October 2011

11/1

Scarily good October! In October 2011, we reported on over 300 auctions totaling $78,868! That's just three grand shy of the October 2010 totals, and the average yearly salary for a typical worker in San Jose.

Our big money went for a fine Buck Owens 'American' model that brought in $1775, and as far as a true Silvertone is concerned the highest price this month was for a beautiful 'U-2' 1302 that went for $1300, and the lowest-priced item was a really nice 621 flattop acoustic that went for a surprisingly low $12.

10/31

Banjos just don't get the love that other Silvertones do.... they're kinda in the same category as Silvertone Classical guitars; they may be in great shape, super-rare, blahblahlbah... but they bring (comparatively) a pittance at auction. That's what we've got today. It's an ultra-rare early Kay-built 761 5-string; family provenance, in great shape, with a vintage snapshot of the banjo being played... and it went for way less than two Benjamins. *Sigh.* These banjos began to be listed in the mid-40s, right after instrument production cranked up again after World War II, and were on the same page as the first acoustic "Aristocrat," the 712, and the just-a-rare-as-this-banjo Gretsch-made 714. The number designation for banjos would soon change over to the 80X nomenclature that would last into the late 60s.

761 Kay Banjo VG $147 Clean, light wear, logo strong, tuner buttons shrinking, light oxidation to hardware, seller says "This banjo was bought new by my wife's Grandfather in the Kentucky Hills. It has only had one owner and has been stored in their home all this time."



Rarity (and paltry moolah) continues with this Kay-built 604... not only is that a rarity in itself, this one's been refinished and inlaid with some custom decoration and binding work.

604 Kay FTAC w/ OC MOD $53 Refinished, logo strong, inlay and decoration work look good


1454 Harmony HBEG w/ C MOD $760 Clean, light wear, logo strong, seller says "The pickups were recently professionally hand rewound by Curtis Novak in California look him up he is known for his vintage rewinds. Guitar and neck were recently setup by Bill Foley at German Village Music Haus in Columbus, Ohio. He also rewired the pickups after being rewound, and at that time put a new custom shop made bonenut bridge and has been setup for great intonation. It has a great tonal range between the three pickups and all the possible combinations." Relisted in November.


1415 Dano SSEG w/ C VG $449 Clean, light edge/surface wear, logo intact, playing wear to neck


1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC E $670 Clean, minimal wear, logo intact but worn, greatest wear is at headstock; the rest of the bass is top-notch


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $545 Clean, light  wear to guitar and ampcase, NS speaker, logos strong, some knob insert discoloration, cord keeper present, transitional setup; triangle insert knobs, oval-buttoned strip tuners, three-bolt neck


1457 Dano SSEG guitar only MOD $200 Edge/surface wear, some sidewall staining, NS Kluson tuners, NS knobs, light wear, logo strong, seller says "LOOKS LIKE THE NECK JOINT HAS CRACKED THROUGH THE BACK AND BEEN REPAIRED."


1490 MIJ SBEG Bass w/ C VG $275 Could use a dusting (at least), logo bent at second 'e,' light wear, finger rest and tailpiece cover present, oddly mis-ID's as a circa 1979 instrument


1410 MIJ SBEG $50 Looks OK in poor photos, whammy missing, logo strong, high E tuner post missing, no bridge, no nut


1317 Harmony HBEG VG $621 Clean, light wear, pickguard present, logo laminate looks good


702 Harmony FHAC MOD $290 Clean, some edge wear, 'deco' logo strong, serial #4275H702, top-notch seller Jukebox Bonfire says "The luthier first steamed the neck off and put a neck reset into the guitar so that the angle of the neck was correct and appropriate to allow for a nice setup and proper sound. He did that with traditional hide glue as he does all his repairs like this. He even took a small amount of wood off of the underside of the fingerboard extension (as it was warped up from the years of needing a reset) and steamed that and glued it down so the high frets fall away towards the body and stay out of the way of the strings. This is really pro stuff, because even if you put a neck reset into one of these you are left with a warped heel like that. And the other options are pull all the frets and plane the board (and do a complete refret) or live with somewhat higher action than it should have. Not here. The only way to get that low action this has is to address this issue as it has been on this guitar. Then he sealed up some of the already repaired cracks it had in the treble side (see the photos below). It looks like that repair work was done a long time ago, but he touched it up where he could to get the seams to match up better than they were. Next he installed a new compensated bridge and mated it properly to the top (which involves a lot of work sanding the bottom to the match the top). Next he lubed up and cleaned up the vintage open back tuners it had on it. I am not sure if these are originals or not, but they are at least similar to what would have been on this originally. They work nicely and are well oiled for some smooth tuning and excellent performance despite the surface corrosion you can see. I think I have heard before that Harmony only used this type for a brief period of time due to their tendency to corrode like this. Which makes sense, as most of them I have seen are far more rough on their surface than the unbranded Kluson style. But, again, despite the surface wear (which mostly seem to be the breakdown of the plating) is cosmetic and does not effect function as well I as can tell. Next my luthier installed a brand new bone nut on the guitar. He then installed some strings, setup the guitar for that very low action, and made sure it intonated nicely for a really stunning package at the end of it all. He did a little bit of light dressing to the frets so that they have an even response with super low action without any dead spots to speak of. The frets have some wear to them, but this fret dress will add a few years to the life of them. It is set up low enough you hear a little string buzz in places, but nothing like it it should have. I mean, it is really in the weeds and still sounds great! If someone wanted more percussive volume and higher action out of it, a few turns on the bridge adjustment screws would certainly take care of that problem, but I really love playing it where it is."


1331 Dano tube amp G $154 Clean, edge/corner wear, handle worn, 1/4" speaker extension mod to back panel, logoplate looks good, top panel a bit warped, some water staining to back panel


1464 Dano solid state amp only $41 Clean, some edge/corner wear, control face shows oxidation, rust to exposed metal, (2) 1/4" speaker jack mods on back, powers on but otherwise untested


1471 Dano tube amp MOD $173 Clean, light wear, handle worn, NS speaker, stamping indicates late 1961 build


1471 Dano tube amp E $240 Clean, minimal wear, light  grille stains, vinyl handle indicates last of the line,


1471 Dano tube amp G $128 Light wear, back panel slightly warped, logoplate missing, grille rip, knobs dirty, handle worn


1481 Dano tube amp VG $295 Clean, light wear, square speaker cutout, some paint stains on top and side, rust to handle captures


1472 Dano tube amp VG $289 Clean, round speaker cutout, light wear, control face and back chassis clean, red border control panel with 'tremlo' misspelling, tremolo unmentioned


1482 Dano tube amp VG $255 Clean, square speaker cutout, light wear, footswitch incl., tremolo unmentioned but seller says "Nice & Everything Works & Not Broken, Clean & Clear Sound!!!"


1482 Dano tube amp $212 Clean, square speaker cutout, speaker and all exposed metal rusty, control face worn, seller says "I Plugged it in and the red light in the back lit up. The speaker made a noise as though it was working."


1482 Dano tube amp $162 Wear all over, oxidation to control face, square speaker cutout, AC cord spliced, tremolo unmentioned


1484 Dano tube amp only VG $600 Clean, light wear, faceplate clean, 1/4" speaker jack mod, tremolo functional, reverb tank removed


1448 Dano tube amp in case only $260 Light wear to cover, light rust to case hardware


1448 Dano tube amp in case only $75 Light wear, grille staining, rust to case hardware, handle missing tubes do not light, early version; triangle knkob insert


1464 Dano speaker cabinet only G $249 Edge/corner wear, some grille staining, both Jensens present, stamping indicates 1967 build


805 Banjo w/ OC VG $99 Clean, light wear, logo strong, (1) position marker missing at neck/body joint


854/1255 Harmony Ukulele MOD $42 Refinished, custom mermaid at headstock, logo salvaged (!), bridge has decorations and string-through mod, seller/artist says "The uke had one hairline crack in the side which I reglued. The uke has a Rosewood Fretboard with new 18% Nickel/Silver frets. There is my own artwork signed inlay of a mermaid in the headstock. The art is done in Abalone, MOP and Bone Ivory. he bridge is Koa with MOP accents, and the nut and saddle are bone Ivory. The saddle is compensated. The marker dots are 2 or 3 mm MOP. The uke has a new set of Ivoroid friction tuners and a new set of D'Addaio Black Hawaiian strings. I preserved the maker's decal in the headstock. It is finished in it's own natural wood color with > 10 thin hand wet sanded coats of Minwax Wipe on Poly."


