Help -Selling a 1962 Olympic white

[Marko465]

Hi, my dad recently passed. He left me his 1962 Olympic white. He had it authenticated, but I’m going to have to do that again because I don’t know where that is. Where would be the best place to sell it? I’m very sentimental about a lot of things but not this guitar because he never played it. He was a bass player. Any advise? Is there a certain authentication I should be looking for? I know with diamonds, for example, you’d get it evaluated by GIA. Is there an equivalent in the guitar world? Are there vintage instrument auctions? In the vintage auto world, for a high dollar vehicle, you look at mecum or Barrett Jackson auctions. Is there something like that for instruments? I’d really appreciate any help I can get. I know nothing about this sort of thing.

 

[stevierayfan91]

Welcome @Marko465
Sorry for your loss of dad

George Gruhn does appraisal & authentication of vintage Strats.
There is a fee but he is an expert about them.

 

[Murdog]

Sorry for your loss. There was another thread with similar circumstances and has a lot of good advice. A '62 in good condition can be worth a lot.

1962 Fender Stratocaster Mint & Original

First I would like to thank anyone who takes the time to respond to this question. I have a 1962 Fender Stratocaster that belonged to my dad since he purchased it new in 1962. As luck would have it at about the time he purchased it my parents were expecting there first child and learning and...

www.strat-talk.com

 

[GuitarTalk]

Hi, my dad recently passed. He left me his 1962 Olympic white. He had it authenticated, but I’m going to have to do that again because I don’t know where that is. Where would be the best place to sell it? I’m very sentimental about a lot of things but not this guitar because he never played it. He was a bass player. Any advise? Is there a certain authentication I should be looking for? I know with diamonds, for example, you’d get it evaluated by GIA. Is there an equivalent in the guitar world? Are there vintage instrument auctions? In the vintage auto world, for a high dollar vehicle, you look at mecum or Barrett Jackson auctions. Is there something like that for instruments? I’d really appreciate any help I can get. I know nothing about this sort of thing. View attachment 563490

Sorry for your loss. My recommendation for you to get $45,000 USD or more (assuming the guitar is all original and in the shape it looks to be in the photo you posted) as quickly as possible without giving an arm and a leg to an auction house which will sell the guitar to a dealer for a fraction of what it would sell for in the larger open market:

Step 1) Gruhn Guitars is great for appraisals, instantly recognized and respected by buyers all around the world.

Step 2) In addition to the appraisal letter that you'll have from Gruhn, get some professional photos of the guitar taken... in fact ask Gruhn to snap some photos when they're taking the guitar apart for appraisal purposes.

Step 3) List the guitar on Reverb (reverb.com). Make sure to select a "NO returns policy" (ie the item is sold as is and once the shipment is marked as received, or the buyer picks the guitar up, the deal is FINAL). It's the same process as listing anything on Craigslist/Ebay/Kijiji. List it 5-10% ABOVE the appraised value as Reverb charges the LESSER of 5% or $500. Given that this guitar will sell for at least $45,000 USD, your maximum fee with Reverb will be $500 (about 1%... no auction house will give you a bigger market at that fee). Select the "allow offers" option, and watch offers and messages pile in over the next few days. You will get a buyer (I would be one of those buyers if this conversation were happening 6months ago when I was shopping for a custom colour strat myself).

Step 4) If the above is too much of a hassle, I'll wire you $25k for it right now and let's call it a deal (I kid).

Best of luck with the sale, should be fairly easy with a beautiful and rare strat like that.

 

[Bazz Jass]

Hi Marko. More than just getting it appraised by Gruhn, or Carters. I would suggest you get Carters to sell it on behalf for you. They are one of the most trusted names in the industry, have a rockstar customer base, and take less commission than most of the competition (15% of sale price).

Can I tell you from experience, you will get more money out of the deal by letting them sell it for you, even after their commission, than you will trying to sell it privately.

Reverb and Ebay are the wild west, favor the buyer in any dispute, and charge big fees to give your product very little in the way of credibility. I wouldn't use them to sell a vintage LP let alone a vintage strat.

Sorry to hear about your Dad.

 

[Marko465]

Thank you everyone for the help. Just for fun, here’s me with the guitar in the 70’s.

