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Post subject: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2018 12:42 pm
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A friend of mine has a pair of '66 Telecasters that are consecutively serial numbered. He's thinking about maybe selling them but wondering if they'd have any additional value as a pair than separately and whether there would even be any interest in such a pair? He's not at all internet savvy so he asked me to see what I could find. Not offering them for sale or anything; just trying to get some opinions.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.


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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Fri Jun 08, 2018 3:57 pm
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More value as a pair because serial number ?

Who know except a buyer. IMO , no.


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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:10 pm
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If a single '66 Tele has a certain collectable value I would have thought that a pair of "twins" would have more value than two singles of the same vintage. I just don't see that a pair of 52 year old consecutively serial numbered Telecasters would be so common or run of the mill as to have no additional value by virtue of being so. Of course, I would guess it would depend on the collector but it seems to me that anyone with the cash to buy one '66 Tele would probably have the money to buy two and might even pay more to have such a unique pair.


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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Sat Jun 09, 2018 12:53 pm
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Has he owned them since they were new and there is absolutely no question as to their authenticity?
Fender used a common serial number scheme across all models after 1954, so SN 123456 might be a Tele, 123457 might be a Strat, and 123458 might be a P-Bass.
Sequential serial numbers might be extremely common if the serial number was stamped on the neck plate when the plate came back from the plating shop and a box of plates was delivered to each production line (so 123450 to 123500 might have all been installed on Teles).... Or they might be extremely rare if the serial number was stamped at the end of the line, indicating that these two hit the final inspector and entered setup at the same time.

But after 50 years, there is always going to be a question of authenticity for such a coincidental (whether rare or not) pair. It doesn't matter whether you or we believe him... we have no reason to doubt and are not questioning his honesty, but any collector who is going to be willing to pay a premium price for a "matched pair" is not going to do so without hard evidence.

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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 1:25 am
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I've never seen a consecutive serial number pair sold. And on the other hand, I've never seen anyone searching for a pair like that...

So, it all pours down to that you find the rare specimen of a buyer who shares your thoughts of additional values for a pair.
I'd guess it ain't easy - IMHO, most collectors would expect that when buying a 'two-pack', the price of an individual guitar would be lower.


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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Sun Jun 10, 2018 3:05 am
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Noting the possible complexity of finding consecutive numbers (and, as CB9' notes, the complication that two consecutive numbered guitars would be the same specification or even type) one must wonder if one of the pair was, some time in its distant past, changed to be consecutive. Neck plates are extremely easy to swap.

If I was a collector, unless there was irrefutable documentary evidence as to the validity of the numbers, I would be more inclined to doubt their authenticity because they are consecutive.

If the guitars are stripped and all stamps, signatures, component serial numbers and every conceivable detail are identical this might give more weight to them having come off the line together. If the necks or bodies have similar grain figuring that might indicate they came from the same log. All this might help.

As to their value? All fiscal value is relative to what someone is willing to pay. I am not sure there is even precedence in respect of two consecutive vintage guitars being sold as a lot.

Let us say a gigging mega star needs a '66 Tele for touring, and these two play and feel identical in every way, I guess there is weight in the scenario that they might pay extra knowing they have a "spare". That does seem like a very small potential customer base though. Does anyone have Joe Bonamassa's phone number?

There are, no doubt, a great many more people who would be interested in one '66 Tele so the odds on selling individually at a good price are probably higher. However, I think the whole consecutive numbers thing has rather muddied the waters and would make me more nervous as noted above.

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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 9:01 am
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OK, now that's what I'm talking about; some well considered, thought out opinions. Thank you.

So, on Saturday I went round to his place to have a look for myself. I knew he had the one but didn't know, until he asked me about it last week, that he had two of them.

He tells me that he bought them both brand new in early '67 from the same shop. At the time he was playing in a gigging band and bought them both because a) at the time he could afford to and b) because he wanted one as backup.

They're both pretty much the same; blonde with rosewood fretboards. One looks played; a little trenching in the fretboard, some fret wear, a few nicks and dings, finish checking, wear on the back of the neck, a little buckle rash. He says he changed the tuners sometime back in the early 70s but later put the original Klusons back on. Otherwise, still in decent shape after all these years. The other one is practically NOS. Aside from finish checking (quite a bit actually) it looks virtually unplayed. He tells me he's played it a few times but has almost exclusively relied on the other as his workhorse. The backup was never really needed.

The neck plates are consecutively serial numbered and it took a bit of persuading to get him to let me pull the necks as they'd never been removed before. The date stamp on the "workhorse" says 3MAY66B while the other says 3SEP66B. Both have the original bridge covers and cases but any tags or paperwork are long gone.

He's only thinking about selling them because arthritis in his hands has made it virtually impossible for him to play any longer. But he is reluctant to part with them as he feels like they're part of his family after all these years.

In any case, he's asked me to pass on his appreciation for your observations and comments.


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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 10:38 am
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Pictures please - I am fascinated by real true used guitars.

There are so many people doing relic guitars, some good and others just wanton vandalism, that it becomes more and more difficult to understand what a proper used guitar looks like. In a sea of Chinese Whispers where relics are based on other relics, based on how people think an old guitar might look, we can loose sight of what and authentic used guitar looks like.

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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 2:26 pm
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John Sims wrote:
Pictures please - I am fascinated by real true used guitars.


+1

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Post subject: Re: Consecutively Serial Numbered 1966 Telecasters?
Posted: Wed Jun 13, 2018 6:20 pm
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John Sims wrote:
Pictures please - I am fascinated by real true used guitars.

There are so many people doing relic guitars, some good and others just wanton vandalism, that it becomes more and more difficult to understand what a proper used guitar looks like. In a sea of Chinese Whispers where relics are based on other relics, based on how people think an old guitar might look, we can loose sight of what and authentic used guitar looks like.

Amen Brother John!

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