1307 Valco Lap Steel MOD $100 Refinished black, logo looks repainted, NS pickup


1315 Harmony Lap Steel w/ OC MOD $106 Build it yourself! Logo strong, wear on back, fingerboard underlay looks custom, chrome parts shiny, needs pickup, knobs.tailpiece/control cover incl.



Dano footswitch $90


1446 Harmony HBEG body/neck $215 No electronics or hardware, nut present, logo strong


1446 Harmony bridge $34


1446 Harmony Gibson-made pickup $263 Patent sticker missing


1310 Add-on pickup $21 Functional, missing bracket



I'll bet this next one sounds interesting with the bridge set down so low... "I dunno, Dad... my fingers are right where it says on the chord charts... but it just doesn't sound right."

UNK Kay FHAC VG $158 Clean, edge/surface wear, pickguard missing, logo strong, likely a 619 or 627.

 

10/28

I don't always check for the Buck Owens 'American' models when I'm getting the auction reports done. They are rarely listed as Silvertones, and of course, the Silvertone auctions keep me plenty busy. That said, we saw one 'American' going for some big money last week, and a couple of lesser heirs to the throne pass under the gavel as well. Have a look!

If I were payin' this much for an 'American,' I think I would have bid one more dollar to make the price $1776!

1219 Harmony FTAC w/ C VG $1775 Clean, white has yellowed, some edge wear, logo laminate looks good, original pickguard


Sovereign Harmony FTAC MIC VG $96 Clean, light wear, seller says "action is high." The headstock picture is not from the auction.



This Korean-made copy sports an exact duplicate of the original 'American' logo laminate! This is the one you can buy at Buck Owens Crystal Palace in Bakersfield and on his website.

UNK UNK MIK FTAC NM $133 Clean, kept in box since purchase



Silvertone.... is there nothing it can't do? This vintage wrapper from across the pond went for $4.


1478 Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG $540 Clean, light wear, chrome shiny, repro whammy bar, logo strong, 'string circle' at high E post,


620 Kay FTAC VG $231 Clean, light wear, light finish checking, logo strong, bridge re-glued, light rust to tuner covers, stamped L956 8105


615 Harmony FTAC G $75 Clean, light wear, paint drips inside (factory mishap?), pickguard missing, logo strong, serial # ?342H615, seller says "There is a slight warpage of the soundboard around the sound hole."


1225 Harmony FTAC 12-string w/ OC VG $77 Clean, light wear, logo strong


1208 Harmony FTAC VG $21 Clean, light wear, block logo and soundhole decoration strong


1465 Dano speaker cabinet only VG $300 Could use a good cleaning, light wear, some bowing of grille panel, all six Jensens present, casters present, stamping indicates 1967 build

1310 Valco Lap Steel G $132 Clean, light wear, scratchy pots, oxidation to logoplate, pickup area and tuner covers, tuner buttons shrinking, knobs missing, serial #X57754



1474 Dano tube amp chassis only $125 All tubes missing, untested, pots date to 1962


1483 Dano speaker cabinet baffle / grille / logoplate $28 Dated 1965, some water staining along bottom edge


Dano footswitch $95 Functional





 

10/27

Thursday Lite. Or... a light Thursday. "Thursday Lite" just sounded cooler. So light, in fact, I'm gonna start the day off with this cool Harmony-built Airline model from our other "department store giant" friends, Montgomery Wards. I know little about it, except that it looks pretty cool, is a close cousin to the Silvertone 14XX line, and it sold for $326.


1450 Dano SSEG w/ OC VG $680 Clean, light wear and a few dings, whammy bar present, logo strong, pots date to March 1966, unusual neck plate


1476 Harmony SBEG G $231 Clean, some edge/surface wear, chrome has some scratches, output intermittent, logo strong, cord melt at neck joint on back , no full length photo provided



Looks like it's "non-functional amp day," as well.

1482 Dano tube amp $155 Clean, round speaker cutout, re-grilled, light corner wear, all tubes missing


1483 Dano tube amp only $228 Edge/corner wear, faceplate rusty, NS tubes, 1/4" speaker jack mod, untested




This late-50s era Supro-built guitar never appeared in any Sears catalog, and is closely related to the Rhythm Tone and the Belmont.

UNK Valco/Supro w/ OC VG $925 Clean, light wear, headstock logo plate clean and shiny, pickguard has screw chip near jack and logo mostly worn away, repaired crack to fretboard, D tuner slightly bent


UNK Kay FHAC VG $129 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo strong, likely a 619.



1405 or 1410 MIJ SBEG neck only $17 No tuners, string separator (can't call it a nut when there's a zero fret) missing, some binding missing


Dano footswitch $50 Functional


 

10/26

Our last Wednesday of October, and we've got a nice trick-or-treat bag of Silvertonium for you. From a 'Tele' clone to a drunkenly painted 600 Series acoustic to the shell of a 1481 amp. Have fun!

1413 Univox SBEG VG $110 Clean, light wear, whammy bar missing, prismatic 'Space Dot' looks good, light rust to tailpiece, (4) tuner ferrules missing


1478 Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG $500 Clean, light wear, 'Type 2' whammy bar incl. but not attached, logo strong, some pickguard shrinkage


1439 Harmony HBEG G $275 Could use a good cleaning, light wear, some checking/flaking, logo strong, pickguard missing


1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC MOD $302 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo intact, blue foil under pickguard, two 'string-through' holes near end of body filled


1421 Sears tube amp MOD $495 Clean, light wear, some grille picks, seller says "Its all original where it counts, but its been freshly serviced; all new power supply filter capacitors and coupling caps. Grounds were checked and a 3 prong grounded AC cable was added, rather than the 2 prong shocker. All of the jacks, pots, tube pins, and tube sockets have been cleaned and lubed, and tube sockets adjusted. All stock aside from slightly more filtering- one 5uf electrolytic cap was changed to a 10uf (Its “ballsier”) - it comes with a new old stock (NOS) Sylvania 6x4 rectifier tube, and Raytheon 12ax7!! – the cherry on top is a brand new 8SigA-4 ALNICO Weber speaker in it, and it is an absolute workhorse of an amp. Weber’s info on this speaker: 8” 7oz AlNiCo plug magnet 15watt, 4ohm, 1” voice coil, straight cone. Warm, crunchy, early breakup. Compressed/fattened at high volume. The speaker is a great match for the amp, and has just a little stoutness, that will break-in nicely with use."


1471 Dano tube amp $103 Wear all over, some covering missing, logoplate worn, oxidation to all exposed metal, NS fuse holder, grille picks, rust to handle captures, volume knob missing, bottom panel warped, functional w/ low hum and scratchy pots, stamping indicates mid-1962 build


1484 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet VG $585 Rust to faceplate, some grille staining, (1) knob missing, all stock, reverb works, tremolo doesn't, stamping indicates mid-1966 build


1420 Sears tube amp VG $115 Clean, looks like some mold to speaker baffle, back label gone, seller says "Quietest tube amp I have ever owned as there is little hum." Relisted from earlier in month.


658 Kay FHAC G $131 Clean, some surface wear, ding to fingerboard, case rubs to side, logo strong, needs a bridge, block markers indicate pre-1966 model



This next 600 series guitar's paint job looks like it was the sprayer's first day on the 'burst' painting... or maybe his last.

625 Harmony FTAC w/ C MOD $325 Clean, light wear, logo strong, seller says of the neck reset "(tech) cuts a sliver of neck heel off, bends the neck back into the body and uses a lag bolt to secure it to the neck heel block, then plugs the hole... I colored it black with marker... you could dress it up some but it looks really good."


