To part it out...or not.

markophonic · June 12th, 2003, 09:18 PM

I've been thinking of selling several guitars recently to raise some cash for another purchase.

One of the guitars I'm thinking of getting rid of is a Telecaster (MIJ 62 custom RI w/several "upgrades")

I've noticed some folks on Ebay have disassembled them and sold bodies, necks, hardware, pup's etc. individually and made some incredible money...

I'm one that doesn't really like to see things split up....the the money seems so much better by taking this road...

What are some of your thoughts on this practice???

CSS · June 12th, 2003, 09:22 PM

Sometiimes you can make a little more by parting it out. I would not destroy a good vintage just for the sake of making 50.00 extra dollars. If yours is a double bound, chances are the body will bring close to what the whole guitar would because someone is going tomake a USA re-issue out of it! The guitar you have isn't so rare so it is up to you. I will add this, once a piece is sold, it is no longer a guitar and you have to sell ALL the pieces!

-Craig

Dacious · June 13th, 2003, 02:04 AM

Do they make 'incredible money'? There's a string of 70's and reissue parts doing the merry-go-round on ebay at the moment. The sellers are trying to get too much IMO and keep ending the auctions early, relisting the parts in a different way with different opening prices and BINs. People try to lowball, thinking they'll get a bargain then lose interest when the reserve isn't met. There's one seller with $198 as the opening bid price on a '73 pickguard, $475 on a '73 body, $675 on a neck etc. When you can buy a whole guitar in good condition, with case and fairly original for ~ $1-1.2K why would anyone sensible buy these items?

You're best served to put the original parts back, sell the 'upgrades' by themselves and sell the original condition guitar if it's in good nick. Unblemished unmodified always brings best bucks - or if it does sell with mods gets less than you'd think. Unless you got a real bargain when you bought, you're not going to make a bundle on your '62 when people can buy new ones direct from Japan for ~$600 landed.

You might sell the body for a lot, and maybe the neck. But whether you can sell the whole shooting match, and not be left with orphan hardware is another matter.

FWIW, '62s seem a little bit of a poor relation to 52's both new and s/h. But even guys who buy 52's new have to eat a little loss s/h, unless you keep it for ten years. Even then, in real terms you still lost because the replacement price jumped, too.

MandyMarie · June 13th, 2003, 12:05 PM

It's completely up to you...but last year we sold three Tele's on E-bay and they were all bought by the same guy - two weeks after he gets the trio, they're back on E-bay all parted out. After each auction closed he made much more on our guitars than we did...

Lance · June 13th, 2003, 12:28 PM

I parted out a couple of guitars on Ebay. These were parts guitars in the first place and would have netting very little as complete guitars. I easily doubled the amount of return I expected by parting them out....in fact, I received more than I put into them.

TeleTubby · June 13th, 2003, 01:37 PM

I don't think anyone is buying these parts and reassembling them. My guess is that to someone who has a '73 Tele, all original except for the pickguard, it might be worth $198.00 to have an all "original"* '73 Tele, as it'll now be worth much more in the marketplace. Probably a good investment for anyone in that situation.

*- This presents a question, though- is it really all original, then? It's all "era-correct", but all original? Moral dilemmas ensue...

June 12th, 2003, 09:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
markophonic Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Michigan Age: 47 Posts: 946 1 Photos	To part it out...or not. I've been thinking of selling several guitars recently to raise some cash for another purchase. One of the guitars I'm thinking of getting rid of is a Telecaster (MIJ 62 custom RI w/several "upgrades") I've noticed some folks on Ebay have disassembled them and sold bodies, necks, hardware, pup's etc. individually and made some incredible money... I'm one that doesn't really like to see things split up....the the money seems so much better by taking this road... What are some of your thoughts on this practice??? __________________ http://www.brianvanderark.com/

June 13th, 2003, 02:04 AM	#3 (permalink)
Dacious Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Godzone Posts: 2,612 35 Photos	Do they make 'incredible money'? There's a string of 70's and reissue parts doing the merry-go-round on ebay at the moment. The sellers are trying to get too much IMO and keep ending the auctions early, relisting the parts in a different way with different opening prices and BINs. People try to lowball, thinking they'll get a bargain then lose interest when the reserve isn't met. There's one seller with $198 as the opening bid price on a '73 pickguard, $475 on a '73 body, $675 on a neck etc. When you can buy a whole guitar in good condition, with case and fairly original for ~ $1-1.2K why would anyone sensible buy these items? You're best served to put the original parts back, sell the 'upgrades' by themselves and sell the original condition guitar if it's in good nick. Unblemished unmodified always brings best bucks - or if it does sell with mods gets less than you'd think. Unless you got a real bargain when you bought, you're not going to make a bundle on your '62 when people can buy new ones direct from Japan for ~$600 landed. You might sell the body for a lot, and maybe the neck. But whether you can sell the whole shooting match, and not be left with orphan hardware is another matter. FWIW, '62s seem a little bit of a poor relation to 52's both new and s/h. But even guys who buy 52's new have to eat a little loss s/h, unless you keep it for ten years. Even then, in real terms you still lost because the replacement price jumped, too. __________________ My other Telecaster is a Thinline The Tele Bible, Ch 1, v 10 Love thy Telecaster, covet not thy neighbour's Strat!

June 13th, 2003, 12:28 PM	#5 (permalink)
Lance Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 2,163	My experience.... I parted out a couple of guitars on Ebay. These were parts guitars in the first place and would have netting very little as complete guitars. I easily doubled the amount of return I expected by parting them out....in fact, I received more than I put into them. __________________ Lance "not very good...but I make up for it by playing loud"

June 12th, 2003, 09:22 PM	#2 (permalink)
CSS Tele-Holic Join Date: May 2003 Location: Myrtle Beach, SC and Augusta, GA Age: 49 Posts: 832 25 Photos	Sometiimes you can make a little more by parting it out. I would not destroy a good vintage just for the sake of making 50.00 extra dollars. If yours is a double bound, chances are the body will bring close to what the whole guitar would because someone is going tomake a USA re-issue out of it! The guitar you have isn't so rare so it is up to you. I will add this, once a piece is sold, it is no longer a guitar and you have to sell ALL the pieces! -Craig

June 13th, 2003, 12:05 PM	#4 (permalink)
MandyMarie Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Indianapolis, IN Age: 28 Posts: 2,466 65 Photos	It's completely up to you...but last year we sold three Tele's on E-bay and they were all bought by the same guy - two weeks after he gets the trio, they're back on E-bay all parted out. After each auction closed he made much more on our guitars than we did...

June 13th, 2003, 01:37 PM	#6 (permalink)
TeleTubby Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lynden, WA Posts: 451	I don't think anyone is buying these parts and reassembling them. My guess is that to someone who has a '73 Tele, all original except for the pickguard, it might be worth $198.00 to have an all "original"* '73 Tele, as it'll now be worth much more in the marketplace. Probably a good investment for anyone in that situation. *- This presents a question, though- is it really all original, then? It's all "era-correct", but all original? Moral dilemmas ensue...