Help with guitar value - 1969 Fender

[GadgetFreek]

Need some help determining value and suggestions of where/how to sell this.

Background - my step dad passed away in February after a long battle with cancer. My mom has been going through his things and came across their guitar. My brother in law and I have inherited all of the "man" stuff we want and all the remainder my mom is selling to save for a rainy day. Neither of us have interest in this guitar and we have everything we want that holds any sentimental value - never even knew he had the thing but knew he played in the 70s.

Have been told by a friend of a friend (who is a guitar tech for a legendary rocker who's currently touring) that based on the S/N it appears to be a 1969 Fender Stratocaster in Tobacco Sunburst. Guitar looks to be all original and has original Fender hard case.

I've seen them listed online from 1500-11500. That's a huge range. Don't want to just walk into a Guitar Center or Pawn shop and get taken advantage of.

I'll upload some pics below. If anyone has any insight I'd greatly appreciate it.

Brian
9797337978



Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

[eastxhunter]

You can expect to fetch around 350

[jooger17]

Doesn’t appear to be an American model so that $350 number about is probably pretty close to the upper end of it’s value.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[JuDGe]

Get on a Fender guitar forum and I'm sure someone will help you out.

[Tmag]

Had one like it in white back in the 70's. Good luck to y'all.

[18ncs]

I believe there is a shop in Nashville that you can get with online to get an idea. Think I've read about them in some threads on here. Maybe in a thread about olde Martin guitars. Might have head Martin in the thread title.

[Jmslaughter966]

USA made is where the value is in guitars

[BlackHogDown]

At first glance, I immediately thought Mexican due to the size of the headstock. Also 21 fret rather than the 22 found on a MIA Fender. A better look at pickups and neck shape would be indicators too.

I'm no guitar tech. I VERY recently started looking into buying my first electric and have sights on an American Std. Someone more knowledgeable could easily differentiate between MIM and MIA by taking a look at it.

Age My Fender

[lovemylegacy]

You have an emmaculate Fender Strat, American made in 1969, with the original case? The only way it gets better is if you have a Fender Amp to go with it.
I don't know where some of these guys are getting there info, but what you have is an invaluable collectible. DO NOT! go to the Pawn shop. Get in touch with some one that collects guitars.
Im would say a minimum of 5k, it is not a MIM, that didn't start till 1987. No body makes these guitars other than Fender. You have a very valuable guitar. My advice, KEEP IT!

Not that yall will know who it is, but Buddy Holly played the exact Strat! Well almost exact.

[BlackHogDown]

Please post info once you have it appraised by a professional.

[BlackHogDown]

You have an emmaculate Fender Strat, American made in 1969, with the original case?

That's what we are trying to determine. IF it is, then yes. Valuable. We all agree that American from 1969 is valuable.

What features are you seeing that say "American?" The missing fret is a pretty good indicator that it is not. Same with the head shape and pickup screws (6 rather than 2). Or so i thought?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=64&v=47zLR5PDuks&feature=emb_logo

[Artos]

Had one exactly like it back in HS, but was a 70...sure wish I still had it.

I'm betting that one will likely be worth $5k plus?? Might want to look up some sold auctions on eBay to see if you can find one similar. Always a good starting point, but my guess is you have a real valuable axe that will continue to increase in value similar to how all collectables work. All about how original, has it modified, refinished & condition.

Good luck & thanks for sharing...sold mine for $600 way back in the early 90's. Stupid!!

[lovemylegacy]

That's what we are trying to determine. IF it is, then yes. Valuable. We all agree that American from 1969 is valuable.

Everything that I see (in my limited knowledge) indicates mexican, though.
-21 frets vs 22 found on American
-6 (or 5point) screws on pickup rather than 2 on American
-larger headstock.

Exposing the pickups (under pickguard) would also reveal a lot. Mexicans have Humbucker, single coil, single coil whereas the American has Humbucker, single coil, humbucker.

Also from what I've read, there is some confusion regarding the serial numbers. See above link "age my fender"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_c...ature=emb_logo

Dude MIM didn't start till 1987! Fender didn't start making some Strats in Mexico till 1987, that guitar predates that by 2 decades. If it was made in Mexico, it would say it on the head, I have one, they are all stamped that way. Fender require it.

[lovemylegacy]

Had one exactly like it back in HS, but was a 70...sure wish I still had it.

I'm betting that one will likely be worth $5k plus?? Might want to look up some sold auctions on eBay to see if you can find one similar. Always a good starting point, but my guess is you have a real valuable axe that will continue to increase in value similar to how all collectables work. All about how original, has it modified, refinished & condition.

Good luck & thanks for sharing...sold mine for $600 way back in the early 90's. Stupid!!

Word from the wise, right here.

[Clark]

Wow.
Have you looked on Reverb for comps?

https://reverb.com/item/13234969-fender-vintage-1969-stratocaster-collectors-grade-1969-sunburst

$10,000 is a nice round number and probably not inappropriate.
Good luck!