Madnessbd
Gretschie
My photo album was set to private. I just changed it to public. Can everyone see the photos now?
Value of 1958 Duo Jet
- Thread starter Madnessbd
- Start date
Straight6DOHC
Gretschie
yup. we can.
afire
Friend of Fred
Prices vary pretty widely, so it's hard to pin a value on something like this. If I had to pick a number that this will end up at, I'd say $2500. Overall it looks pretty nice, but even a well repaired headstock crack that doesn't affect function one iota is likely to drive off some of the collector money. Bigsbys are so beloved by Gretsch players that I don't think adding one tends to hurt value like other mods. And true auctions like this (not "buy it now" and no reserve) often end on the low side. Of course, if the right two people are looking for something like this, you never know. So that's my guess.
If it appeals to you and you have the added bonus of trying before bidding, there's no better way to get a deal than a bona fide no reserve auction. May as well take a shot. I wouldn't go over $3000.
If it appeals to you and you have the added bonus of trying before bidding, there's no better way to get a deal than a bona fide no reserve auction. May as well take a shot. I wouldn't go over $3000.
Madnessbd
Gretschie
I just spoke with the owner. He is more of a general collector and not necessarily a pure Gretsch guy. I asked if the Bigsby was pulling the strings towards the bass side or if the bridge was just pushed out of place. Based on his answer, it sounds like the Bigsby. With this being a common issue even with today's jets, I would have to do the good ole' Bigsby shim or pin the bridge with double sided tap, etc. to ensure it stays in place. I've already had to do this with a couple of my other Jets, so I am not too concerned.
Here are some photos of the pups and electronics. Please let me know if everything appears to be period correct or if there are obvious signs of mods. Thanks!
Here are some photos of the pups and electronics. Please let me know if everything appears to be period correct or if there are obvious signs of mods. Thanks!
BuddyHollywood
Synchromatic
Awesome find! I hope you get it. I would love to hear a detailed report on the vintage vs. modern Duo Jets.
Regarding the serial #/vintage attribution... This Jet is one of the first 4 or 5 to receive the Filtertron/tone switch upgrade. It was presumably produced in late 1958, but the change to the '59 model year features make it a 1959 model year example in my book (excuse the pun).
Ahh its actually a bit earlier than the one I had the pleasure of working on, I found the thread:
http://www.gretsch-talk.com/forum/v...100281-repair-first-year-6128-29-i-think.html
Whats VERY weird to me is the control cavity layout. If this earlier one had the three access panels in the back, why did the one I see which has a later serial number only have the 2 access panels on the back. Strange man
http://www.gretsch-talk.com/forum/v...100281-repair-first-year-6128-29-i-think.html
Whats VERY weird to me is the control cavity layout. If this earlier one had the three access panels in the back, why did the one I see which has a later serial number only have the 2 access panels on the back. Strange man
No... this makes sense. The few earliest Filtertron Jets in the #294xx batch retained the same access panel configuration as the Dyna Jets (3 cavities with one being a large triangular one). Then the later examples in that batch can be found with 3 cavities but with 2 small circular, and one oblong shape. Then the next batch #305xx displays the two cavity back, which was the new standard.
MTurner
Friend of Fred
Fluoridated water?
The chambering might have changed as well. Just like every other aspect of these guitars, they evolved over time.
valcotone
Electromatic
Madnessbd
Gretschie
Afire was right on the money for where the auction ended.
After getting emotionally attached to the guitar, I researched the cost to update some of the guitar's parts (bigsby, etc.) to the period correct pieces. I tracked down the items I wanted and deducted them from my original budget. At the end of the day, I was willing to spend $2300 (including shipping) on auction. I was winning the bid for nearly 6 days with very little attention to the auction. In typical ebay fashion, bids starting rolling in with 2-3 hours to go and I ultimately lost. I was so tempted to get in a bidding war, but I decided to stick to my guns and let this one go to a different home. I feel significantly more educated on the vintage market based on my research and the advice I got from the fine people of this forum. I have my eyes out for the next vintage duo jet that falls within my budget.
Again, I really appreciate everyone who helped me out on this post. I will hopefully be seeking your advice again when another opportunity presents itself! Blessings!
After getting emotionally attached to the guitar, I researched the cost to update some of the guitar's parts (bigsby, etc.) to the period correct pieces. I tracked down the items I wanted and deducted them from my original budget. At the end of the day, I was willing to spend $2300 (including shipping) on auction. I was winning the bid for nearly 6 days with very little attention to the auction. In typical ebay fashion, bids starting rolling in with 2-3 hours to go and I ultimately lost. I was so tempted to get in a bidding war, but I decided to stick to my guns and let this one go to a different home. I feel significantly more educated on the vintage market based on my research and the advice I got from the fine people of this forum. I have my eyes out for the next vintage duo jet that falls within my budget.
