Rainsong WS1000 pricing

DavidSZ · #1 07-07-2016, 02:35 AM

Hello all,

I am posting here hoping for some helpful advice. Honestly I am pretty amateur at the guitar game, but have a RainSong W1000, concert series, a prototype made at the Hawaiian factory (before they moved continental). I think I could find the paperwork for it as well.

She is a great guitar which was a gift many years ago, but I am looking to sell her to help fund travel. The problem is that I am in the Middle East and haven't been able to find a buyer where I am. My questions are: 1. What is the best way to go about selling this guitar online or otherwise? and 2. I have seen some guitars and comparative pricing online, but will the fact that it is a prototype affect the value of the guitar? Is there a demand for this type of guitar?

Any information hereto would be much appreciated. Thank you.

Godfather · #2 07-07-2016, 05:42 AM

Perhaps you could contact Dave at Rain Song to see if he would like the "prototype"

800-788-5828

[email protected]

DavidSZ · #3 07-07-2016, 07:18 AM

Thanks, I will do that. I don't know what a prototype is, but the fellow who had it before me said it was the of the first ones they built.

Earl49 · #4 07-07-2016, 09:50 AM

An early prototype would be interesting, and the WS-1000 is one their most popular models. I remember that the local store up in Anchorage, Alaska had an early Maui-built one, but it sat for years with a $3500 price tag (I would have bought it myself at a better price). Eventually RS figured out how to build them at much a lower price point, and they started really catching on. The early ones had unidirectional CF tops which added to the build cost, whereas the actual production models have the woven fabric top. Ironically, RS now also builds with the unidirectional top again, giving some added warmth to the tone. I have a WS-1000 built in Hawaii in early 2001, before they moved mainland.

I see regular WS-1000's used on Craigslist and other ad services for US $1000-1300, but rarely above and almost never below that range. I don't know if being a prototype would help or hurt the value significantly. Mine will never be for sale, except by my estate when I'm gone. It is the one guitar that I would grab on the way out the door if the house were on fire.

Contacting RS directly as suggested would be interesting. They just might want to acquire an old prototype to have on hand for reference. Otherwise, your best bet for selling would be to upgrade to charter member here at AGF and post a classified ad with good photos. That way you are reaching a target-rich market. Some action measurements (neck relief, string heights at 12th fret, etc) are recommended, and find that paperwork, as it would be helpful too.

Your location might be somewhat of a barrier, as shipping a guitar from the Middle East to anywhere will not be cheap. Knowing your specific location would be helpful too. At least a Rainsong can survive shipping better than a wood guitar. Good luck with your sale.

Acousticado · #5 07-07-2016, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Earl49

...your best bet for selling would be to upgrade to charter member here at AGF and post a classified ad with good photos.

I agree, plus, create a user signature block (under User CP) and add the guitar for sale so it is seen whenever you post.

DavidSZ · #6 07-07-2016, 10:48 AM

Thank you so much for your response Earl. Most likely I will follow your advice. Sorry if dumb question but could I ask what you mean by "unidirectional CF tops" ? Do you mean that the lines on the front of the guitar go straight? Here is what mine looks like. Also the headstock has no label on it. I'm turning my house over trying to find the paperwork but no success yet.

Earl49 · #7 07-07-2016, 11:02 AM

David, your is woven fabric. Unidirectional (non-woven) CF is shown in the photos of the concert series CO-WS-1000 here: www.rainsong.com/concert/ws6.html
Click on "view images" to see them larger.

Acousticado · #8 07-07-2016, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidSZ

Thank you so much for your response Earl. Most likely I will follow your advice. Sorry if dumb question but could I ask what you mean by "unidirectional CF tops" ? Do you mean that the lines on the front of the guitar go straight? Here is what mine looks like. Also the headstock has no label on it. I'm turning my house over trying to find the paperwork but no success yet.

I'm not overly knowledgeable about RainSongs, but I do believe that the straight lines indicate a unidirectional top. My real point in responding is that I can't say that I've ever seen the RainSong name inlay on the fretboard. Perhaps this is why there is no label/inlay/branding on the headstock. How unique is this? Do you have a pic of the headstock?

Earl49 · #9 07-07-2016, 11:09 AM

I've seen a few of the really early ones that had the logo inlaid on the fret board at the 12th fret like that, but most have a larger logo on the peg head.

This is definitely a woven fabric top. They take great care in making the weave line up in a pleasing way, especially on the top. Unidirectional tops look much smoother.

A shot of that interior label would be helpful. FYI this would have the so-called N1 neck, which some find desirable compared to the new and chunkier N2 neck with a truss rod. I would add that to your description when you post an ad.

DavidSZ · #10 07-07-2016, 11:44 AM

Thanks so much both of yall. I'm not by the guitar now but here is a picture where you can (kind of...not really) make out the headstock. It is straight black, no carbonfiber pattern or logo, and also a kind of fuzzy picture of the interior label. I really should just try and call the fellow at RS and try and find more out so I can make a better ad. Any further observations would be helpful and honesty is much appreciated. Thinking of asking about $1600 for it.

gfa · #11 07-07-2016, 01:38 PM

David - Just some random info, hopefully helpful. 1) Your location in the middle east is, in one way, a great place to sell this guitar. Carbon Fiber guitars don't care one whit about the low humidity and are nearly impervious to high heat. 2) Sell locally if at all possible, so as to avoid the shipping costs (which I imagine could be very high shipping from your location to the western world). 3) The straight lines on the top do not indicate unidirectional CF.

Good luck.

Godfather · #12 07-07-2016, 01:48 PM

Look at the RainSong website to see what the unidirectional top looks like. It appears to be smooth with very fine straight grain lines (almost like woodgrain but all the same color) running the length of the top.