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  #1  
Old 05-13-2021, 02:21 PM
slidestonowhere slidestonowhere is offline
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Default 1983 Martin D-41 - fair price?

https://reverb.com/item/38299407-198...stalled-pickup

It looks to be in quite good condition and comes with the original case.. It was re-fretted at the Martin factory and a pickup was put into it (also at the factory). Do those reduce (increase?) the value?

It looks like the average prices of D41's on Reverb have been much lower than this:
https://reverb.com/p/martin-d-41-1969-1992#price-guide

Would appreciate any buyer tips as well as suggestions on the price.

Last edited by slidestonowhere; 05-13-2021 at 02:30 PM.
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Old 05-13-2021, 02:29 PM
TOPDOGJIM TOPDOGJIM is offline
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There’s a like new one, 2017 Sunburst for less than that on Facebook. Plus no tax. That’s high priced for sure. Keep shopping.
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  #3  
Old 05-13-2021, 02:31 PM
slidestonowhere slidestonowhere is offline
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Thank you for your reply. I would prefer get a vintage one where the wood has set and where it has old life to it. And aren't the vintage ones typically worth more than the new ones?
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Old 05-13-2021, 03:25 PM
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Vintage means different things to different people. The word is abused, IMO.

Plus, you don't know a guitar's condition until you or someone you trust can take a very close look, and assess. A "vintage" (let's say really old) instrument could be in very rough shape, which means a lot of repair work needed.

People do sell/buy guitars that are in rough shape all the time but the price paid will reflect work that's needed to make it playable; or more playable as it were.

And some (most?) people will always prefer a newer guitar. I don't think one can generalize across the population of potential guitar buyers there.
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Old 05-13-2021, 03:43 PM
pagedr pagedr is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by birdsong View Post
Vintage means different things to different people. The word is abused, IMO.

Plus, you don't know a guitar's condition until you or someone you trust can take a very close look, and assess. A "vintage" (let's say really old) instrument could be in very rough shape, which means a lot of repair work needed.

People do sell/buy guitars that are in rough shape all the time but the price paid will reflect work that's needed to make it playable; or more playable as it were.

And some (most?) people will always prefer a newer guitar. I don't think one can generalize across the population of potential guitar buyers there.
Agreed with this, there are plenty of vintage guitars out there that are better (though that's obviously subjective in itself) than current guitars being made due to the materials used in building them, but the word is overused. With an 80s D-41, it's not like they were still using Brazilian Rosewood for the back and sides, nor is it like a 60s or earlier Martin where they were using hide glue, BR boards, or whatever else to make it a "better" build. So unless there's something I don't know about that makes an 80s D-41 special, you truly are just paying more because it's "vintage".
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Old 05-13-2021, 04:14 PM
tuner440 tuner440 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slidestonowhere View Post
https://reverb.com/item/38299407-198...stalled-pickup

It looks to be in quite good condition and comes with the original case.. It was re-fretted at the Martin factory and a pickup was put into it (also at the factory). Do those reduce (increase?) the value?

It looks like the average prices of D41's on Reverb have been much lower than this:
https://reverb.com/p/martin-d-41-1969-1992#price-guide

Would appreciate any buyer tips as well as suggestions on the price.
In my view, it's overpriced. I had a 1969 D-41 in much better condition than the one listed and it was appraised at about $2,500 seven years ago. Even if adjusted for inflation, I believe the asking price is still too high. Add to that, the very low saddle and you're talking an extra $500-800 for a neck reset which it most likely needs. If the guitar had Brazilian rosewood sides and back, then maybe the asking price would be more in line. Martin discontinued Brazilian rosewood for sides and back in 1969. My 1969 D-41 had Indian rosewood back and sides, although it had Brazilian on the headstock overlay. Martin also used European spruce for tops of the D-41 and D-45 in 1969. This continued for a few years after, but by 1983 Martin used Englemann or Sitka tops.

Last edited by tuner440; 05-13-2021 at 04:30 PM.
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Old 05-13-2021, 05:15 PM
phavriluk phavriluk is offline
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Default A thought

I think buying 40-year-old guitars is like buying 40-year-old automobiles. There's any number of elements that aggregate as 'value'. And an amateur like me has no business being in that game, I'd wind up on the short end a whole lot of the time. I don't like to buy what I don't know.
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Old 05-13-2021, 05:41 PM
slidestonowhere slidestonowhere is offline
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Thank you for the replies - very helpful. I've got a '66 Gibson J50 that I love that I bought from a reliable store. I like the feeling of an old guitar that's been played a bunch.

