September 2009

10/1

The September totals weren't too bad, really, compared to last year.  I tracked 257 items in September, and they sold for a total of $64,153. That's only $4,000 less than the September '08 numbers! Considering the economic situation here in the US and the world, I'd say not too bad. I'm sure there are some folks out there who wish their stock portfolio had only dropped 4 grand since last year!

Here's some highlights of what changed hands: A record (41) 1448 guitars/amps or one or the other, (13) 1457s, (15) 1484 amps, (10) 1485 amps (!), (10) 1482 amps, and (7) 1481 amps. The highest dollar item was an OK 1485 amp and cabinet that went for $995, and right on its heels an excellent 1423 that went for $985. The least amount brought in September was $5 for a 1448 speaker/amp mounting board.

I'll archive September in a couple of days.... if you haven't perused the 9th month of '09 here in Silvertone World, scroll on down, there were some great items this past month!

9/30

September, we hardly knew ye... I don't know if it went fast because we've started up the daily auction tracking again,  or because my 5-year-old has just started school, or that's just how it is the older you get, but this month flew by!

1316 Harmony Lap Steel VG $300 Minimal wear, inscribed with "Luke The Drifter," the spoken-word recording alter ego of Hank Williams Sr. The late, great Don Helms, Hank's steel guitar man and one of the pioneers of the country steel style first steel guitar was a Silvertone, most likely a Valco-made Crest or Artist from the early 40s.


1423 Harmony SSEG VG $365 Some edge wear, side cracks, metal logo intact, print on pickguard strong, (1) NS tuner


1481 Dano tube amp VG $249 Round speaker cutout, very clean, minimal wear, shiny control panel, clean knob inserts, back panel present, recently serviced, 3-prong AC mod


1483 Dano tube amp and cabinet VG $385 Very clean amp head, covering to amp and cab look great, amp grille and amp baffle has big water stains


1484 Dano tube amp w/ cabinet VG $650 Clean, light water stain to grille over logoplate, footswitch incl., amp and cabinet still connected (no jack mod), stock tubes, amp keepers/cord keepers still present


605 Harmony G $21 Edge wear, no bridge, missing half of tuners, low E  post missing on the side that is present, stamped S-58-T


1448 Dano SSEG guitar only G $125 Six on a side to three on a side NS tuner conversion, logo gone, NS knobs, this is an early transitional guitar; two bolt neck and narrow attach pier, offset strap button


1448 Dano tube amp in case only F $109 Speaker missing, plenty of corner and edge wear, tubes power up; otherwise untested, one latch missing spring, hinges loose


2574 Oscar Schmidt Autoharp w/ OC $41 Clean, tuner wrench incl.


1455 Teisco MIJ HBEG G $255  Clean, chrome very shiny,  a couple of cracks/scratches, whammy present, cursive logo, neck is bowed, no output from bridge pickup, truss rod adjusment is max'd out


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $399 Clean guitar and amp, tone knob has no effect, missing knob inserts on guitar, autographed by Junior Brown

Junior as a lad with a couple of Dano friends

1420 Harmony HBEG neck only $70 (4) tuner ferrules present, general wear

1420 Harmony HBEG body only $71 No electronics, looks like a few wires inside the cavity, neck bolts included general wear


I've never seen anyone take such care to preserve the good Silvertone name! Sometimes the name will be masked off for a refinish, or a poor attempt will be made to repaint it back on, or the refinisher will pop for a repro logo. On this mystery model f-hole, the head was carved away, all but the diamond-shaped 'pad' that the logo silkscreen is on. Looks like the finish was stripped, the flower decals added, and a very makeshift bridge added to complete the job. Went for a surprising $191.


9/29

Funny how guitar DNA gets shared across different models. Take our first two guitars up today, for instance. The 1304, a "Wish Book" only guitar, shares the 'U' body shape that was present in both the Dano and Silvertone lines, and it also carried on the 'Coke bottle' headstock even as Silvertones began sporting the 'dolphin nose' in the early 60s. Even though later 1304 models had the 'swoop' neck cutaway and 5-sided aluminum access plate that the later 'U' bodies shared, they still kept the 'Coke bottle' headstock. Also of note is the middle of the road pickup placement that was also tried and abandoned on the 1448 ampincase models, with the 1448 getting its final pickup placement more towards the neck, as on other Silvertone 1 and 2 pickup models. The next guitar, the 1427 'Black Beauty' (the name the Sears catalog gave it; it's also known by its Harmony name, the 'Espanada') was the direct predecessor to the popular 'Chris Isaak' 1446. They share a similar body type, nearly identical pickguards, and Gibson-built pickups. Where the 1446 branched off was in its Bigsby, its Gibson mini-humbuckers, and the support system for those humbuckers, the cool pentagonal pickup bezels that really set it off from the rest of Sears hollowbody pack.