606 Harmony FTAC F $50 Clean, edge wear, logo strong, looks like some warping to top, some back separation


603 Harmony FTAC G $85 Clean, looks like some moisture damage to finish, edge wear, logo strong, NS tuners


660 Kay Classical w/ C VG $45 Clean, light wear, nice 'quilted' grain to sides, stamped L7569 and N-1


1235 Harmony classical VG $25 Clean, light wear, top binding looks good, seller says "the tuners are hard to turn"


2574 Oscar Schmidt Autoharp w/ OC VG $135 Clean, light wear, tuner and tuning wrench incl.



1452 Dano pickguard/pickups/electronics $200 Knobs missing, pots dated 1966, seller says "Electronics were tested and working before disconnecting pickups."


1481 Dano tube amp cabinet and speaker only $63 Clean, speaker functional

 

10/25

Alright, here we go! I hope you've gotten a chance to gander at the latest frightful FRANKENTONES up for this year, and the new 'Aristocrat ' pages for both the very first electric and acoustic members of that family. Starting today off with a nice 'Chris Isaak.' Speaking of... he's got a new website and a new album out, Beyond the Sun, recorded at Sun Studios. Looks like he's maybe gotten hip to owning the 1446... the logo on the site has a 1446 silhouette embedded in it, and there's a pic of him with his namesake guitar on the front page as well. Check the "Electronic Press Kit" video for "Beyond The Sun" below, and pay special attention to the scenes inside Sun Studio. Look closely, and you'll see a Silvertone in the arsenal, but it won't be the one you're expecting.


While you're toolin' around over at ChrisIsaak.com, check the full-size snap from the series that the image in the red circle above is taken from. Sure looks like a 1484 setup on the backline to me!

1446 Harmony HBEG w/ C  VG $775 Clean, light wear, pickguard missing, NS bridge, logo looks a little bent, (1) NS tuner


1454 Harmony HBEG w/ C VG $900 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, Bigsby shows some paint loss, NS Grover tuners, not sure what's up with the pickguard, (1) switch tip cracked


1423 Harmony SSEG VG $529 Clean, light wear, logo intact, pickguard print strong, plenty of glitter, chrome and finish shiny


1488 Harmony SBEG VG $510 Clean, light wear, whammy bar not pictured but incl., low-contrast logo strong, pickguard dated 1965


1423 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $660 Clean, light wear, logo and pickguard print strong, plenty of glitter, stress cracks at jack, light buckle rash, pots date to 1963


1445 Kay SSEG w/ C VG $500 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS bridge, NS Grover tuners


1452 Dano SBEG with tube ampincase VG $510 Clean, light wear/dings to guitar and ampcase, logo strong, footswitch incl., tremolo unmentioned


1437 `Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $327 Clean, light wear, a few small dings, logo tag shows some light wear, all electronics functional, whammy bar incl. but missing screw, light rust to tuner plates, some buckle rash


1437 `Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $324 Clean, light wear, logo tag present, NS whammy bar, ding in fretboard, serial #321963


1436 `Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $141 Clean, light wear, logo tag missing, headstock painted, NS whammy bar, NS nut, serial #154889


1436 `Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $213 Clean, light wear, logo tag missing, whammy bar present


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case G $325 Clean, edge/surface  wear to guitar and ampcase, logos strong, knobs and saddle missing from guitar, cabinet stamping indicates 1965 build


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $500 Clean, light  wear to guitar and ampcase, logos strong, NS knobs on guitar, transitional setup; triangle insert on amp knob, strip tuners, neck attach not pictured


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case $395 Clean, looks nice enough in single photo provided, NS Grover tuners


1457 Dano tube ampincase only $140 Looks nice enough in single photo provided, 3-prong AC mod, (2) NS tubes, tremolo function unmentioned but seller says "is in perfect functional order"


1483 Dano speaker cabinet only VG $225 Clean, light wear, original Jensen in place



I got waaaaay excited when this duo came up in the finished auctions... and was just as quickly disappointed when there was only one photo. I didn't much care about the 'Goldtone' guitar, but the amp is the super-rare 1341.

1341 Dano tube amp $350 Looks nice enough in single photo provided. Sold with a 'Goldtone' guitar


1484 Dano tube amp only MOD $232 Clean, light wear, faceplate clean, AC plug mod, multi-ohm speaker jack mod, rev/trem non-functional


1482 Dano tube amp VG $439 Clean, square speaker cutout, light corner wear, tremolo functional



Tis the season for Frankentone! This one's got a neat little flip-up panel, and an old-school cabinet pull for the handle.

1482 Dano tube amp MOD $90 Re-cabineted, jacks through 'Sears' and 'Silvertone'... what? Ya couldn't move 'em up an inch? Seller says "I hooked it up and it did not come on."



1471 Dano tube amp $142 Clean, light wear, round speaker cutout,  rust to handle captures, tubes light; no sound



Startin' the acoustic round-up with a couple of super-rare archtops!

663 Kay FHAC w/ OC VG $307 Clean (could stand a little dusting...), light wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, pickguard present (!), binding looks good, tuner buttons shrinking, lioght rust to tailpiece, original cord 'strap' and 1958 vintage Mel Bay 'how to play' book incl.



I honestly don't know what to make of this next one, y'all. I looks so much like a Kay-built guitar, yet the seller says it's got a very Harmony 'S-40' stamp. It looks very much like the 'Crest' model from the mid 40s, and also looks like a late -40s 708. I can't find any catalog references or illustrations that exactly match that large dot pattern on the neck. *Sigh* I do love a mystery.

UNK UNK FHAC VG $255 Clean, light wear, NS Grover tuners, 'wind chime' logo strong, screw through heel, stamped S-40


612 Harmony FTAC w/  OC VG $100 Clean, light wear, logo and cowboy stencil strong, slight neck bow, cowboy case design looks good


623 Harmony FHAC $250 Looks nice enough in single photo provided, logo strong


1212 Harmony FTAC E $60 Clean, minimal wear, 'Space Dot' looks good with a little paint smudge on headstock, stamped S-70 ML, serial #6607S1212


1212 Harmony FTAC F $31 Clean, surface wear, prismatic 'Space Dot' looks good, top cracked at fingerboard bottom, some top separation, 'A' tuner post missing, bridge lifting, crack in back, some inner bracing missing


602 Harmony FTAC G $22 Clean, edge/surface wear, a few scrapes/dings, logo strong, rust to tuner plates and tailpiece, G and E tuner posts missing


123X Classical w/ C G $21 Clean, 'Space Dot' and soundhole decoration strong, surface wear, rust to tuner plates


802 Banjo w/ OC VG $139 Clean, light wear, logo strong, light rust to hardware



UNK Kay FHAC F $61 Clean, light wear, logo strong, heel lifting, body crack at heel, pickguard missing, NS bridge, red Sharpie marks at bridge, likely a 619.



Kay tremolo assembly $65 NOS, clean, shiny. Seller says "It was obtained when Kay went out of business and they auctioned their parts stock to their employees."


Dano footswitch $96 Little scratch at the second 'r' in 'reverb'


1477 Harmony SBEG body and neck $80 Logo strong, tailpiece, bridge, strap button,  tuners & nut incl.


 

10/24

Well, I haven't got much to show today, auction-wise, but I do have this year's crop of FRANKENTONES up for ya! And, as a special bonus, I've got the first electric 'Aristocrat' page up, as well!

10/21

Fruitful Friday... with some mighty fine guitars to start our Silvertonium inspection with. A handful of amps, and the most complete Silvertone banjo kit I've seen!

1454 Harmony HBEG w/ OC E $800 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, Bigsby looks good, chrome and finish shiny, serial #????H1454


1304 Dano SSEG VG $729 Clean, light wear, logo worn at leading edge of 'S,' pots date to late 1959


1483 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet VG $295 Clean, light wear, some fine scratches to front face


1484 Dano tube amp only VG $400 Clean, light wear, light rust to control face, 1/4" speaker jack mod, rev/trem functional. Relisted from earlier in month.


