Interesting Old Guitar - Harry/Hasy, Opinions?

[ChuckE99]

It's not Ibanez (at least, there is no logo, but I don't really think it is) but it's an interesting guitar and getting a lot of attention at ShopGoodwill.com. The run up in price may also be due to the fact that it has a set of Kluson tuners on it, which probably date to the 1960's.

Besides the tuners, it has humbuckers and and a Bigsby vibrato. Lord only knows what kind of pups it has if the tuners are Klusons. This is not your run of the mill MIJ lady from the 1960s:

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=3846582

Pics:

[ChuckE99]

Once again, I answer my own question, sort of, by doing a little searching. I was at this site:

http://www.myrareguitars.com/1960guitars.html

And came across a picture of what is described as a "MINT early 1960's Airline" (see below). But the one on ShopGoodwill.com has a different headstock. I don't find that surprising. Other than that, the guitars look identical.

What's the real value of one of these? I have to think that $500 is pushing the upper limit, even for a rare MIJ.

[ChuckE99]

Not that anyone cares, but this auction ended early and I inquired as to why. Turns out the guitar had a social security number etched into it and when the Goodwill folks contacted the local police, they found out the guitar had been stolen a couple years ago. So it's back to its rightful owner. I'm sure they will be elated to get it back.

[ChuckE99]

This one is back at ShopGoodwill.com at http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=3901805.

It was returned to the original owner, who turned around and donated it back to Goodwill. This is a $500+ guitar and will probably get that, since the bid before it was pulled was over that. It's a nice looking guitar.

[backer60]

Chuck,
Its your favorite guy in the world. I just won an old '68 ibanez hollowbody{looks like an es 330} and I came across this post. Dont know how the @!## I missed this auction...this is like an early sixties airline super 3 reso glass. I had a two pickup model with four v&t knobs, this one is all "resoglass" fiberglass. Even the neck on this model is fiber glass. They built resonating cones into the bodies on these. I sold mine years ago, I never thought it sounded all that hot, but this guitar is worth like 1400 bucks in this condition. I cant believe I missed it. Theres a company out there re-issuing these, some mosrites, and I noticed the other day they had a vox teardrop knockoff....all for around 599 bucks new. I remember now...its eastwood guitars. They seem to be jumping on any old patents they can find and remaking them. If someone bought this old girl for 5 or 6 hundred, they got a deal. Peace, bill

[gemberbier]

"Resoglass"?
I think we see this idea now in some Italia guitars.
They call it "acoustiglass".
They could have called it "retroglass"
http://www.arbiter.co.uk/italia/electric_guitars/mondial_classic.htm
I believe Chris Rea is endorsing them...


Ginger

[backer60]

Apparently Reso-glass is actually a different type of fiber glass....what the difference is, I havent a clue. My knowledge of fiber glass stops at bondo for car repairs! The big surge in these right now is being caused by Jack White of the White Stripes. He plays a red airline, very similar to the one I had. Headstock is different, but body and controls are the same. All the young avant garde musicians are playing them. As I said, Eastwood is reproducing them, and for 599 or so, they are a heck of a lot cheaper than buying one of the originals. The sound isnt all that great...and when I say that, I mean when you plug it into an amp, no pedals, effects or other bs, the sound you get is nothing special.Valco produced{or subbed out production} of these, and they may well have been made in italy. The new ones I suspect are made in Korea or China.....just like everything else in the known universe!  Bill

[gemberbier]

Apparently Reso-glass is actually a different type of fiber glass....what the difference is, I havent a clue. My knowledge of fiber glass stops at bondo for car repairs! The big surge in these right now is being caused by Jack White of the White Stripes. He plays a red airline, very similar to the one I had. Headstock is different, but body and controls are the same. All the young avant garde musicians are playing them. As I said, Eastwood is reproducing them, and for 599 or so, they are a heck of a lot cheaper than buying one of the originals. The sound isnt all that great...and when I say that, I mean when you plug it into an amp, no pedals, effects or other bs, the sound you get is nothing special.Valco produced{or subbed out production} of these, and they may well have been made in italy. The new ones I suspect are made in Korea or China.....just like everything else in the known universe!  Bill

I think there's a misunderstanding here: Italy Guitars is a British brand founded by Trevor Wilkinson. The axes are made in South Korea.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italia_Guitars

Wilkinson also does the R&D for Vintage (John Hornby Skewes).


Ginger

[ChuckE99]

That git on ShopGoodwill.com ended up selling for about $600.

[backer60]

Sorry, my aging eyes read that as italian{hint:put on your specs Bill!}. Im not familiar with the Italian brand. The only English company Ive been looking at alot lately is Crimson Guitars{ Robert Fripp is involved endorsing these}. Im a big Fripp and King Crimson fan, and they show production of the Fripp model from tree to finish. Very cool. I'll check out the Italy guitars on line.I may also put on my glasses...LOL! Bill

[backer60]

Chuck,

600 dollars is a steal. I actually looked up the book on that and it was like 1000-1400 bucks in the 2006 guide. Ive gotten some decent deals on goodwill...never found an ibanez there though. Most of the ones Ive seen are newer low end models, although there was a v300{?} accoustic a while back that sold fairly cheaply, like 47 dollars or so. I dont own too many accoustics, I have a Giannini 006{good smaller guitar to keep next to the desk to do finger exercises with}, a Giannini Craviola, which is nice, kinda funny shaped,and I have my grandfalthers 1930's cromwell, which was made by Gibson for the NY music company. Its a sweet sounding old guitar, made sweeter by the fact that it was my Grandfathers, but I dont like to push it too much, because its starting to get some fretboard wear, and I dont trust anyone here in Virginia to mess with it. Eventually Im going to buy an ibanez accoustic...I like the mineral markings in the wood on the newer models. Bill

[ChuckE99]

I watch ShopGoodwill.com like a hawk. Mostly for old Teisco models (Kay, Silvertone, etc.). I just grabbed a Kay Truetone hollowbody for $215. Last one to sell on eBay went for $385.

What's both good and bad about ShopGoodwill is that these are literally the attick/basement classics. I mean, people are giving these to the Goodwill, for crying out loud. You can get some gems, but you can also get some real dogs. They don't do a good job of describing condition and 9 times out of 10 the person listing the guitar has no guitar knowledge at all, so even asking followup questions isn't worth it.

Then again, I've seen a few pre-war Martins go on this site, pulling in over $8,000. That's got to be a big surprise for the workers at Goodwill. You see Gibsons and other vintage instruments too. I remember seeing that V40, but just didn't have the interest to bid on it.

[backer60]

I got my Kay thru goodwill too! Mine is an early sixties model K1962, two pickup, checkerboard metal pickguard, even came with the original black and white chipboard case. The neck is nice and straight, which I understand was a problem with these, and the pickups are pretty good too. I paid like 175 or so with shipping, which I thought was a pretty good deal. I really want to get a speed demon, but every one I see is always a project....and parts are rediculus to come by. I did find a really good german company that does make one of's and custom tailpieces and trems for older guitars, Mueller  is the company name. They supplied some of the older dutch companys and some of the german companies with parts during the sixties and seventies. Thier website is www.abmmueller.de , they list allparts as thier sole US distributer, but you can buy direct from them. Back to the projects thing, Ive already got three going on, that '76 2375 with the unusual neck, a 1959 silvertone stratotone,  and a 65 vox{unfortunately an italian one} teardrop. If I find a speed demon, I'd like to find one ready to play...thats not 1000 bucks! Bill