Winter 2015, Pt. 2

3/18

Another rare lap steel, this one made by Harmony, available from the early-mid 1950s.

1315 Harmony Lap Steel w/ OC VG $163 Clean, light corner/surface wear, looks like some 'cord melt' on the back, some oxidation to bridge/pickup assembly, 'deco' logo strong, jack repair, fingerpicks and (2) bars incl.




This 1444 bass and the 1484 amp that follows it were on the Danelectro factory floor at the same time; 30th week of 1965.


1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC G <$550 Clean, some edge wear, logo worn and broken at 'S,' 'mother of necessity' tuner mod, neck stamp indicates Summer 1965 build



1484 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet <$650 Clean, some covering wear, rust dots to control face and jack nut washers, seller says 'speakers tested and working, amplifier is unresponsive,' cabinet stamp indicates Summer 1965



1482 Dano Tube amp VG $400 Some covering wear, NS footswitch, date stamping indicates late 1965 build, tremolo unmentioned


1333 Dano tube amp $190 Clean, wear all over, logoplate missing, grille has a ripple over speaker cutout, handle missing, rust to control face and jack nuts/washers, untested



1415 Dano SSEG G <$550 Clean, playing wear, logo intact but worn a bit and bent at 'S,' toggle switch needs some attention



604 Harmony FTAC VG $100 Clean, light wear, logo strong, light rust to tuner plates, stamped F-66


615 Harmony FTAC G $80 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo strong, fretboard worn



853 Harmony Ukulele G <$65 Needs a cleaning, surface/playing wear, logo strong, 'Genuine mahogany' sticker intact, some rust to tuner bushings




3/17

Sears Sold A Variety of lap steels. In fact, they were the first stringed instruments to receive the Silvertone name! The first time I saw an example of one of these 2331 models, I though it wishful thinking on a modder's part, and he put a nice Silvertone logo on a steel he had around. Later, I came across another one.. and another one... then I finally got hold of a Fall/Winter 1940 Sears catalog, and Eureka! There it was. And here this is; certainly the nicest example of this steel I've ever seen, complete with the original Geib case. Check out the knob escutcheons... they're re-purposed from an AM radio! Also, that colorful 'fretboard' design is certainly an eye-catcher. Indeed, this may be the fanciest lap steel Sears ever sold under the Silvertone name.

2331 Kay Lap Steel w/ OC E $304 Clean, minimal wear, logo design strong




Here's that Fall/Winter 1940 listing:


1454 Harmony HBEG w/ OC E $1025 Clean, minimal wear, logo intact, stamped F-60



1420 Harmony SSEG VG $385 Clean, logo strong, some picking wear above lead pickup, playing wear to neck, recently re-fretted




Well, here's an oddball. Cosmetically it's not too bad, but it's gonna need some TLC to get back to playing shape. But here's the oddness: I've seen many 1214 models over the years, most of them are blond, 'Space Dot' models, a select few match up to the 600 series models... but this one... at first glance you might think it to be a 6XX model, but those all had a snazzy inner-bound soundhole; it's one of the features I've always loved about those guitars. This 1214, while matching the 600 series in most respects, has a decal-decorated sound hole, and is internally stamped as H167! That's a lot of thought for a sixty-five dollar guitar, but it's the little things as well as the big ones that make Silvertone World such an interesting place. Theory: someone in the early 70s wanted a guitar as close to the old 600 series guitar as they could get, but the sunburst 600s had been out of production for a while. Harmony cobbled this one together from the closest body they had around. Who really knows, though?

1214 Harmony FTAC G $65 Clean, light wear, logo strong, neck and bridge lifting



OK, I can't resist just a little more 1214 info:

618 Kay FTAC $147 Clean, some wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, NS tuners, neck needs re-set



1204 Harmony FTAC G $67 Clean, logo strong, some wear/checking, high action


1456 Teisco MIJ HBEG E <$350 Clean, minimal wear, 'Space Dot' looks good, chrome shiny, whammy handle present, stamped S-72




Looks like it finally sold! This Kustom Kreation from the legendary George Barris (turn your speakers down before you hit that link) finally found an owner; it's been up and down on eBay for a couple of years now. Link to the finished auction for the full smash of close-up photos of this one-of-a-kind axe.

1429 Harmony HBEG MOD $1400 Well, just look at it! Serial #4802H1429, stamped F-59



1484 Dano tube amp only MOD $405 Clean, light wear, some rust dots to control face, fuse holder replaced by 2 AMP breaker on back, ground switch repurposed as 4/8 Ohm switch, 3-prong AC mod, reverb rewired, true stand-by operation mod, trem pot modded for extra control, inputs rewired for hi/lo



1484 Dano amp only VG $385 Clean, light wear, 1/4" jack sliced sloppily into speaker output line, rev/trem functional, no footswitch


1484 Dano speaker cabinet only G $299 Some covering wear, grille and logoplate look good, 1/4" jack added to NS back panel, cabinet stamping indicates early 1965 build



1484 Dano speaker cabinet only MOD $405 Clean, light wear, cabinet stamping indicates late 1966 build


1482 Dano Tube amp VG $410 Needs a cleaning, light wear, tremolo unmentioned, footswitch incl.



1481 Dano tube amp VG $240 Clean, light wear, grille and logoplate look good, wear to knob inserts, slight cabinet warping, needs some attention; seller says "It plays very mildly"



1481 Dano tube amp G <$295 Needs a cleaning, some grille staining, wear to control face, adhesive seep to knob inserts,


1464 Dano Solid State amp and speaker cabinet VG $429 Could use a cleaning, light wear, grille and logoplate on cab look good, 'Donald Johnson' and 'D.J.' scratched on control face, replacement Jensons, 3-prong AC mod, rev/trem functional, no footswitch


14XX Dano footswitch $105 Functional


1452 Dano SBEG only $270 Edge/surface wear, some flaking, logo strong, bottom four frets gone,  bridge, back trem cover, nut and tuners missing,



This guitar may have begun its life as a 1420... sold for $249.


1423 Harmony SSEG V/T network only $119 Clean, print strong, seller says "I bought this guitar in parts... I never heard this part work."

3/10

My, What Pretty Guitars You Have! Dynamite bunch of axes today, starting things off with this rare and oh-so-modern Harmony-built 628. Honestly, it's a pretty far-out guitar for the time it was offered ('54-'57).

628 Harmony FTAC G <$550 Clean, light wear, logo laminate in fine shape, high action: top has a little 'belly' to it, bridge just starting to pull up at corners, needs a neck re-set




These ampinguitar Teisco-built 1487s don't usually make it this far looking like this. Everything looks terrific from the chrome to the tuners. The amp seems to be making some noise, if not fully operational. This example is one of the very first of its kind to be sold in Sears stores (and only in the stores; these never appeared in any Sears catalog), as shown by the oval medallion on front proclaiming the model number (later examples would bear the block-printed "SILVER   TONE").

