Not sure whether this is the right forum to post this in, but if it's not, I apologize in advance.

I have a Fender Duo-Sonic (I'm guessing around 1957 vintage), that I've been carrying around since the 1960s. I'm just a hobbyist and never played this much (preferring acoustic). Now I want to buy a Strat and need to let this guy go. It's in great shape (rarely played in the last 35 years), except that someone stripped and refinished the body before I picked it up (at a garage sale!). It's a wood stain. Everything else is original. It's been set up and plays and sounds great. I just have no idea how to put a price on this and don't want to get ripped. Where can I get advice on how to do this? Thanks.

I have photos but I'm not sure how to post them here.

CharlieN

Figured it out. Here you go.



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Thanks for whatever advice you have.
CharlieN

It's too bad that it didn't have the original paint. I think that you'll find that the refin made it lose a lot of it's value?

Try George Gruhn for an appraisal :

http://www.guitarpriceonline.com/

Good luck!

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

But that train left the station 45 years ago. This refinish is almost vintage! The strange thing is that I've found such a range of values online. I think I could pay several appraisers and still get different estimates. And I've heard that appraisals don't mean that much. I guess it's "what the market will bear," so I should just list it on Craigslist at the top of my range and come down until it sells.

CharlieN

http://www.garysguitars.com/catalog/195 ... nd-fee0538
I believe Rory Gallager played the same guitar
http://www.garysguitars.com/catalog/fender-electrics
Im not sure why the crazy price change in one year vs. another
ie 75,000 dollars for one year 3000.00 for the next
maybe you should just hang on to it, and wait it out...put it in the case and forget about it....then one day maybe the demand will be greater.
Hope this helped some way
J

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I can't find the Crossroads, my GPS must be broke....


2001 Fender Highway One, 2004 Fender SE Ash, 2011 Fender 200 SCE '99 Washburn WR120Pro, Amps: Fender Stage 160, Vox Valvetronix 30, Peavey 212 400 watt, Ibanez 50 watt Toneblaster

The Duo Sonic although a great little guitar,was a low budget beginners guitar and thusly it's collectability and value is reflected in that fact. A 57 Duo Sonic in original near mint condition could only bring about $1650 tops and since yours is refinished although nicely it will be worth considerably less.Refinishing a guitar immediately devalues it by at least 40%,I found this out the hard way with my 65 Strat.No matter how ratty the original finish may be the very best of refinishing jobs will greatly diminish the worth.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Put it on the bay with a buy it now of $1,500 and I am sure yo will get rid of it. There are a lot of collectors who just want a vintage pre CBS guitar no matter what it is.Jayro that Mandocaster was one I never even heard of before.

Here's an example of a clean '57 ending today :

http://cgi.ebay.com/FENDER-DUO-SONIC-19 ... 5886b1ba54

_________________
Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Charlie you need to determine if its a short scale 22.5" or long scale 24" neck. The early Duosonics were short scale for younger students but they did produce a few long scale before 1964. If its a long scale pre 1960 it would be more unique even if it's refinished.

A serial no. typically located on the neck plate will give you an idea of its actual age see link below. I would not dare assign a value to it but you can track similar items on the auction web sites and possibly find a buyer.

http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html#serial

Thanks for that type. I had checked the serial number. It's 1957. As for neck scale, do I measure from top of headstock to end of fretboard? Then it's
23 1/2. If i measure nut to end of fretboard, it's 16 1/2. I must be doing something wrong.
CharlieN

Looked online: it's either nut to bridge or nut to 12th x 2. In either case, this is the short scale.

C.

Hi Charlie N,I have a 65 Mustang that I refinished myself-as the previous owner tried to and failed miserably-and the absolute most I could hope to get for that and the near mint original case is $1,500 and that's being very optimistic,a more reaistic value would be $1,200.I'm basing all my figures from info gleaned from the 2010 edition of The Vintage Guitar Price Guide which relies on the advice of world authorities on vintage guitar prices.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

It's funny, but the closer I get to selling this the more reluctant I am. I had a really solid offer today for what I think was a reasonable price and said no. It's not that I'm holding out for more money. It's just that I've been hauling it around forever. Maybe I should just play it! Or leave it to my daughter in my will.

All your posts have really been helpful. Thanks.

CharlieN

The idea of leaving it to your daughter is the best one.Neither one of my daughters plays,although the younger one dabbled at the bass for about 2 months,and I have willed all my gear to my nephew who's a brilliant musician and has released several successful CDs.I have willed 3 guitars to my wife as they hold a great sentimental value to her.I think when at all possible musical instruments should remain in a family as they will most likely be taken care of to honour the memory of the person who loved and played it.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.