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Topic: What is a fair offer on a broken B6? |
Aaron Jennings
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2018 9:11 am |
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Howdy forumites,
I do not have a picture unfortunately; but what would be a fair offer on a true husk of a Bakelite B6?
I believe it is pre-war, it has the larger pickup and the few plates remaining were chrome. Missing Knobs and Pots, string through the body
The neck was Broken right where it meets the body. (Pretty 'clean' break). Additionally someone was trying to play this spanish style and filed down the nuts, and there are some flat spots on the frets.
Seems like a lot of work, the owner does not play - and of course someone told them it was worth 'thousands'. Hoping I can talk them into a reasonable figure and bring it back to life! |
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Stephen Cowell
From:
Round Rock, Texas, USA
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Bill Sinclair
From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2018 10:40 am
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| Agreed. Pickup value. I'd say more like $200-$300. Really nice ones seem to go for around $1200 but decent playable guitars with minor cosmetic issues can still be found for less than $800. Sounds like this one would be a real labor of love to make it into a presentable/playable instrument. |
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Jerry Wagner
From:
California, USA
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Posted 24 Aug 2018 11:33 am
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I bought a Post WWII T-Logo B6 on eBay for $321 plus $35 for shipping in 2016. The seller didn't know if the PU worked and it was missing the little square plate under the strings; the neck was OK, but the tuners weren't original. The PU & other electronics turned out to be OK. I converted it into a B7 with a 24" scale walnut neck with the help of Jason Lollar, Bill Creller & and a local luthier friend for about $880. I think the wood neck stays in tune better than the bakelite neck, it sounds great, and I like the tuner knobs facing up. I started looking for a "rehab project" after seeing a photo of Dick McIntire with a long-scale Bakelite here: https://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=1964337&sid=f24c23820950fc4473b5ec7b7ce53558
I think you can get new body plates from GeorgeBoards.
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David Matzenik
From:
Cairns, on the Coral Sea
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Posted 24 Aug 2018 1:01 pm
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Nice job, Jerry!
_________________
Don't go in the water after lunch. You'll get a cramp and drown. - Mother. |
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Aaron Jennings
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2018 6:27 pm
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Thanks for the great responses. I am going to see if I can convince the current owner to let it go reasonably. I have access to a great local luthier and suspect I will try to achieve something like Jerry's great example.
That's beautiful and inspiring work! Any chance you have a recording of your restored guitar in action? |
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Steve Wilson
From:
Morgan Hill, California, USA
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Posted 27 Aug 2018 9:15 pm
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Aaron, I might be interested in the broken neck if you decide to get a custom neck made. I have had some luck putting them back together especially if it is clean break. As a way of introduction, I am also the proud owner of the old original neck from Jerry's B6  |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 29 Aug 2018 3:10 pm
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The 2018 Vintage Price Guide lists them at $1500-1900 in *excellent* condition. IF you can find someone with a copy locally that will take the wind out of the "thousands" sail. Stores that deal in vintage guitars almost always have them, as do instrument/amp tech shops.
I see husks like that with working pickups and headstock badges in decent shape for $300-400 max, but if it's missing the badge along with some of the chrome plates all bets are off. Things like tuners and pickups are replaceable - plates and headstock badges are rarely found.
If the pickup isn't working and the badge is gone it's worth about $200, which would be about the value of a non-working pickup. A badgeless body has no inherent value - it's only worth what somebody will pay for it and is hard to put a price on, especially if the neck has been defaced like that.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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