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Author Topic:  Need info on this fender lap?
Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 12:21 pm    
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I need info on this lap steel, date, model,etc?....thanks jack
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Mitch Drumm

 

From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 12:46 pm    
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I have pictures of similar Fenders identified as being from 1949 and 1954. I can't date it more accurately.

Champion model I think.

Sold for about $43.50 on a December 1950 price list.
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 12:49 pm     Price?
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Mitch, do you by any chance have an idea on price? It doesn’t belong to me, just trying to get a rough idea for a friend....thanks jack
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Mitch Drumm

 

From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 12:51 pm    
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No idea at all on price, Jack.

But I'll bet you could get a good idea within 30 minutes if you pounded on Google and eBay.
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Jack Goodson

 

From:
new brockton,alabama (deceased)
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 1:05 pm     Model?
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I tried google champion but only get amps?....thanks jack
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Mitch Drumm

 

From:
Frostbite Falls, hard by Veronica Lake
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 1:23 pm    
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Google search results .

I see prices near 650. I have no idea if that is fair or not.
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G Strout


From:
Carabelle, Florida
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 1:24 pm    
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Last two that sold on ebay went for 500.00 - 650.00
There is one currently going for 810.00 with 43 bids and 1 day left to go.
there are two currently listed with a Buy it Now. One at 799.00 or best offer and the other at 950.00 or best offer. A lot of that particular models value comes from how original it is. Especially the pickup. The Tele players used to rip those pickups out and put them in their Teles'


Last edited by G Strout on 20 Nov 2017 1:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Jack Hanson


From:
San Luis Valley, USA
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 1:25 pm    
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The price on intact Fender Champions is much higher than it should be, if for no other reason than an astronomical number of them have been cannibalized for their parts. The pickup is very similar to the bridge pickup on early Broadcasters, Telecasters, and Esquires.

Due to the plethora of lap steel guitar cannibals, completely original Champions are getting rarer by the hour.
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C. E. Jackson


Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 1:29 pm     Re: Need info on this fender lap?
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Jack Goodson wrote:
I need info on this lap steel, date, model,etc?....thanks jack


Jack, it is a Fender Champion, introduced 1949 and discontinued mid-1955. They are great sounding
and playing steels. They usually sell from about $600-$900, depending on condition and replacements.

C. E. Smile
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Jim Sliff


From:
Lawndale California, USA
Post  Posted 20 Nov 2017 6:48 pm    
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...and current Vintage Guitar Price Guide range for excellent condition is $650-875. The date is irrelevant as far as pricing goes. The pot codes *might* help but Fender bought huge bags of them in early years, so there are only a few codes in the early 50's. Might reveal a "latest" date, though.

To fit that category it would need to be cleaned up and working perfectly, with no significant wear.

That one is going to get knocked down a significant amount, though, as the pickup cover/control plate is a galvanized metal replacement. The originals are chrome. The fretboard also does not appear to be in the best visual shape.

Vintage lap steel prices are highly dependent on originality and condition, and non-original ones aren't in demand. Collectors won't touch them and there is a glut of "player grade" instruments. I'd guess that one will bring around 60-70% of low "book" value.

But please *don't* let it be advertised on eBay at a low or "make offer" price. There are sellers there that also buy every vintage Fender steel (and other vintage instrument) they can grab, especially ones that can be purchased cheap because of a wrong part, refinish or something like that - and then part them out and sell the pieces.

That guitar is restorable - the wrong hardware isn't hard to find. It'd be a shame to see it permanently destroyed.
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