1487 Teisco MIJ SBEG with solid state ampinguitar E $395 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong (slight defect at second 'e'), seller says "There is some static coming out of the built in speaker when I plug a 9 volt battery into it, but the amp isn’t putting out like it should," rare early version with model number on front medallion




1488 Harmony SBEG w/ OC MOD $1050 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo strong, finish checking all over, truss rod cover broken at tip, NS Fender Jaguar switch cover plate, NS selector switches, NS bridge, pickguard dated July 1965



1477 Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG $338 Clean, light wear, logo strong, whammy handle present, pickguard chips top and bottom



1477 Harmony SBEG w/ OC G <$477 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo 'shamed,' wear at neck attach screws, some 'cord melt' to finish on back. Relisted from 2/10.


1413 Kay SBEG VG $300 Clean, light wear, logo strong, decorative design worn from tailpiece, NS pickup cover, NS bridge



1475 (Univox?) MIJ HBEG MOD $165 Clean, surface wear, 'block' logo seems to be alright (kinda hard to see!), whammy handle missing, NS pickups, NS knobs, rewired a bit



1481 Dano tube amp VG $256 Clean, light wear, grille looks good, wear to control face, rust to jack nuts



1481 Dano tube amp G $270 Needs a cleaning, wear and staining to covering, logoplate missing, scratchy pots, spliced AC cord, cabinet & speaker stamping indicate Spring 1964 build


1484 Dano tube amp only MOD $420 Clean, light wear, seller says "Works, but will certainly need the pots cleaned and caps done throughout, as well as a 3 prong grounded plug and speaker output if you choose to modernize it. The reverb has been unhooked and the tube pulled, though the reverb unit is still in place. 2 extra Sylvania 6L6 tubes with a good bit of life left, and 2 extra RCA 6CG7 with original boxes."



"Oh, this old thing? Just something I threw on..."

1484 Dano tube amp only $225 NS covering falling off, fuse holder missing, untested, plenty of rust



1391 Dano tube amp G $169 Clean, covering wear, some grille stains, NS knobs, handle worn



1256 Harmony Baritone Ukulele w/ OC E $150 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong



1454 Harmony HBEG body/neck $350 Logo strong, (1) fingerboard marker missing, truss rod cover cracked at tip


1457 Dano SSEG neck/tuners/nut $99 Nut loose, date stamped last week of 1966


 

3/9

Time To Amp It Up! Wow, this weekend saw a lot of amps go under the gavel... and we're gonna start off with a couple of oddballs.

First up, this 4707 organ amp (offered with the Kay-built 'Value Leader'-derived 1458 in 1961) was owned previously by Joe Bonamassa.

4707  Estey tube amp MOD $1046 Refinished, rewired



From the modifying technician, Bobby Getchell: "This is a 1960's Silvertone organ amp that was manufactured by the Estey Organ Company, who owned Magnatone at the time. The circuit has been modified to be a Magnatone M410, It has a 12AX7 preamp, 12DW7 vibrato, 5Y3 rectifier and a single 6v6gt driving a 12" oxford speaker. This amp, true to the Magnatones of the era, has super cool Phase Shift Vibrato!"

On to this very lovely model 238 extension amp:

238 UNK Tube Extension Speaker $158 Clean, powers on, otherwise untested



Now to some Silvertonium we all know and love!
 

1472 Dano tube amp  VG $445 Clean, light wear, red-border control panel with correct 'tremolo' spelling, tremolo functional, cab/speaker date stamp indicates late 1962 build



1482 Dano Tube amp VG $257 Clean, some cover wear, light grille staining, tremolo functional, no footswitch, back panel present (not pictured), date stamping indicates late 1963 build


1482 Dano Tube amp VG $302 Clean, some cover wear, paint residue on bottom, new output transformer, 3-prong AC mod, tremolo functional, no footswitch, new rubber feet, date stamping indicates mid-1965 build


1431 Sears solid state amp only G $56 Clean, light wear, functional, power transistor heat sink removed, any mention of "Sears" ham-handedly removed from label


Here's an unmolested example for comparison:


1420 Sears tube amp VG $110 Clean, light wear, re-capped, 3-prong AC mod


1484 Dano tube amp only MOD $400 Clean, light wear, some small dents to control face, 1/4" speaker jack added & labeled, convenience outlet removed, 3-prong AC mod, extra shielding added, NS tubes, NS footswitch, reverb tank and tube removed



1457 Dano ampincase assembly only $100 Tremolo non-functional


1445 Kay SSEG VG $451 Clean, light wear, logo shows wear, pickguard missing, recently re-fretted



1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase MOD $300 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS bridge & tailpiece, pickguard cut, grille pushed in at speaker, rust to clasps and handle captures, playing wear to neck, adhesive seep/dirt/wear, early version with oval-buttoned strip tuners, two-screw neck attach with no neck tilt



1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG $373 Clean, light wear, logo strong, buckle rash, some liner wear to amp, hole in amp panel, early version with oval-buttoned strip tuners, two-screw neck attach with no neck tilt



1457 Dano SSEG and tube ampincase VG <$550 Sidewalls could use a cleaning, light wear, logo strong, adhesive seep to amp knobs, tremolo functional



696 Kay FHAC VG $218 Clean, light wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, stamped H4



619 Kay FHAC MOD $179 Clean, light wear, pickguard missing, extra decoration to headstock, logo strong, NS tuners, NS bridge



619 Kay FHAC w/ C MOD $154 Clean, some edge wear/flaking, NS bridge, NS tuners, NS tailpiece, logo shows wear at 'S'



1240 Harmony FHAC VG $206 Clean, light wear, pickguard missing, prismatic 'Space Dot' looks good




3/6

Start Off Today with this wild 1300 mod. Looks like the modder tapped into the old ROLA field coil speaker for output to the new speaker.

1300 Valco tube amp MOD $499 Hand-built custom case, most caps replaced, orig. case incl.




Onto another restoration project; this completely rehabilitated 1352.

1352 Harmony HBEG w/ C MOD $996 Completely restored. I'll let the seller tell the tale: "Neck removed from body. Found crack in neck body cavity that was dowelled and glued. All glue removed from neck cavity and neck. All frets removed from neck, fingerboard planed flat and smooth. COMPLETE re-fret, level and polish. Neck re-installed in neck pocket, screw and pin under fret marker through neck for added rigidity. Internal stabilizing screw added inside body (neck block to neck). New Gibson style jazz tune-o-matic bridge installed and string slots filed. New nut and nut slots completed."




How about a rare coral and white 1358?

