Mom's Old Guitar, Information Anyone?

cw1049 · #1 02-15-2014, 01:29 PM

]This is Mom's old, all original jumbo size, archtop Silvertone Guitar. My pappaw bought it for her to learn to play she remembers somewhere around 1959 or 1960 when she was a little girl. My neighbor says it has curley maple back and sides, cedar top, big pearl inlay in the neck, and pearl and brass keys. The pick guard and strings are original. The numbers on it are L3142 8915.

Mom is wondering about the value of this guitar. By the way, she never did learn to play it. Anyone have any information on it?

I think this picture link should work now. Thank you Mr. Burns.

[email protected]

Tony Burns · #2 02-15-2014, 01:37 PM

youd have to post a picture -silvertone's typically were plywood and were painted to look like fancy maple - tuners are typically plastic ( look like pearl or bone ) and pearl inlay dots are typical to that make- thou many had plastic inlays . Their not an exspensive guitar -hard to give you a average price without seeing it -maybe the Acoustic guitar price guide ( mine is buried at the moment ) most of them also have a paper case -

Im not saying yours isnt a maple back and sides ( maybe even birch )- a picture would nail that down . most inexperienced people call the wood nice -and they dont know much about wood.

Many of them have a great tone to them -many need the frets dressed to aveviate the sharp edges ( from age -wood shrinking ) I like Archtops because even if the action is a bit high those bridges can be lowered easily .
Most of those silvertones were made by Harmony - and the company Kay gets tossed in here sometimes ( but im not positive about Kay making Silvertone's - but it wouldn't surprise me !)

cw1049 · #3 02-15-2014, 02:06 PM

Thank you for your reply. I am having a terrible time trying to get something posted to show some pictures. She does remember a very cheap type case being with the guitar as you have described.

zombywoof · #4 02-15-2014, 02:23 PM

Kay made quite a few Silvertone models and that is a Kay model/serial number.

Tony Done · #5 02-15-2014, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cw1049

Thank you for your reply. I am having a terrible time trying to get something posted to show some pictures. She does remember a very cheap type case being with the guitar as you have described.

You have to post the pic to somewhere like Flickr first, then open it and re-size it or similar in that site so that you get a "*.jpg" URL. Then copy the image location and paste it using the little mountain icon above the message pane.

cw1049 · #6 02-15-2014, 02:34 PM

Thank you. I will be working on my pictures.

zombywoof · #7 02-15-2014, 02:35 PM

You might go over to the Silvertone World site and try and match the guitar to one pictured in the catalogs.

As a rule of thumb though the Kay-made Silvertones are not worth much. The only models that are really sought after are the jumbos.

cw1049 · #8 02-15-2014, 03:12 PM

Thank you. There are pictures now. Sorry for the delay.

zombywoof · #9 02-15-2014, 05:37 PM

The links do not work for me.

I am curious as I have never seen a Kay/Silvertone archtop with a cedar top. Every one I have ever run across had a spruce top which is what I am guessing is on your Mom's guitar.

cw1049 · #10 02-15-2014, 06:04 PM

Did you try the ones where there are 6 pics? I have tried several ways and this is the one that worked. I went back and tried it without logging in and it worked. I right clicked on each one and then clicked on copy in another tab.

cw1049 · #11 02-15-2014, 06:15 PM

I just sent you the pics on your email. Thanks.

Scootch · #12 02-15-2014, 06:23 PM

If you right click on the images they will open in Flickr.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/1176770...n/photostream/

It's a nice looking guitar, isn't it?

Tony Burns · #13 02-15-2014, 07:09 PM

The back does look like Maple - the tuners appear to be klusons -
it is a beautful instrument -betcha is worth more than i though -
wasnt sure about it being a kay or not - but it does look like one.
beautiful instrument in every way !

zombywoof · #14 02-15-2014, 08:14 PM

The guitar looks to be a Kay-made Silvertone 642. Basically a Kay-11B. There was also a Gagliano-badged version. Spruce top and curly maple back and sides. The inlays are, of course, imitation MOP. These were available in the Sears catalog from 1958 to 1960 so fit right in when your Mother got it.

In the day, the 8900 series Kay archtops were a close to the top of the Kay-line instrument. Value should actually be pretty good assuming the neck is not inky. I saw a K-11 sell last year for around $800. Stores will often ask more - in the $1200 + range. Don't know if they actually get that much for them but they do try.