1304 Dano SSEG w/ OC G $405  Top has a faux wood refinish, one screw hole below each tuner plate has been stripped out, two bolt neck, no neck tilt adjustment and natural headstock mean this is one of the earliest 1304 models


1427 Harmony SBEG VG $711 Clean, some finish checking, light wear, pickguard cracked, NS truss rod cover, metal logo missing, NS tuners, NS nut, NS selector switch tip, light oxidation to pickup covers and tailpiece


1484 Dano tube amp w/ cabinet G $347 Clean, rust to front panel, rust to xformers, dent in rear chassis, stock Jensens, amp keepers, cord keepers present, footswitch incl., rev/trem work


1482 Dano tube amp VG $405 Square speaker cutout, minimal wear, NS footswitch incl., trem works


1481 Dano tube amp VG $178 Square speaker cutout, very clean, some cover 'ripple,' light rust to handle captures, powers up; static from speaker, otherwise untested, jack mod to back panel


600 series Harmony FTAC F $23 Clean, some paint smudges, light wear, neck separating, bridge cracked


802 Banjo w/ C G $75  5-string, no resonator, 5th string tuner missing, no bridge, edge wear to headstock


604 Harmony FTAC w/ OC VG $79  Clean, minimal wear

1457 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $599 Very clean guitar and amp, light edge wear, no footswitch, case has one broken latch

1457 Dano tube amp footswitch $65


1478 Harmony SBEG neck $50  Playing wear, light edge wear, fingerboard worn at 'cowboy chord' positions, NS tuners
1478 Harmony SBEG body $29 Edge wear, no hardware or electronics


9/28

Thank goodness for tabbed browsing! As I start today's auction review, I've got over 30 tabs open in my Opera browser. I use Firefox for everything else, but I've got Opera set up the way I like specifically to review auctions. Anyway, it was a big weekend, with an amazing number of 1448s, some interesting acoustics and electrics, 1482s, 1472s, and the odd 1420 and 1430 amp. Let's go!

623 Harmony FTAC w/ OC VG $164 Very clean, some very light scuffs to finish, serial 2522 H 623. This is a rare guitar, quite similar to the popular 600 series, but all mahogany, and offered only in the 1966 Sears Wish Book.

1478 Harmony SBEG w/ OC E $500 BO  Some very light finish blemishes, in storage for years, plastic protector incl., case looks great as well


694 Harmony FHAC VG $67 Some light surface dings, neck is tight, both sides of back cracked at waist, binding and back near heel separating, (1) position marker missing,  pickguard present, 'deco' logo worn, late 40s vintage
 

1420 Harmony HBEG G $280 Clean, edge wear, some scratches on back


1430 Dano tube amp G $155 Light edge and corner wear, handle worn, back panel present, some static at power up


1482 Dano tube amp VG $256 Square speaker cutout, grille and knobs look great, covering looks good except for some white smudges (probably paint)


1472 Dano tube amp VG $238 Round speaker cutout, red border panel with 'tremlo' misspell, light edge wear, back panel in place, NS tubes; orig. tubes incl.


1472 Dano tube amp VG $280 Round speaker cutout, red border panel with 'tremlo' misspell, edge wear, light rust to xformer, some rust on fuse holder bezel


1485 Speaker Cab only G $420 Stock caster dolly, tear on front edge, no jack mods


660 Kay Classical G $125 (?!?) Surface wear all over, strap buttons affixed to back in line with neck


752 Kay Mandolin w/ OC VG $99  Clean, minimal wear, 'wind chime' logo, tuner buttons deteriorating, some oxidation to tailpiece


1484 or 1485 footswitch $63


1477 Harmony SBEG w/ C VG $273 Clean, some edge dings, headstock wear


1210 Harmony FTAC w/ OC G $76 Clean, big scratch on upper bout


615 Harmony FTAC w/ OC G $53 Edge wear, scratches, light rust to tailpiece, serial #5026H615


1245 Kay  FHAC G $88 Clean, missing pickguard and bridge, headstock cracked at sides, 3-bolt neck


1481 Dano tube amp VG $168 Clean, covering slightly dirty but no cuts/wear, square speaker cutout, volume knob insert very worn, grille has 1/4" stain, blue paint smudge on back edge


1455 Teisco MIJ HBEG G $85  Clean, pickguard missing, (1) NS pickup, NS tailpiece, NS tuners, NS knobs, control panel replaced/repaired, cursive logo


1456 Teisco MIJ HBEG VG $280  Clean, light surface scratching all over, whammy present, attic find, Space Dot 'SR' logo, original strap, 'How To' 45 RPM records, picks, cord and neck adjustment tool incl., stamped S-72; inspected at Harmony plant (see commentary for 9/25)


1420 Sears tube amp VG $117 Clean, powers up; loud hum, schematic incl., stamped 0772 (July 1972?)this amp was found alongside the 1456 above



I don't believe I've EVER seen a weekend with so many of the 1448/1449 guitars and amps go under the gavel. They're all in great shape, too!

1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $471 Clean guitar and amp, minimal wear, sidewalls look great,.1" rub on back treble side horn, powers up, no sound, seller is 2nd owner


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $425 Clean guitar and amp, light edge wear to headstock and back edges of guitar, strip tuners, interesting figuring to fretboard, amp has light rust to handle captures and latches, some scuffing to amp covering


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $495 Clean guitar and amp, some light edge wear to both, some staining to amp grille, comes with original cord and 45 PRM "How To Play" record


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $400 Clean guitar and amp, light edge wear to both, 1/4" sidewall flake, light discoloring of knob inserts


1448 Dano SSEG guitar only VG $238 Some edge wear, light buckle rash, NS Gotoh tuners


1448 Dano tube amp in case only VG $148 Clean, very light scuffing to covering


1457 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $417 Clean guitar, light edge wear to headstock, amp has huge stain to outside covering, inside looks good


1457 Dano  SSEG guitar only w /C VG $366 Clean, light edge wear all around


1449 -based SSEG  $32 Taking its cue from the 1449, this homebrew axe needs a little extra work, as the original builder miscalculated the bridge position for proper intonation. Not a bad job, really, just needs a little more work. Oh, and some tuners, electronics, pickups and paint.