 

[Murdog]

Thank you everyone for the help. Just for fun, here’s me with the guitar in the 70’s.

That's a cool pic. On a side note you can probably use that as "proof" that its been in the family for a while. I know it doesn't show serial numbers etc, but it's something!

 

[sunburst_xxii]

That's a cool pic. On a side note you can probably use that as "proof" that its been in the family for a while. I know it doesn't show serial numbers etc, but it's something!

Very true, I've seen quite a few videos on YouTube of these old Fenders for sale... Norman's Rare Guitars, Emerald City Guitars and so on - and buyers love this sort of thing!

 

[GuitarTalk]

Very true, I've seen quite a few videos on YouTube of these old Fenders for sale... Norman's Rare Guitars, Emerald City Guitars and so on - and buyers love this sort of thing!

Yeah, if Emerald City Guitars gets a whiff of this photo and story, they’ll send a full video production crew to OP’s house, buy him lunch, make a YT video for the guitar and sell it for him for $60k USD (netting OP $50k USD) haha

 

[bluejazzoid]

Beautiful Strat! Sorry about your dad.

Good advice above.... but really, you should keep it (if you are in a position to do so) and learn to play it!

 

[Marko465]

Yeah, if Emerald City Guitars gets a whiff of this photo and story, they’ll send a full video production crew to OP’s house, buy him lunch, make a YT video for the guitar and sell it for him for $60k USD (netting OP $50k USD) haha

There’s more to the story. My dad and I were watching Wayne’s world in the 90’s. Wayne would go into the guitar shop and dream about the guitar in the special case. He got real quiet during that scene and then he said, that’s my guitar. I’ve got the same one. It wasn’t until that moment that he realized it was worth something.

 

[Marko465]

Beautiful Strat! Sorry about your dad.

Good advice above.... but really, you should keep it (if you are in a position to do so) and learn to play it!

I’m not musical at all. And like I said, my dad was a bass player. I’m not sure why he ever bought it. I have no memory of him ever playing it. I have lots of his things I’m sentimental about, but not this, really.

 

[Marko465]

Beautiful Strat! Sorry about your dad.

Good advice above.... but really, you should keep it (if you are in a position to do so) and learn to play i

Actually, Thinking back, I do now remember a time when he played it. When I was a teenager, he got it out once and played the opening rif to sweet child of mine. I was floored! That was when I realized that my dad being a guitar player was cool! It’s nice to talk about some of these memories. I haven’t thought about some of these things in decades.

 

[Miotch]

That is just one of the best-looking Strats I've ever seen. I love old Olympic white Strats and that is unbelievably beautiful. And that is a great picture. Get a color copy made for the interested parties, but keep that photo.

I also wouldn't leave it on that stand very long. I've seen the rubber (or whatever) on those stands discolor the guitar. Better safe than sorry.

Best of luck to you and whatever you end up doing with that guitar. If I were a buyer (never gonna happen in my financial life), that one would be at the top of my list.

 

[jd35801]

I'm sorry about your loss. It sounds like you have some wonderful memories and spent a lot of time with your father, and that's priceless.
Best of luck with this guitar sale. It is one of the most desirable Fender Stratocasters around, and is a beautiful example!

 

[MT Poteet]

George Gruhn (https://guitars.com)has been dealing with vintage guitars for years and years. I believe you can get an on line appraisal along with authentication.

Diggin the flip top, that was my first amp, as with many things, I wish I still had it.

Sorry about your dad.

 

[crawdaddy]

Thank you everyone for the help. Just for fun, here’s me with the guitar in the 70’s.

One of them long haired hippie types, eh........just kidding....

Cool guitar and a great pic....memories can't be taken from you.....

Sorry about your father....

 

[davi3blu3]

Thank you everyone for the help. Just for fun, here’s me with the guitar in the 70’s.

That's such a great photo. If that's not in a frame somewhere, you should consider it.

Sorry about your old man. Understand what you mean about sentiment -- but I would encourage you to crank it to 10 at least once before you let it go. Super cool axe.

 

[EyeLikeTortoise]

I feel like you gotta keep it just cause you have that pic from the 70s. Time to sign up for guitar lessons.

 

[henderman]

not a old guitar expert but i am an ebay ex power seller -

do not try to sell that guitar thru ebay or reverb.