G.E. Smith Neck Value

Since these teles are pretty rare to find at all these days, with ebay examples selling for about $2k, a neck would probably command $1k, if you could even find one.

 

I'm interested if the price is right!

 

I am in no way saying you're wrong. But I am saying that one would have to be certifiably insane to pay $1000 for one.

 

1k for a GE neck?

 

Seems like you might consider what the cost would be to order a neck with GE Smith specs from Warmoth or similar - which is to say if I can buy something with exactly the same functionality from Warmoth for what? $400? then how much extra would I want to pay just to have the neck be a GE Smith neck? How does that work? Wouldn't be my choice either way, but someone might and it's none of my business why.

 

Branding.

 

How does one know if one would like a GE Smith neck ? What is "special" about it that differentiates it from other comparable necks ? What value does the GE Smith name add, and why ? I suppose if someone assignes a value of $500 to the fact that GE Smiths name is on the headstock (is it ?)
then you might get 800-1000 for it, given the cost of comparable alternates.

Looks like there is one complete with tuners and neck plate on Reverb.com for $600.

https://reverb.com/item/111103-fender-ge-smith-telecaster-neck-tuners-neckplate

 

Its a fat neck with pedal steel style fret markers. Those guitars extremely hard to find, I'd expect a neck only would be even rarer to find. A couple on ebay now, for $2100, although one appears to have sold for $1700, or lesser offer.

 

"It's a fat neck with pedal steel style fret markers."

I bet that makes is sound so much better than a standard Fender neck.

 

Some people just GOT to have these things Not me!

 

Obviously worth what the market will bear. I traded a GE Smith for what I thought was an insane amount of money (maybe $1700 trade value) a couple years ago. It was a very nice guitar, but it was a little beat. Needed a fret job and the saddle screws were seized up. Those necks are great.

My best guess at a price for just the neck is $450-$550 depending on fret wear, whether you're including tuners, etc. One way to find out what it's worth is to list it on eBay with no reserve. Start your 10 day auction on a Thursday, that way it ends on a Sunday and there are 2 weekends when it's up and people are most likely to be shopping. If you start it at a penny you get a lot more interest. More watchers = more bidders = better possibility of achieving the desired price. It's the riskiest way to find out exactly what the short term market is for stuff. Or throw it up on Reverb if you're willing to wait a bit for your price.

In any case I agree that $1k is too high. If you can get $700 for it, you're my hero. But I think $450-$550 is about right.

 

I think my comfort level would be $600 at the absolute max. I say that much because the fact that it is a real Fender neck does kick up the mojo factor a bit in my eyes. I could not imagine paying beyond $600 and it will take someone special to appreciate those fret markers.

 

I think these guitars were pretty special. They had body mount lead pups. The frets and stuff were specific. Guys love them. A G is not crazy money these days in the guitar world. Gibson PAFs are worth more than that and I'd need one to replicate my favorite tele. If the GE Smith had 2" nut I'd certainly consider it. My "73 had the widest neck ever (for me) and it contributes a lot to the tone.

 

I would just ask Tommy Rosamond to make me a G E Smith specifications neck with no "Fender" ID on it whatsoever. :^)

It would cost a lot less and that's IMO all a "severed" G E Smith neck should ever be worth. I am so tired of cannibalized guitars.

 

I do think that the body mounted bridge pickup does something magic to these guitars. I haven't heard another guitar that had the same type of resonance. I think the pickups are the same Original Vintage pickups that are in the 52ri. I've had 2 52ris, and neither sounded as lively as the GE Smith.

I probably should have kept that guitar. I got it for a crazy good price, but there was something I wanted more at the time.