9/25

It might seem kind of weird these days, but there was a subtle prejudice against "Made In Japan" items back in the day, even as late as the early '70s. There was apparently enough negative reaction from Sears' customers and salespeople that Sears took the step of adding words to the effect that "These Made In Japan guitars are inspected by American craftsmen before they get to you" to the catalog. Our first guitar today shows the physical 'proof' of that claim, as it has both a "Made In Japan" sticker on the neckplate, and a Harmony-style stamp inside the body.

General guitar info listing from the 1970 Sears catalog

1456 Teisco MIJ G $93 Clean, whammy present, control panel broken, duct tape residue all around break, 'Space Dot' logo missing, high action, inspected/setup at Harmony plant as evidenced by the S-72 stamping.


1451 Dano SBEG guitar only w/ C MOD $103  Refinished red, pickup added, NS bridge,  headstock sawn off, 'Golden Eagle' decoration added, neck left natural, NS knobs, NS pickguard, re-fretted


653 Kay FHAC VG $566  Clean,  some edge wear, some surface dings / scratches, pickguard missing, stamped L6458 5520


1460 Teisco MIJ HBEG w/ OC E $755 Very clean, whammy present, all stock


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case G $305 Edge and surface wear, scuffs to case, discolored knob inserts

750 Kay Mandolin w/ OC VG $174  Clean, some finish checking, scalloped headstock, 'wind chime' logo, NS tuner buttons


1212 Harmony FTAC VG $150  Clean, some edge wear, bridge starting to pull up, logo strong, stamped S-70


1484 Dano tube amp w/ cabinet VG $500 Clean, recently serviced, Sears-Simpson plate on back = Canadian-sold model, some weird jack mod on the back, one knob missing aluminum insert


9/24

Patience is a virtue, and it sure paid off for the lucky buyer of our first guitar today. I've seen horrid-looking 1448 guitars go for more than this entire early 1448 setup went for yesterday. Just goes to show, if you miss it... just wait, there'll be another along soon. Unless, of course, it's a 12-string electric Silvertone Murph!

1448 Dano  SSEG guitar with ampcase G $223 (!?!) Some edge wear, sidewalls clean, loose jack on guitar, knobs missing from guitar, low E tuner button missing, amp works, but you have to 'tap on it,' this is yet another early transitional setup; triangle knob insert on amp, strip tuners, two bolt neck and narrow attach pier, offset strap button. Even with its problems, what a deal!


658 Kay FHAC w /OC  G $99 Clean, some edge wear, pickguard present, dot neck markers signify 1966-68 era model, light rust to tuners, looks like maybe some neck separation


1484 Dano tube amp head only VG $405 Very clean, rev/trem work, 3-prong AC mod, xformers show very light rust, one knob has small chip, "Shadow" brand pickup sticker on back panel, 1" paint smudge on front edge


1440 Teisco MIJ VG $270 Clean, NS whammy, metal logo present, one knob missing chrome insert


657 Harmony Classical F $28  Top is cracked/repaired, edge wear, name scratched into back of headstock then scratched out, serial #1792H173



It's a nice clean f-hole strummer, but the seller didn't look inside to find any stampings. Possibly an early-mid 60s 627 or 619, some finish crazing and edge flaking, neck is tight, logo in good shape; went for a nice $208.


Try as I might, I couldn't find this case listed in my catalogs... even into the early 1970s! Injection molded, foam/fabric lined, quite modern, "Made In USA" stamped under the accessory bin lid. The stamped stock number 61-1325 is mysterious, as I would have expected a 57 series number. Sold for $23.



9/23

Friends, it's 1448 fever here on the first full day of Fall! Quite a varied bunch of those oh-so-popular Masonite Marvels here for your inspection, a wacky one, an early one, and a very nice, clean full setup to round out the trio. Also, just for fun, I thought I'd let you take a gander at the earliest 1448 that I alluded to the other day: the mid-pickup 1448!

Here it is: the very earliest of the 1448 series from waaaaay back in 1962! You'll note the differences right away: stock black knobs, much like the cream knobs that the U shape models were sporting, 6 on a strip white button tuners rather than the so-called 'skate-key' tuners, a subtly different body shape, and the unusual pickup placement, closer to the bridge, with a pickguard cut to match this original configuration of the 1448. Never shown in any catalog, Nat Daniel was refining this design as he produced it! Rare? You bet!


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only MOD $405 Very unusual "Dragon Kiss" overlay on top, back looks coated or refinished, logo painted over, NS pickups, NS sidewalls, NS tuners, looks like a NS plastic pickguard, pot codes 1376516; Chicago Telephone Supply / 16th week of 1965


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar with ampcase VG $363 Minimal wear, amp has NS knob, edge corner wear/felt wear inside. This guitar is a very early transitional guitar; black knobs, strip tuners, two bolt neck and narrow attach pier, offset strap button. Compare to later example in next auction, note subtle difference in the horns/cutaways.


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $425 Clean guitar and amp, NS speaker (original incl.), slight chip to amp volume knob


658 Kay FHAC w /OC  VG $183 Very clean, pickguard missing, pre-'66, fret marker silkscreen 'bleed,' fret wear, finish almost perfect, manual incl., NS pickup incl.


1485 Dano Tube Amp only G $405 Front panel shows scuffs/dents/oxidation, speaker cord is cut (no jack mod), NS reverb knob, reverb doesn't work


1420 Harmony HBEG G $262 Clean, minimal wear, all stock, logo strong, weird nicks down length of neck, in-case storage by seller for 20 years


29633 Teisco MIJ HBEG G $203 Clean except for name scratched on top, whammy present, block logo, Canadian-sold version of the 1455


604 Harmony FTAC G $42  Clean, minimal wear

1444 Dano SSEG Bass  VG $550 Clean, pickup, tuners, electronics all stock; completely restored/refinished with proper period parts and repro cavity cover, pot codes 1376510; Chicago Telephone Supply / 10th week of 1965


A quick  note on these next few items. I don't usually rate a piece of a Silvertone item. Parts is parts.

