1959 Fender Strat

[luvmyshiner]

So I was watching Antiques Roadshow on PBS tonight (I know, I'ma geek ), when this lady brings in a 1959 Fender Strat with an amp. I'm sorry, I was checking out the guitar so I completely missed what the amp was, but it was also from '59.

The guy wanted to confirm what year the Strat was, so he asked her permission to remove the neck (yeah, it made me nervous too). Apparently the older Fenders had the year of manufacturer written in pencil on the end of the neck, but there was nothing there. At any rate, the guy then says that from 1959-62 the date was not written on the end of the neck because Mr. Fender (?) discovered that one of his employees had been writing obscenities there and told them to stop writing the year. Later he went to a rubber stamp.

Now, I'm not vouching for the authenticity of any of this, I just found it interesting, but even more interesting was the fair market value he gave the guitar/amp combo . . . $25,000.00.

Sooooooo . . . I'm wondering how accurate this guy was, and I'm also wondering if anyone has a '59 Fender strat they'd like to trade me for my truck.

[jpfeifer]

Unless that '59 Strat was in bad shape I think that this guy's estimate was too low. I've seen early 60's era Strats going for that much. I would think that a '59 would be more valuable.

-- Jim

[just strum]

Sooooooo . . . I'm wondering how accurate this guy was, and I'm also wondering if anyone has a '59 Fender strat they'd like to trade me for my truck.

Does it have fuzzy dice?

[luvmyshiner]

Does it have fuzzy dice?

For 25K I'll hang any fuzzy thing you want up there brother.

I wondered about the price Jim. And the Strat looked to me like it was in very sweet condition. Not to mention the amph. Again, I didn't get a good look at it, but I saw something very similar at GC in Houston going for 15k.

[wingsdad]

Unless that '59 Strat was in bad shape I think that this guy's estimate was too low. I've seen early 60's era Strats going for that much. I would think that a '59 would be more valuable.

Good call, Jim. I've got the Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide, '08 Ed., which some dealers will refer to, others will go with Blue Book, which is more detailed and gives more 'Condition' ranges. Anyway, VG Guide has 6 listings for '59 Stratocasters (Custom colors, 2 different Sunbursts, etc, etc.) In Excellent condition, the Low for any of these 6 $29,000 for a Sunburst, non-trem, rosewood slab fingerboard (High on that: $45K). Burst with Trem and slab board: $35K-$50K Custom Color ones fetch a Low of $50K, High of $80K.

[luvmyshiner]

WOW Mick! Makes me wish my Dad had played guitar. This one was a sunburst, but I couldn't tell if it had any of the other things. But based on what y'all have said I'm positive he low balled it because the value he gave it was for both the guitar and the amp. The lady did say that she had already been offered 15K for the pair. Either way, I'm betting she's glad she didn't take the 15K.

[wingsdad]

WOW Mick! Makes me wish my Dad had played guitar. ...

And every time I see the Dow dive I cringe at what's happening to my IRA, it depresses me to think how if I'd not sold the guitars and amps I had as a kid in the 60's, I'd have a tidy sum invested for retirement

I'm positive he low balled it because the value he gave it was for both the guitar and the amp. The lady did say that she had already been offered 15K for the pair. Either way, I'm betting she's glad she didn't take the 15K.

That's fer sure. In '59, Fender only had couple of amps in their line and they were all tweed & tube (Champ, Deluxe, Princeton, off the top of my balding head). The VG Guide gives that wide range of Lo-Hi values, with 'local market conditions' (supply vs. demand, going prices say in Nashville vs. NYC vs. LA vs. Podunk vs. Sleeze-Bay, etc., Private Party vs. Vintage Dealer) being the factor that can effect the actual sale price. In this case, this guy assessing the package was just doing the poker-faced slimeball Pawn broker thing, trying to steal it from her, figuring she was clueless. He knew full well what he was looking at in ROI if she'd bit on that assesment.

[mrmudcat]

Also I find the shows pretty outdated.(atleast here in maine on pbs) Was this a recent show or a rerun from 10 years ago:

To be captain obvious here and as stated that is lowball lowball lowball all the way!!!!!:

[luvmyshiner]

Hey Mud, I'm not sure how recent the show was. I was just channel surfing while CB was at her guitar lesson, and I happened to see the strat so I clicked in.

Mick, the amp looked like one of those smaller vintage tweed amps. I really wish I would have clicked in sooner so I could have heard the story of how she came into possession of them. Based on the things she said, I got the impression that they belonged to a family member, maybe her father. She did say that the guitar had never had anything done to it other than changing the strings.

[Bloozcat]

And every time I see the Dow dive I cringe at what's happening to my IRA, it depresses me to think how if I'd not sold the guitars and amps I had as a kid in the 60's, I'd have a tidy sum invested for retirement

Yeah...
I wish I still had my '66 Strat...
I wish I still had my old baseball card collection...
I wish I still had my old DC comics collection...
I wish I still had all those old lunch boxes...
I wish I still had my old Mattel Fanner 50's....

ETA:
Oh yeah, I forgot...
I wish I still had my Lionel train set that covered our entire ping-pong table...

[M29]

My daughter's boyfriend's dad has a 64 Strat and I have not asked yet but sure would like to see it. From what I am told it is stored away somewhere in a vacation house they don't visit much. Who knows what condition it is in. I am going to prod him to get it out and maybe I can help him get it back in shape and get him to store it properly. I think he said it is Lake Placid Blue with a white pickguard, not sure what color the fretboard is. Don't really matter, would be cool to see and play it. I sure worry what condition it is in, I hate to see something like that just set in an old house.

Hey Blooz, did you ever have one of these when you were a kid?

Wish I still had that old Tiger Joe tank.

M29

[Bloozcat]

My daughter's boyfriend's dad has a 64 Strat and I have not asked yet but sure would like to see it. From what I am told it is stored away somewhere in a vacation house they don't visit much. Who knows what condition it is in. I am going to prod him to get it out and maybe I can help him get it back in shape and get him to store it properly. I think he said it is Lake Placid Blue with a white pickguard, not sure what color the fretboard is. Don't really matter, would be cool to see and play it. I sure worry what condition it is in, I hate to see something like that just set in an old house.

Hey Blooz, did you ever have one of these when you were a kid?

Wish I still had that old Tiger Joe tank.

M29

Nope, never a tank that size....but I know I would have liked one....:

That 64' Strat should have a rosewood fretboard. I don't think they made any with LPB with a maple/maple neck in that year...but I could be mistaken.

[mrmudcat]

1967 for a maple cap on maple neck.

Originally one piece maple necks until around 59.:

I could be mistaken.(not really )