1358 Dano SSEG G $999 Clean, some surface wear (sticker residue? 'cord melt'?), light checking, logo strong, NS tuners, pickguard broken at treble horn, playing wear to neck



1449 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG $536 Clean, light wear, logo strong, 'cord keeper' present, date stamping indicates early 1963 build, orig. cord and footswitch included, tremolo unmentioned but seller says "all functions working as designed"



1457 Dano SSEG guitar only VG <$545 Clean, some edge wear, logo strong, case rub to sidewall lower treble bout



1442 Dano SBEG Bass w/ OC VG $565 Clean, minimal wear, some checking, logo intact, lamination shrinkage split on back near neck, small ding on bottom bass side edge



1457 Dano SSEG and tube ampincase VG $510 Clean, light wear, adhesive seep to amp knobs, small stress cracks to fretboard, logo strong, 'cord keeper' present, original footswitch incl., tremolo functional



1478 Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG $380 Clean, light wear, chrome shiny, logo strong, some edge flaking, some pickguard shrinkage, truss rod tip broken



1448 DanoTube ampincase only $101 Clean, some wear or possible water damage to bottom of case, tubes light up but no sound


1482 Dano Tube amp G $280 Needs a cleaning, (3) NS chicken heads, rust to speaker cage, back panel missing, top panel bowed, tremolo unmentioned, date stamping indicates mid-1966 build


1472 Dano tube amp  VG <$390 Clean, light wear, logo strong, grille looks good, red-border control face shows light oxidation, back panel missing, speaker re-coned, tremolo functional, cabinet stamping indicates late 1962 build


1483 Dano tube amp only MOD <$275 Needs a cleaning, covering wear and some rust to metal, NS xformer and multi-impedance output jacks added, 3-prong AC mod


1465 Dano Solid State amp and speaker cabinet VG <$400 Needs a cleaning, light wear, speaker cable cut, (3) knobs missing inserts, grille and logoplate look good, rev/trem unmentioned




621 Harmony FTAC G $128 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo strong, NS bridge, stamped F-64



606 Harmony FTAC w/ OC VG $25 Clean, light wear, light buckle/wall rash, some playing wear on treble side top, logo strong, seller says "neck has a little bow"



1211 Harmony FTAC F $110 Needs a cleaning, wear all over, some finish checking/flaking, rust to tuner plates,  'block' logo strong, top broken on treble lower bout, back shows some separation, two screws through neck heel



605 Harmony FTAC F $56 Finish checking and wear, 'deco' logo strong, back split, top split at top of soundhole, nut & bridge worn



661 Kay FTAC 4-string G <$150 Needs a cleaning, light wear all over, (1) tuner missing, logo strong, stamped L6755


14XX Dano footswitch $113 Cleaned and polished, functional


1457 Dano SSEG neck $41 Stripped, no hardware, logo gone, date stamping indicates March 1966 build

3/4

1458 Kay SSEG G $264 Clean, some edge,surface wear, logo strong, pickups covers show playing wear, NS bridge, screw cracks to pickguard repaired, NS tuners, lead pickup does not work



1446 Harmony HBEG VG <$1850 Clean, light wear, logo intact, stamped F-62, previously owned by Will Ray of the Hellecasters




Wow, what a mod on this 'Rebel!' Metal-flake red finish, pearloid pickguard and headstock decoration, new knobs and a metal Silvertone logo to top it all off.

1453 Harmony HBEG w/ C MOD $749 Refinished, custom pickguard, custom headstock work, NS knobs




Will someone please tell me what is that screw doing ahead of the bridge on a 1451?

1451 Dano SBEG with tube ampincase VG $448 Clean, light wear, logo strong, mark on pickguard by volume knob, some small dings to case covering




Talk about a project... this 1396 needs a lot of attention. Hey, at the least the 'V' logo is still there!

1396 Dano tube amp $209 Rough. No tubes, no speakers, control panel cut, logo emblem and 'two-twelve' chrome strip still present (!)



1430 Dano tube amp VG $300 Clean, light wear, logoplate looks good, light grille staining



1413 Teisco MIJ SBEG VG $305 Clean, light wear, prismatic 'Space Dot' looks good, whammy handle missing, finish checking

Starting off our archtops with this rare, beautiful all-mahogany Kay-built 656. Why didn't Kay stamped ALL their guitars with the Silvertone model number?

656 Kay FHAC w/ C VG $163 Clean, minimal wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, tuner buttons deteriorating, stamped L7663-656



710 Harmony FHAC VG $158 Clean, edge/surface wear, 'deco' logo strong, some fingerboard wear, stamped F-54



623 Harmony FHAC w/ OC G $147 Clean, edge/surface wear, back/side seam separation, logo strong, small crack on back near heel, strap button broken off, serial #277H623



623 Harmony FHAC w/ C VG $299 Clean, light wear, NS Harmony-branded pickguard, logo shows slight smudge at 'one'



604 Harmony FTAC w/ OC VG $168 Clean, light wear, logo strong, stamped S-61



604 Harmony FTAC F $24 Wear all over, logo strong, back has breaks/missing piece, fingerboard wear



605 Harmony FTAC w/ C VG $100 Clean, light wear, logo strong



1423 Harmony SSEG w/ C VG $720 Clean, light wear, logo missing, ding in binding near jack, pickguard labeling strong



1423 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $1195 Clean, light wear, logo intact, pickguard labeling strong



633  Harmony FTAC G $203 Clean, some edge/surface wear, finish checking, logo strong, some bent tuners, pickguard missing, neck needs reset; high action



1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG $457 Clean, light wear, logo strong on amp & guitar, NS speaker, pots/jack need some attention, volume knob missing insert, triangle insert knob on amp (!)



660 Kay FTAC Classical G <$95 Clean, light wear, some finish checking, fingerboard wear, inner label looks good, strap button broken off, some cord/strap melt on back




This next guitar brought to you by the International Consortium of Guitar Geeks Demanding Full Length Shots of Your Guitar (ICGGDFLSYG)...

1457 Dano SSEG and empty ampincase E $825 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, 'cord keeper' present, original cord & footswitch incl.





These next three guitars were sold at a live auction event over the weekend, both are from the estate collection of the late guitarist, collector, builder Kurt Linhof. Check that link out; some amazing guitars at some breathtaking prices.

1457 Dano SSEG and empty ampincase VG $600 Clean, light wear, logo strong, amp function unmentioned, sold as-is


1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC VG $750 Clean, light wear, logo intact



1420 Harmony SSEG VG $440 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS pickups




Bonus guitar from the Linhof auction: Silvertonian Roy Clark's '63 Jazzmaster went for $24,000!





In more special sales news, Rick Nielsen is thinning out his giant herd of guitars, and his logo-less Dano-built Silvertone 1444 bass recently went for $1800. Rick promises more to come.


1442 Dano SBEG Bass w/ C VG $410 Clean, light wear, a few dings, tailpiece over missing, logo worn and broken at 'S,' some chrome rub-off to bridge




This good-looking 1478 has an interesting feature: it has the roller bridge that the red and blue end-of-the-product-line 14781 and 14782 was spec'd with.