Again, I really appreciate everyone who helped me out on this post. I will hopefully be seeking your advice again when another opportunity presents itself! Blessings!
MTurner
Friend of Fred
Smart man.
WAM999317
Electromatic
vintage values
Hello, I am a long time guitar player (back to 1959 maybe) I have played many electrics and acoustics, I am not Eric Clapton or Tommy Emanuel, but that matters not, I have also bought sold, and re-fabbed a few in my time, and I will tell you FACTS not non-sense B.S, like you will hear
from people who may be well meaning but who have really no clue.
Let me start out by saying Vintage Guitars are similar enough to other antiques (like autos etc) , the value is really what you can get for it. Much of the value is driven by the amount of people in the sport, the economy has something to do with it, and what you are willing to pay or sell something for.
Lesson #1 if you need to sell something , you already lost at least 40% of the item's potential, why you ask ? because you will likely take a low offer (or at least the first decent one) if you can wait it out, there is someone somewhere eventually willing to pay something much higher, than the first few offers you will get. There are dozens of sharks out there with cash who are at a super advantage to everyone else in the hobby who sit in the weeds waiting for the desperate person who "needs to sell" they get the best deal cause they got some expendable cash and you are at a disadvantage, that being said the converse is true if you would like to buy vintage. Understand that Vintage is strickley what some other jerk will pay for it, so unless you have a love affair with a special guitar do not over pay, since I will bet my ass off if you had to sell it the next day you would loose at least 40%.
What is a 1958 Duo-jet worth? again, it's who is buying out there, the real value is it's only a guitar, its really not worth much more than 20% more than a new one of similar pedigree, it's low could be $3000, its high could be as high as $ 10,000 to some poor schlub who wished he had one as a kid, and his cousin had one, and through the years he has never seen one, and now that he has a few busks, he wants one.
What is its true value? it has little to do with scratches, and dings, etc, it's mostly authenticity, can it be verified to the serial and date, and has it not been modified much from the original. The final price you should pay is what a dealer will pay for it if you had to sell it. If you want a good read on this to prove me correct, get all the info you can on the guitar, and pics, and take that info to at least (3) vintage guitar dealers, ask what they would pay you if you were to sell it to them right then and there, and then you have what we call in the trade a "comfort number" , unless you really don't care, don't pay more than that. If you do you run the risk of never getting back what you payed ,, no matter. Time is sometimes a healer, if you pay $3000 for something a shop will take off your hands for $2000, it may take 20 years for you to break even.
Next rule! just cause its rare that doesn't mean its worth a fortune. It could be rare and obscure, then no one has heard of it and there is no market for it. Maybe its rare cause they built a bunch of 'em, like the Sears Silvertone circa 1965-68 guitar and 95% of them found the trash heap and the few that survived are really not worth more that $1000 and strictly as wall hangers, cause they are really just a mediocre instrument, and the necks didn't hold up. Here is another example, 6 years ago I was walking the West side of Manhattan looking for some rib-joint, and happened to walk into a very old small music shop. I saw a 1958 Gretsch Roundup in the window, in an original case, with severley faded hardware , checked finish, deteriorated leather, and some cracked binding. I walked in and out of curiosity asked what they were asking for it. The Roundup as you may know was a Gretsch Duojet in drag, sort of marketing piece introduced in the 50"s with western motif, steer heads and Cactus on the neck inlays, tooled leather belt material with brass studs tacked to the sides, a longhorn or horseshoe logo at the headstock and gold Beltbuckle tailpiece , filtertrons, etc.
Gretsch never sold many and the knotty pine that was used on the top was subject to finish flaws and shrinkage cracking. This one although all original, had seen better rodeos. You could have actually purchased a new one up to about a year ago. They were re-issued in the 1954 type from the Gretsch custom shop for like $2600.
The asking price was $23,000. I told him it would lay pups in the window before he sold it, He probably didn't care cause he probably stole it. Why would he have it? the shop was just a simple music store, no other vintage around the walls, it may have been found in an attic somewhere and traded in.
In any case I went back about 2 years later and it was gone ! As PT Barnum would say "there is an ass for every seat !"
