canada, I'd say around $400.00 tops. However in the US, I think Ron did a good estimate of $300.00

My advice is to forget the Champion, save up a few more bucks, and go for a Fender DeLuxe--much better tone.

I would say that it was worth $175 to someone.
It's kind of sad, but the only reason those guitars go for $400+ is that people use them for parts. The folks that restore (or make replicas of) old Tele's use the knobs, pots, pickup, and output jack.
Those knobs go for over $50 each and same for each old pot, and the pickups can sometimes get over $250. The dated paper(9/19/53) with "Gloria" on it could bring a couple of hundred bucks alone.
As a useable instrument they are worth about what that one went for, $175.

I think that sale was atypical. If you do some digging you can see them on ebay having gone for around 4-500 numerous times.
I think it's a great sounding steel myself. I've had one for 22 years. Ron Wood plays one on the Stones videos.

it sold fer 175 $ and that was a good deal Lucille !

This is what I was talking about. Note how many bids.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33039&item=3769035744&rd=1

Smells fishy to me.

I've got one that I paid $200 for about 4 years ago at a guitar show here in Austin. I too like the sound. Very strong. I only have my 72 tele and the stringmasters to compare it with so I'm not sure what the deluxe sounds like in comparison.

Anyway this one wasn't in as pristine condition as the $800+ one or mine for that matter. Still a bargain I think.

------------------
Gibson D-8 Console Grande - Stringmaster T-8 - Alkire EHarp D-10
Fender Super Reverb
kobe@austin.rr.com
http://home.austin.rr.com/kobeco


<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Karl Oberlander on 17 December 2004 at 12:32 PM.]</p></FONT>

Ron-
You may be right. I just looked at the bid history. 3/4 of the bids are all from one person.

That person was bidding up when no one else countered. Probably shill bidding. Who in their right mind would pay twice it's worth!

I don't see any shilling going on; It looks pretty normal to me, between 2 folks that really wanted that Steel ... and not all that high a price for a pristine collector's piece, ...especially since there's an equally pristine 1954 Telecaster pickup and pots harness in it that could be sought as much or more than the Steel itself, and a correct but worse condition pickup and pots put back in it and resold for around $300-400; Allowing "jferris" to acquire a pristine Tele pickup / pots / harness for $400-500 ... not a bad deal for for more than a few vintage collectors / dealers / buiders / counterfeiters / brokers / etc. It looks to me like the "leo" guy was just quite normally searching first for "whps"'s max proxy bid and found it at between $500 and $549 when "leo" bid $550 and became the high bidder ...until "jferris" made a higher proxy bid at 8:00 AM the next morning ...and how much that higher bid is still unknown because only the amount necessary to outbid "leo" would be shown at the top. Notice that "leo"'s bid increases were in $50 steps but tapered off to $20 steps as his bidding started reaching the upper limits of what he was willing to pay, which got up to $866 before he gave up. Remember that we don't see the "you've been outbid" notice that "leo" saw each time he made one of those unsuccesful step-up bids, and the prevailing high proxy bid is revealed to us only when and in the amount that sustains it as the highest bid; In other words, each time that "leo" bumped his bid, the amount shown at the top as "jferris"'s higher bid also changed upward on that bidders page by the minimum proxy step-up amount each time "leo" bid, ...and as soon as "leo" gave up then "jferris"'s $876 bid simply held for the rest of the auction. "jferris"'s max proxy bid could have been a zillion dollars but only the amount necessary to win by proxy is shown.

Aloha,
DT~
<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Denny Turner on 18 December 2004 at 09:02 AM.]</p></FONT>

Ron W.Writes and I quote sir Ron.

Smells fishy to me. Many times factory worker' took their lunch to work, some liked Tuna salad and others liked sardines.

I know who they were. If you need to track them down let me know. That fish odor was popular among thr mexican workers. The Fish odor was referred to as "The Fishmaster" once you play it "Your'e Hooked." Edited
Leo had the Fishing boat and supplied the fish in place of money.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 21 December 2004 at 06:41 PM.]</p></FONT>

Is it true Leo used 10 gauge strings for lure leaders?

No Ron
Leo used a wound 48 guage string. He beleived
in catching fish with clean teeth so he didnt have to clean them. He used the string to floss the teeth. Would you like catch a fish with stained teeth? If you ever took a ride on Leo's Aquafen you would have seen some hair raising episode's. . Leo
always had Hawaiian music playing while he fished. He said the music lured the fish.

He lured the fish with Hawaiian music played
on Fender guitars. Gibson guitars chased the fish. Merry Christmas to you Ron.

48s!, sounds like he wanted them filleted before they hit the deck.

The happiest Holidays back at'cha Jody, and Family.

Where did Leo keep his boat, Santa Monica?

I've often day dreamed over those times on his cruiser, partying with every name of the day, and Leo, the Master fisherman. I'll bet Freddie Tavares gave Leo a bunch of Hawaiian fishing tips, and visa versa. Where are the home movies of all that? Hmmm, Richard Smith may know...

Where are the home movies of all that? Hmmm, Richard Smith may know.

Im sure there are many home movies of Leo.
I haven't been in touch with Richard for sometime now. I have to contact him and tell him of my wife's passing. She was quite fond of Richard. I'll keep you posted.