1) If possible, play your own guitar through it. You want to be in familiar territory to judge an amp objectively, and it’s difficult to assess an amp’s suitability if you’re testing it with an unfamiliar instrument. Work from your comfort zone, and you’ll better know whether this one could be of use to you, or is just way out of the sonic ballpark.

2) Start with an external visual check:
• Is the amp reasonably clean, or does it appear to have been neglected? If the latter, does it look like it will clean up okay, or is this deep-down grunge?
• Do the tubes look old (is the lettering faded and discolored from excessive heat?), or do they appear to be fairly fresh, even if they are NOS (new old stock) types? It’s cool to find an old amp with its original tubes, or very old replacements, if they are still in decent playable condition. An amp that carries old, burnt-out (or nearly so) tubes, however, just indicates gear that has been neglected.
• Are the tubes reasonably tight in their sockets?
• Does the speaker look sound, tightly mounted, and in good condition, even if it’s an old one? Or is it dusty, discolored, have a brittle cone, or loose mounting bolts/screws/nuts?
• Are the cabinet’s edges and corners tight and solid?
Your assessment of all of the above will give you a general idea of the amp’s condition before you have even plugged it in. An amp that is old and a little dusty and grimy, but basically in decent condition underneath, is possibly one that was cared for well, but just stored for years and left untouched. An amp that was cared for poorly or not serviced at all, or serviced poorly, while in use for many years is a riskier proposition.

3) Has the seller installed a safe grounded, three-prong AC cord? If not, don’t touch any other electrical equipment while testing, and ask them if they will have one correctly installed (if it’s a guitar store) before selling the amp, or make a concession on the price so that you can do so. If you buy it as-is, have a three-prong cord properly and professionally installed asap. This is a safety issue, and it won’t be safe to gig or record with the amp until you have done so.

4) Turn the amp’s volume control(s) down to 0, switch the power on and let it warm up. Does the pilot light work? Are the tubes glowing as normal? Switch the standby on if it has one, and/or turn up the volume control(s) slightly. You should hear a slight — but not excessive — hum through the speaker. If there are any loud hums, squeals or oscillations in the amp at any stage in this process, switch off immediately and unplug from the AC socket.

5) If all is well, plug in and play. Start at lower volumes, try all the other control knobs for function and scratchiness. If you get a little “static” style scratchy sound when you turn any of the potentiometers but they still function much as they should, this isn’t a big deal. A tech can clean these with a squirt of contact cleaner for a minimum bench charge. If you get any major volume jumps or dead spots, that might mean the pot needs replacing. Still not too big a deal if the price is right and it’s an amp you are really interested in, but it means more of a repair investment.

6) Turn up, and play louder. If the seller insists that you test it at quiet volumes only, explain that you need to at least play it briefly at or near full volume, or the deal is off. You don’t have to crank it for hours, and it’s unreasonable to expect others to tolerate that, but play it at a fairly advanced volume for 30 seconds or a minute or so at least, and listen to how the whole amp, and the speaker in particular, reacts to the wattage you’re putting through it.

7) If you get “ringing” or “pinging” sounds or microphonics at medium or higher volumes, this could be the sign of a bad tube (as well as a number of other things that are more difficult to suspect). You can sometimes check this by gently tapping each tube in succession with a pen or pencil — with the volume at around 10 o’clock — while listening for the one that reacts excessively (note that you will get a little sound out of any good tube by doing this), ask the seller if they have a replacement tube you can try in that position. Switch off the amp, let it cool down for a few minutes, and make the swap, using a dust cloth or other protection to remove the suspect tube if it’s still hot. If the tubes are old and worn anyway, you’ll need to figure a replacement set into the purchase price (details of which below).

If the amp sounds intermittently fine, but emits odd rasping or scratching or vibrating sounds from time to time, it might have a faulty speaker. If you suspect the speaker at all, ask the seller if you can patch the amplifier’s output — if at all possible — into another cabinet of a similar impedance rating with a speaker that is known to be good, to test further. If all is well in the new cab, you have a speaker issue to consider, and need to figure a replacement into the purchase price (details of which below).

