Next step, What is my guitar worth? 1997 H-150 CM ASB

[bman83]

so i have determined, with great help by all of you, that i have a 1997 H-150 CM ASB with grover knobs and schaller pickups. i dont have picks to post but i will tell you that it is in good condition and only has a few minor dings and belt marks. the only thing that concerns me is the tuning knobs have a hard film that seems to have grown on them "note that this guitar has not been used in like 8 yrs." also there is a little rust in the screws that hold the pickups. but sice the guitar has not been used it is in awesome shape! so my questioon is what to ask for it outright or what to expect to get for a trade on a accoustic? thank you all very much.

[cosmikdebriis]

so i have determined, with great help by all of you, that i have a 1997 H-150 CM ASB with grover knobs and schaller pickups. i dont have picks to post but i will tell you that it is in good condition and only has a few minor dings and belt marks. the only thing that concerns me is the tuning knobs have a hard film that seems to have grown on them "note that this guitar has not been used in like 8 yrs."

 

That is not at all unusual and I wouldn't say it de values it in any real way.

 

I'd be guessing a value of around $900.00

 

That should get the ball rolling :wink:

[pushover]

I hate to resurrect it.. but

 

:this_thread_is_useless_withou

 

This site has a FS section.. One suggestion might be that you take some pix, post it up there and take some offers. You know this site is full of nuts.. oops.. means Heritage nuts..  :angel: who would likely be interested in such a quality instrument. if you don't get an offer you like, you can always Fleabay it later.

 

Best of luck..

[slider313]

If your going to take it to a retail store like GC or Smash, they won't give you more than $400. on a trade. In a small Mom and Pop shop they may not want it at all. Great guitars but the general public looks at them as no more than a "Les Paul copy".

[jmb27]

as already mentioned ... you'll probably take a substantial hit when trading in at the big-box music stores .... and some of the smaller shops may just take a pass altogether.

 

that said, it don't mean your guitar is any less good than anything else out there ... just some people/stores don't recognize a good thing when they see it.

 

and ..... got pics?

[111518]

Bman83:

You are almost certainly going to come out better if you sell the guitar yourself, and then cut your best deal on the acoustic you want, than if you trade the guitar in. 

 

Here's the logic that prevailed when I worked in the biz, and from contacts still there, I think it still applies:

The markup on most musical instruments is 100% ... or, the dealer pays half of the suggested retail price of the instrument.  (MAP --minimum advertised price is usually 70-75% of retail...)  So, if you want to trade your guitar in on a 2,000.00 acoustic, the retailer actually has $1,000.00 + shipping + his rent, labor, etc.  He hopes realistically to sell the guitar for MAP, $1400-$1500.00, to cover his costs and make some profit.  If you walk in with cash, he's going to sell you the guitar for that amount.

 

But lets say you walk in with your guitar.  He looks at it, looks in his blue book or has kept an eye on ebay auctions, and he knows used Heritages 150s are going for $900-1200.00  But for him, the logic is that he can get a new guitar that sells for $1000 for $700-750, so the real value of your guitar to him is not his potential selling price but his wholesale cost for a guitar that would sell for a similar amount.  He's going to knock off a little because there's greater risk ...you chose the guitar, he didn't based on his knowledge of his customers, so he's not sure it will sell; he has to pay you immediately and he might have a credit arrangement with his dealers, etc.  So, he's going to give you either cash or a real value on trade that is approx. half of what he thinks he can sell your guitar for --$500.  So, he'll sell you that 2,000.00 acoustic for 1,000 plus your guitar ...best deal.  He might say he's giving you 1,000.00 in trade, but that's off a price he would never get for cash, the real value of your trade is $500.00.  (Now his profit on the acoustic is wrapped up in his ability to sell your guitar.  He might come out ahead, maybe not ... you are paying for the risk he is assuming.) 

 

If you sell your guitar yourself for $900, you walk into the store, buy the acoustic for 1,500.00, and you are up $400.00 from the deal with a trade.  Even if you sell your guitar for $700 or $800 ...well below its worth, you would still come out well ahead.  Sell retail, buy retail is always going to be better than selling wholesale, buying retail, which is what you are really doing when you trade in a guitar to a shop. 

 

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and sometimes when the rent is due dealers cut great deals, but this is the prevailing logic.  Hope this makes sense and helps ...get a cash price on the acoustic before you get a trade price. 

[High Flying Bird]

Dude if you had the photos posted I am sure somebody from this site would be beating down your inbox door with decent offers for that fine guitar.  If you don't know how to get your photos on the web the people here will be glad to help. 

[Thundersteel]

If you are seriously considering selling your guitar, please take some pics and post an ad in the "For Sale" section.  :police: