This weekend Heritage Auctions, the largest auctioneer of collectibles and the third-largest auction house in the world, hosted its 2016 Vintage Guitars & Musical Instruments Auction. Among the many guitars sold this weekend, here are a handful of featured instruments that sold for more than $20,000.
1938 Gibson Advanced Jumbo
1938 Gibson Advanced Jumbo
A 1938 (circa) Gibson Advanced Jumbo Sunburst Acoustic Guitar, serial # 12340, sold for $25,000.00. The guitar had been completely sanded and refinished and has a patched section along the treble-side lower bout and 10 top cracks. It had been refretted and fitted with a new bridge. Even with these issues, this remains one of the most sought after guitars ever built by Gibson, Heritage said. The price guide value was $60,000.
1958 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst
A 1958 Fender Stratocaster Sunburst, serial # 29258. Heritage described it as having light play wear, normal checking, scuffs and dings. The electronics are all original and in working order; pot date code of 304826, indicating the 26th week of 1958. The neck date is 8/58, however no date was found on the body. The decal may have been replaced, as logo deterioration is common on 1958 models, Heritage said. The price guide value is $30,000; the guitar sold for $20,625.00.
1952 Fender Blonde Telecaster
A 1952 Fender Blonde Telecaster, #4742, sold for $32,500.00. Heritage said the guitar has light to moderate wear and the original finish. The neck date reads 11-26-52TG and the body date code is 11-10-52 TADEO. The neck has been professionally refretted and a new nut has been installed. While the original thermometer hard case was included, it was missing the ashtray bridge cover. Price guide value was $35,000, Heritage said.
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1955 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop
A 1955 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, serial # 510684, sold for $32,500.00. This late '55 Les Paul has a headstock chip near the D tuner, which is slightly bent, with normal checking and play wear to the original frets. All electronics are working and original. Includes the original hard case. Price guide value is $39,000, Heritage said.
John Entwistle's 1965 Fender Stratocaster
Entwistle's '63 Strat
John Entwistle's white 1965 Fender Stratocaster, serial # L76785, sold for $21,250.00. This guitar was featured in his book "Bass Culture," and was sold with supporting documentation. The guitar is all original with moderate finish wear, Heritage said. The pots date to 1965; the neck date code is 2MARCH65B. Low, worn original frets, and the tremolo bar was in the case. It sold with a no-logo black Fender hard case.
1963 Fender Stratocaster in Sonic Blue
A 1963 Fender Stratocaster in Sonic Blue sold for $65,625. The guitar, serial # 93726 is all original with moderate wear and checking; the neck date code is JAN63B, and the pots date to the second week of 1963. All electronics are original and in working order, Heritage said, and the original finish was shot over Desert Sand. The guitar sold with the original hard. The price guide value was $50,000.
1965 Fender Stratocaster in Sonic Blue
A 1965 Fender Stratocaster in Sonic Blue, serial # L83533, sold for $37,500. The neck date code is JUNE65B; pots date to the 16th week of 1965; neck pickup dates to 6-17-65. Bridge and middle date to 6-16-65. All solder joints are original and correct, Heritage said, though there was a pocket crack where the neck meets the body. Heritage said it has been repaired and was nearly undetectable. The guitar sold with a George Gruhn evaluation and an original no-logo black hard case.