9) All well and good? You like the tone? You might have a groovy new amp, if the price is right. Even so, it’s still a very good idea to have a professional amp tech check and service any “new” used amp you acquire, especially if it’s old and looks at all worn or neglected.

10) All not so good, but you think you’d like to have it if it can be made right? If the seller doesn’t have the facilities to fix any problems for you, here’s a list of approximately replacement costs for major components that are likely to need attention.
• A full new set of tubes for a small to medium amp (two or three preamp tubes, two output tubes, rectifier tube) will cost a minimum of $80 for decent, tested tubes.
• One new 12-inch speaker will cost around $40-$50 for a fairly generic replacement of passable quality, $60-$80 for a mid-quality speaker with more character, and $100-$250 for a top-notch, high-end replacement.
• Potentiometers and worn or faulty tube sockets will cost $5-$8 per item, plus the cost of labor to replace them.
• Filter capacitors (a common weak point in older amps) will cost $4-$10 per item (multiples of this, for “multi-cap” can types), depending upon size and quality, plus the cost of labor to replace them.
• Cosmetic issues such as vinyl (Tolex, tweed) and grille cloth … well, that’s up to you, and depends on how much of a “lived in” look you can live with.

11) Extra attention: If it’s a vintage amp, and one with any value in particular, and you feel you like the tone and performance enough that you’re ready to make the purchase, it’s a good idea to “look under the hood” to see how much the original circuit has been messed with. Don’t do this all on your own, especially if you have no experience working safely with tube amps. If the seller is experienced with amps, or has an in-house tech, ask them to — having unplugged the amp and let it cool — remove the chassis from the cab so you can see the components on the board, the wiring and the undersides of the transformers. DON’T TOUCH ANYTHING! Tube amps can carry dangerous voltages even after they have been switched off and unplugged. Just make a visual assessment, to the best of your ability, of how much the amp appears to be original, and how much has been changed or modified (often an honest dealer or amp tech will walk you through this and help with such an assessment). If you’re not in a position to make this judgment, or can’t safely have the chassis removed, ask to let a qualified amp tech explore this for you before you make the purchase, especially if the amp is of any elevated vintage or collector’s value.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

Peavey Classic 20 Vintage Type Tweed Tube Guitar Amplifier Amp
	$176.01 (10 Bids) Time Remaining: 8h 42m Bid now | Add to watch list

Vintage KAY 710 Spring Reverb Amplifier
	$145.00 Time Remaining: 5d 22h 17m Buy It Now for only: $145.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Supro Thunder Bolt Model S6420 Amplifier Valco USA Vintage All Tube EC NR
	$380.00 (13 Bids) Time Remaining: 10h 18m Bid now | Add to watch list

VINTAGE 1969 AMPEG B25 ELECTRIC BASS GUITAR AMPLIFIER AMP HEAD LINDEN NJ RESTORE
	$239.99 Time Remaining: 7d 15h 52m Buy It Now for only: $239.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Fender Deluxe Vintage Amplifier Model AB763 Good Condition Sounds Great
	$1,899.00 Time Remaining: 13h 49m Buy It Now for only: $2,300.00 Buy It Now | Bid now | Add to watch list

VINTAGE 1972 Ampeg VT 40 4x10 Electric Guitar Amplifier
	$625.00 Time Remaining: 16d 12h 14m Buy It Now for only: $625.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

At what age does a used Stratocaster become a vintage Stratocaster? The answer is a matter of opinion with various sellers advocating milestones such as 20, 25 and 30 years. Most would probably agree that a guitar younger than 20 hasn't yet earned the title of vintage. In general, market interest in a vintage guitar widens the older the instrument is, meaning the number of people interested in a 55-year-old 1954 Stratocaster is probably greater than those interested in a 20-year-old 1989 American Standard. But, saying that the number of people interested in the '54 is greater than those interested in the '89 doesn't mean that there are automatically more ready, willing, and able buyers for the '54 than there are for the '89 in light of the tremendous price difference. An original '54 on eBay will most likely get more page views than an original '89 American Standard, but it wouldn't be surprising if the Standard received more bids as there are probably a larger number of qualified buyers in the Standard's price range.