1478 Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG $459 Clean, light wear, logo strong, chrome shiny, whammy handle present, extra screw in pickguard between pickups, neck has brass shim, case has original 'seat belt'



1454 Harmony HBEG $565 Sold as project, Bigsby has crack at mount, edge/surface wear, logo strong, NS truss rod cover, bridge broken,  fretboard loose near body, pickguard missing, (1) knob missing, (1) switch tip missing, flaking to sides, pickups dated March 1964



619 Kay FHAC F $85 Clean, light wear, logo strong,  pickguard missing, NS strap button in heel, heel lifting, heel broken/repaired, binding missing/damaged, NS bridge



1484 Dano tube amp only E $510 Clean, minimal wear, 1/4" jack mod, 3-prong AC mod, one cap recently replaced



1484 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet $545 Looks good enough in limited photos, NS grille, rev/trem functional, no footswitch


1482 Dano Tube amp VG $399 Clean, light wear, some grille staining, tremolo unmentioned, no footswitch, cabinet stamping indicates late 1964 build


1482 Dano Tube amp MOD $150 Homemade cabinet, control face and amp chassis painted black, NS knobs, NS speaker, needs re-capping, tremolo unmentioned



1483 Dano tube amp only VG $425 Clean, light wear, 1/4" jack and 3-pronf AC plug-in mod


851 Harmony Ukulele G $25 Clean, some checking, slight back separation, logo and 'skier' stencil strong



1482  Dano footswitch <$99 Clean, functional


1436 Teisco MIJ SBEG body/neck $155


Arg! How did I miss this? It would have certainly gone into my permanent Silvertonium collection. It's an old printing block, just an inch long, used back in the day when you actually had to 'set' pieces of metal type to print something. Can't imagine why a newspaper would need it, it's entirely probable this was sourced from Sears' massive catalog printing operation. Boggles the mind to think that this little block was responsible for the Silvertone logo printing on millions of Sears catalogs. Sold for just $8.

 

2/27

RIP, Leonard Nimoy.



2/26
 

Boom-chicka-boom. The Man in Black, the late Johnny Cash was born this day back in 1932. His first sides for Sun Records defined a new sound that has crept its way in to country, rock, folk and Americana. A big part of that sound was the genius guitar work of Luther Perkins. This Silvertone 1300 was the amp Luther used to record seminal tunes like "I Walk The Line," "Folsom Prison Blues" and "Hey, Porter!"




2/25

George Harrison would have been 72 today. Here's the 'quiet' Beatle strummin' a Dano-built Silvertone 1449 in the kitchen with the Traveling Wilburys.



I noticed something unusual about the control panel of this 1331... Look at the tone knob, looks like it's mounted on a plate. Was the hole bored out too big or maybe the metal split, or the labeling was marred, so a Dano worked just cut a piece from another panel and glued it up? Reckon we could peel the small panel off, or dismount the pot and peek behind, but it'll just have to remain a curiosity.

1331 Dano tube amp VG <$500 Clean, edge wear to faux 'gator side, grille cloth replace, logoplate looks good, 3-prong AC mod, tech-maintained for 20 years, extra tubes incl.




Curious... this 1418 is labeled on the back as one of its Teisco counterparts, the EP8-T...

1418 Teisco MIJ HBEG G $203 Clean, light wear, some light checking, whammy handle present, wiring needs some attention, logo sticker torn. Relisted due to non-payment. Sold for $163.



Here's a Teisco Del Rey branded EP8-T offered by The Lawman about 5,000 serial numbers down the line for comparison.



A rare red 'Flat-O-Caster' 1437 with the logo screened on instead of the metal/epoxy tag.

1437 Teisco MIJ SBEG w/ C G $200 Clean, some scuff/wear, logo strong, whammy handle missing, some cracks in neck binding, seller says "all pickup switches and knobs work, will new a full fret job"



1445 Kay SSEG w/ OC VG $525 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS bridge, seller says 'action is a little high'



1304 Dano SSEG w/ C VG <$795 Clean, some edge wear, logo shows a little wear, light checking



1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC MOD $650 Refinished, surface wear & buckle rash, logo gone, NS knobs, NS cavity cover, NS neck attach, NS bridge, NS nut, NS pickup



1417 Kay SBEG VG $340 Clean, some edge wear, logo strong, pickup cover design strong, pots a bit scratchy. Relisted from earlier in month.



1448 Dano SSEG guitar only $160 Looks good enough in single photo provided, logo strong, knob inserts missing, sidewalls look removed or painted


641/1210 Harmony FTAC G $50 Needs a cleaning, edge/surface wear, logo strong, buckle rash, some rust to tailpiece and tuner plates



1485 Dano tube amp only VG $610 Clean, light wear, all tubes replaced, scratching to control face at channel two jack, jack nuts/washers show some rust,  tremolo functional, reverb 'very weak,' 3-prong AC mod



1481 Dano tube amp VG $170 Clean, light wear, small covering tear on bottom front


1430 Dano tube amp G $298 Clean, some edge wear, logoplate worn, NS knob, NS backplate



14XX  Dano footswitch $84



2/24

Well, Out The Window We're Seeing White...  it's snowing to beat the band here in central NC... but in Silvertone World, we're starting the day seeing red! Check out these beautiful pieces of Silvertonium! First up, we saw the yellow counterpart to this one a couple of days ago, and here's the red end-of-the-product-line 1477(2)!

1477(2) Harmony SBEG w/ C VG $1300 Clean, light wear, logo strong, whammy handle present, a little pitting to pickup covers




How about a beeeee-yoo-ti-ful 1488?

1488 Harmony SBEG w/ OC E $800 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, whammy handle present, screw crack in pickguard on upper bass side horn, original 'raincoat' incl., orig. case still has 'seat belt'




And I'll leave you today with this totally boss late '50s model 9002 Silvertone AM radio that went for $148 recently. That angled speaker grille just kills me! Love it!

2/23

When I First Started Silvertone World, and this auction log, I'd come across a lot of guitars I had to tag UNK, for 'model number unknown.' As my catalog database grew, fewer and fewer models remained a mystery. That's one of the reasons this Canadian-sold Simpson-Sears Silvertone is such a surprise. So, absent of the common '26XXX' S-S model number, and with very few Simpson-Sears catalogs to look at, this uniquely beautiful, unusual, asymmetrical Teisco-control-panel-ish hollowbody gets the 'UNK.' I wish they'd taken better pictures... maybe the buyer of this sweet axe will come across this post someday and get us some better photos and any helpful numbers that may be lurking inside this beauty.

UNK MIJ SBEG VG $115 Clean, light wear, logo intact, MIJ stick looks good, knobs could use a cleaning





Now, onto some well-know Silvertonium, like this beautiful 'Sovereign!'

633  Harmony FTAC VG $397 Clean, light wear, logo strong, could use a neck re-set



615 Harmony FTAC VG <$195 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS pickguard, stamped F-64



605 Harmony FTAC MOD $50 Clean, light wear, 'deco' logo strong, strap button broken, homemade bridge, NS tuners



1204 Harmony FTAC G $36 Clean, edge/surface wear, fingerboard wear, logo strong, light rust to tuner plates




The 1206 designation never appeared in any major catalog; the guitar below is likely one of the final examples of this popular guitar line.

