Fender delux 8

[john roche]

I bought this last week, I paid quite a bit for it, anyone know what it's really worth. i may have paied over the odds...

[JeffM]

Is everything working and does she sound good?
Do you know how old she is? There should be a date under the tuner pan.
Did it come with legs - looks like there's a leg compartment in the case.
Other than the missing bridge cover, she looks in pretty good shape.

To be honest, you're lucky to even find one for sale this side of the pond so finding a "bargain" is a bit too much to hope for

Steel guitar prices are through the roof at the moment and especially the classics - like your Fender. Old 6 string laps (not Fenders) are going for £400+

I'd be surprised if you got much change from £600 and not shocked if you paid a bit more than that.

[john roche]

Thanks Jeff , no legs but I do have the three sockets, It's sounds amazing , lot's of diffenent tone using the blend pot,
No bridge cover but I may find one on ebay. I did pay a bit more but what the heck... There was a bit of white insulating tape that looked old under the the tuner pan and look like 52 is written in pencil .

[JeffM]

Hi again.

It's definitely not a '52 - that style didn't arrive in single neck version until about 1957 (the multi-neck version of that style, called the Stringmaster, was introduced in 1955). Not sure if black was a finish option or not on the early ones.

The whole history of Fender steels is pretty murky territory. The serial number (stamped on the metal plate) can give a vague idea of its age - and I do mean vague - maybe the decade (they made your guitar up to the late '70s). Sometimes the codes on the volume and tone pots can help but these are easily changed, of course.

Is that the original case? - if so, the 50's ones would have been tweed and a black case would suggest 60's or later.

What does the Fender logo on the little metal plate and between the tuners look like? Does it have the little registered trademark sign (hopefully not as this would indicate possibly '70s).

You can get the legs but be prepared for another shock to your wallet. I think it uses the same legs as Fender Rhodes pianos. Alternatively, it might be cheaper to buy a set of legs with the sockets and swap out the sockets (or use it on a little keyboard stand or, indeed, your lap).

[john roche]

Thanks again for your help Jeff... No the case is from the 60's. The fender logo has no registered trademark sign.
here are a few more photos...

[JeffM]

Before 1963 the tuner pan had "pat pending" under the Fender logo so, since yours has a patent number it's probably a 60s one which ties in with the case.

There are 2 bridge covers on Ebay right now that would fit your steel (both in the US) - the cheapest is £18.50 plus £10.50 postage.

If the serial number is around 23xx it's probably closer to '63. A lot of late 60s models have numbers around 5xxx or 6xxx going up to 9xxx by the late 70s. I think they stopped making 'em by the time they would have needed an extra digit.

I think they stopped writing the dates in the tuner cavity in the mid 60s.

[john roche]

Thanks for the heads up on the bridge cover, just bought one... would it add any value to the guitar?....your help has been very welcome...

[JeffM]

I think those guitars look so much nicer with the bridge cover and if you ever decided to sell it the buyer might be put off by missing bits. Since they don't come up very often, I think it was worth getting and the value has probably increased beyond the cost of the part.

[Basil Henriques]

I bought this last week, I paid quite a bit for it, anyone know what it's really worth. I may have paid over the odds...

On average between £475 and £750 depending on the overall condition. Without the "Ashtray" (The aficionado's name for the bridge cover) Its value would be less, as its value would also be reduced by the lack of ORIGINAL legs.

As a player's guitar it's excellent, as a collector's instrument its value is £400 at the most. Having said that, it COULD sell for considerably more, IF you found the right buyer.
Black WAS an optional custom colour, BUT, if that was the case with this guitar the owner would NEVER had let the legs and "Ashtray" be parted from it, so I would suggest that it's possibly/probably a re-finish. Check for over-spray in the tuner and leg socket cavities.
The number written in the tuner cavity SHOULD have a two digit # and a signature, a badly written 66 is the probability with yours, because the wiring is pre '68 (cloth-coated)

Fender used old stock pots and the dates can be up to 2 years out. The TONE pot is (Fender part code # 015451) Stackpole (code 304) and the date is 1966 week 17, the blend pot is PROBABLY CTS (Fender part code 70-2125) the date is UNDER the solder, and it certainly looks to be a match.
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/pots.html
http://zeus.lunarpages.com/~jimshi2/pot ... tcodes.htm

This guitar you should definitely keep, play it and give it loving use. Then MUCH later in life, pass it on to a worthy person. IMHO (That's what I'm doing with all of my guitars)
Check out this sale on this forum.. viewtopic.php?f=18&t=52
This is a MINT six string version (Actually rarer) http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... der+deluxe


As for the Stringmaster being introduced in 1955, maybe "JeffM " can explain to me how I've got a Long Scale (26")
Stringmaster that dates as October 1953..?
See THIS, and watch this :-

[john roche]

S Thanks Basil, great information . The guitar is not black but a deep brown. Also no overspraying any where. I have a cover coming from the US.