Help with Appraisal

[RickFinsta]

Quick Poll.

 

What, in your opinions, would the market support for an '88 H535 "2" Stamp with a properly-repaired lower bout strap button (impact damage during shipping, potentially affecting the center block) that is otherwise in excellent condition?

 

Going rate on a normal used 535 is anywhere from $1100-1700.

 

2 Stamp knocks another few hundred off so figure 1400 is about top (I got offers on this guitar from $1325-1400) but anywhere form $1200-1400 seems to be a decent range. Hard to tell since I've never seen this old of a second still in excellent condition.

 

I figure with the repair on the already-devalued (2 Stamp) instrument it would maybe get $800-1000 top dollar in a private sale, and a store would maybe give $500 trade, down from $800-1000 trade in undamaged condition.

 

There will be an AAR (after action review) posted after this all gets figured out, but I'd like to have some idea if/when the insurer attempts to under-represent the value impact from the damage post-repair. Lots of lessons learned in this process and I'm sure more are forthcoming; needless to say I'm attempting to guide the brokerage/insurer through a "teachable moment" but so far they about as responsive as a toddler.

 

I am looking for a "I'd grab it up in a second at that price" and a "no way I'd pay more than $X." Thanks in advance, gentlemen.

[tulk1]

A 1988 #2 with a repair? Regardless of how well it was repaired and who repaired it --- $500.

[davesultra]

I would think (if a solid/tidy repair), you could get close-ish to 900-1k.

[Spectrum13]

I suggest a visit to a Heritage or other Musical Instrument Dealer with your 535. Ask what they would charge you for an appraisal stating what they would retail the repaired 535 for along with any reconditioning / repair costs. This is a used instrument so I do not see how it being a second is important.

 

Good luck.

[FredZepp]

A strap button repair? I'd imagine that it's pretty much invisible and solid as before? Very different from the usual headstock repair situation, unless top or back is damaged also.

 

The $800 - 1000 seems reasonable to me.. less than that would be a bargain. But then again.. sometimes it takes a bargain to sell something. Pics of it would be nice... nice pics enhance value.

[RickFinsta]

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I was ballpark on the market value. I didn't know this was a "2" when I bought it, but unfortunately it does seem to affect the value on the market.

 

Damage is the button was pushed into the wood at an angle (assumingly) by impacting the interior of the case during shipment. I say "assumingly" because for all I know the buyer dropped it when it got to him and then decided he wanted to "return" it.

 

 

The wood appears cracked/crushed, so I figure best case the luthier needs to strip and swell the wood, color match stain, and perform a drop fill or partial refinishing with color matching. Worst case the center block is split/cracked/damaged at which point the back would need to come off and the repair would cost as much as the guitar is "worth." I doubt the damage is that serious, but I don't physically have it in my hands, either. Which also means there could be additional damage the buyer hasn't disclosed. Uuugh.

 

My luthier is one of the best in the nation, so it will not be detectable post-repair but since I'm not a d-bag I'd obviously disclose the repair work upon sale.

 

This is a nightmare - and the buyer keeps making it worse since he hadn't even properly filed a claim with the insurer (most shipping insurance is for the seller/shipper, but this policy defaults to UCC which means buyer was covered, not me) and now he's got a PayPal claim open (against their double-dipping policy, plus it complicates getting it shipped directly to my luthier since they are going to cover him only if he ships to my "address of record.").

 

I've shipped tens of thousands of dollars in stuff I've sold over the years, and this one experience has me thinking I'll never do it again.

[tulk1]

I'm confused. So, this is your guitar, you sold, and it showed up like that? And didn't look like that when shipped? You have before and after pics, right? That's a nasty looking bit of end pin crush, right there. At least in that pic it is.

[RickFinsta]

I'll withhold details for now but yes that's basically it. Guitar was sold, left here without that damage, was properly packed, and evidently showed up like that. To be clear I don't have reason to believe the buyer is trying to defraud me, I just think he's in over his head on all this. The brokerage house for the sale is the "insurer," but not really an insurer as far as I can tell since they don't seem to understand UCC, either; they are under the impression their "policy" is what it is not. Luckily my attorney works for wood choppin' or my homebrew (family member).

 

For now suffice to say I'm taking it in the shorts for dealing with a bunch of amateurs, though there are also things I couldn't done better as well. In the words of Pat Rogers, "learning has occurred."