1471 Dano tube amp G $305 Could use a good cleaning, edge/corner wear, grille pushed in at round, speaker cutout


1482 Dano tube amp VG $350 Clean, square speaker cutout, light wear, some grille strands twisted in weave, settings marked on faceplate, tremolo unmentioned, Fisher speaker dates to 1964


1294 Harmony FTAC F $50 Edge/surface wear, back has some cracks (one looong one), 'Space Dot'  and soundhole decoration strong, D & G tuner bent, G tuner button missing, 'FAY" scratched in upper back treble side


803 Banjo w/ OC E $81 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, 4-string model, books, record and adjusting wrench (!) incl.


856 Harmony Baritone Ukulele $28 Looks OK in single photo provided with some light wear, logo not visible

 

10/20

A Slow Thursday... so... let's introduce you to the first 'Aristocrat' in the Silvertone line, the Kay-built archtop model 712. Head on over to the new page, and expect a new model a week under we get 'em all up!


1423 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $550 Clean, light wear, logo intact, pickguard print strong, plenty of glitter, jack's a bit loose


1417 Dano SSEG VG $380 Clean, light wear, logo broken at 'S,' light playing wear to neck


1478 Harmony SBEG VG $355 Clean, light wear, 'Type 1' whammy intact, logo faded, typical screw cracks at upper horns of pickguard, pickguard stamped 1964


1436 `Teisco MIJ SBEG w/ OC E $300 Clean, minimal wear, chrome and finish shiny, logo tag looks good, whammy present, serial #326415


1449 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case G $575 Looks nice enough in single picture provided, cord keeper present, logo not visible, seller says "...all original except for having had to re-seal the bridge pick-up; used the body of a modern Danelectro pick-up to seal it, but the guts are all original and recently cleaned."



OK, here's a surprise... this 612 'Cowboy' strummer (same stencil as the earlier 'Gene Autry' and 'Melody Ranch' models) is stamped FL-59!

612 Harmony FTAC w/  OC VG $295 Clean, light wear, logo and cowboy stencil strong, D & G tuners bent, light rust to tuner plates, 'cowboy' case looks good w/ some binding wear, stamped FL-59 WN (!)


 

10/19

Rolling along this mid-week; I've finally caught up from the weekend! I saved all the ampincase models up for ya, and you'll find a bunch just below. First off, though, I'd like to show you a couple of items that we certainly don't see everyday.

I've been reading "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone," a great telling of the story of the Carter Family. I can just imagine gathering around this beautiful machine back in the 1930s, fiddling with the knobs just so to bring the station in out of the ether, and listening to A.P., Sara and Maybelle singing their hearts out over the border radio station XER. Look at that last picture of the driver attached to the papier mache (!) speaker horn. This was an estate find, all the tubes were there, and the unit, untested, sold for $250. If you want to give all two dozen photos a gander, the completed auction link is here.


Here's another find from the 30s, back before the Silvertone name was applied to Sears-sold instruments. This 4-string tenor guitar is a Supertone, and it's one I've never seen before. Our buddy across the pond, Francois Demont, has a page up for this Harmony-produced beauty, and he's a got a model number of 219 on it, so I'm gonna trust that. Beautiful binding, interesting pearloid fingerboard, headstock overlay and pickguard with banjo-type friction tuning pegs all look great, and this instrument went for $241.



And now.... unveil the Silvertonium! Our first up has seen better days, but it wouldn't take an awful lot to get 'er up to playin' spec again...

1304 Dano SSEG P $231 Could use a goooood cleaning, wear all over, saddle missing, metal finish dull/tarnished, both knobs missing, logo in surprisingly good shape, D and B tuner posts gone, nut re-cut, fingerboard wear, electronics functional (!)


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $450 Clean, light wear to guitar and ampcase, logos strong, odd discoloration to fretboard, transitional setup; 3-bolt neck with triangle knob inserts and oval-buttoned strip tuners. Seller is original owner, guitar has been in storage since 1967.


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case $268 Clean, cord keeper still present, can't tell much more from single photo


1448 Dano SSEG guitar only G $178 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo strong, knob inserts show discoloration, bridge saddle missing, cord keeper present


1448 Dano SSEG guitar only w/ C MOD $320 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo strong, LOTS of glitter, NS Fender tuners, NS knob inserts


1457 Dano SSEG only G $374 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo worn away, sticker remnants on back, NS pickup screws, seller says "some bubbling" to finish


1429 Harmony HBEG VG $600 Clean, logo intact, light wear, stress cracks at jack


1490 MIJ SBEG Bass w/ C VG $133 Could use a good cleaning, logo intact, light wear, finger rest and tailpiece cover present, some corrosion to chrome, untested


1420 Sears tube amp VG $130 Clean, looks like some mold to speaker baffle, back label gone, seller says "Quietest tube amp I have ever owned as there is little hum." Relisted.


1464 Dano speaker cabinet only G $205 Edge/corner wear, grille staining, logoplate looks good, 1/4" speaker jack mod on back panel



Here's a great example of this fancy mid-50s Kay built archtop.

663 Kay FHAC VG $150 Clean, light wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, tuner buttons going/gone, black/white binding looks good, block fret markers in great shape, stamped 663 6527. That's right! A Kay number that actually IDs the model! Somebody at the Kay factory musta screwed up... : )


620 Kay FTAC $106 Clean, light wear, logo strong, tuners & nut missing, bridge and neck pulling, playing wear to neck, some fret wear


615 Harmony FTAC w/ C E $125 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, serial #1264H615


615 Harmony FTAC VG $55 Clean, light wear, logo strong


604 Harmony FTAC w/ OC G $40 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo strong, nut missing, slight back separation


605 Harmony FTAC G $59 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo strong with headstock wear, some oxidation to tailpiece, bottom strap button gone, NS bridge



UNK Kay FHAC F $91 Plenty of wear, pickguard and bridge missing, G tuner bent, stamped L6428 6887. Probably a sad 619.




1457 Dano amp chassis only $200 Clean, functional, tremolo unmentioned, pot stamping indicates 1965 build


1429Harmony HBEG body/neck $91 Clean, logo intact, no electronics or hardware, nut present, truss rod broken, side cracks


1411 Kay pickguard/pickup/electronics $100 Seldom seen  V/T legend, knobs missing, operational status unknown


 

10/18

Harmony ended its 'Bobkat' run with some slightly snazzier versions of those best-selling guitars (bigger knobs, different foil in the p/u covers, adjustable bridge). Our first up today, the 14773, was neck-stamped 1479 and was the end of the line for those guitars being sold at Sears. There was also an even more rare red version, the 14772, available. If you haven't checked out the new pages for the Harmony solidbody series... what are you waiting for?

1477-3 Harmony SBEG w/ C E $330 Clean, minimal wear, whammy bar present, chrome and finish shiny, logo strong, pickguard stamped Oct 4, 1967



Early sister guitar to the non-whammy 1477

1476 Harmony SBEG E $450 Clean, light wear, chrome shiny, logo strong,



How about a couple of beautiful ukes for your Tuesday?

852 Harmony Ukulele E $234 Clean, minimal wear, stencil and logo strong


851 Harmony Ukulele E $153 Clean, light wear, stencil and logo strong,


1423 Harmony SSEG MOD $409 Clean, logo has replacement 'S,' light wear w/ some finish checking, (2) NS knobs, NS bridge, some pickguard cracking, some binding replaced on treble side of neck, NS tuners, pickups dated Oct. 1962



A rare 'redburst' version of this usually all-red guitar.

1410 Kay SBEG G $290 Clean, some edge wear, pickguard cracked/repaired at jack, logo strong, (1) knob missing


1410 MIJ SBEG VG $129 Clean, light wear, logo strong, whammy bar missing, astring holder missing, (1) knob missing, NS bridge



This is the Canadian-sold version of the 1445

26877 Teisco MIJ SBEG G $250 Clean, light wear, some binding damage, pickup covers missing, block serif'd logo strong, (1) knob missing


1484 Dano tube amp only MOD $380 Clean, light wear, faceplate looks good,  NS reverb tank installed (orig. incl.), 1/4" speaker jack mod, seller says "OUTPUT TUBES ARE A MATCHED SET SOVTEK 6L6WXT......HAS UPDATED GROUNDED POWER CORD... BRAND NEW WEBER WOT1484 OUTPUT TRANSFORMER."


