Official Luthiers Forum!

I'm interested in getting a ballpark appraisal for a 1973 Martin D-35. It is in perfectly pristine condition. It sounds like a cannon and plays like butter.

Does anyone have a Blue book price or any sense of what the guitar is worth? TIA

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

http://www.gruhn.com/appraise.html

If you decide to get a formal appraisal, you could check above.

the book is calling for 900 to 1200

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John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

the book is calling for 900 to 1200

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

Values on '70's Martins were starting to come up some until the economy tanked.......but for now I suspect "the book" is pretty close. Occasionally you'll run across an early 70's D35 where the center piece of the back is Braz. I suspect these are worth more.

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I didn't mean to say it, but I meant what I said.
http://www.brackettinstruments.com/

Thanks for the info. How do D-28 and D-18 prices compare from the same era?

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

The best way to know how much buyers are willing to pay for a vintage guitar is to do a search for completed items on eBay.
IME a '70s D-35 or 28 sells for much more money than suggested. Depending on the condition, between $1,300 and over $2,000. A D-18 always sells for a bit less, probably no less than $800 and no more than $1,500. A '60s D-18 with Braz bridge and fretboard will command much more.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

Thanks, Laurent. Your range appears to be more accurate.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

JJ --

One thing to watch for on a 70's Martin is bridge placement. Many have inadequate compensation and require replacement with an "oversize saddle back" bridge. I think the '73 should be in the range of years when this was a problem.

Good reminder, Rick. I checked this out already and it appears that any compensation corrections were able to be handled within the current saddle dimensions. Mario informed us about this issue a few years ago. He explained that Martin's neck placement jigs wore out to the point that it rendered the bridge placement well beyond the ability to correct by compensating the saddle. The problem apparently went undetected for years. At any rate, it appears that this guitar's bridge was located with a jig that was still in spec.

Another defect at the time was that the pick guards curled and caused the bodies to crack. Apparently, the PGs were installed onto bare wood, before being nitro finished. It caused differential expansion and contraction resulting in spruce cracking near the PG. This guitar had this corrected and the PG installed over nitro. It also had a neck reset about 8 years ago.

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JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

A lot depends whether you are buying or selling. Or buying to be selling. One caveat with Ebay prices is that people are usually buying without playing and so may not be willing to pay as much. The flip side of that is that some people get carried away by the auction format.
If you feel the guitar is in Pristine condition, it should bring top money. Now you just need to find a buyer willing to pay that.

I have only seen one 70's misplaced bridge but they are out there . You have a good bit of information to think over JJ . I will say that the prices to seem to be climbing back up. Last year a 60's D18 was in the 2000 range and now it is up to the high 2's so if you see something grab it if the price is good.
Also as Todd points out the neck reset is a condition issue also look close to see if the fretboard was cut to accommodate a neck reset . This was a common practice at one time . Another is shaved bridges . Other than that happy hunting .

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it