1206 Harmony FTAC w/ OC VG $180 Clean, light edge wear, light fingerboard wear, logo strong, stamped S-68



604 Harmony FTAC w/ OC $90 Looks good enough in limited photos provided


604 Harmony FTAC w/ OC F <$150 Bridge broken, otherwise clean, light wear, logo strong, original cord 'strap' incl., stamped F-61



657 Harmony FTAC Classical w/ C F $39 Clean, light wear, neck and bridge lifting, high action



Here's an odd little number, a classical headstock setup, but sold with steel strings, and never appearing in any major catalog. A close cousin to the similar-spec'd but but solid headstock'd 1209.

1207 Harmony FTAC VG $36 Needs a cleaning, light wear, 'block' logo strong


603 Harmony FTAC F $45 Clean, plenty of wear, strap button missing, logo and painted 'pickguard' strong



1381 Kay HBEG w/ OC E <$1595 Clean, minimal wear, logo laminate looks good, pickguard design strong, one small spot of wear on back at cutaway, one family-owned




Well, if it ain't, it could be. I'm talking about the Silvertoniness of the following guitar. There's certainly something to be said for 'Silvertone Pride.'

1320 Harmony HBEG VG $411 Clean, light wear, faded 'Silvertone' scrawled on headstock



1452 Dano SBEG with tube ampincase G <$699 Clean, light wear with some flaking, whammy handle missing, logo worn, NS tuners, NS speaker, tremolo unmentioned, no footswitch



1420 Harmony SSEG VG $305 Clean, light wear, logo strong




I've got a feeling George likes blondes...

1454 Harmony HBEG VG $710 Clean, light wear, some grunge under Bigsby, decal partially obscures strong logo, mailbox stick-on letters



1445 Univox (?) MIJ SBEG w/ C VG $200 Clean, light wear, logo intact, whammy handle missing, mid-ID'd as 1959 vintage (really, is it so hard to type 'silvertone 1445' into Google?)


1484 Dano tube amp only VG $500 Clean, light wear, 3-prong AC mod, 1/4" jack mod, tremolo functional, reverb tank removed for service then the shop closed (!)



1482 Dano Tube amp VG $333 Clean, light wear, tear on back corner, scuff to 'Sears' on control face, NS E-H 6V6GT power tubes




The 1482 below and the 1457 that follows it were on the Danelectro production line the same week! Both have a date stamp of '2054,' which translates to the 20th week of 1964.

1482 Dano Tube amp VG <$550 Clean, light wear, some spots to control face, tremolo functional, cabinet stamping indicates Spring 1964 build



1457 Dano tube ampincase only $173 Non-functional, clean, light wear, knob inserts yellowed, light rust to case hardware, cabinet stamping indicates Spring 1964 build, seller says "some tubes do light up"


1448 Dano tube  ampincase only VG $200 Clean, functional, some wear to case at ends, triangle knob insert indicates early version


1422 Sears Solid State amp VG $130 Clean, light wear, scratchy pots, rev/trem unmentioned but seller says "I plugged it in and tested it and it sounded good"



1448 Dano SSEG pickguard/electronics only $105 Mounts from pickup missing, tested functional, stock ribbed black dome knobs, pots date to late 1961 making this one of the earliest assemblies



The only good thing about this sad 1448 is that we get a glimpse inside the poplar-and-Masonite marvel.

1448 Dano SSEG guitar only $100 Modified for a lead pickup at some point, pickguard modified, bass sidewall vinyl replaced with tape and cardboard, logo worn, no hardware

2/19

The End Of The Line for the long-running Harmony-built 1477 resulted in some rare guitars. These guitars, the yellow foiled and finished 14773 and the red 14772 had a very small window of availability, so they're pretty rare. Arriving in the Sears catalog in late 1967 with bigger knobs, an adjustable roller bridge, and color inserts in the pickups of these models changed the look ever so slightly, then by late 1968, they were gone from the catalog. Also, you'll note the headstock was stamped 1479 for the catalog item 14773 (and 1480 for the red 14772).

1477(3) Harmony SBEG w/ OC VG <$459 Clean, light wear, logo strong, chrome shiny, whammy handle present, dated September 1967




And now for something completely different... how about this '60s-cool Italian-made, Canadian-sold organ? The chassis number is C 983-10155, and it was sold by Simpson-Sears  of Canada. This "chord organ" is powered by a fan blowing over key-operated reeds, and is possibly made by Elka or Farfisa.  I'd love to hear what this thing sounds like. Oh, yeah... it sold for fifty bucks!



1444 Dano SSEG Bass w/ OC VG $899 Clean, light wear, logo intact, NS knobs



1448 Dano SSEG knobs $45 These are the early 'triangle insert' knobs



Speaking of early knobs...

1448 Dano SSEG guitar only $325 Clean, light wear, logo strong, neck pocket repaired/stable with tears at sidewalls there, early version with oval-buttoned strip tuners, triangle insert knobs and two-screw neck attach and no neck tilt



627 Kay FHAC F <$199 Edge/surface wear, logo shows wear, fingerboard grunge, neck lifting, endpin missing, neck has slight bow, stamped L3051




I seriously doubt that logo will last through too many stompings... is that hot glue?

1482  Dano footswitch $90 NS logo added


14XX Dano footswitch $54 Note black covering, different style switches; later model

2/17

1429 Harmony HBEG w/ C G <$1200 Clean, light wear, pickguard missing, logo in sad shape, truss rod cover missing, tuners bent



1415 Dano SSEG w/ OC G <$720 Could use a cleaning, edge/surface wear, pick wear beneath pickguard, playing wear to neck, logo broken at 'S,' transitional model; pentagonal cavity cover and 'swoop' cutaway but side-mounted jack



1451 Dano SBEG guitar only MOD <$695 Clean, light wear, logo strong, NS string-thru bridge



1481 Dano tube amp VG $148 Clean, light wear, grille looks great, pots 'a touch scratchy,' output tube is 'starting to glow blue a little,' date stamp indicates Spring 1966 build




The seller split this happy 1484 family up into three separate auctions...

1484 Dano tube amp only G $510 Needs a cleaning, rust dots to control face, pots scratchy, rev/trem unmentioned


1484 Dano speaker cabinet only G $380 Some edge wear, looks like some water damage to bottom, date stamp indicates late 1964 build


1484 Dano footswitch only $81 Some


1483 Dano tube amp only VG $382 Clean, light rust to nut jacks/washers, rubber feet missing, 3-prong AC mod

1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG $599 Clean, light wear, logo strong, mild sidewall rubbing,  'cord keeper' present, stamping indicates Summer 1964 build



1448 Dano SSEG w/ OC G $203 Clean, some surface wear, pickguard broken at top horn, logo strong, knob inserts missing, 'cord keeper' present, amp and speaker missing




We've got a couple of 1423 Jupiter' models coming up next, but if you would like to see the original Harmony-authored Sears-supplied mimeographed instructions for that venerable guitar, just click the graphic below:



Thanks to Silvertonian Kyle for that scan, he is the newly-proud owner of a vintage 1423.