1484 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet VG $525 Clean, some edge/corner wear, faceplate looks good, cabinet stamping indicates 1965 build, rev/trem unmentioned but seller says "everything appears to work fine"


1482 Dano tube amp G $300 Clean, round speaker cutout, edge wear, (1) knob missing, some rust to speaker cage, stamping indicates 1966 build, tremolo unmentioned but seller says "The amp plays and works great with no issues."


1482 Dano tube amp VG $325 Clean, square speaker cutout, some corner/surface wear, tremolo functional, 3-prong AC mod, stamping indicates 1965 build


1421 Sears tube amp VG $164 Clean, light wear, a few grille picks, rust to knob inserts and handle captures, amp operational but tremolo unmentioned



Why doesn't anyone want to take a full-length shot of their 658? Hmmmmm?

658 Kay FHAC w/ C VG $167 Clean, light wear, logo strong, needs a bridge, block markers indicate pre-1966 model


658 Kay FHAC VG $199 Clean, light wear, logo strong, some back separation, seller is original owner


1207 Harmony FTAC w/ C VG $71 Clean, light wear, logo strong, serial # ?629S1207, stamped S-69-M


Sears Read Listen Learn Guitar tutor package $10 Record, charts, instruction sheets, with instructor Don Rainey


2L-148C Sears 'How to Care For' Booklet and warranty $35



Dano footswitch $118 NS (but period correct) Switchcraft plug


Dano footswitch $51


Dano knobs $48 (4) knobs, all could use a good cleaning


 

10/17

Wow! That goes for the amp and the price... and the weekend! A beautiful October weekend, an amazing amount of Silvertonium up from the mines, and easily the largest price I've ever seen for a 1481.

1481 Dano tube amp E $677 Clean, minimal wear, square speaker cutout, light oxidation to control face, knob inserts clean, styrofoam adhesion on bottom, stamping indicates 1965 build, original box incl. Check the completed auction for all the hi-res pics (there's a bunch!) for extended awesomeness.


1384 Harmony HBEG w/ C VG $811 Clean, some surface/edge wear, scratch on back near cutaway, binding looks good, logo intact, pickguard painted and cracked, NS selector switch tip, bolt in back of head, serial #1075H64


1385 Harmony HBEG w/ OC VG $820 Clean, some edge/surface wear, pickguard missing, logo bent, knobs/switch surround/nut discolored, some oxidation to pickup covers


1302 Dano SSEG VG $330 Clean, light edge/surface wear, logo shows light wear, NS knobs



Compare this 'C' shape to the wider 'U' shape above

1317 Dano SSEG VG $310 Clean, surface/edge wear, logo almost worn away, playing wear to neck


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG guitar MOD case $249 Clean, light wear to guitar and ampcase, logo strong, no speaker or amp in case, doored compartment added, one latch missing, light sidewall peel at waist of guitar


600 series Harmony FTAC w/ C VG $130 Clean, some light wear, logo strong


602 Harmony FTAC F $32 Clean, light wear, 'deco' logo strong, pickguard missing, NS bridge, no tuners, stamped S-57


600 series Harmony FTAC G $43 Clean, surface/edge wear, logo strong, strap button screwed into upper bout, crack in back


653 Kay FHAC G $445 Clean, edge/surface wear, some finish checking, logo strong, pickguard missing, strap button in heel, 1/4" jack at bottom from previous install of neck pickup (removed, not included)


604 Harmony FTAC w/ OC G $31 Clean, light wear, logo strong, E & A tuner buttons gone


604 Harmony FTAC VG $100 Clean, light wear, chip in pickguard, logo can barely be seen in photo, serial #1249H604


1483 Dano tube amp only VG $312 Clean, light wear, control panel clean, 1/4" jack spliced into speaker cable


1464 Dano solid state amp only $100 Clean, some edge/corner wear, control face looks great, AC cord frayed at cabinet, powers on (!), untested


1464 Dano solid state amp only VG $131 Clean, light wear, control face looks good, 1/4" speaker jack spliced into cable, knobs could stand a cleaning, (1) knob has chipped edge, rev/trem functional


752 Kay Mandolin w/ OC G $55 Clean, light wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, all tuner buttons missing, case rub on top treble side edge, stamped L9293 441 and 2415 4


UNK Kay FHAC F $130 Plenty of wear, some finish checking/flaking, 'wind chime' logo strong, rust to tailpiece and tuner covers, neck loose, stamped P4 and L8596 689

10/14

Friday: a Day of Contrasts. Some sad puppies and funky mods today, accompanied by a couple of right nice chunks of Silvertonium. We'll get to that in a sec, right after I show you this future-thinking piece of radio equipment from Sears from the late 1930s. It's the Sears model 6225, and at first glance, you might think it doesn't look so different from any of a number of odd-cabineted wooden radios from way back when. But, as you walk around the device, you notice there's no speaker. Huh? What kind of radio is that? Well, it's the forerunner of the wireless speaker systems we enjoy today, and it operated by re-broadcasting the station it was receiving over 1570 kHz (adjustable from 1460 to 1700) to any other AM radios in the vicinity. You had six station pre-selects, and that way the entire office or well-appointed home could enjoy the same music or other programming as you moved from room to room. Sears called it a Wireless Remote Control (!) and here's an awesome link to the schematic and instructions. The seller of this item was in Orlando, FL, and this is right where the radio stations labeled in the push buttons (WDBO, WSUN, WFLA, WDAE) still broadcast from. WWL was the lone non-Sunshine State station, clear-channelcasting with 50,000 watts  from New Orleans (first on the air in 1922; the Jesuits at Loyola University had to get special permission from the Vatican to operate a radio station!).
Oh, yeah... it sold, untested, for $10.



Onward! Here's the nice: this great '59 1304 and a reverb/tremolo-challenged but otherwise fine 1484.

1304 Dano SSEG VG $455 Clean, logo strong, light wear, cavity stamping indicates early 1959 build, mis-ID'd as a 1452 (Huh?)


1484 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet VG $800 Clean, light wear, grille and logoplate look good, control face and handle captures show light rust dots, 3-prong AC mod, rev/trem "malfunctioning"



Here's the sad and funky... I'll let you figure it out.

1423 Harmony SSEG G $500 Surface wear, SSN scratched into neck, logo gone, NS bridge & tailpiece, (1) knob missing


619 Kay FHAC MOD $168 Could use a good cleaning, non-functional Olson pickup assembly installed, logo strong under layer of grime, bindings yellow, rust to hardware


700 Harmony FHAC F $300 Clean, edge/surface wear, water damage to back and front, some delamination, 'deco' logo strong, fingerboard wear, cracks on back and front, pickguard missing


653 Kay FHAC w/ C G $179 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo strong, pickguard present, some layer peel on back upper bass bout


1484 Dano tube amp only $103 Rust to faceplate, edge/corner wear, some breaks in cabinet, rust inside, front switches missing seller says " plugged it in and it began to smoke heavily. "


1330 Dano tube amp MOD $133 Clean, some edge wear, grille wear, NS back panel with cord keeper, some tarnish to logoplate, control face shows wear, NS handle, NS power cord


 

10/13

This and That Thursday. Enjoy!

1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $450 Clean, light wear to guitar and ampcase, some corner wear to case, triangle neck plate, logo strong, light finish checking, dicolration to guitar knob inserts, 'Rock n Roll' sticker on pickguard, case handle missing, stamping indicates mid-1965 build



One of the first 612s off the line... look at that low serial number!

612 Harmony FHAC w/ OC VG $250 Clean, light wear, logo strong, looks like a little heel lift, pickguard side bracket missing, serial #386H612



Can't seem to find this 1295 in any of my catalogs... plenty of 1294 models right up through '73, and a 1295_2 model from the '71 Wish Book... but no 1295s. Hit the links to check the similarities and differences.

