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Location: Stow, Ohio | Well I drove up to Mentor, Ohio to see this lady's guitar she was going to donate.
It is a Martin D-28 made in 1948 (I think)
Here are some pictures of the wear and tear of 60 years.
She even had the original case that came with it and a couple of sets of VINTAGE strings.
It is going to need some professional work done to it, but there aren't any cracks in the body. The headstock was repaired for lack of a better word, but then again, back then this was just a guitar used by a professional musician and not a vintage piece. also the bridge is pulling away from the body, then again that is kind of common amongst acoustics ain't it.
I would probably give it about a 4-6 on a scale of 1 - 10 but very salvageable.
http://s130.photobucket.com/albums/p257/Elliot_Meldoy/Martin%20D-28... |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Well its a 1957 D-28 based on the werial number of 165278...back and sides of Brazillian Rosewood...worth restored is aprox. $10,000; worth now maybe 2,000; yes , it needs a lot of work...it may need a new neck...bridge repair usually is no big problem...binding likewise,,,the neck is the big thing; I would not have it refinished...you need to contact T.J. Thompson in West Concord, Mass. and teell them I sent you...They will remember me as I had a 1947 D-28 restored there about three years ago. They are the best in the country and probably the world...It will probably cost somewhere around 3 to 4 thousand to restore it...but it will be worth it! Do not try to skimp on repair...if you call Martin, they will suggest T.J. as well. Hope that helps...it is well worth restoring! |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Wrong: a 1947 based on 105278; worth restored about 15,000 to 25,000 Thou! Defiantly contact T.J.: this is a great guitar and needs to be refurbished! All else from above post is the same! Elliot: pm me! |
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Location: Stow, Ohio | Mike the serial number is actually 105218 making it a 1948 the serial number is difficult to read in the photos.
Mike, Thanks again for the string donation. I have two guitars that are going to get re-strung with them and sent out soon. OOhRah!
I really enjoyed the old style guitar string packages just as much as the guitar it's self. they will make great eye candy in someone's guitar collection. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | 1945 93623
1946 98158
1947 103468
1948 108269
1949 112961
Elliot, you're correct, I looked too quick...still I would give T.J. a call...I would not trust this to just anyone...and he is the best...I would keep the entire package together: in as/is condition, its hard to tell what a collector will pay; my guess is at least 2 grand! |
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Location: Stow, Ohio | Mike PM sent |
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Location: Stow, Ohio | 2-4K was my guess also, I know restored would command bigger $$$
It is just a matter of finding the right artisan for this project |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | 2-4 now and restored maybe 5000-7500. With that peghead it will never be top dollar. I'd give it 10-12500 in mint condition but maybe you guys are right with the higher numbers.
I guess I missed the first part of this stroy, is this for sale? |
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Location: Tychy, Poland | even looking on this pictures hurts. ough... the one who "repaired" that neck should end up in jail. |
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Location: NJ | even in restored condition that guitar will never bring anywhere near the top of the scale. |
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Location: Stow, Ohio | Originally posted by Louie Bring Jagermeister (now):
even looking on this pictures hurts. ough... the one who "repaired" that neck should end up in jail. I am guessing that when the headstock was repaired the word "vintage" was only used in wine drinker circles. back then it was just a guitar. |
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Location: Omaha, NE | Assuming that the existing repair on the peghead is structurally sound, I'd leave it and invent some clever story about an emergency repair back stage at a saloon in New Orleans or something like that. Its not pretty, but that just increases the 'vintage mojo'.
My Taylor has worse wear on the inside of the sound hole, and that's only after a year and a half.
This guitar looks like it would make a good player. If it was mine, I'd get the binding reattached, and fix the bridge. It probably needs a neck reset, so that's on the menu. Frets only if they are shagged.
That's it. I'd play hard and let it earn its keep. |
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Location: Stow, Ohio | Originally posted by Omaha:
Assuming that the existing repair on the peghead is structurally sound, I'd leave it and invent some clever story about an emergency repair back stage at a saloon in New Orleans or something like that. Its not pretty, but that just increases the 'vintage mojo'.
My Taylor has worse wear on the inside of the sound hole, and that's only after a year and a half.