1423 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $599 Clean, light wear, repro logo, pickguard print strong



1423 Harmony SSEG MOD <$795 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, chrome bright, pickguard print strong, array of holes cut into top



1456 Teisco MIJ HBEG G <$370 Needs a cleaning, light wear, some pitting to chrome, whammy handle present, 'Space Dot' a bit worn, untested, re-listed in March



641 Harmony FTAC w/ OC VG $103 Clean, light wear, logo strong



658 Kay FHAC VG $260 Clean, light wear, some checking, logo strong, neck re-set, repro pickguard, block markers indicate pre-'66 model



658 Kay FHAC F $153 Needs a cleaning, wear all over, pickguard missing, logo appears to be alright, rust to hardware


618 Kay FTAC $113 Sold as 'project,' edge/surface wear, 'wind chime' logo strong, NS tuners, bridge needs work, some finish damage to bottom




I've never seen this kind of wear pattern on a 'Kentucky Blue' before. This baby got played! It's great for us, because it let's us see that that entire guitar was 'shot' in blue, and then the white trim & details applied.

653 Kay FHAC F $183 Finish faded/worn, logo strong, NS bridge, playing wear to top, neck warped a bit, some rust to tuners



2320 National/Valco Steel guitar and ampincase G <$800 Surface wear to case, amp looks good, speaker 'curtain' missing, handle worn, Jensen speaker looks good, lap steel clean with strong 'deco' logo, some scratches on back, amp has hum; needs new filter caps





14XX Dano footswitch $50


14XX Harmony pickguard/pickup/electronics $123 Knobs missing, dated 1964


1441 Add-on pickup $100 Date stamped November, 1963


1472 Dano tube amp schematic/manual $12 Original, clean

2/12

1444 Dano SSEG Bass VG $525 Clean, some edge wear, logo intact but worn, ding at top of headstock, line design on pickguard worn



1482 Dano Tube amp VG $360 Clean, light wear, date stamp indicates late 1966 build, no footswitch, seller says "Every knob does its job"



1465 Dano Solid State amp only VG $175 Needs a cleaning, light wear, seller says "Everything works as it should."


1371 Kay HBEG w/ C VG $500 Needs a cleaning, light wear, logo strong, pickguard design strong



643 Harmony FTAC VG $250 Recently restored, clean, some checking, pickguard missing, logo strong, NS bridge, NS nut, rust to tuner plates



641 Harmony FTAC G $56 Needs a cleaning, edge/surface wear, logo strong, nut loose, light rust to tuner plates, neck lifting slightly, at serial #8477H641



1448 Dano SSEG ampincase only $100 Scuffs and wear, one cornered dinged up, handle broken, handle captures gone, seller says "After it is powered up there is a steady hum and I can NOT get the guitar to play through the amp. "



2/11

1455 Teisco MIJ HBEG MOD <$335 Clean, light wear, logo intact but bent at 'S,' missing pickguard, (1) NS knob, NS tuners, neck stripped, NS tailpiece (orig. tremolo tailpiece incl.)



1457 Dano SSEG and empty ampincase VG <$550 Clean guitar, amp & speaker's gone, light wear, logo strong, a few small nicks to case covering



1483 Dano tube amp w/ speaker cabinet $223 Clean, some seam separation of covering on spkr cab, tubes gone, untested, sold 'as is'


1484 Dano tube amp only VG $529 Clean, light wear, light rust dots to control face, dent near trem strength knob, recently serviced, 3-prong AC mod, NS power tubes, auctioned/serviced by Uncle Ikes


1482 Dano Tube amp $330 Looks nice enough in single photo provided, seller says " Everything about it works and works great. I purchased it as a tool for a specific recording i was working on, knowing i would sell it soon after. It is in great shape, sounds great, I just have no further use for it."


1481 Dano tube amp MOD $150 Recovered in white, grille painted, top panel caved-in a bit, logoplate 'shamed'


856 (1256) Harmony Baritone Ukulele w/ OC VG $138 Clean, light wear, logo strong



2/10

Transistors Rule the World... but tubes sure are pretty... and back in the day, Sears sold a lot of Silvertone-branded tubes, for radio, TV, your hi-fi, and your Silvertone amplifier, too!

Here's a Silvertone branded version of the Type 45 Large Globe Audio Triode Radio Vacuum, a pair of which went for nearly $300 at auction recently. Reckon from the 1920s or thereabouts.




1204 Harmony FTAC VG $170 Clean, light wear, some fingerboard wear, logo strong, a little wear on back, stamped S-69



604 Harmony FTAC G $99 Clean, edge/surface wear, some fingerboard wear, logo strong, some rust to tuner plates, screw in middle of bridge



606 Harmony FTAC VG $50 Clean, stamped F-67



1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG $463 Clean, light wear, logo strong, mild sidewall rubbing,  'cord keeper' present, original cord and 'how to play' record incl., late transitional model: three-screw neck with tilt, triangle legend  knobs and strip tuners



1304 Dano SSEG G $490 Needs a cleaning, some surface/edge wear, neck shows playing wear, some finish checking, logo gone, saddle installed backwards



1476 Harmony SBEG w/ OC G $330 Needs a cleaning, edge/surface wear, playing wear to neck, dent/scrape to tailpiece, logo strong, case falling apart



1477 Harmony SBEG w/ OC G <$500 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo 'shamed,' wear at neck attach screws, some 'cord melt' to finish on back



1221 Harmony FTAC w/ C VG $457 Clean, light wear, 'Space Dot' missing, pickguard missing, neck has been re-set, stamped S-72, endpin wired for 1/4" jack, Fishman saddle pickup installed (battery bracket needs re-installation)



658 Kay FHAC F $150 Wear all over, neck lifting, 'D' tuner broken, logo worn, bridge top edge broken, nut broken


1471 Dano tube amp VG $194 Clean, light edge wear, grille in good shape, handle worn, logoplate good, some marker lines on back panel


1482 Dano Tube amp VG $300 Clean, light wear, some marks on back panel, no footswitch, tremolo function unmentioned


1484 Dano tube amp only $393 Clean, light wear, light rust to innards, sold as "parts or repair/not working," but seller says "powers up, all tubes light up, but speaker cord is cut so I could not test it."



1485 Dano tube amp only $405 Needs help. Front face rusty, pilot light bezel & bulb missing, (2) tubes missing, DYMO labels on chassis, untested. Relisted from January.



14XX Dano footswitch (pair) $180


2/9

Now, I'm Not Gonna Guarantee that playing a Silvertone will get you a Grammy... but it didn't seem to hurt three of last night's top winners!

Beck: Album of the Year and Best Rock Album for "Morning Phase" (In case you're wondering, that's a rare non-catalog Silvertone 1208 in the center photo)


St. Vincent / Annie Clark: Best Alternative Music Album for "St. Vincent"


Jack White: Best Rock Performance for "Lazaretto" and a shared Grammy for Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package
"The Rise & Fall Of Paramount Records, Volume One (1917-27)"


Congrats, Silvertonians!