1295 Harmony FTAC G $85 Clean, edge and surface wear, same paint rubs to side, 'Space Dot'  strong with a tiny scrape, checkerboard soundhole decoration strong, light rust to tailpiece, delamination crack on back at waist


1481 Dano tube amp VG $270 Clean, minimal wear, light staining to covering, square speaker cutout, light oxidation to control face


1319 Harmony Lap Steel w/ OC VG $250 Clean, light wear, light checking, tuner buttons shrinking, some lamination lines showing, 'deco' logo strong, pickup and mounting plate shiny, recently cleaned, untested; no jack on hard-wired cord



1450 Dano SSEG pickguard/pickups/electronics/knobs $250 Seller says "Fully functional"


1446 Harmony HBEG body only $75 Stickers on bass upper bout, NS jack plate on cracked side


 

10/12

Looks like auction listings are about to get slimmer. eBay, for some reason, has deemed is necessary to eliminate access to many photo galleries after an auction has ended. Thus, I shan't be able to bring you a photo of many of the items that pass under the gavel, just a description, and maybe not even that if I can't make out any details from the single 'Ended' thumbnail provided. This is a HUGELY disappointing decision to me (and many others, it would seem), because eBay auctions provide us invaluable information in the collecting community as to the cosmetic condition of an item, as well as references to the potential of future sales. As a seller/buyer there, it also provides me the opportunity to make sure a received item is what was ordered. Also, in my and other humble opinions, this could be a boon to unscrupulous, dishonest sellers. If Silvertone World were my full-time job, this wouldn't be a problem, as I could just preview the photos before auctions end, and then weed out what doesn't sell. This would be a HUGE waste of time, but at least we'd have pictures. Maybe Silvertone World WILL be my full-time job one day. *Sigh* Anyhoo, we'll do our best, and see what happens.

Seems eBay changed their mind.

621 Harmony FTAC VG $12 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS bridge, stamped S-66


605 Harmony FTAC VG $52 Clean, some edge wear, logo strong but yellowed, 'D' tuner bent


604 Harmony FTAC VG $149 Clean, light wear, logo strong, light rust to tuner plates, serial #6039H604,  stamped  S-64-NS


1484 Dano tube amp only $375 Clean, some edge wear, seller details ""Replaced main power supply diodes and capacitors, replaced bias cap and some resistors, replaced power transformer, repaired reverb, cleaned all contacts, controls, and tube sockets, checked all existing tubes, tightened chassis grounds and contacts." 2 new 6L6 output tubes have been installed. You will notice in the pics that the original speaker cord is still connected to the head and has been shortened to about three feet and a ¼” jack installed. The original power cord is still intact and working fine, but you can use your own discretion on having it replaced with a grounded three-prong plug."


1394 Dano tube amp MOD $299  Re-grilled, looks like some duct tape to speaker baffle, logo relocated, handle and control panel worn, tremolo status unknown. Relisted from September.


1481 Dano tube amp G $200 Clean, minimal wear, round speaker cutout, logoplate shows light rust, seller says "makes loud hum"


1482 Dano tube amp $225 Clean, square speaker cutout, light wear, seller says "It powers on but it's missing the power rectifier tube, all other tubes light up"


1483 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet $225 Clean, light wear, some corner wear to speaker cabinet, non-functional, seller says "all tubes light up, no hums or sound"


1485 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet  G $587 Could use a good cleaning, edge/corner wear to cabinets, dolly present, stamping indicates late 1964 build, seller says "It has what looks like all of the original Silvertone brand vacuum tubes in it, except that it is missing one 12AX7 that I think is for the reverb. I tried putting another tube in there but the reverb still didn't work. It's probably an easy repair. The tremolo works, as do both channels when I plugged a guitar into them. The tremolo speed knob is missing, and the bulb is burned out in the power lamp. I didn't have a bulb to replace it with. The amp works, it has no major power-supply hum, and is very loud. The cabinet has six identical 10" Jensen speakers in it. All of them appear to work except one, which the wire came loose from the voice coil. One other speaker has a rip in the cone, so it sounds buzzy. The other four appear to work fine. A previous owner lengthened the speaker cable with some wire. The ends were only twisted together but I marked them so they can easily be re-connected. "


1416 Dano SSEG $268 More of a kit, really...


802 Banjo MOD $78 Two wing nuts added to head (for 'guitar' operation?), some paint to fingerboard, wear all over, logo strong, head shows some staining, hardware shows some rust



Here's everything that I couldn't initially get images for (see rant above). I've figured a work-around (went to the UK version of eBay!), but who knows how long THAT hole will stay open?

1482 Dano tube amp MOD $255 Clean, light wear, NS 10" speaker (which, interestingly enough, still covers the 12" baffle cutout with no gaps!), 1/4" speaker  extension mod, tremolo unmentioned, stamping indicates 1964 build


1420 Harmony SSEG $275 Edge/surface wear, no bridge, logo strong "comes with extra parts..." looks like a whole other guitar to me!

1484 Dano tube amp only $100 Top of cabinet missing, (2) 1/4" speaker jack mods, eller says "About the worst condition Silvertone 1484 head I've ever seen. Selling for parts or restoration. Untested, and selling as-is."


1405 Teisco MIJ SBEG G $74 Wear all over, logo strong, some rust/pitting to tailpiece, intermittent jack, crazing to finish


856 Harmony Baritone Ukulele w/ C VG $100 Clean, logo strong, playing wear to treble side top, case rub, one owner


661 Kay FTAC 4-string tenor guitar VG $125 Clean, light wear,  logo strong, (1) bridge button broken, binding looks good, stamped N1 and L1799


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $400 Clean, light wear to guitar and ampcase, light case rubs to sidewalls, finish and hardware shiny,  logo strong, stamping indicates 1964 build 


1420 Harmony SSEG G $200 Clean, light wear, logo strong, sticker residue on upper bout, seller says "The tuners, selector switch and pick guard screws are not original."



1482 Dano tube amp $137 Clean, 12AX7 tubes missing, non-functional


Sears MIJ SBEG bass neck $38 'Space Dot'  peeled off, truss rod cover sticker missing, rust to tuners


 

10/11

Livin' in a black and white world... at least for the first quartet of guitars today. Some great ampincases for your perusal, a seldom-seen Kay-built f-hole, an almost-full original Sears pick card, and a rare red-ringed classical, too!

1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $370 Clean, minimal wear to guitar and ampcase covering/grille, 'cord keeper' present, logo strong, sidewalls bright, adhesive seep to both knob inserts, ampcase inside not pictured... if it's as good as the guitar this would have been rated 'excellent'


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $521 Clean, light wear to guitar and ampcase, 'cord keeper' present, logo strong, sidewalls bright, neck stamping indicates October 1964 build, original box from Greensboro, NC Sears Store #491  incl., some rust to ampcase hardware, seller says "This guitar was purchased in 1964 directly from the Sears and Roebuck Store in Greensboro, NC about 30 minutes from where I grew up. The father purchased it for his son and he never took interest. You all know these thrifty, frugal, great depression type fathers who save everything. He put the guitar back in the case...back in the original shipping box.....and there it set until about a month ago when the son now a grown man had to clean his father's things out."


1448 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $346 Clean, light wear to ampcase and guitar, logo strong, NS knobs on guitar, NS speaker, ampcase knob insert discolored


1449 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case G $575 Clean, logo strong, light wear to ampcase and guitar, headstock cracked/repaired along tuner line, cabinet stamping indicates Spring 1964 build


1304 Dano SSEG G $600 Edge/surface wear, logo worn at second 'e,' picking wear on treble side by bridge, NS knobs, NS cavity cover, major buckle rash, playing wear to neck


1484 Dano tube amp only VG $450 Clean, light wear, light rust to control face, 1/4" speaker jack mod, rev/trem functional. Relisted


1484 Dano tube amp only G $203 Could use a good cleaning, light rust to front face, untested


1464 Dano solid state amp and speaker cabinet VG $200 Could use a good cleaning, amp covering in good shape; speaker cab shows some edge and corner wear, control panel clean, amp chassis not anchored to cabinet, seller says "Everything checked out OK except for channel 2 the reverb acts a little strange...The tremolo doesn't appear to work on either channel."


1464 Dano solid state amp only VG $150 Clean, control face looks good, rev/trem functional, 1/4" female plug spliced onto speaker lead



This amp was apparently the partner to the 1354 that sold the first of the month. Wish the seller had taken more photos, as this appears to be a very fine example of this rare amp.