What fuels the vintage and collectible market? Simply desire. Few of these instruments trade hands because of their playability or tonal quality. If anyone finds a YouTube video of someone playing a Custom Shop Marilyn or Harley Strat in a nightclub, please email me the link. The buy-and-store attitude isn't quite as sharp with vintage Stratocasters as you will find a number of musicians who view them as they were originally intended, working instruments, and likewise a few recording studios keep a variety of vintage guitars on hand precisely for their unique tonal features. But, it's still a safe bet that the majority of vintage and non-vintage collectibles are destined for the display case, closet, or custom storage locker.

The fickle nature of desire makes for a strange and confusing marketplace. Ages and models come in and out of fashion (e.g., the CBS-era Stratocaster's migration from shame to fame) and above all else, what a buyer or seller thinks is significant about a guitar might not be an opinion shared by his counterpart. The collectible Stratocaster market has a number of subcategories, such as 1960s Custom Colors, early Custom Shop one-offs, Custom Shop limited editions, prototypes, artist-related models, '50s two-tone Sunburst Strats, etc. Some collectors follow a particular model, such as the STRAT, the Dan Smith or early American Vintage Reissues. Most Stratocaster fans develop a particular desire bias or two and considering the prolific output from Fender since 1954, it's easy to see why the collectible Stratocaster market is a noisy something-for-everyone playground.

To put this in perspective, let's say that with respect to vintage we use the liberal age of 20. This means we're looking at models manufactured from 1954 through 1989, 35 years of Fender Stratocaster history. Then, if we broaden our interest to include non-vintage collectibles, we have another 20 years to consider, and the last 20 years represents a lineup that is mind boggling in diversity from a standpoint of both U.S. production models and the Custom Shop.

Chances are you're reading this article because you have a pre-existing interest in the Fender Stratocaster and most likely your particular desire bias has already begun to form. To sharpen and focus that bias, it's time to do some homework (or a lot of homework if you're a developing Strataholic). Time to get acquainted with Fender Stratocaster history.

Though websites like Strat Collector News offer a quick fix (or not so quick if you dig deeply), there's probably no better and enjoyable way to get acquainted with the Stratocaster's history than Tom Wheeler's excellent book, The Stratocaster Chronicles. It's the history of the Stratocaster from 1954 through 2004 with fact and detail presented in a story-like manner that brings to life the people behind the instrument. Tom's currently working on a new book that will chronicle the history of the Fender Custom Shop that's bound to have an impact on the non-vintage collectible market. Also highly recommended is A.R. Duchossoir's book, The Fender Stratocaster. Strat Collector News has compiled a basic reading list via Amazon that you might find helpful. And, no matter what Stratocasters interest you, it's always a good idea to spend quality time on Fender's current website, both with respect to its current models and the other information resources it offers. Fender is keenly aware of its history and what it offers today often has something to do with what was or was not popular yesterday.

Let's say you've done your homework, your Stratocaster desire biases are in place, and you're ready to take the pulse of the current marketplace. Where to start? This, of course, is where being online is a true advantage. You could attend the various guitar shows that take place throughout the year, but that's certainly not a quick fix nor is it a very efficient way to obtain a broad market snapshot as each guitar show is limited to the particular vendors involved.

The obvious place to start is eBay, but let me first point out that I'm not advocating buying or selling on eBay (of which I'm doing neither). I'm talking about using eBay as a source of information. I'll use myself simply as a case history.
My desire bias focuses on Fender in the 1980s (including 1979's 25th Anniversary Stratocaster). I enjoy the entire Fender and Fender Stratocaster history, but the classic vintage Stratocaster market (1954-1965) has never been my cup of tea, mostly due to the wealth of information needed to determine originality. I've seen true vintage pros at work and their level of knowledge about what was to me arcane trivia was amazing, and best left to them. The '80s was a rich and pivotal decade in the Fender story that included events such as CBS's sale of Fender to FMIC (and the related model re-thinking) and the introduction of the Custom Shop. While my eBay trip today was for a general collectible market feel (what's available, what's selling, and what's not at the high and middle level of the market), as you'll see, desire bias drew my attention to a few particular models.