Quite a variety of Silvertonium from the weekend, kicking it off with this rare and lovely late 40s 708:

708 Harmony FHAC VG <$430 Clean, light wear, some checking, some repaired stable cracks in top, 'deco' logo strong, serial #3801H708, stamped S-48



712 Kay FHAC VG <$695 Clean, light wear, logo laminate looks good, NS pickguard, playing wear at top of neck ,tuner buttons shrinking, endpin wired as jack, no pickup



612 Harmony FTAC VG $76 Could use a cleaning, light wear, logo strong, original box incl.

1379 Harmony SBEG MOD $681 Refinished to original color, repro logo, 'Harmo-metal' strip missing, pickup stamped Jan. '57



1457 Dano SSEG and tube ampincase VG $566 Clean guitar, amp's a bit dusty, light wear, logo strong, 'cord keeper' still present, footswitch incl., tremolo unmentioned but seller says "amplifier completely checks and works great"



1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG $300 Clean, can't tell much from limited photos provided


1423 Harmony SSEG w/ C VG <$995 Clean, minimal wear, logo intact but bent at 'S,' some small cracks in fingerboard, pickguard print strong, pots date to mid-1962



1446 Harmony HBEG w/ OC VG <$999 Clean, light wear, some checking, logo strong, pickup covers dull, Bigsby intact, some 'cord melt' to back of heaedstock



1430 Dano tube amp G $159 Clean, top panel broken/dented, some covering wear, some tarnish to logoplate, handle broken/worn


1484 Dano tube amp only $310 Sold as "Tech Special Project," clean, light wear, rust to control face and handle captures, missing (2) tubes, speaker leads clipped, seller says "Unit powers and and runs stable. Does pass a signal but develops a loud high pitched oscillation once up to voltage."



1331 Dano tube amp P $103 Wear all over, speaker cone gone, (1) jack missing, (1) knob missing, fuse and holder cap gone, handle/grille/logoplate looks good, seller says "when plugged up, can't get it to do anything." No, I don't suppose you could...



1420 Harmony SSEG $399 Clean, light wear/checking, some neck wear,  logo strong, lead pickup missing, signed by BB King, Buddy Guy, and Susan Tedeschi



1303 Dano SSEG w/ OC G <$2000 Clean front, checking to headstock, logo strong, lead pickup cover slightly split, staining to back, original 'coffin case' shows outside wear



1419 Dano SSEG w/ OC VG $465 Clean, light wear, logo intact



852 Harmony Ukulele VG $46 Clean, light wear, logo and stencil strong, original box incl.



758 Kay mandolin w/ OC VG $350 Clean, light wear, logo strong, tailpiece cover missing, care and warranty pamphlet incl.



618 Kay FHAC MOD $125 Wear all over, logo strong, NS electronics, NS tuners, cracks in head from tuner stress



604 Harmony FTAC <$40 Needs some help


1457 Dano pickguard $35 Rewired with new components


2/4

Pull Up A Chair! We've got some great Silvertonium for you today!

1423 Harmony SSEG VG $1425 Clean, light wear, logo intact but bent at 'S,' pickguard print strong, looks like a hole has been plugged/repaired in pickguard, top strap button missing



1443 Dano SBEG Bass G $500 Clean, edge/surface wear, logo intact, thumb rest missing, some screw cracks to pickguard, dull tailpiece cover, (1) NS knob, extra holes in body from poor bridge re-mount attempt



1420 Harmony SSEG w/ OC VG $379 Clean, light wear, logo strong, screw crack at bridge, light rust to tuner plates



1431 Dano tube amp VG $350 Clean, minimal wear, girlle shows 'speaker shadow,' logoplate looks good, handle worn/broken, 3-prong AC mod, recently serviced




Look inside this 1456 up next for a little surprise!

1456 Teisco MIJ HBEG VG $226 Clean, light wear, 'block' logo strong, light pitting to chrome, bridge cover missing, whammy handle present, 'A' tuner button has come loose from shaft,  stamped F-70



Hey, what's that Made in USA Harmony stamp doing inside that Made in Japan 1456?!? Welp, there must have been some resistance to Japanese-made instruments voiced when Sears began selling them. Not enough to stop Sears from selling them, obviously, but enough that Sears included this little blurb (or something similar) in the very first catalog listings after the 'Japanese Invasion' of late 1968:




And that's why you have a Harmony factory 'Made in USA' stamp inside a Teisco-made electric guitar!



1476 Harmony SBEG G $281 Clean, edge wear, a few dings, pickguard chgipped, logo strong with a mar at first 'e,' NS Gotoh tuners, fretboard wear



1304 Dano SSEG w/ OC VG $566 Needs a cleaning, light wear, logo a bit worn, date stamping indicates late 1960 build, mis-ID'd as a 1415



1457 Dano SSEG and tube ampincase VG $475 Clean, light wear, guitar logo not pictured clearly, amp hinges coming loose, one corner broken on ampcase, NS speaker, tremolo unmentioned, no footswitch, seller says "amp work great."



1317 Harmony HBEG <$375 Needs a lot of attention




2/3

Might Fine 'Stratotone' to start off today's offerings.

1421 Harmony SSEG VG $394 Clean, light wear, logo strong, stress cracks at jack, crack in side by pickguard,  stamped F-60



615 Harmony FTAC w/ C G $53 Needs a cleaning, light wear, fretboard wear, fret markers worn, logo strong, some writing on back of headstock, pickguard cracked, stamped S-64



1448 Dano SSEG guitar only G $215 Clean, wear all over, a couple of big dings on headstock and bass side body top, back has scratches near neck attach, NS tuners



1457 Dano tube ampincase only VG $185 Clean, light wear, (1) latch missing clasp, tremolo functional, no footswitch


1484 Dano tube amp only $291 Clean, rust to jack nuts and transformer, oxidation to faceplate, lights up; otherwise untested




OK, so the best 'parlor' goes for the least price? Well, that's an auction for ya!

1204 Harmony FTAC VG $60 Clean, light wear, some fingerboard wear, logo strong, light rust to tuner plates, some side scratches



604 Harmony FTAC VG $78 Clean, some wear, logo strong, currently strung with nylon strings, stamped S-65


604 Harmony FTAC VG $95 Clean, light wear, logo strong


1220 Harmony FTAC w/ C G $175 Clean, wear all over, picking wear to top at pickguard, logo strong, fingerboard wear, rust dots to tuner plates


 

2/2

Some Rare Beauties as we kick off February! First up, this lovely early 50s Harmony-built 700.

