1975 Telecaster Value???

[Mark Lee]

I have a black 1975 Telecaster with a rosewood fretboard and an alder body signed by Billie Joe of Green Day. The guitar is all original exept for the original owner (I am the third owner) replaced the neck pickup with an early 60's to mid 70's Gibson PAF humbucker. The guitar weighs in at 8.5 pounds. It has the original pearlod pickguard with a hand cut space for the humbucker. Any idea's on value?

[LazerMouth]

Originally Posted by Mark Lee

I have a black 1975 Telecaster with a rosewood fretboard and an alder body signed by Billie Joe of Green Day. The guitar is all original exept for the original owner (I am the third owner) replaced the neck pickup with an early 60's to mid 70's Gibson PAF humbucker. The guitar weighs in at 8.5 pounds. It has the original pearlod pickguard with a hand cut space for the humbucker. Any idea's on value?

Usually seem to go anywhere between $1000 -$2000US on the bay, depending on the guitar, A lot of people expect more though, sometimes they get it. Over here dealers try to flog them off for over $4000 Australian.

Some dumb fan might actually pay decent money for it 'cause of that signature. What a horrible thing to do to a guitar.

[Mark Lee]

"What a horrible thing to do to a guitar"

The signature is on the back of the headstock so it has virtually no impact on the guitar's look. would you have said the same thing if it was Eric Clapton signing a V neck Strat or Scotty Moore signing a 52 Esquire?

[LazerMouth]

Originally Posted by Mark Lee

"What a horrible thing to do to a guitar"

The signature is on the back of the headstock so it has virtually no impact on the guitar's look. would you have said the same thing if it was Eric Clapton signing a V neck Strat or Scotty Moore signing a 52 Esquire?

No, Scotty Moore could sign my arm and I would get it tattooed.

The first thing I would do if I owned the guitar is take that signature off, then maybe do some sort of ritual to expel the evil from the guitar.

[Mark Lee]

Lol fair enough. Where do you think I could get said $4000 for it?

[LazerMouth]

Originally Posted by Mark Lee

Lol fair enough. Where do you think I could get said $4000 for it?

Probably not gonna get that, if it's been modified too much.

People tend to pay more for Blondes, and Sunbursts than black too it seems.

That's $4000 Australian Dollars, not many clued up guys will pay that much for 70's Tele's. The vintage guitar market is strange, prices differ so much it can be unreliable, I personally wouldn't want to pay more than $1200- $1500US for a mid to late 70's Tele, but I'm a tightarse.

I just noticed you're in QLD, you can definitely get more money selling them here. $4000 is what you could pay if you bought it from a dealer, who would be selling them on consignment, or with a massive up charge from buying from the US market which is much cheaper and selling here in Australia:

http://www.guitaremporium.com.au/

[Mark Lee]

Thanks for all the information. Maybe the guitar would be more valuable sold as parts.

[LazerMouth]

Originally Posted by Mark Lee

Thanks for all the information. Maybe the guitar would be more valuable sold as parts.

Yeah, often you can.

I would buy the neck off you if it was a maple board.

[Mark Lee]

Sorry LazerMouth its a rosewood board. I do have an old late 70's or early 80's maple tele neck from a Samick Telecaster if you are interested. 1.5/8 nut and a light V profile like a Martiin or pre Gibson Epiphone. It has a bullet truss rod. The logo is scratched off.

[Cam]

Mark Lee, signatures are fine for me. It is your guitar. You do want you want to it and with it and the heck with everyone else and the vintage nonsense. And yes I would buy a vintage guitar if I had the inclination. Do a completed value search on ebay, look at the Gruhn website, there might be something similiar, look in the guitar bluebook and figure out (guess?)if you could sell it for more or less in the real world. I have a 74 tele with signatures of people I have played with and a few names of repute on the body back. I don't care about its monetary value. It is mine to do to it what I want.

[Mark Lee]

Who's signed yours Cam?

[Cam]

Amos Garrett, and a couple of members Canadian band Blue Rodeo: Jim Cuddy, Basil Donovan. The signatures I really like are the local old guys who have played around forever. ( I just realized after typing that I am becoming a local old guy)