1448 Dano  ampincase frame only $12 Corner/edge wear, no hardware


1448 Dano  ampincase speaker/amp mounting board only $5 No amp or hardware


1484 or 1485 speaker dolly $29


1484 or 1485 footswitch $56


1421 Harmony HBEG G $275  Clean, logo missing, arm wear to bass lower bout, stamped F-61


1210 Harmony FTAC G $50 Some edge wear, cracks to top near tailpiece


600 series Harmony FTAC F $36 Clean on front, bad spray paint weirdness on back, bridge beginning to crack, back starting to separate




A sad fate for this unknown... someone had a case of "Silvertone Shame," and sloppily obliterated the cursive logo that adorned this Kay-made f-hole. NS tuners, the pickguard is missing, a few finish scrapes, but overall in good shape. Stamped N-1 and L7512, this guitar went for $232.


9/22

Welcome to Fall 2009! Hope you all had a great summer, and we'll keep on keeping on with the great Silvertone auction recaps here at Silvertone World. I'm working on some new pages, too, so if you have any suggestions just drop a line to us here at Silvertone World.

1381/1369 Kay SSEG $442 Sold as a 'project.' Tuners missing, (1) pot missing, bridge missing, finish looks good with some edge flaking/scratches, screw in neck heel, script-only headstock laminate shows cig burn at low E tuner, jack repair, Stackpole brand pots date to 1963


1240 Harmony FHAC VG $260 Clean, small ding on top face treble bout, probably a repro metal logo


1484 Dano tube amp head only G $259 Light oxidation to front panel, covering looks good, recently serviced, NS tubes, 3-prong AC mod

1448 Dano  SSEG guitar with ampcase VG $465 Very clean amp and guitar, light discoloring of speaker grille at speaker opening, minimal wear, all stock tubes, Sears "Gift of Music" pamphlet incl.

1482 Dano tube amp G $320 Round speaker cutout, tremolo works, edge/corner wear, speaker cage shows some rust, recently serviced, 3-prong AC mod

2574 Oscar Schmidt Autoharp w/ OC $90 Very clean, looks like a couple of bars have been re-installed improperly, comes with several books


1214 Harmony FTAC  F $50 Looks like a possible refinish of some sort, logo nearly worn away, inner brace loose, pickguard spray painted gold, tuner plates show rust


1214 Harmony FTAC Neck Only $16 Fingerboard wear, edge wear, finish flaking, logo strong, part of guitar body still glued to back of fretboard




Par for the course, it's an f-hole acoustic today, well what's left of it, anyway... sellers, do a little investigating and search for numbers inside these things. If not for your buyers, then think of us poor, hapless collectors who stay up night wondering...
619? 708? 1240? Maybe a 1245...

Topless guitars? Scary thought, but here you go... a Harmony of some sort, I can just make out a faint stamp on the inner back of this 'project' that went for $25. No top, no tuners, but what was left looked OK.



9/21

Pretty big final weekend of summer, y'all! Plenty of guitars, amps, parts... even an oddball slick-sidewalled early 1448! Let's roll!

1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only VG $163 Light surface/edge wear, NS knobs, NS pickup screws, early transitional guitar; guitar has strip tuners, two bolt neck and narrow attach pier, offset strap button, serial in neck pocket 2052; 20th week of 1962. This guitar doesn't have the textured vinyl 'sidewalls' we're used to see, but a slick type of binding! I've seen one other with a slick binding, but it was slick, black and sparkly, just like the main body paintjob! Danelectro was still trying to figure out just how to build these 1448 models, that's why you see all the variations in these very early models; the narrow neck attach pier with only two bolts, no neck tilt, the strip tuners, the offset strap button, the triangle knob inserts... some very early models even had a different, closer-to-the-bridge pickup placement!


602 Harmony FTAC w/ C G $104 Pickguard missing, deco headstock, some surface wear, NS bridge beginning to pull up, serial #4273H602, some writing inside


1423 Harmony SSEG w/ OC E $985 Very clean, protective cover incl., finish looks great, pickguard print clear, metal logo present, pickups dated May 1962, one of the nicest I've seen


1421 Harmony HBEG w/ OC VG $349  Clean, (2) tuner ferrules missing, jack repair shaky, finish flaking at jack


1484 Dano spkr cabinet only VG $276 Clean, light wear, 1/4" jack mod on back, stock Jensens, logoplate, amp keepers and back panel present

1483 Dano tube amp only G $300 Needs tubes, otherwise lookin' good


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only G $150 Some surface /edge wear, dirty knob inserts, some weird scrapes on bass side lower bout, neck pocket serial 4044; 40th week of 1964


1423 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $750 Very clean, a light surface ding or two

1436 Teisco MIJ SBEG G $230 Whammy missing, light wear, NS knobs, dark greenburst, logo tag present, fingerboard wear near nut, serial #356458


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only P $137 Rough exterior, something is rattling inside, missing (1) knob, sidewalls intact (!), (1) tuner missing, (1) tuner falling apart, masking tape on headstock


619 Kay FHAC Headstock logo $10 The guitar is rare enough, the logoplate all by its lonesome even moreso


1457 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $591 Very clean guitar and amp, a scuff to the sidewall and a little light edge wear, footswitch incl., cord retainer present