Sites like Bob's Vintage Guitars do the research for you, featuring the current listing on eBay for Strats and all other vintage guitars as well.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

FENDER VINTAGE 1983 USA STRATOCASTER
	$899.00 (1 Bid) Time Remaining: 12h 4m Bid now | Add to watch list

1965 Fender Stratocaster Olympic White Original Killer Look Vibe and Tone
	$7,850.00 Time Remaining: 9d 10h 13m Buy It Now for only: $7,850.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

VINTAGE 1978 FENDER STRATOCASTER WIRING HARNESS POTS NO RESERVE PROJECT PARTS
	$52.00 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 13h 54m Bid now | Add to watch list

VINTAGE 1980s LOTUS STRATOCASTER STRAT ELECTRIC GUITAR W GIG BAG VERY GOOD
	$99.99 Time Remaining: 13d 16h 11m Buy It Now for only: $99.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

1974 Staggard Pole Fender Stratocaster
	$2,800.00 Time Remaining: 14h 38m Buy It Now for only: $3,100.00 Buy It Now | Bid now | Add to watch list

1979 Vintage Fender American Stratocaster w OHSC All Original
	$2,299.00 Time Remaining: 18d 10h 11m Buy It Now for only: $2,299.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

RARE 1964 Fender Stratocaster Orig Vintage Tortoiseshell Pickguard The Real Deal
	$157.50 (4 Bids) Time Remaining: 15h 1m Bid now | Add to watch list

2003 FENDER STRATOSONIC STRATOCASTER STRAT VINTAGE P90 ELECTRIC GUITAR TV YELLOW
	$1,199.00 Time Remaining: 18d 23h 3m Buy It Now for only: $1,199.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

« Previous12345...1213Next »

The Solid-bodied Corvette (not to be confused with the Corvette hollow-body arch-top electric, produced from 1955-1959) was Gretsch’s answer to the Les Paul Jr. by Gibson. Introduced in 1961, the Corvette Solid-body was a small, light-weight, comfortable electric guitar that was just right for the budding musician.

This killer guitar, with a solid mahogany body, solid mahogany set neck, and a rosewood fret board with pearl dots, originally came with a single HI-Lo ‘Tron pickup. The earliest examples had a trapeze tailpiece. By 1963, the Corvette was sporting a Burns’ flat-arm vibrato tailpiece. (Yes! That Burns! Good old Jim Burns from England), and came with a choice of either one or two of those Hi-Lo ‘Tron pickups. By mid-1963 to 1964, Gretsch changed the standard 3/3 headstock (3 tuners on each side) to a scooby-rific 4/2 headstock design (4 tuning keys on one side, two on the other). Most Corvettes were finished in “cherry” red mahogany and had black pick guards. Some came with red and white striped pick guards and a more opaque red finish to the body. This version is known as the “Twist” model. Early Corvettes were also available in platinum gray finish with black pick guards, but this color was officially discontinued in 1963. Also in 1963, Gretsch started beveling the edges of the guitar’s body and sharpened the cutaway points.
Variations of the Gretsch Corvette were the Silver Duke (1964-66) which was sparkle silver, the Gold Duke (1964-66) - you got it - in sparkle gold, and lest we forget, the Princess (1963-64 - made for the ladies) which was available in many color combinations such as white with purple sparkles, blue with white sparkles, pink with white sparkles, and white with gold sparkles - phew! The Princess also differed from the others in that it had a Palm vibrato tailpiece rather than the Burns’, gold-plated hardware in lieu of the standard nickel/chrome hardware, and a shiny belly-pad on the back.