This guitar looks like it would make a good player. If it was mine, I'd get the binding reattached, and fix the bridge. It probably needs a neck reset, so that's on the menu. Frets only if they are shagged.
That's it. I'd play hard and let it earn its keep. Good idea!
Then give it a name like BB King to Lucille.
actually I was happy just to hold the guitar for a few minutes......now, don't go thinking I would spend that kind of money on a guitar. but it kinda felt like I was holding a piece of history. |
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Location: New Jersey, USA | I'm sure you have your own ideas about what to do... but a significant instrument like that, even with the abomination of that headstock "repair," must be seen by a real expert. It's simply a piece of history that far transcends any petty talk of theoretical value by folks here (or anywhere on the internet).
Go get it looked at by the Martin factory or the person recommended earlier in the thread. It's a special, rare bird worth saving. I sure would try to do so if it were in my hands. Good luck, and report back! |
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Location: Stow, Ohio | I am contacting several reputable people in hope of getting an idea of how much the repairs will cost.
I would really like to see this guitar get the repairs and respect it deserves, and I would really like to see the owner get a fair price to help her finances.
It has been a fun journey so far. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | I would tell her that it's gonna cost more to repair than it's currently worth (that's not a lie). Thank her for the donation and ADIOS!
That might sound cold and heartless, but let me tell you 95% of the time it's ME getting the short end of the stick. When something like thins drops in your lap you gotta just say THANKS, and don't look back. It was your turn.
Dave |
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Location: Stow, Ohio | Tupperware,
I am going to have to disagree with you on this. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | That's fine. Wasn't looking for anyone to agree, just stating my opinion. Says on the "welcome" screen that's what we're supposed to do. Good luck with the restoration. Dave |
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Location: Japan | Elliot has my vote in this exchange... |
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Location: CT | Originally posted by Elliot Meldoy:
Good idea!
Then give it a name like BB King to Lucille.
B.B. named his guitar incorrectly. He named it after a cook in some bar he played in that burned down, he thought her name was Lucille. He went back in '72 while filming a documentary to his birthplace and old stomping grounds, only to find out the cooks name was Estelle. "Now you gotta re-name your guitar" says a companion... to which B.B. replied, "No, I'm gonna keep it Lucille." |
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Location: Omaha, NE | I thought the story was that he was playing a dance and two guys got in a fight over a girl named Lucille. They knocked over a burn-barrel (common stuff back then, hard to believe) and the place burned down.
Personally, I love the "wood screw" repair on the peghead on this guitar. It is so cool the way they are flat-head screws and none of them match! It reminds me of something my great-grandfather would have done. It has a real "farmer at the workbench in the back of the barn" quality to it. Its not pretty, but it gets the job done.
I hate the idea of restoring guitars like this. Every scar tells a story. |
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Location: CT | Nope.. I have a recording of the interview here. I can send you a wave file if you wanna hear it. |
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Location: Omaha, NE | I asked BB and here\'s what he told me. |
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Location: CT | Yea, sorry. I wasn't discounting the story, just that her name wasn't Lucille. And she was the cook in the bar that burned down. I'll look for the sound file it's pretty funny. |
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Location: NJ | I have been down this road HUNDREDS of times.
an instrument with that extensive of damage is only worth a FRACTION of what one in mint or good or even fair condition is worth.
If you put a ton of cash into it with the expectations of getting the highest book value for it you are highly mistakem.
another aspect is how long will you need to hold onto the guitar to sell it to justify the cost of the repair. repaired guitars are NOT easy sells. there are a ton of guitars around in the fair condition market but in the repaired well they are way on the bottom of the list no matter who repairs it and how nice the repair will be.
but what the hell do I know? I am just an idiot that sells gear for a living. |
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Location: big island | Originally posted by brainslag:
Yea, sorry. I wasn't discounting the story, just that her name wasn't Lucille. And she was the cook in the bar that burned down. I'll look for the sound file it's pretty funny. it is possible the two stories could actually coincide but from different perspectives...depending on how much bourbon was involved while the story was being told. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I've gone down this road too ...
Be cautious because it'll be harder to flip than you might think, I'd put it up on ebay as is and let the chips fall where they may. That said, I hope you get lucky. |
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Pictures of the old Martin in dilemma thread