604 Harmony FTAC G $71  Clean, light edge wear front and back, some wear at headstock, stamped F-63


1472 Dano tube amp G $228 Round spkr. cutout, some corner wear, bottom front edge rough, red border panel with correct tremolo spelling, dusty inside, stock Jensen, handle looks good, powers up but otherwise untested

1449 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $515 Very clean guitar and amp, original owner


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only G $134 Edge wear, pickguard has a crack, headstock has two holes drilled in it

1476 Harmony SBEG F $100 Rough finish, (4) missing tuner ferrules, pickguard/pickups look good, some neck wear, tops of knobs painted with an 'S'



1420 Harmony HBEG G $275 Clean, neck pickup not working, some surface dings, logo strong, p/u selector tip missing, cracks around jack


1481 Dano tube amp VG $204 Very clean, round spkr. cutout, grille looks great, logoplate shows some rust, recently serviced, 3-prong AC mod

600 series Harmony FTAC w/ OC G $55 Clean, some edge wear, bridge is good, case rough



Looks like this neck probably came from a Kay-made 1410, went for $25. There's a dot marker missing, no nut, and (3) tuner ferrules missing.



9/18

It's always fun when somebody takes apart a Silvertone, because a)  it's not MY guitar or amp that 's being taken apart, and b) often you get to learn something new. That's the case with the 1481 amp leading off the small auction pack today. The amp is a really clean example of the very popular (and my first Silvertone amp acquisition) 1481. The seller replaced the hardboard (Masonite) baffle with a wooden one when he replaced the stock speaker. Look how the original baffle was constructed; out of TWO pieces of hardboard joined with staples stitch-style down the cut! This accomplished two things: it was easier to make the speaker cutout, and you could use end pieces and odd shapes to make the baffles. I've checked through my 1481 pictures and , sure enough, there are more than a few examples out there with this two-piece baffle. Also note the wooden stiffener stapled to the speaker side at the top. I love surprises!

1481 Dano tube amp VG $275 Very clean, square spkr. cutout on NS replacement wood baffle, NS Weber 8" speaker, stock tubes, tone knob missing insert, back panel missing, original baffle/spkr. incl.


660 Kay Classical w/ C G $43 Significant fingerboard wear, possibly the most-played classical Silvertone I've ever seen!


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only G $185 Edge wear, buckle rash on back, NS tuners

1484 Dano tube amp w/ cabinet VG $564 Very clean, minimal wear, rev/trem work, some extra decoration to the speaker grille... is that a French Curve from art class that they traced?


1455 Teisco MIJ HBEG w/ C VG $158  Clean, light edge/surface wear, whammy missing, cursive logo, NS knobs


1490 Teisco MIJ SBEG Bass VG $66 Clean, logo present, finger rest present, tailpiece cover missing, 6-bolt neck attach



9/17

Seldom-seen, modern in appearance, simply beautiful. That describes the Harmony-built 628 to a 't.' Offered from 1954-1958, I'm amazed we don't see more of this guitar on the market. Maybe they didn't sell so well, since the mid 50s style was definitely ruled by Hank Williams' and Elvis Presley's dreadnought Martin flattops; this one could have been a little too 'beatnik' for the tastes of the times.

628 Harmony FTAC VG $154 Clean, some wear to finsh, action a little high, crack in cutaway, probable neck re-set


694 Harmony FTAC G $133 Edge wear, logo worn, some finish flaking, esp. at binding interface, some checking


605 Harmony w/ OC 'Cowboy Case' G $81 Clean, some edge wear, stamped F-55, serial #1445H605


1465 Dano solid state amp only P $32 Very rusty, dent in front face, powers up, but output status unknown, covering looks OK


1485 Dano Tube Amp Schematic/Manual $6 Notes in pencil on front cover, slight tearing along folds at edge, yellowed with age


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar body $84 Pickup & electronics, neck bolts, tilt screw, finish looks good, some sidewall damage, no knobs or bridge, pots date 1376602, 2nd week of 1966


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar neck only $76 Edge wear, tuner ferrules present, no tuners, nut present, tilt screw base present, stamped #4046 (40th week of 1966), "CEM" scratched into side of neck pocket attach point



9/16

A low-key Wednesday, as usual, with a few domestics and  a few imports, little bit of this, little bit of that...

1485 Dano Tube Amp and cabinet G $995 Some grille discoloration, grille pulling away from upper corner, oxidation to front and rear panels, all six Jensens present, rev/trem functional, stock caster platform present, NS Sovtek tubes, 3-prong AC mod


1454 Harmony HBEG w/ OC  VG $700 Very clean, Bigsby looks great, finish shiny, light headstock wear


1440 Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $250 Clean, whammy missing, metal logo intact, one pickguard screw missing, slight finish check on back


26932 Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $258  This is the same as the 1445, but sold in Canada under a different model #. Clean, block logo, whammy bar present, 'swoop' headstock, pickguard chipped at treble horn


1457 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case VG $669 Very clean guitar and amp, light edge wear to headstock and pickguard, some scuffs to case covering, clasps & hinges and handle captures show rust, grille bezel has some oxidation

1421 Harmony HBEG VG $348  Clean, a few small dings/light edge wear, (1) bent tuner shaft, all tuner ferrules missing, bridge has been repaired at some point, stamped F-62 WN


1482 Dano tube amp G $238 Round speaker cutout, edge/corner wear

1482 Dano tube amp VG $399 Square speaker cutout, clean, light corner wear

1484 Dano tube amp head only VG $334 Very clean, knobs show some light wear, jack washers show some light rust, NS power cord (2-prong)


604 Harmony FTAC G $39  Edge/surface wear and dings, tuner shafts and plates look a little rusty



It's a Kay, and it's an f-hole... big surprise, huh? Stamped L9383. NS bridge, neck is loose, headstock has some extra 'flair.' Went for $72 with a case.


