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How/Where to sell vintage 6 string guitar Tele Deluxe

Mastiff_5

Mastiff_5

Mar 26, 2013
917
1,824
#1
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Hey all!
I know this is the place for selling/trading high end basses. But I have a 1078 Tele Deluxe that I am selling, and could use some advice on the best place to move it. It’s an original ‘78 Telecaster Deluxe, all original electronics, pickups, body, neck, tuners, etc. I received it from a buddy in south Louisiana, it had been his father’s main gigging axe for the last 20-30 years of his life. He’d (for whatever reason) put a bixby style tremolo on it at some point (judging by the screw holes) and then put the original hardware back on it and covered the factory white with rattle can black. I took it to my dear luthier friend up here where I live, and it’s been a slow, side project of love for a couple years. It’s finished, and after a setup, my luthier buddy says it plays like an absolute dream. He’s really impressed (I am no guitar player,he has been for decades). He did a satin-white ‘light-relic’ finish on it. my thought is to hit up high end guitar shops and see if they want to buy it for their overpriced vintage sales stock. Otherwise, all I know to do with it is put it on Reverb and wait forever.
Thoughts?
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#4
Surely the main points to consider. I understand that selling to a seller will not net the most possible profit; I assume a vintage shop isn’t going to lowball like Guitar Center, but of course they have to make a profit. I assume with guitars as ubiquitous as they are, are likely to go for more because they are offered by a reputable vintage guitar shop. I assume the market is so much larger than the high end bass market that my experiences here over the years wouldn’t translate, and I don’t know where the “Talkbass of guitars” is, unless it’s just Reverb.com. Even trying to gauge what the market is asking for this particular axe is difficult. Because after all, a thing is worth exactly what the market is willing to pay for it, and nothing more. I am hesitant to utilize the shops that offer a “free appraisal” for fear it will be just the sort of lowball info you likely have in mind. Thank you for the thoughts, certainly what I must consider my friend!!
 
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#9
Mastiff_5 said:
Surely the main points to consider. I understand that selling to a seller will not net the most possible profit; I assume a vintage shop isn’t going to lowball like Guitar Center, but of course they have to make a profit. I assume with guitars as ubiquitous as they are, are likely to go for more because they are offered by a reputable vintage guitar shop. I assume the market is so much larger than the high end bass market that my experiences here over the years wouldn’t translate, and I don’t know where the “Talkbass of guitars” is, unless it’s just Reverb.com. Even trying to gauge what the market is asking for this particular axe is difficult. Because after all, a thing is worth exactly what the market is willing to pay for it, and nothing more. I am hesitant to utilize the shops that offer a “free appraisal” for fear it will be just the sort of lowball info you likely have in mind. Thank you for the thoughts, certainly what I must consider my friend!!
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The only other suggestion I have that I’ve used when selling things, albeit nothing as vintage or valuable, is search “completed auctions” on Reverb and the bay. That will help you determine what similar guitars have actually sold for. In fact, I think Reverb will show you a high, low and average prices for the last few years although I don’t know how to find it on there.
 
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#10
As always, my Talkbass brethren (and… sistren?) are astute and generous with advice. Indeed, the selector switch is installed. I was surprised that the electronics, all original, still operate perfectly. It’s an all original axe, save for the finish. The Olympic white was, apparently a FSR (Fender Special Run?) so we went with a satin white light relic. Hopefully it will find a home with a real player, the thing does sing.
Thanks y’all!!
 
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#11
My first Fender guitar was a 1974 Telecaster Deluxe. I wanted that Tele instead of a Strat or Les Paul that everyone else seemed to want. I loved that Tele but traded it in for my first bass, 1976 Fender Precision. (The bass player in our band quit and I said I'd step in...that was a great decision!)
 
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#12
"But I have a 1078 Tele Deluxe" ... It's the oldest one I've seen.
Plus, I don't remember A Fender Tele with a Strat headstock and I'm curious if it's a 3 or 4 bolt neck plate?

But, to help with the question, it really depends on how much the asking price would be, for such an item, to help figure out how long it'll take to sell it. ... $10,000 or $5,000? ... Either way, it won't sell over night. ... "1978" wasn't a banner year at Fender, they were out of business a few years later, and the Vintage market isn't great these days. Fewer players and cheaper off shore instruments equals less demand. ...
If you're not experienced at selling Vintage instruments I'd approach Gruhn Guitars and ask what they charge for it to be on consignment in Nashville.
Though, I spotted this under cost of appraisals on their website,
"Fender Electric Guitars & Basses
1950-1976: $275
1977-present day: $125"
Which might give you an indication on the worth of post-1977 Fenders.
On their web-site there's a new re-issue Tele Deluxe for $2,400. though it doesn't say where they're built.
 