By 1968, you could no longer get single pickups on the Corvettes, the Burn’s vibrato was replaced with a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece, and the HI-Lo ‘Tron pickups were replaced with Super ‘Tron pickups. Production of the Gretsch Corvette wound down in the early 70’s. (The Corvette did make a brief reappearance from 1976 to 1978 with different specs - humbuckers, etc. It was not the same.)

The Gretsch Corvette (1961-early 70’s) can still give you some bang for your buck in today’s vintage market. You get the vintage sound and vibe, with great playability for less than you’d pay for a Paul, Jr.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

Gretsch Electromatic Corvette G5135 electric guitar
	$599.00 Time Remaining: 6d 10h 13m Buy It Now for only: $599.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G Love Electromatic Corvette Artist Signature Model
	$750.00 Time Remaining: 4d 14h 22m Buy It Now for only: $850.00 Buy It Now | Bid now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G5103 Electromatic Corvette III Cherry Guitar
	$419.99 Time Remaining: 15d 7h 59m Buy It Now for only: $419.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G5135 CVT Master Built Corvette DG Gold Master Built
	$5,599.00 Time Remaining: 25d 15h 11m Buy It Now for only: $5,599.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

1967 or 1966 Gretsch Corvette not reissue
	$700.00 Time Remaining: 3d 12h 18m Buy It Now for only: $700.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G5135 Electromatic Corvette CVT Guitar w Case
	$625.00 Time Remaining: 5d 12h 34m Buy It Now for only: $625.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

GRETSCH G5135 Corvette GUITAR GOLD SPARKLE 1 of 13
	$769.99 Time Remaining: 4d 8h 6m Buy It Now for only: $769.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G5135 Corvette Electric Guitar Red Free Accessories
	$625.00 Time Remaining: 25d 10h 23m Buy It Now for only: $625.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

« Previous1234Next »

The 1959 Les Paul that has come to be known as “Number Two” was purchased by Page in 1973 after trying for some time to acquire an exceptional second Les Paul. This was several years after having acquired his other legendary Les Paul—“Number One”, a ’59 ’Burst with shaved-down neck profile and no serial number—from Joe Walsh. “Number Two” was essentailly all original when he aquired it. Jimmy did have some modifications done to the neck shape so that it would more nearly match the feel of his "Number One". The neck is certainly slim but not to such extremes as the now-ultra-slim neck on “Number One”. It had a strong, beautiful sunburst finish with a red element that had faded to a dusky amber-brown, along with a clear serial number dating it to 1959. Page played this Les Paul frequently through his days with Led Zeppelin, and in the early ’80s decided to make it an even more versatile instrument. Page also added that he wanted to "explore the full range of what the two humbuckers have to offer". He designed a switching system for coil splitting, series/parallel, and phase-reverse options for both pickups, and employed a skilled electronics technician to devise a working schematic and make his sonic vision a reality. The result comprised a push/pull pot on each of the guitar’s four standard controls, plus two push-button switches hidden beneath the pickguard, all mounted on a ’59 Les Paul Standard that is otherwise a superb example of the breed, both in tone and playability.

The Custom Shop Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul was recreated with intense, inch-by-inch examination of Page’s original guitar, inside and out. The process of getting it right involved the production of a number of hand-built prototypes, each of which was checked and critiqued in detail by Page himself. Approval of the final iteration was only offered after the legendary artist had intricately examined and extensively played this last prototype in his London home—after which it was given the thumbs-up, worthy of being the template for the Custom Shop Jimmy Page “Number Two” Les Paul. Only 325 examples will be produced in total: The first 25 instruments are to be aged by vintage-reproduction master Tom Murphy then inspected, played and hand signed and numbered by Jimmy Page personally. An additional 100 guitars will be given the extensive aging treatment and 200 will be finished to Gibson’s VOS specs.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

For our last fundraising auction of 2010 we're pulling out all of the stops!
This one is really special and the monies raised will go to support The Blue's Foundation's HART Fund.