700 Harmony FHAC w/ OC E <$330 Clean, minimal wear, 'deco' logo strong, care/warranty booklet incl., stamped S-51



619 Kay FHAC VG <$370 Clean, light wear, logo strong, tapped dimes for thumbwheels



1221 Harmony FTAC G <$380 Clean, some surface wear, headstock broken/repaired, prismatic 'Space Dot' looks good, NS tuners, neck has been reset



604 Harmony FTAC VG $95 Clean, light wear, logo strong



604 Harmony FTAC MOD $140 Clean, some edge wear, logo strong, pickguard missing, NS tailpiece, NS bridge, holes in top exposed from missing bridge & pickguard with some filled in with screws/brads, rust to tuner plates


 

1240 Kay FHAC G <$250 Clean, some edge wear/flaking, checking, buckle rash, lamination lines visible at headstock, NS tuners, logo strong



657 Harmony FTAC Classical w/ OC VG $100 Clean, light wear, inner label in fine shape, (1) bent tuner, surface crack in side at neck heel, stamped F-65, original "Read Listen Learn" record/chart and care/warranty pamphlet incl., seller says "purchased at a yard sale 20 years ago, been sitting in my closet ever since."



619 Kay FHAC G <$125 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo strong, pickguard missing, bridge set up incorrectly, neck has been 'repaired'



1435 Teisco MIJ SBEG w/ OC E $375 Clean, minimal wear, chrome shiny, logo tag in great shape, NS whammy bar



1449 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG <$799 Clean, minimal wear, logo strong, both pickup covers split, trem unmentioned



1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase VG $380 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo strong, early version with two-screw neck attach, star-pattern sidewalls, no neck tilt



1448 Dano SSEG with tube ampincase G $454 Clean, some edge/surface wear, logo worn, triangle knob inserts worn, NS Kluson tuners strip, NS straplock,  wear to case ling and covering, a grille stain or two, early version with two-screw neck attach, star-pattern sidewalls, no neck tilt



1477 Harmony SBEG G $489 Clean, edge wear, whammy handle present, some paint drips, NS knobs, logo looks like it was taped over at some point



1437 Teisco MIJ SBEG w/ C VG $650 Clean, light wear, whammy handle present, logo tag looks good, recently cleaned/serviced




It's a mod, mod, mod, mod world!

1446 Harmony HBEG MOD <$1450 Clean, light wear, logo worn, NS tuners, NS pickguard, NS pickups ('69 vintage Gold Foil 'moustache') and electronics (from the seller: "Yes, I took off the puny mini-humbuckers"), finish retouched in places, frets dressed and polished, fretboard 'polished and reconditioned'



1444 Dano SSEG Bass MOD $720 Refinished red, finish checking, some edge wear, logo missing, headstock split at tip, top strap button missing


 

653 Kay FHAC MOD $291 Finish faded, clean, some edge wear, NS pickup/electronics, NS tuners, NS nut, NS bridge assembly,
Quote from auction: "The guitar is stamped inside L768, indicating this is a Model L 768... and is a pretty rare archtop ... it was the precursor to the more common 653 "Kentucky Blue" model."
Um, well... No. As we've seen in other 653 examples, this green is the result of some kind of environmentally-induced fade, and as we know, most Kay internally stamped numbers mean very little as far as model or date conventions go.


Here's an interesting shot of the bridge area of a 653 that we saw last month.


As you can see, the area that was covered when the bridge was in its proper location is indeed the 'deep metallic blue' of every catalog description of this guitar. Also, the scratched area reveals even more of the (protected by the white overlay finish) blue color. As to why some guitars faded and some didn't, I can only speculate. When you see a faded 'Blue' the fade is all over; headstock, back, side, front. It's possible that some sort of chemical reaction to oxygen or pollution or something caused these finishes to fade. It's not strictly age, as I've found examples of the very earliest 'Blues' (the scalloped headstock variant) in faded and non-faded condition. It's also interesting to note the 'ivory' is pretty much never 'off' its color.


 If it were a UV-induced fade, you'd think that there would be areas that continued to be blue, areas shaded from the light, such as the back or the sides. The bridge-covered and scratch-revealed areas seen above qualify for a 'shaded from the light' example, but it seems odd that every blue surface on a faded 653 suffers from the fade. If it were sitting in a window, facing the sun, the neck and back would receive less UV than the front, so you'd think the guitar would be less faded on back than front, if at all. Bad paint formulation or just an improper mix at the factory that shift? It's interesting the fade strikes all eras of the 653, spanning seven years. I must say I've never encountered a faded 'thin script' version, but they are so very rare, I've only seen one in 35 years.


So, all we can do is wonder. What we do know, is that there is and always has been only one 'Kentucky Blue,' the Silvertone model 653, and they all left the Kay factory sporting their "deep, metallic blue."



1465 Dano Solid State amp only VG $137 Clean, some covering wear, functional, rev/trem unmentioned



1484 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet VG $649 Clean, some rust to control face and chassis, scratchy pots, reverb is touchy, tremolo functional, no footswitch, stamping indicates 1966 build



1484 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet G $450 Control face and chassis shows plenty of rust, bottom of speaker cab is water damaged, rev/trem unmentioned, no footswitch



1485 Dano tube amp and speaker cabinet MOD $590 Clean, some edge wear to cab, NS casters on cab, NS speakers, NS tubes, rev/trem functional, no footswitch, seller says "Channel one works perfectly, and channel two has static and distortion that goes away when I tap on the top of amplifier above the tubes"



1422 Sears tube amp MOD <$275 Particle board mounted to bottom to create a solo head, output routed to footswitch jack, pilot lamp bezel missing, rust to jack nuts, cabinet & speaker gone, tremolo functional, reverb not



1454 Harmony HBEG w/ C G $850 Clean, light wear, some edge flaking, logo strong, some oxidation to pickup chrome, Bigsby welded/repaired, (4) NS knobs, neck repaired, NS whammy arm, NS pickguard



1454 Harmony HBEG G $562 Clean, some wear/flaking, logo nearly worn away, all knobs missing, (1) pot shaft broken, frets worn, NS truss rod cover, NS tailpiece, NS bridge, pickup stamping March 1965, serial #6821H1454. Re-listed from January.





Check out this all new page for the famous 'Kentucky Blue!'

 

ABBREVIATION KEY:
MODEL # / MANUFACTURER / INSTRUMENT TYPE / CONDITION / PRICE / NOTES
Abbreviations: M-Mint, NM - Near Mint, E- Excellent, VG- Very Good, G- Good , F-Fair, P-Poor, NS- Non-Stock, HBEG- Hollow Body Electric, FHAC- F-Hole Acoustic, FTAC- Flat-Top Acoustic, SBEG- Solid Body Electric, SSEG- Semi-Sold Electric, MIJ- Made In Japan, MOD - Modified significantly from stock, w/ O/C Original / Case, BOA - (related to price) Best Offer Accepted; price shown was asking price, sold for less, DNS - Did Not Sell; used mainly to show an item of interest whether it sold or not.
Unless otherwise noted, I'm rating them by what I see in the pictures and read in the description.

The items depicted on this page are not for sale by Silvertone World. These are reviews of items from completed eBay auctions on or around the date specified.