9/15

Baby, whaddaya want me to pay? Seems like about 8 bills for the refinished Kay-built Jimmy Reed Thin Twin that went for a best offer yesterday of $800, starting off today's cavalcade of guitars (and one amp and ukulele). Let's go!

1381/1369 Kay SSEG MOD $800 BO Refinished blonde, scratches here and there, NS switch, NS pots, stock pickups & knobs, script only headstock,  jack repair, scratch & crack to pickguard


1427 Harmony SBEG w/ C VG $638 Some (common) side finish flaking, extra headstock adornment, NS Guild knobs, neck beginning to separate, previously owned by Frank Carillo


1436 Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $323 Whammy present, logotag present, a few minor dings


615 Harmony FTAC w/ OC P $15 Top bass side cracked from edge to edge, neck separating, back pulling away, strap button missing, logo looks good, tuners intact

1207 Harmony FTAC VG $21  Clean, minimal wear, space dot logo a bit rough. Unusual guitar; slotted head , parlor-size body


1413 Kay SBEG VG $356 Clean, a little edge wear on bass side, logo strong, screenprint to pickup and tailpiece show minimal wear


1452 Dano SBEG guitar only G $410  Whammy present, a few dings, some edge wear, logo strong, all stock,


856 Harmony Baritone Ukulele VG $150 Clean, minimal wear, tuners look great, mahogany very nice


1485 Dano Tube Amp only MOD/G $400 Some edge wear to covering, looks like some extra plugs modded to the back panel




As usual, it's an f-hole acoustic that shall remain nameless, mainly because the buyer gave no serial or other number info on the item. The broad headstock top means it's probably a Kay, and that's about all I've got. Neck is separating. Went for $121 with what looks to be its original case.



9/14

A GIGANTIC weekend, with some rarities, some run-on-the-mill, but all great Silvertone fun!

603 Harmony FTAC VG $123 Very light edge wear, all stock. Exceedingly rare and in great shape, this guitar features the unusual yellow screenprint logo


1419 Dano SSEG VG $400 Clean, minimal wear, logo present, high E tuner shaft NS, NS knobs, tone knob has no effect


1437 Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $332 Rare butterscotch color, logo tag missing, whammy present, a ding or two


1411 Kay SBEG  $243 Blue finish, with a funky pearl pickguard. Now, I've never seen a blue 1411, and the catalog never listed one. The knobs are not similar to the 1411 knobs in the 1967 catalog, the pickguard and pickup also don't match catalog illustrations or description. The blotted out logo is oriented differently that any "paddle-head" guitar I've seen. The places where the blue finish is worn away shows no red undercoat, and both the neck and body have mellowed in color slightly differently. So, super-rare guitar, not a Silvertone at all, or refinished rocker. You call it.


1478 Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG $284  Whammy present, some edge wear, couple of small dings, toggle switch scratchy


1434 Dano tube amp MOD $650 Recovered in blond, NS amp stand, NS handle, some NS tubes


1457 Dano SSEG guitar only G $355 Neck wear, some edge wear, some rust to most screws

1471 Dano tube amp G $173  Round spkr. cutout, logoplate missing, wear and tear to covering, all stock, handle worn, grille nice, back panel in place


1427 Harmony SBEG w/ C VG $610 Major finish flaking to sides (seems to be common on this model), front and back look clean, all stock, logo present, stamped S-61, so this is the last of this model run


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case G $407 Very clean guitar and amp, light edge wear to both,  amp lights up but nothing but static

1449 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $600 Very clean guitar and amp, all stock, strip tuners, some corner wear to amp

1451 Dano SBEG guitar only G $178 'Thick script' logo, missing tone knob, NS volume knob

856 Harmony Ukelele w/ OC VG $71 Very clean, only one string left, but you're gonna restring it anyway, right?


615 Harmony FTAC w/ OC F $36 Clean, normal wear, logo strong, looks like a neck repair occurred at some point


1448 Dano SSEG pickguard $40 NS knobs, pots date to 1962, second pic enhanced to bring out pot code of 1376225


1481 Dano tube amp VG $269 Square spkr. cutout, clean, light edge/corner wear, back panel present, volume knob insert missing

1481 Dano tube amp VG $195 Square spkr. cutout, front looks great, back chassis oxidized, back panel dirty, knob inserts dirty

1455 Teisco MIJ HBEG G $220  Clean, light edge/surface wear, whammy missing, cursive logo


1478 Harmony SBEG w/ OC G $208  Whammy disassembled, screws rusty, logo nearly worn away, some finish flaking, (2) tuner shafts and (2) ferrules missing


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only VG $252 Minimal wear, knob inserts dirty, early transitional guitar; triangle knob inserts, guitar has strip tuners, two bolt neck and narrow attach pier, offset strap button

1434 Dano tube amp VG $350 Light edge wear, couple of grille stains, rust to xformer, a few dings to cover, (1) NS knob, handle in great shape


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case G $305 Clean guitar, amp a bit rough, extra speaker wired in, break in case near corner of speaker opening



1476 Harmony SBEG VG $162 Clean, some edge wear, looks like a couple of fretboard inlays missing


1482 Dano tube amp G $225 Square speaker cutout, corner/edge wear, back panel present, oxidation to front panel, tremolo knobs seem 'locked up' according to seller



Looks like a couple of  Kay-made banjos, judging from the scalloped headstock. Possibly an early 60s 804 model. 4-string, resonator back. Odd that the second on with no bridge and no nut would go for more than the first one listed.
That's an auction for ya!
$51
$60

9/11

OK, a little bit of time for a breather... it's been an active 'back to school' season so far, and it looks like it's gonna keep rockin'! Today, we've got a handful of Harmony solidbody electrics, one of the best MIJ amp in guitar 1487s I've seen, and a seldom-seen Dano-made Silvertone amp with one of the funkiest color schemes ever!