This month we are offering a white Fender Squier Strat signed by many of the top women and men of Blues music, as well as Rolling Stone members, Keith Richards and Ron Wood. The Blues artists who autographed the guitar number in the dozens and include, among others, Hall of Famers Robert Lockwood, Jr., Jimmy McCracklin, Pinetop Perkins, Bobby Rush, Hubert Sumlin and Irma Thomas, as well as contemporary artists like James Harman, Janiva Magness and Kim Wilson. Add in actors Morgan Freeman and Steven Seagal and you definitely have a one of a kind memento.

In addition to the signed guitar you will receive a photo album showing most of the artists actually signing the guitar. Plus the guitar will be sent to you in its original hard case.

You will need to be present to receive this package as it will be shipped with a signature required by the recipient.

The HART Fund (Handy Artist Relief Trust)
The Blues Foundation has established the HART Fund for Blues musicians and their families in financial need due to a broad range of health concerns. The Fund provides for acute, chronic and preventive medical and dental care as well as funeral expenses. The HART fund also provides help connecting Blues musicians in need with additional resources.

Feel free to contact us should you have any additional questions. Good Luck!

For some people, selling goods at the Treasure Hunters Roadshow in Middletown has been music to their ears — particularly if the good was a guitar.
The Roadshow, which evaluates valuables and antiques, has been at the Manchester Inn since Tuesday; today, Oct. 24, is its last day.
Many items, even if they’re antiques, haven’t been fetching high prices in the weak economy, said Greg Taylor, a manager at the Middletown show. However, gold, silver and guitars are the exceptions.
“Gold and silver prices are so high, and with vintage guitars, the wood they used can’t be reproduced today,” Taylor said.
For example, earlier this week in Middletown, someone brought in a Gibson ES 330 from the early 1960s. It sold for $300 when it was new, but a collector bought it for $4,500, said Taylor.
Someone else brought in a gold coin from 1871 that had a face value of $20, but sold for $3,500.
The Treasure Hunters Roadshow looks somewhat similar to “Antiques Roadshow” on PBS, but experts there appraise items for insurance purposes, Taylor said. The Treasure Hunters Roadshow buys items for collectors and gives the sellers a check.
As of Friday afternoon, 312 people had visited the show since it started Tuesday. Taylor didn’t have local sales figures but said a typical week brings in $100,000 or more.
Kim Holt of Middletown came to sell off some coins and “did pretty well.”
A man from Springboro, who asked not to be identified, was trying to sell a Disney toy train set that he guessed dated from the 1940s or ’50s. He was offered $300 for it, but decided to try his luck on eBay, where the same set sold for $600.

After the first EB basses Gibson manufactured another more important bass which were cousins with the Firebird I - III - V and VII guitars and were introduced at the same time in 1963 .

The firebird and the thunderbird always shared the same body shape. In 1963 Gibson introduced 2 thunderbird models , these Gibson bass guitars were called the :

Gibson Thunderbird II Bass
( 1963 to 1969 )

These basses in 1963 had reverse solid body shapes ( long horn at the bottom of the body ) , they had 1 metal pickup with no visible poles , and were mostly made in sunburst finishes , some other custom colors were also available .

In 1965 Gibson redesigned the thunderbird II with a non reverse solid body , custom colors available , and were discontinued in 1969, reintroduced in 1983 with a reverse body until 1984 . ( less than 100 were made in 83 )

Vintage Price Value For 2007 :
1963 - 1965 > $7500 to $9000 ( reverse body )
1964 - 1965 > $5000 to $6000 ( non reverse body )
1966 - 1969 > $2800 to $3800 ( non reverse )

1963 - 1965 > Avg Upward Trend Of 14% A Year Since 2000

Gibson Thunderbird IV ( 1963 - 1969 )

Same basic specs like the thunderbird II but with 2 pickups , most in sunburst finishes , some custom colors were available . In 1965 body changed to a non reverse body until they were discontinued in 1969, reintroduced in 1986 to present as a reissue .