Hello, I am a long time guitar player (back to 1959 maybe) I have played many electrics and acoustics, I am not Eric Clapton or Tommy Emanuel, but that matters not, I have also bought sold, and re-fabbed a few in my time, and I will tell you FACTS not non-sense B.S, like you will hear
from people who may be well meaning but who have really no clue.
Let me start out by saying Vintage Guitars are similar enough to other antiques (like autos etc) , the value is really what you can get for it. Much of the value is driven by the amount of people in the sport, the economy has something to do with it, and what you are willing to pay or sell something for.
Lesson #1 if you need to sell something , you already lost at least 40% of the item's potential, why you ask ? because you will likely take a low offer (or at least the first decent one) if you can wait it out, there is someone somewhere eventually willing to pay something much higher, than the first few offers you will get. There are dozens of sharks out there with cash who are at a super advantage to everyone else in the hobby who sit in the weeds waiting for the desperate person who "needs to sell" they get the best deal cause they got some expendable cash and you are at a disadvantage, that being said the converse is true if you would like to buy vintage. Understand that Vintage is strickley what some other jerk will pay for it, so unless you have a love affair with a special guitar do not over pay, since I will bet my ass off if you had to sell it the next day you would loose at least 40%.
What is a 1958 Duo-jet worth? again, it's who is buying out there, the real value is it's only a guitar, its really not worth much more than 20% more than a new one of similar pedigree, it's low could be $3000, its high could be as high as $ 10,000 to some poor schlub who wished he had one as a kid, and his cousin had one, and through the years he has never seen one, and now that he has a few busks, he wants one.
What is its true value? it has little to do with scratches, and dings, etc, it's mostly authenticity, can it be verified to the serial and date, and has it not been modified much from the original. The final price you should pay is what a dealer will pay for it if you had to sell it. If you want a good read on this to prove me correct, get all the info you can on the guitar, and pics, and take that info to at least (3) vintage guitar dealers, ask what they would pay you if you were to sell it to them right then and there, and then you have what we call in the trade a "comfort number" , unless you really don't care, don't pay more than that. If you do you run the risk of never getting back what you payed ,, no matter. Time is sometimes a healer, if you pay $3000 for something a shop will take off your hands for $2000, it may take 20 years for you to break even.
Next rule! just cause its rare that doesn't mean its worth a fortune. It could be rare and obscure, then no one has heard of it and there is no market for it. Maybe its rare cause they built a bunch of 'em, like the Sears Silvertone circa 1965-68 guitar and 95% of them found the trash heap and the few that survived are really not worth more that $1000 and strictly as wall hangers, cause they are really just a mediocre instrument, and the necks didn't hold up. Here is another example, 6 years ago I was walking the West side of Manhattan looking for some rib-joint, and happened to walk into a very old small music shop. I saw a 1958 Gretsch Roundup in the window, in an original case, with severley faded hardware , checked finish, deteriorated leather, and some cracked binding. I walked in and out of curiosity asked what they were asking for it. The Roundup as you may know was a Gretsch Duojet in drag, sort of marketing piece introduced in the 50"s with western motif, steer heads and Cactus on the neck inlays, tooled leather belt material with brass studs tacked to the sides, a longhorn or horseshoe logo at the headstock and gold Beltbuckle tailpiece , filtertrons, etc.
Gretsch never sold many and the knotty pine that was used on the top was subject to finish flaws and shrinkage cracking. This one although all original, had seen better rodeos. You could have actually purchased a new one up to about a year ago. They were re-issued in the 1954 type from the Gretsch custom shop for like $2600.
The asking price was $23,000. I told him it would lay pups in the window before he sold it, He probably didn't care cause he probably stole it. Why would he have it? the shop was just a simple music store, no other vintage around the walls, it may have been found in an attic somewhere and traded in.
In any case I went back about 2 years later and it was gone ! As PT Barnum would say "there is an ass for every seat !"
valcotone
Electromatic
WAM999317, while there are some truths in what you say, I don't agree with all of it. There are certainly fair market values for vintage guitars, and if you plan to only pay what a dealer would (ie wholesale price), it's unlikely you will ever buy anything unless the seller is not informed on the value. It's also fair to ask for advice on what a guitar is worth as well...
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T simmons
Friend of Fred
Welcome to the forum! And all opinions are welcome.
Yes... always glad to have new comers to the vintage section! All opinions are welcomed, but when you speak with such authority, be prepared for others to respond in kind.
BTW... 1 batch of 50 Round-ups made in 1957 (after none in '56). None were made beyond those from '57, and the model was officially discontinued.
BTW... 1 batch of 50 Round-ups made in 1957 (after none in '56). None were made beyond those from '57, and the model was officially discontinued.