#14
The paint refin and holes in the body will ding you pretty hard for collector grade money, but it’s a perfect player grade guitar. The price of a Tele Deluxe can be all over the place based on color, condition, etc. and you can see that on Reverb. Some are priced at more than twice the price of others, but you can usually see a reason / pattern of what drives that. And of course, listing price does not set value, sell price establishes that.

I’d go with the previously mentioned Gruhn’s Guitars in Nashville. I believe you will receive a package for your money, and that package can also be used when posting / selling the instrument. When buyers see that Gruhn’s has done the appraisal they will realize you have the price well within the ballpark.
 
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#15
Mastiff_5 said:
I assume a vintage shop isn’t going to lowball like Guitar Center
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The vintage guitar shop will also offer considerably less than market value, the store will charge market value for the guitar and won't buy it unless they can make money off of it. To get the best price you'll have to sell privately, either reverb/ebay or having on consignment in a shop. Furthermore being a refin fender from the 70s I would be setting the bar low in regards to price
 
#17
Vintage market top $ will likely mean everything is original and correct.
As mentioned, the next level is player grade, which is degrees less than perfect.

I'd google same condition Tele's to get a feel for where the price is heading if possible and then try and compare where yours sits.
Bare in mind, if talking of selling, a potential buyer wants a keen price, doubly so, flippers.

If it was a very good player grade P bass from 78, in original condition spec with a flaw or 2, I'd be thinking getting to $3k in the right market.

Not sure I'd call 70's a vintage market myself, but some might chance anything over 30yrs as 'vintage' and for basses that were firewood makers back then?

hmmm
 
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#19
Mastiff_5 said:
View attachment 5273367 View attachment 5273368 Hey all!
I know this is the place for selling/trading high end basses. But I have a 1078 Tele Deluxe that I am selling, and could use some advice on the best place to move it. It’s an original ‘78 Telecaster Deluxe, all original electronics, pickups, body, neck, tuners, etc. I received it from a buddy in south Louisiana, it had been his father’s main gigging axe for the last 20-30 years of his life. He’d (for whatever reason) put a bixby style tremolo on it at some point (judging by the screw holes) and then put the original hardware back on it and covered the factory white with rattle can black. I took it to my dear luthier friend up here where I live, and it’s been a slow, side project of love for a couple years. It’s finished, and after a setup, my luthier buddy says it plays like an absolute dream. He’s really impressed (I am no guitar player,he has been for decades). He did a satin-white ‘light-relic’ finish on it. my thought is to hit up high end guitar shops and see if they want to buy it for their overpriced vintage sales stock. Otherwise, all I know to do with it is put it on Reverb and wait forever.
Thoughts?
View attachment 5273366 View attachment 5273366
Click to expand...
Where are you? Do you have any kind of vintage(or just old/funky/mom’n’pop style used)music gear stores in your vicinity? If you’re not in a rush to sell, many offer consignment options. Sure, you get dinged a percentage(AKA convenience tax)for them to display it, but it gets displayed, to a target audience. Still a better situation than GC, and you don’t have to hassle with meeting local flakes, OR the crapshoot of a long-distance sale.
 
#20
Mastiff_5 said:
I assume a vintage shop isn’t going to lowball like Guitar Center,
Click to expand...
a bad assumption.

they absolutely will “lowball” you and they’ll tell you the same things any shop will tell you:
- you’ll get more selling it yourself
- its selling price was slashed by over 60% the second that non-factory paint was applied
- its selling price was slashed when non-factory screw holes were added
- the most they’ll offer you is 35% of what the Actual Selling Price of a Lowest Selling Price of a comparable condition specimen sold for on eBay in the past year.

It would be worth $100-300 more if your luthier friend or an actual luthier experienced in vintage instruments had applied a factory-correct paint instead of doing a hotrod job.

You don’t have a collectible guitar, you have a cool guitar. A Player.

Buy a Blues Jr amp and a Hall Of Fame reverb pedal, take some lessons, and enjoy it for what it is, or just sell it for what it is.

Best wishes.
 
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