The reissue was introduced with a reverse body , 2 humbucking pickups , tune o matic bridges and were made in tabacco sunburst ( various colors followed through the 90s till present )

Vintage Price Value For 2007 :
1963 - 1965 > $7 500 to $11 500 ( reverse body )
1964 - 1965 > $5 000 to $6 500 ( non reverse body )
1966 - 1969 > $3 000 to $4 500 ( non reverse )
1986 - 1999 > $1 200 to $1 500 ( Reissue )

1932 - 1955 > Avg Upward Trend Of 12% A Year Since 2000
1986 - 1999 > 6% ( Reissue )

Important : Custom colors such as metallic blue, cardinal red or green are worth significantly more on both Thunderbird II and Thunderbird IV basses ..

1954 White Penguin Introduction specs:
• Single Cutaway, body finished in white.
• Two DeArmond single coil pickups.
• "Cadillac G" tailpiece.
• Three knobs on lower bout, one on cutaway, 1 switch on upper bout.
• Melita bridge (gold).
• Clear acyrlic pickguard with engraved penguin, back painted in gold.
• Pearl block inlays with engraved birds.
• 24 3/4" scale, vertical Gretsch peghead.
• Gold sparkle binding.
• Gold plated parts.

1957 White Penguin specs:
• "Humptop" inlays replace blocks.
1958 White Penguin specs:
• Filter'tron humbucking pickups replace DeArmonds.
• Thumbprint (neoclassic) inlays replace humptop inlays.
• Bar style bridge.
• Two switches on upper bass bout (tone and pickup selection).
• Two knobs instead of three on lower treble bout (three total).
1959 White Penguin specs:
• Standard horizontal Gretsch logo.
• Zero fret.
1961 White Penguin specs:
• Double cutaway symmetrical body.
• Standby switch added.
Discontinued in 1964.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions

Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First

GRETSCH G6134 WHITE PENGUIN
	$2,099.99 Time Remaining: 3d 9h 37m Buy It Now for only: $2,099.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G6199TLWP Billy Bo White Penguin Limited Run
	$3,999.99 Time Remaining: 26d 8h 14m Buy It Now for only: $3,999.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

GRETSCH G6134LH LEFTY WHITE PENGUIN
	$2,499.99 Time Remaining: 4d 18h 22m Buy It Now for only: $2,499.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G6134 White Penguin Electric Guitar White
	$2,925.00 Time Remaining: 25d 14h 32m Buy It Now for only: $2,925.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

GRETSCH G6134LH LEFTY WHITE PENGUIN
	$3,400.00 Time Remaining: 26d 9h 27m Buy It Now for only: $3,400.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

New Gretsch G6134 White Penguin Guitar w Case
	$2,924.99 Time Remaining: 16d 9h 49m Buy It Now for only: $2,924.99 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

Gretsch G6134 Penguin Electric Guitar White Gold Sparkle Binding Case Included
	$2,925.00 Time Remaining: 11d 9h 1m Buy It Now for only: $2,925.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

2004 Gretsch White Penguin
	$2,899.00 Time Remaining: 12d 11h 22m Buy It Now for only: $2,899.00 Buy It Now | Add to watch list

« Previous12Next »

Rediscovering his inner Hendrix inspired Jazz Festival marketing vice-president Jacques-Andre Dupont to launch musical instrument shows and a blues camp.

