this post was submitted on 11 May 2025
24 points (85.3% liked)

guitars

4440 readers
2 users here now

Welcome to /c/guitars! Let's show off our new guitar pics, ask questions about playing, theory, luthier-ship, and more!

Please bring all positive vibes to the community and leave the toxic stuff elsewhere.

Banner credit

Rules:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
ArtVandelay@lemmy.world
24
Trying to evaluate the price of my dad's 74 stratocaster (lemmy.world)
submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by Blazko@lemmy.world to c/guitars@lemmy.world
20 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Hi all,

My dad asked me to sell his Fender Stratocaster from the seventies (see id on the backplate, it's 519714). Having no clue on what could be the reference price guide, I wanted to get your advice on this. As far as I know, the guitar had no modifications and is all genuine, and overall in very good condition as you can see in the pics (given its age).

I live in europe and contacted a pro dealer here who seemed to be specialized in vintage guitars, but I'd like to have multiple references to better grasp the value of this guitar. Would you have any suggestion or references on this ? Thanks in advance.

Here are some other pics :

top 20 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (3 children)

It's in good condition. Check reverb.com for pricing on similar ones. I buy/sell/trade old guitars.

Things to take into consideration: This is a Strat, so it has a lot of people that like it. As a vintage guitar, it's a post-CBS Fender, meaning, it is a model made after 1968 - CBS bought Fender and did a lot of cost-cutting. (Same thing happened to Gibson with a company called Norlin around the same time).

So, point being, a CBS Fender is going to be less valuable than a pre-CBS. It's also a 3-bolt neck. I personally prefer that, but many people have a strange prejudice against the microtilt necks.

I'd say between $2500-$4500, but leaning toward the lower end.

The other person saying $4000-8000 is on crack.

https://reverb.com/item/89450755-fender-stratocaster-1974-sunburst

https://reverb.com/item/89359230-1974-fender-stratocaster-electric-guitar-sunburst-refin

[–] Blazko@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

done, thank you, well at least I know it's not worth 30,000 bucks now :p. I have a much better idea now and whenever I meet w/ the pro who's willing to see/buy it I'll know if I'm getting robbed ^^', so thanks all for the useful comments, much appreciated.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 3 weeks ago

Happy to help. I have a humble vintage guitar shop. Nothing big, but I've been doing this a long time. Good luck!

If you're a player yourself, and it belonged to your dad, maybe just hold onto it. They're only going up on value and get rarer by the day.

[–] exixx@lemmy.world 3 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

It looks to me like the other person was simply quoting the range on reverb for comparable strats

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com -2 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Indeed I was. Didn't think that needed to be explained, but I guess this is the internet

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Except you did the bare minimum with no nuance, so your "guess this is the internet" comment holds true. Also, starting midway through the range and not noting the low-end... weird.

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com -1 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

My bad. Aside from looking up the serial, I guess i should have asked if the truss rod still works, any lifted or excessively worn frets, excessively wobble in the tuners, do the electronics work properly or are they scratchy, when OP clearly isn't a guitar person. Why don't you ask him to ship it to you on your dime so you, as the premier buyer and seller of vintage guitars, can take a real good look at it, otherwise YOU'RE also doing the bare minimum. Not sure how deep I should get. OP asked what's a good range to look at selling a vintage instrument on behalf of someone else. I did. You have a problem with my 30 second assessment, fine. Go look at the instrument in person. Then apply the typical "its probably realistically worth a grand, I'll give you half that, cash" approach most "vintage" dealers give to people unfamiliar with what they have. Could I have pointed to reverb.com in my initial post? I should have, but the thought slipped my mind.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 3 weeks ago (2 children)

Boy... you're all about the extremes. Go sit down and have a rest. I think you're done with the internet for today.

[–] homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Why do pinheaded fuckwits who genuinely do not know what they are talking about consistently double-down on their ignorant flatulent postings as if the fact that they won’t shut the fuck up means there’s some hidden merit to their argument? Without fail they constantly reply with more spittle-inflected idiocy until the conversation gives way to no one caring to involve themselves with it anymore. They always do this.

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 3 weeks ago

Sure thing buddy.

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I understand it's what someone actually pays vs what it lists at, but less than a full page scroll nets one listed @$7999.99. Pass the pipe.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Everybody is proud of their shit and they want to go as high as they can, but don't ever want to negotiate when the rubber hits the road.

It's a buyer's market right now.

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 3 weeks ago

This is agree on, OP can set any price they want and negotiate from there. The best we can do from thousands of miles away, with a few (actually quite good, by the way) pictures, is a quick guess. They asked for a guess, they were going to talk to someone locally who knew more about vintage instruments. I'm willing to bet that OP will find a middle ground they're willing to offer it for, and make decisions from there.

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com 8 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

Serial appears to come from a 1976, made in Fullerton, CA USA. Prices for a good specimen range between around $4000-8000 USD, not sure what that translates to where you are

[–] Blazko@lemmy.world 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

All right, thanks for the feedback, that's already a good starting point for me.

[–] rugburn@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 3 weeks ago

No problem!

[–] Zachariah@lemmy.world 8 points 3 weeks ago

You can filter Reverb to see only items that have sold to get a more accurate value.

[–] magnetosphere@fedia.io 5 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

I can’t help with the price, but I wanted to compliment you on the photo. Nice work!

[–] Blazko@lemmy.world 2 points 3 weeks ago

Thanks ;)

[–] Donebrach@lemmy.world 4 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago)

Give ya $90 and a trade on my 2017 squire strat; looks and (probably) sounds the same based on the amp it’s plugged into.