1342 Dano tube amp F $227 Rough exterior, some screws missing from chassis, logo worn away on grille, black (possibly NS) chicken-heads, handle in better than expected shape, untested


1487 MIJ SBEG VG $514 Tested, onboard amp works, one small ding on headstock, all covers present, missing "Silver Tone" emblem, original Silvertone strap and gig bag incl.


1302 Dano SSEG w/ C G $380 Light wear to edge and surface, volume pot scratchy, one pickup height adjusting screw missing


1452 Dano SBEG guitar only G $399   Finish checking/flaking, light wear/dings,  whammy present, logo strong, tone knobs iffy, extra fret/neck extension added (?!)


1478 Harmony SBEG VG $302  Whammy missing, chrome shiny, one  'gravel grind' to finish near selector switch, overall nice, logo strong


1478 Harmony SBEG w/ C VG $400  Whammy present, wear to logo, finish nice, truss rob cover chipped at top


1479 Harmony SBEG w/OC VG $500  Clean, whammy missing, a ding or two; looks like a 1477, but with gold foil pickup inserts, non-catalog number on headstock


600 series Harmony FTAC w/ C F $49 Clean, NS tuners, logo worn


1420 Harmony HBEG MOD $123 Refinished in brown (natural neck), NS bridge, no logo


1482 Dano tube amp VG $280 Round speaker cutout, clean, grille looks great, vintage 'bullet' mic incl.




I have this one in my Silvertone World folders as 'Blond Kay.' Unusual maroon logo, blond finish. This one's in good shape, and went for $153 with a case.


 Definitely Kay-made, probably a 688. Serial numbers inside L440-6889, went for $135.


9/9

Back to school with a vengeance! It's taken me 'til today to dig out from the Labor Day weekend sales! Whew! A lot of great items (a slew of 1448s and 1457s!!!), all going for some pretty solid prices.

1457 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case E $840 Very clean guitar and amp, minimal wear, schematic & manual incl., footswitch incl., very light scuff on case covering, amp is super clean inside


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and 1451 tube amp in case VG $445 Clean, early transitional guitar, two-bolt neck, offsxet strap button, strip tuners, knob inserts missing, amp looks good, scratchy pots, footswitch incl.

1455 Teisco MIJ HBEG G $163  Whammy missing, cursive logo, buckle rash


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case G $480 Clean guitar and amp, light edge wear to both,  amp lights up but no sound

 1214 Harmony FTAC F $20  Veneer peeling from bass side of headstock


1484 Dano tube amp head only G $356 All knobs missing inserts, oxidation to rear chassis


1464 Dano Solid State amp only VG $339 Very clean, footswitch included


14XX 50s Era Series Amplifier Emblem $40

1460 Teisco HBEG w/ OC VG $357 Clean, one surface scratch near bridge, whammy bar present, logo present



1472 Dano tube amp G $205 Square spkr. cutout, light wear, missing back panel, red border panel with correct tremolo spelling, no footswitch, looks like a few white paint specks/overspray

1423 Harmony SSEG body only $99 No electronics or hardware, some buckle rash,


1457 Dano SSEG guitar only w/ C VG $429 Clean guitar, very light edge wear and a few dings

1212 Harmony FTAC w/ OC VG $200 Light edge wear, otherwise clean, mistakenly ID'd as a 1964 vintage


1420 Harmony HBEG w/ OC VG $675 Some edge wear to headstock, otherwise very clean


1457 Dano SSEG with tube amp in case E $798 Very clean guitar and amp, minimal wear, footswitch incl., comes with original cord and cord retainer

1413 Kay SBEG G $178 Signed by Randy Bachman (of The Guess Who and BTO), E tuner bent, dings and surface wear, pickup and tailpiece cover silkscreen worn


1484 Dano tube amp only G $181 Some corner wear, light oxidation to front panel, non-functional; lights up, no sound

1445 Kay SSEG VG $302 Some surface wear, bent G tuner, 3" of binding missing from treble side bottom of fingerboard, light rust to tuner housings, 2 of 5 knobs look painted



1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC VG $489 Clean, aluminum access panel, logo present


1410 Teisco MIJ SBEG G $90 Whammy missing, some edge wear/dings, logo strong

1460 Teisco HBEG F $100 Missing electronics, 'Space Dot' logo, surface wear

621 Harmony FTAC w/ C  VG $42 Clean, some wear, serial #3965H621 

2574 Oscar Schmidt Autoharp $21  Crack on back, hold tune, missing endpin cover


698 EKO FTAC G $12  Refinished on front


1457 Dano SSEG guitar only F $129 No pickups/electronics, refinished black,  logo preserved, big ding on bass lower bout, NS tuners


1423 Harmony SSEG VG $522 Clean, some edge wear, metal logo intact

1478 Harmony SBEG VG $299 Whammy present, some edge wear


1482 Dano tube amp VG $333 Clean, round speaker cutout, back panel present

1457 Dano SSEG guitar only G $243 Plenty of wear, NS bridge, NS knobs, original jack filled, NS side jack, NS switch, logo worn, scratches on back of headstock


1463 Dano solid state amp only $48 Very clean, functional

750 Kay Mandolin $51  Clean, neck separating, tuner buttons deteriorating, wind chime logo


660 Kay Classical w/ OC VG $41  Very clean, neck separating, case looks great


1317 Harmony HBEG F $150 No pickups or electronics, tuner button s deteriorated, surface scratches, nice flame to back, back separating from sides at bottom

1455 Teisco MIJ HBEG G $200  Whammy missing, some screws missing, scratchy pots

1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $735 Clean, minimal wear. Late transitional setup; line knob insert on amp & guitar, guitar has strip tuners, three bolt neck, ampcase very clean, inside amp chassis has some edge wear original cord incl.