If Jacques-André Dupont hadn’t had one of those benign midlife crises, it’s entirely possible that a depressed 15-year-old kid wouldn’t be healed by playing the blues this summer. If Dupont hadn’t rediscovered his inner Hendrix, guitar fanatics from all over the world might not have a place in Montreal to gather every year and talk guitar geek. Most important, if a meeting with Montreal International Jazz Fest sponsors hadn’t been cancelled at the last minute, he might never have walked into Steve’s Music Store in Toronto.
That unexpected visit to the music store in 2003 was the turning point. Dupont, the marketing and business development vice-president of the jazz festival’s company, Equipe Spectra, had just turned 40. He hadn’t picked up a guitar in a couple of decades, but with his meeting called off and time on his hands, he walked into Steve’s.
And he emerged with a Gibson ES-335.
“I took the train home and there was space to play,” Dupont said during a recent interview at an Eggspectations restaurant in the Plateau Mont-Royal. On the train ride, he hammered out some remembered blues licks. “I was like a kid,” he said. “From there, I got crazy.”
It wasn’t long before Dupont started collecting vintage guitars, creating, in the process, a Web site to connect with other collectors. Before long, the business and marketing man was right-braining his energy into promoting music-making as part of the festival. When his bosses, jazz fest honchos Alain Simard and André Ménard, gave him the green light, the Montreal Musical Instrument Show was born.
The first show in 2005 offered not only a showcase for all kinds of musical instruments, but hands-on attractions like lessons on how to play guitar in an hour (the main secret: knowing the chords A, E and D), djembe jams and successful workshops by the likes of Pat Metheny and John McLaughlin.
This year, the instrument show is back, featuring the usual displays, activities and the 100% Guitar series, which offers free nightly shows at the new MMIS-GM Pavilion.
An offshoot of the instrument show, focusing on Dupont’s first musical love, was inevitable. The Montreal Guitar Show made its solo debut in 2007. Classes, concerts and interactive activities for would-be fretburners became as successful as the guitar exhibitions showcasing the world’s best luthiers.
During the guitar show’s second year, singer-songwriter Francis Cabrel bought $70,000 worth of instruments, Dupont said.
“There are more guitars sold every year than all other instruments put together,” Dupont said. “Have you ever heard of a clarinet hero?”
This year, nine ticketed Guitarissimo concerts at Cinquième Salle of Place des Arts, by Stanley Jordan and Russell Malone, among others, are also part of the event. Free shows at the Hyatt Regency Hotel between July 3 and 5 make up the Guitar Guitar series. The guitar show itself moves to the Palais des Congrès, near the jazz festival site.
As always, Dupont said, state-of-the-art instruments by the world’s best luthiers will make it the place for guitar fanatics from all over the globe to admire, discuss, buy, sell, try out and generally drool over some wondrous high-end axes. And this year, acoustic and electric models will each get their own room for exhibitors, mini-concerts, lectures and workshops, Dupont said.
If one of Dupont’s jazz festival projects seems close to his heart, it’s the Blues Camp, which, he said, was born of his desire to bring teenagers into the jazz festival. The day camp, offered in French, gives young musicians between 13 and 17 a chance to immerse themselves in the magic 12 bars in all their manifestations over a seven-day period.
While drums, piano, bass, horns and harmonica figure into the camp’s daily schedule, guitar – a staple of modern blues – is a heavy presence.
The rules are intricate, with an audition process that whittles about 400 applicants from all over Quebec down to 100 finalists. More rigourous interviews leave 55 standing. That group will spend an intensive week soaking up instruction from teachers and mentors, writing songs and forming bands – six groups, divided according to age. On the last day of the festival, the bands play an outdoor show on the Club Jazz TD Canada Trust stage.
Dupont said he has observed the life-changing effect of the event during the interview process. “I hear so many things like ‘I tried to kill myself and the guitar was the way I found to survive,’ or ‘I lost my mother and my dad this year and music is the way I get through.’ I even saw a 13-year-old boy who said to me: ‘I want to be the next Nina Simone,’ ’’ Dupont said.
“I see the impact,” he said. “I see that we do a job not enough people are doing. There’s less and less music in schools. Somebody has to step up to the plate.”
The Montreal International Jazz Festival’s third Montreal Guitar Show will be at the Palais des Congrès July 3 to 5. The fourth annual Blues Camp runs from July 6 to 12. The fifth annual Montreal Musical Instrument Show will be at the Village de la musique from July 10 to 12, although some activities are offered throughout the festival.

The Montreal International Jazz Festival runs from Tuesday to July 12. For further details, go to montrealjazzfest.com or montrealgazette.com/festivalcentral