Having said that, how are the newer Martins? Are the parts and the craftsmanship anything like they used to be? If so, I would consider getting a more recent d-41.

And agreed that the price for this D-41 seems high.
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Old 05-13-2021, 05:43 PM
slidestonowhere slidestonowhere is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tuner440 View Post
In my view, it's overpriced. I had a 1969 D-41 in much better condition than the one listed and it was appraised at about $2,500 seven years ago. Even if adjusted for inflation, I believe the asking price is still too high. Add to that, the very low saddle and you're talking an extra $500-800 for a neck reset which it most likely needs. If the guitar had Brazilian rosewood sides and back, then maybe the asking price would be more in line. Martin discontinued Brazilian rosewood for sides and back in 1969. My 1969 D-41 had Indian rosewood back and sides, although it had Brazilian on the headstock overlay. Martin also used European spruce for tops of the D-41 and D-45 in 1969. This continued for a few years after, but by 1983 Martin used Englemann or Sitka tops.
Good catch. I spoke with the store owner and he did say that the saddle is as low as you can get it.

Does the fact that it's been refretted (by Martin) lower the value?

And does the built-in pickup (also done by Martin) lower the value?
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Old 05-13-2021, 06:19 PM
pagedr pagedr is online now
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slidestonowhere View Post
Thank you for the replies - very helpful. I've got a '66 Gibson J50 that I love that I bought from a reliable store. I like the feeling of an old guitar that's been played a bunch.

Having said that, how are the newer Martins? Are the parts and the craftsmanship anything like they used to be? If so, I would consider getting a more recent d-41.

And agreed that the price for this D-41 seems high.
I get it, I love vintage guitars too. Most of my stable consists of guitars that were built well before I was born. I think the difference between a '66 J-50 and a 2020 J-50 is much greater than the difference between an 80s D-41 and 2020 D-41. IMO the Martins that are being built today are at least as good as anything you'd find in the 80s, if not better.

And to answer your other questions, I don't think a refret or PU installation decrease the value of the guitar. May actually increase it for some people who view the PU as a plus.
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Old 05-13-2021, 06:56 PM
TJN TJN is offline
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You may want to check out Maury's Music (an AGF sponsor). He has a new D-41 in stock and for sale for Price:$4,799.00. I've bought 2 Martins (including a D-41) from him and have been very happy with both purchases.
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  #12  
Old 05-13-2021, 07:09 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
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Just doing a few comps on Reverb - while it's a little on the high side it's not terribly out of line with similar instruments and, as you said, you're looking at 40-year-old wood of a quality you're not going to find in a new D-41...

Seller's open to offers; I'd pitch $3K and tell him that you both know it needs a neck reset (if he's smart he's probably got about $2K tied up in it, so he still makes a profit on the deal), get the reset job done, hang onto it and keep it as clean as possible - if the comps are any indication, I think you're going to see prices of CFM III-era Martins begin to take off in the not-too-distant future...
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Old 05-14-2021, 09:54 AM
Wengr Wengr is offline
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Seems high to me. I have a 1997 d41. Hand laid pearl, no reset ever done or needed. I'll be offering it here in the near future for a thousand less than this.
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  #14  
Old 05-16-2021, 03:17 PM
slidestonowhere slidestonowhere is offline
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How does this one look to you? It's a D-35, not a D-41, but looks like a pretty good deal.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/184826098189?ul_noapp=true

The seller wrote me this:
"This Martin has all original parts and tubing mechanisms. I am the first and only owner so assured there has be no polish over the original hardtop as well! The only un original part is the fish an tuner that was installed!

The tone is the real selling point on this guitar. Amazingly warm D-35 tone you can only get from an aged Martin.

The guitar has no structural issues, just wear from 47 years of playing. The neck is slightly bowed and if you want lower action could use a reset (my local luthier quoted me $175 for this but I like my strings a little higher so never got it done).
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Old 05-16-2021, 03:25 PM
egordon99 egordon99 is offline
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What the heck are "tubing mechanisms"????

I would run far far away from that guitar/seller.
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