1344/1303 Dano tube amp VG $300 Looks great from the front ( in the single photo provided), and here's the entire auction description: "SILVERTONE GUITAR AMP"


1235 Harmony classical VG $165 Clean, light wear, top binding looks good, Silvertone label shows a little ripple


661 Kay FHAC F $89 Checking, wear & flaking all over, paint spatter on back,  'wind chime' logo strong with some wear, crack on top treble side, neck and back separating, NS tuners, pickguard missing


623 Harmony FHAC G $205 Clean, edge and surface wear, fingerboard wear, crack near neck, logo strong, stamped S-60, serial #3435H623


604 Harmony FTAC VG $100 Clean (headstock's a little dusty), light wear, logo strong, light rust to tuner plates



Hey, you coulda got more than FIFTY Silvertone / REG.US.PAT.OFF. logo picks from Silvertone World for $35, and your choice of a red, blue or gold vintage-style repro card!

Sears Guitar Pick pack $35 Thin pick missing

You'll be grinnin' while you're pickin' with our exclusive new Silvertone World Custom Picks! Head over to the Pick Store and grab a vintage repro card full for collecting or gift-giving, or a dozen or two in the bulk pack for some serious Silvertone-flavored strummin', all at great prices and free shipping on US orders.

Dano footswitch $95


1421Harmony Body/Neck $61 No guts, fingerboard damaged, logo barely there, 'A' tuner missing, tailpiece present, serial #2472H1421

10/10

Awesome Weekend, with some incredible finds. Volume-wise, it was really kind of an off weekend... but quality-wise... we've got a couple of beauties to start the week with, and more when I play clean-up tomorrow. Let's rock right into this Harmometal-bound 'Espanada'-derived 1384. Simply beautiful, with a few bumps here and there to testify to the miles.

1384 Harmony HBEG w/ OC VG $1035 Clean, finish shiny, some surface wear and buckle rash, ding out of headstock (looks like a cymbal hit), logo looks like it needs some polishing compound cleaned out of it, screw through heel



Pardon me, do you have any  Grey Poupon? Next, up this fine 'Aristocrat.'

1371 Kay HBEG w/ C VG $562 Clean, light wear, logo strong, slight neck separation, the white inlaid logo means this is one of the last 1371s from the end of the model run in late 1958/early 1959


1413 Kay SBEG G $275 Finish has some wear and bubbling, light wear, logo strong, tailpiece design looks good, pickup cover design worn at edges, (2) NS knobs,


1412 Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $175 Clean, light wear, whammy bar present,  'Space Dot' looks good, seller says "... found protected in a box wrapped in blankets, so untouched for many, many years."


1420 Harmony SSEG F $213 Clean, edge wear, logo worn, shadow of "1966" on lower bass bout, neck has chip off side, playing wear to neck, (1) NS knob, selector switch tip NS, NS bridge and nut, pickup covers scratched, pots date to 1960, neck pickup not working


653 Kay FHAC w/ C VG $366 Clean, edge wear, finish faded (check the headstock where a strap used to be), logo strong, pickguard present


653 Kay FHAC w/ C G $169 Could use a good cleaning, edge wear, finish faded, logo strong, NS pickguard


1482 Dano tube amp VG $405 Clean, light wear, square speaker cutout, cabinet stamping indicates 1965 build, tremolo unmentioned but seller says everything works, footswitch incl.


1482 Dano tube amp VG $242 Clean, light wear, square speaker cutout, rust to handle captures and speaker cage, cabinet stamping indicates 1963 build, unusual footswitch, tremolo unmentioned, seller says "Unit has been tested and works just as it should with no problems."


856 Harmony Baritone Ukulele w/ C VG $100 Clean, light wear, logo strong


2574 Oscar Schmidt Autoharp w/ OC VG $153 Clean, light wear, pick, tuning wrench and book incl.


 

10/7

We see PLENTY of the black 1420 'Stratotones,' but precious few of its brownburst sister, the 1421. Here's a mighty fine example today, goin' for an appropriately fine price.

1421 Harmony SSEG w/ OC E $605 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, seller says "Everything is original. The guitar has never been played. The case still smells new. The paint on the guitar neck still has its little spray bumps, like a new wooden yo-yo. No one has even played it enough to wear down the surface of the spray paint drops! The frets on this baby still had ragged edges from the original fret wire cutting - no polishing or wear from being played. So, I had a complete setup done with fret dressing, and had the pots and electronics properly cleaned. She is all tuned up and ready to roll."


1417 Dano SSEG w/ OC VG $310 Could use a good cleaning on back, light wear, some arm rub on lower bass bout, sidewalls clean, logo strong, playing wear to neck


614 Harmony FTAC G $75 Clean, some surface scratching, 'D' tuner bent, rust to tuner plates, guide numbers painted on fretboard


1482 Dano tube amp VG $309 Clean, light wear, square speaker cutout, (1) knob missing insert, 3-prong AC mod, scratchy pots, tremolo functional


1251 Kay 4-string Banjo G $65 Could use a good cleaning, some tarnish to hardware, no bridge, scratches to resonator, logo strong



Dano footswitch $100


 

10/6

RIP, Steve. He changed the way I (and many more folks) experienced the combination of computers and creativity, and my Macintosh certainly helped hone my graphic design skills back in the day. It kinda looks like he's playing air guitar in that Apple event picture, so I stuck a 1448 in his hands. I'm sure he'd appreciate the genius of form and function married to economic reality that was at the core (no pun intended) of the Danelectro philosophy.


1457 Dano SSEG only G $300 Clean, light wear, logo strong, knobs & pickups missing, NS tuners


1436 `Teisco MIJ SBEG G $350 Edge/surface wear, whammy bar, nut and spring missing, (4) of six tuners missing, logo tag looks good, serial #326297


1331 Dano tube amp VG $325 Clean, light wear, handle worn with some odd marks on top, grille and logoplate look great, seller says "I had it checked by a professional in Nov. 2009 and he put in 2 new filter caps and a resistor."


1432 Dano tube amp G $281 Edge/corner wear, grille rips, logo looks good, NS handle, footswitch incl., tremolo status unknown, seller says "PLUG IT INTO A GUITAR AND SOUNDS GREAT"


1206 Harmony FTAC VG $46 Clean, light edge wear, rust to tuner plates


1202 Harmony FTAC VG $75 Clean, light wear, logo strong, painted on 'pickgurd' clean, light rust to tuner plates, stamped S-68


802 Banjo VG $86 Clean, light wear, logo strong, hardware and resonator looks good, crack in head over tuner



1448 Dano tub amp chassis only $93 Functional, pots date to 1965

 

10/5

Wednesday Weakness... well, numbers-wise, anyway. It's always kinda sleepy on the auction block mid-week, but we've got some fine items that did make it through, starting with this nice 1476 and a 'reckon it looks OK' 1488. Since we're talking about 'em, remember to visit and check out ALL the Harmony-built Bobkat and Silhouette-based guitars; I put up pages for all of them over this past summer.

1476 Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG $340 Clean, light wear, chrome shiny, logo strong, wear along bottom edge, pickguard date stamped to March of 1965


1488 Harmony SBEG w/ C $635 Clean, light wear, whammy present, can't see the logo, poor photos, seller says "There is one chip on the pickguard, a few chips on the body which are visible in the pictures, and there seems to be some white-ish paint that can probably come off on the pickups"



Next, a fine example of the late '50s 'U-2.'

1303 Dano SSEG VG $1300 Clean, light edge/surface wear, logo strong with a worn spot on the 'l,' playing wear to neck, cavity stamping of 3128 indicates late 1958 build



The seller had a pickguard made for this one that adheres to the standard of the 136X and 137X Kay-built guitars of the mid-late 1950s. However, the toggle switch and thick script logo lead me to believe this guitar is a 1425 available from 1959-1961. The 136X and 137X guitars all had a slide-type selector switch, rather than a toggle.

1425 Kay HBEG VG $750 Clean, edge/surface wear, some finish flaking,  'thick script' logo strong, NS pickguard. Relisted from September.


