HANGAR18 Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Searching for guitars from my computer, I found a Heritage dealer who has a factory 2nd, H575, brand new (antique natural finish made about 8 years ago) and I'm wondering what the MSRP on a guitar like that should be. I know what he is asking for it and I think it seems a little high but I don't see any MSRP prices listed on the Heritage web site and I'm trying to calculate a reasonable offer instead of just accepting the actual sticker price. Why is it a factory second? Not sure but if I were to guess, maybe it is that the (rosewood?) fretboard has some visible grain lines to it. Or maybe it is because the headstock (from the rear) looks like the left and right sides had separate pieces of wood added to form the part where the tuner holes are drilled. I don't remember what kind of inlay it had but I would guess dots. Is anyone savvy with fair market pricing for a guitar like this?
big bob Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Just my 2 cents, You can find used but in like new condition 575's all over the web any where from 1300.00 to 1600.00 Antique natural usually brings a better price but being a second negates that and then some. If this guitar has been in a shop for sale for eight years I would venture a guess that it has it's fair share of dents and dings, even if they say new old stock. I would place it's resale value at around 1200.00 as a second.. So that is where I would start my negotiation. Here is one at 1350.00 http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/msg/3132843263.html One on gbase 1499.00 http://www.gbase.com/gear/heritage-h-575-archtop-electric-es-1998-flame Neither are #2...
HANGAR18 Posted July 13, 2012 Author Posted July 13, 2012 Well, the good part would be that since the seller is a Heritage dealer, and the guitar is "new" so to speak, if I were to buy it, it would still come with whatever the warranty might be for the original owner, right?
big bob Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Good point, I missed that. I would still start at 1200.00
SouthpawGuy Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 The "wings" on the headstock are normal, the 575 has a bigger headstock than a 150 or 535 plus the lighter finishes, natural / amber etc. will tend to reveal the "tan lines" more so than an old style burst would. Another thought ... an eight year old guitar might have Schaller pickups as stock, if they're not to taste a pickup swap on a hollow body will add quite a bit to the final cost. $1200 sounds like a good starting point.
HANGAR18 Posted July 13, 2012 Author Posted July 13, 2012 If it has Schaller pickups, are they "hot" (high gain)?
SouthpawGuy Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 If it has Schaller pickups, are they "hot" (high gain)? The Schallers generally aren't regarded as hot. HRWs on the other hand, Schaller derivatives, I would personally regard as being on the hot side, especially the bridge.
HANGAR18 Posted July 13, 2012 Author Posted July 13, 2012 So, if the stock pickups are not something that would make Ted Nugent proud, I gather from your earlier post that there is something about changing pickups on a hollow body that is difficult or time consuming and thus more expensive to perform? I've never even played a holowbody but I think it would be cool to have at least one. Maybe I just want to rescue the guitar from a life of hanging on a guitar store wall.
SouthpawGuy Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 With Pickup swaps on a hollow / semi hollow body with no rear access the work is done through the f holes, awkward and not for the faint hearted.
TalismanRich Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 I played a new 575 the other day. Sticker price was 3700. Listed price was 2700. This is an AA serial number, so it's a year old or so, and has the Seth Lovers. Given that, an 8 year old 2nd would probably be in the $1500 to $1800 range if it pristine shape. $1200 seems low, especially for a dealer. He is paying overhead and all that, as opposed to an individual who is just trying to get some of his money back.
Steiner Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 Rescue away Horsedriver. The 575 is a warm, versatile guitar. $1200 is one hell of a deal on a solid wood, arch top, hollow body guitar. Unfortunately, as Big Bob has stated, it is market price. I Love your moxie; if you can play an acoustic, you'll be fine with a 575. The best valued instrument on the market.
DetroitBlues Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 My Factory 2nd 150 has a mark below the finish on the back of the guitar... Seems like it would of been easy to fix, but they just stamped it as a 2nd and resold it. $1200 doesn't seem bad to me. Perhaps offering a $1200 cash out the door or ask for a lower price. Cash is king. Any seller would prefer to take cash over tire kickers...
Gitfiddler Posted July 13, 2012 Posted July 13, 2012 $1,200 is a decent deal for a n.o.s. 2nd. You'd probably be able to get between $1,000 - $1,200 if you sold it down the road. Bottom line, is you'll have a great, hand built, solid wood archtop to play with a minimum entry fee. And you won't lose too much if you decide to sell it if still in good condition.
HANGAR18 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Okay, so this weekend I went back to talk to this particular Heritage dealer to gently inquire whether his asking price of $2500.00 for this particular H575, which has been a brand new guitar for 8 years, was correct or not and confirmed that it is correct... even though it is also a factory 2nd. He then did a quick search on the Internet for other new H575's and discovered some in the $3000.00+ range. I suppose then that the factory 2nd is going to be a savings of $500 to whomever buys it, but that is more than I am prepared to offer. I took my brand new PRS Mira up there to include that guitar with my offer to buy the 575 but we were not able to agree on a deal. No worries, the Mira is a very good guitar so there is nothing wrong with me just keeping it. Or maybe one day a solid body Heritage will come around I can trade it for. Who knows?
Guest HRB853370 Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Some dealers are willing to let their inventory sit forever. I bet if you walked up with cash, he would change his mind. 575's are very high end though and I dont see where you are going to get a nice one for $1200 unless you just get real lucky and it has its share of dings and wear.
HANGAR18 Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Some dealers are willing to let their inventory sit forever. That seems to be the case. That guitar has been there since the day he opened the music store 8 years ago. He sold all the other Heritage guitars he had but that one remains. If I had that much cash right now, I'd be in the process of having a custom H150 made for me.
TalismanRich Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 I think that $1200 is too much of a lowball. He probably has more than that in the guitar. Like I said earlier, a new one is going to be in the $26 to 2800 range.
SouthpawGuy Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 He sold all the other Heritage guitars he had but that one remains. Probably because it's a 2nd. Lots of other 575 out there that aren't seconds for less $$$.
SouthpawGuy Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Another thought ..... does a new factory 2nd come with a full years warranty ?
HANGAR18 Posted July 18, 2012 Author Posted July 18, 2012 Another thought ..... does a new factory 2nd come with a full years warranty ? I would fully expect as much.
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.