Hello, I am new to these blogs so please forgive me if this question has been answered already.

I have a 1958 Stratocaster left to me by my dad. Where can I go to get it appraised so that I can have it properly insured?

I also heard there is a place on the net where you can enter in the serial number and find information on it, anyone have a link?

Thank you very much for your help!!!

Michael

You can start here, http://www.guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

Do you have any pictures of the guitar?

Thank you for the information. I took a few pictures with my iPhone.

To get detailed info on your guitar you can e-mail Fender customer service and request a stat sheet on your specific guitar by serial number and I think you will get the info you're looking for.

As far as an appraisal goes, I would start by checking around in your area for any dealers who specialize in dealing with vintage instruments. Here in Northern Ohio for example there's a place called "Timeless Guitars"...most of what they deal with is vintage guitars and the owner, Clyde, really knows his stuff. If you don't have anything like that in your specific area, then I would ask around at some Fender authorized dealers and see what they suggest...they [i]should[/] be able to point you in the right direction.

One thing to keep in mind; an appraisal for insurance purposes may or may not reflect that actual value/replacement cost of the instrument in question. Granted I'm not expert so PLEASE take this as being subjective but if it were me, once I got the appraisal, I'd keep an eye on Ebay and such to get a good, accurate market value on the instrument...then I would insure it for just a bit more. Also remember that an appraisal now...here in December of 2009 probably won't reflect what that instrument will be worth in 5 or 10 years assuming you decide to hang on to it (and I would). You'll want to have the appraisal and the insurance updated from time to time to reflect increasing market value.

While you're getting that appraisal, I would also ask about getting a "Certificate of Authenticity" for that guitar as well. Should you ever decide to sell it, a COA will be absolutely essential for you to get anywhere near a fair market value on such an instrument.

As to the serial number thing, you can actually start right here at Fender.com If you look at the top of your screen under "Support", you'll find a section for "Product Dating". The Guitar Project link previously mentioned is also a good resource. For this type of instrument, I would do all of the digging I can...make sure you're getting consistent information. There's lot of info out there on the web about vintage guitars...a Google search for "vintage Stratocaster" should get you started .

I hope this helps and welcome to the forums!

Peace,
Jim

I am sure you are already aware of this, but ... that guitar is worth a small fortune. So, don't change a thing on it. And only deal with people with lots of expertise in vintage instruments. Good luck.

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George Gruhn is a guitar expert and appraiser who can look at it for you. I do not have a link to his shop, but google it and see.

If it is real.

The headstock decal is missing some key words.

The switch to rosewood fingerboards (in 5/59) happened before the switch to the 11 screw pickguard (7/59).

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

OO, was the decals back then a sticker applied on top or applied and finished over?

I didn't want to be the one to say anything because the pics are a bit fuzzy but I thought the decal looked a bit off too...but for a different reason. Even with the pics as bad as they are, you can still see a ridge in the lacquer around the "Contour Body" decal as well as towards the bottom of "Stratocaster". I think you're right though...seems like that should also have the words "with Synchronized Tremolo" there on the bottom. The logo also looks like it's a bit too close to the edge too. And an 11 hole pickguard on a '58? Seems like that puppy should have an 8 hole.

Of course we are talkin' about a (supposedly) 51 year old instrument here...it's quite possible that some things could have been changed/altered/modified over the course of the instrument's life. It's not unheard of for someone to swap out a pickguard for example. Certainly possible the instrument could have been refinished at some point too allowing for a different headstock logo. Still something to be a bit suspicious of though...

I'm curious as to what the OP will have to say about these things.

Peace,
Jim

You are correct on both counts orv. It should say With Synchronized Tremolo.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

Here is a link to decals
http://www.pinrepair.com/vgi/fendinfo/dstrat.jpg

Here's the link to George Gruhn www.gruhn.com George does qualified appraisals that are recognized by just about all insurers.When you contact him he'll let you know what's involved(a lot of pics including the internal cavities and neck butt I believe)the cost of an appraisal used to be $50 however I don't know if that's still the case.In any case it's money well spent.BTW beware of cons,I had someone come to me once with a 58 Gibson Southern Jumbo they had taken to a dealer who told them old guitars weren't worth as much as new ones and offered $800 for it,I had told them previously it was very valuable and steered them to George Gruhn,needless to say his evaluation was many times that.

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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 was a decal applied on top of the lacquer.

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Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.