1420 Harmony HBEG w/ OC VG $400 Playing wear to neck and a few nicks here and there, but for the most part, a very clean guitar

1448 Dano SSEG guitar body only F $65 No pickup, no knobs, no neck


1446 Harmony HBEG w/ C F $264 No pickups/electronics or tuners, handpainted logo, body looks good, edge wear


1448 Dano amp in case only F $84 Non-functional, speaker has rip, chassis has edge piece broken off, grille discolored, pots date to 1964

1448 Dano  tube amp MOD $85 Custom case, NS speaker


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $475 Clean, minimal wear. Early transitional setup; triangle knob insert on amp & guitar, guitar has strip tuners, two bolt neck and narrow attach pier, offset strap button


1484 Dano tube footswitch only G $115


604 Harmony FTAC G $20  Clean, needs neck reset



Looks like this may be a Kay-made banjo, judging from the scalloped head. Possibly an early 60s 804 model. 4-string, resonator back. Went for $26.


This f-hole archtop is probably a Harmony-built model. Went for $90 with a case.



9/4

Things picking up for the holiday weekend... Some nice items going under the gavel, and a mystery...

Here's the mystery: It's a simple flattop acoustic, but with a logo and bridge setup and three piece back design I've never seen before on a Silvertone. Fake? Early Samick? Sold for $34 with a TKL case.


1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC VG $382 Light edge wear and playing wear to neck, swoop neck but a circular access panel, Vintage Dano strings incl., logo present, seller is son of original owner, in storage since 1973


2574 Oscar Schmidt Autoharp w/ OC $22  Disassembled


The next items were sold as a pair:
1420 Harmony HBEG / 1432 Dano tube amp G $500 Minimal wear to guitar, amp has some cover peeling and handle is broken, some grille staining


802 Banjo G $55  5-string w/ resonator, scratches, dings, tarnish to metal, no bridge, dirty head


1331 Dano tube amp G $310  Alligator and tweed showing some wear, back panel missing, loud hum

1448 Dano  SSEG guitar only F $153 Plenty of wear and scratches, 'bubbling' to finish, missing knobs and bridge saddle, electronics untested, late era triangle neck plate


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case VG $549 Clean, very light edge wear, rip to sidewall by jack. Early transitional setup; guitar has strip tuners, but a three bolt neck and line knob inserts

1457 Dano SSEG pickguard / VT network $39 Clean, guard itself painted white, stock knobs painted black, pot code reads 1376436, indicating a build date of 1964



F-hole acoustic. Appears to be 60s era. VG w/ C $266



9/3

1487 Teisco Amp on board only $46 Amp untested, no pickup, knobs missing


1433 Dano tube amp G $400 Some wear to handle and covering corner, back panel present, 3 prong AC mod, NS tubes, schematic intact


1484 Dano tube amp w/ cabinet VG $650 Clean, minimal wear, 3-prong AC mod

9/2

Here's an interesting start to our pricing season, two of Sears most popular Dano-built amplifiers with some end user modifications, one to make it a little more portable, and one to make it a little more permanent.

1448 Dano  tube amp MOD $NS Custom case, NS speaker Sold for $85 on 9/8

1457 Dano tube amp MOD $89 Used to be mounted in a wall, rust to panel and xformer


1483 Dano tube amp only F $94 Rusty, (12) knob missing, power light come 1482 Dano tube amp VG $375 Square speaker cutout, clean, minimal wear, back panel has some scuffs, 3-prong AC mod

1838 Oscar Schmidt Autoharp G $39 Dusty, two strings gone

602 Harmony FTAC G $63 Edge wear, a few dings, rusty tuner plates

1483 Speaker cabinet F $99 Ripped covering, wear and tear, back panel missing

1482 Dano tube amp VG $375 Square speaker cutout, clean, minimal wear, footswitch incl.

26932 Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $350  This is the same as the 1445, but sold in Canada under a different model #. Clean, block logo , whammy bar present, block logo, 'swoop' headstock


1448 Dano  SSEG guitar and tube amp in case G $515 Minimal wear, dirty knob inserts, 'skate key' tuners, 3-bolt neck



Here's something I'm going to do that's new: If I can't ID a guitar or amp, I'll list it at the end of the day's auctions under UNKNOWN and give my best guess as to its model designation and manufacturer. Usually this will be an f-hole model acoustic, as they can be nearly impossible to ID without knowing any markings or other identifying marks.

F-hole acoustic. Appears to be 60s era, possibly a 619 made by Kay. VG w/ C $209


F-hole acoustic. Seller ID'd as a 1932 guitar which is not possible. Looks more like a 40s era 700 model. 'Wind chime' logo, some finish issues near f-hole. G $134.


9/1

Where did that Summer GO, exactly? Here we are in the 'back to business' month of September already, and so we'll be getting back to the daily pricing of Silvertone items, getting some new pages going, and generally just 'doing the do' that we do here in Silvertone World. I'll leave the Summer recap up for a few days in case you haven't checked out the items that I highlighted during June, July and August. There's some pretty cool stuff; check it out.