I have a 1999 American Strat with a rosewood fret in Metallic Purple. I paid around $750 for it new and was just wondering if anyone knew how much it was worth now? I have a friend who would like to buy it but he's only offering me $400 for it and with the color being so rare I have a feeling it is worth more. Thoughts?

Thanks!
Lauren

It would be nice to see pics of it. But you can do better than $400 I would pass if it was me

Here she is:
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v3804/99/59/8308000/n8308000_54108876_493365.jpg?dl=1

The color is really beautiful - a deep, rich purple.

Upgrades are as follows:
DiMarzio virtual vintage blues in neck/middle,
DiMarzio Super Distortion in bridge N
Bourns 500 premium series volume potentiometer,
Super strat era knobs

The friend that has been borrowing it upgraded it, so I can either have him switch the upgrades back to the original equipment, pay him for the upgrades (looks like around $200 for everything), or sell him the guitar.

Here she is in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-21Er4V3o5k

For an American Fender $400 is too little if you ask me, especially if it's in an unusual color like that. It may have been $750 new, but prices have increased since 1999. Are there issues with the guitar which could drive down the price? If not then if I were you I'd do some research to find out exactly what model it is and check the serial number to find out the exact year of manufacture. Then if you wanted to sell it, you could take some nice pictures of it and put it on eBay with a starting bid of about $500 and see where it goes.

But first be sure and get other people's opinions and take everyone's suggestions into consideration. I'm not an expert when it comes to estimating guitar values.

_________________
Website: http://www.rebeccalaird.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccalairdmusic
Twitter: https://twitter.com/beckslaird
Instagram: http://instagram.com/beckslaird

Too bad a friend would offer only $400. It would sell for at least $599. or what someone would pay for it. Check out gbass.com, they have dealers inventories and check what they sell for in shops. However, they can be found on craigs list for less.

I have the serial number and it was made in 1999. I don't really want to sell it unless it's to my friend who has had it and has been playing it for the past 4 years.

No issues that I know of, other than that he's a musician and has been playing the guitar for the past 4 years so it's probably got more wear on it than it did when I let him "borrow" it. It was in perfect condition when he took it.

Hey you want to buy a Fender Custom Shop Eric Clapton Strat and loan it to me for four years, I won't make any upgrades

T2

_________________
-----------------------------------------------------------
What time is it? It's Fender Time.

I wouldn't take less than 650

Well, none of us can really tell you what to do with a friend... but I do have to agree with everyone here that $400 is too little.

_________________
Echoes71

You would think he would offer you more considering he has had it for so long. Maybe that's all he can afford, and if you don't play it and he does, and he is a friend...... Well that's what friends do.. Right?

If it was my friend I would sell it to him for $400, but he would have to wash my truck once a week and take out the trash for at least 10 years . But seriously, I would want more than what he is offering, friend or no friend. Just my $.02.

Some friend - they borrow your guitar, play it to death, mod it to their liking, then 4 years later they are lowballing you on the price? That's not the way to do things; shows a lack of respect for you in the relationship - even if that is all the guy can pay at this time. He could at least say something like "I can give you $400 now and pay you the rest over XX amount of time".

Well the sad fact of the world is that all those mods (changing the pickups, pots, etc.) does drive the value down on the guitar. If it was unmolested then $650 would be a reasonable price; with the mods that's going to drive the value down but not as low as $400.

Friend or not tell him you have to have $600 for the guitar - and if he won't go $600 insist that he put it back to original then go sell it for $650.