1456 Teisco MIJ HBEG $128 Clean, some checking, whammy bar present, headstock not pictured, pitting to neckplate, binding missing, truss rod broken



Dano footswitch $150


 

10/4

10-4, good buddy! Nice group of Silvertonium today, with a fine 1445 and a rare 644 in the mix, along with some more great Stratotones. Dig in!

1445 Teisco MIJ SBEG w/ OC E $700 Clean, minimal wear, metal logo intact, whammy present, early bound version


1456 Teisco MIJ HBEG VG $255 Clean, light wear, NS whammy bar, NS decoration on headstock, (1) NS (but period correct) knob, 'Space Dot' looks good, stamped S-72; these Japanese imports were set up & inspected at the Harmony factory before being sold in Sears stores.


1354 Kay HBEG VG $461 Clean, light wear, logo laminate and pickguard design strong with some yellowing, tuner buttons deteriorating, early ('53 era) curved bridge, seller is nephew of original owner


644 Kay FHAC w/ C VG $469 Clean, light wear, logo and pickguard design strong, light buckle rash, light rust to tuner covers


1420 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $440 Clean, light wear, logo strong, fingerboard shows wear in 'cowboy chord' area, finish shows some some 'orange peeliness,' chrome looks like mirrors, seller says "One of the tone control knobs is stripped inside and continues to spin after the turn is turned to a full rotation. "


1420 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $281 Clean, light wear, 'string ring' at 'A' tuner post, logo strong, seller says "The bridge pickup plays awesome, however, the neck pickup seems to be very weak. May need rewinding."


1472 Dano tube amp G $125 Clean, some edge/corner wear, red border control panel with 'tremlo' misspelling, tremolo status unknown, no footswitch, seller says "Amp has all original tubes and Jensen factory original speaker. Amp needs to be re-tubed. Works, just needs a tune up. " Relisted from September.


1482 Dano tube amp VG $300 Clean, square speaker cutout, light wear, NS back panel, 3-prong AC mod, (1) knob missing, tremolo functional, used in the recording of three albums with The Chocolate Horse


1463 Dano Solid State amp and speaker cabinet G $135 Clean, light wear, some covering peel and particle board crumble near bottom of speaker cabinet, vintage "Freak Out" sticker on clean faceplate, logoplate on spkr cab a bit grungy


1432 Dano tube amp G $203 Clean, light wear, light grille staining, logo tag looks good,  handle worn, possible NS speaker, tremolo non-functional, no footswitch



Dano footswitch $76

 

Couple of new pages for the ever-popular 1471 and 1481 amplifiers. New galleries & new catalog listings. Enjoy!

10/3

Back to School and Back to the Bucks! In September 2011, we reported on over 300 auctions totaling $80,004! That's over three grand more than September 2010 totals, and the average yearly salary for your typical Information Technology Professional in 2010.

Here's some highlights of what changed hands:  (28) 1448 guitars/amps or one or the other, (10) 1457 guitars/amps or one or the other, (21) 1484 amps, (10) 1482 amps, (8) 1481 amps, (4) 'Chris Isaak'  1446 model guitars. A beautiful Harmony-built 1454 brought in the top green for April at $1350, and there were eight more items in the $1,000+ category this month; $1100 for another nice 1454, $1000, $1099, $1100 and $1150 for a quartet of fine 1446 models and $1200 for a last of the line 1427, a grand for a 1423 'Jupiter,' and  $1025 for a Kay-built 1445. The least amount brought in September was $2 for a nice Kay-built 660 classical guitar.

If you haven't visited September 2011, give it a look... it was QUITE a month!



Onward to October, and the money's droppin' like the leaves off the trees!

1420 Harmony SSEG w/ OC E $500 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, chrome and finish shiny, pickups and pots date-stamped 1963


1420 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $256 Clean, light wear, logo strong, chrome shiny


1423 Harmony SSEG F $297 Wear, flaking, metal logo intact, truss rod cover and bridge missing, selector switch missing, pickguard print strong, fingerboard wear, some cord melt on back, scratchy pots



I've got a feeling Dan Auerbach is responsible in some part for these 1454 prices scootin' skywards. An excellent 1454 was our top moneymaker last month, and today's price ain't nothin' to sneeze at.

1454 Harmony HBEG w/ OC VG $1205 Clean, light wear, logo strong, Bigsby looks good, screw crack at tip of truss rod cover, ding on bass side of headstock, scratch to middle of headstock


1385 Harmony HBEG VG $1225 Clean, light wear, metal logo intact (if a bit out of dimension), serial #3265H64


1417Dano SSEG w/ OC VG $419 Clean, arm wear to lower bass bout, playing wear to neck, logo intact, sidewalls could use a cleaning, some oxidation to tuner keys, pots date to late 1959


1448 Dano SSEG and tube amp in case G $300 Clean, wear to guitar and ampcase, logo strong, seller says "The amplifier does work but will need some minor work, (volume control needs contact cleaner to stop the crackling when it is being adjusted), and I am sure these are the original tubes and at some point they WILL need replacing, the tube sockets are worn and sometimes the tubes move a bit and need to be reseated. Also the power cord has been taped close to the plug, but it works."


1448 Dano SSEG and tube amp in case MOD $200 Refinished, NS knobs, modded headstock, logo gone, ampcase empty, sold as project


1451 Dano tube amp in case only VG $130 Insides clean, edge and corner wear to covering, some grille staining, amp functional


1487 Teisco SBEG w/ solid-state amp on board VG $395 Clean, light wear, logo shamed, all covers in place, lamination lines showing on headstock, NS Grover tuners, amplifier functional (!)


1495 Teisco HBEG Bass w/ C VG $395 Clean, light wear, logo intact, NS (well, I've never seen one, anyway) bracing at neck



Here's another of those 'Cobain Bass' models that sold this past Spring; this one brought a dollar more than the one back in April.

14XX MIJ SBEG Bass VG $119 Clean, light wear, no serial number sticker or  'Space Dot', NS Fender tailpiece cover, pickup cover missing


1474 Dano tube amp VG $651 Clean, some edge/corner wear, light staining to grille, faceplate clean, cabinet/speaker stamping indicates late 1962 build, seller says "This amp was serviced about a year ago. The tech installed a grounded 3-prong cord and replaced some drifting resistors and capacitors, including the filter caps (all correct-spec replacements according to the schematic). The 12AX7's are JJ, the 6CG7's are original RCA, as is the rectifier tube. 6L6's are unmarked with a brown baseplate."


1451 Dano tube amp G $135 Clean, light wear, logoplate missing, handle worn, NS back panel


653 Kay FHAC w/ C VG $349 Clean, early 'mint green' finish shows light wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, pickguard present


1211 Harmony FTAC VG $109 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS tuners


1230 Kay FTAC Classical w/ OC E $103 Clean, minimal wear, best 1230 I've seen


853 Harmony Ukulele VG $42 Clean, light wear to top and edges, logo strong


802 Banjo VG $144 Clean, light wear, logo strong, hardware shows some oxidation



1477 Harmony SBEG body $33 , neck $34, electronics (dated 1966, no knobs) $153, truss rod cover $13, whammy tailpiece $20


1423 Harmony SSEG neck only $45 Wear, flaking, metal logo intact, no nut, truss rod cover missing, no tuners


 

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MODEL # / MANUFACTURER / INSTRUMENT TYPE / CONDITION / PRICE / NOTES

Abbreviations: M-Mint, NM - Near Mint, E- Excellent, VG- Very Good, G- Good , F-Fair, P-Poor, NS- Non-Stock, HBEG- Hollow Body Electric, FHAC- F-Hole Acoustic, FTAC- Flat-Top Acoustic, SBEG- Solid Body Electric, SSEG- Semi-Sold Electric, MIJ- Made In Japan, MOD - Modified significantly from stock, w/ O/C Original / Case, DNS - Did Not Sell; used mainly to show an item of interest whether it sold or not.

Unless otherwise noted, I'm rating them by what I see in the pictures and read in the description.

The items depicted on this page are not for sale by Silvertone World. These are reviews of items from completed ebay auctions on or around the date specified.

Links in blue open in a new window, and take you to a Silvertone World info page, a period catalog listing, or a link of interest.

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