Trading The 1971 X-500 for A Tele

[alltruenews]

Hey fellow Guild lovers,

Because of the type of playing I've been doing over the past couple years, I'm considering trading my 1971 Guild X-500 at Guitar Center in MA for a Telecaster. I hate to do it, but the X-500 just isn't practical in a live (loud) electric setting.

It's a sunburst with minimal wear, but it does have a couple small cosmetic issues. It plays great and it sounds fantastic.

The store uses a "Vintage Team" in CA to determine the value of these types of trades and it's done by the store manager taking digital photos and getting on the phone and discussing it's condition over with people in CA.

I wonder what they'll try to "tell me" it's worth.

Any thoughts?

 

[cestlamort]

My experience: You will always get more selling it privately (here, craigslist, thegearpage.net, etc) than trading stuff in at a store.

 

[twocorgis]

In my experience with GC, get ready to bend over. :shock:

What others have suggested here make a lot more sense. GC makes their money by buying (insultingly) low, and selling high. I'd be surprised if they offered you more than $1000, and you could probably get double that in a private sale if the guitar is OK.

 

[gilded]

Wha kind of Tele are you looking for?

 

[bluesypicky]

In my experience with GC, get ready to bend over. :shock:

+1
One can make a killer deal on a used guitar at GC (as some of us here did), but it always is at the expense of the original owner.... They once offered me a whole $300 for an F-30 in excellent condition.... :shock:
I smiled, left the store, and proceeded to sell it here at much more realistic price (and in about 24 hours :wink: ).
If you don't mind sharing, what's the price tag on the Tele you're looking at?

 

[mad dog]

I would consign that guitar to a real store, then buy whatever tele you want, wherever. GC would be the last place to trade anything. They treat you like a desperate drug addict when you try to sell or trade. Also, except for two GCs I know of, the rest are also pretty bad for getting anything new. No set-ups, pawed at by every teen in the area ... not the best spot for buying a tele IMO.
MD

 

[jimmyl51]

I worked at the original Guitar Center years ago when I was going to UCLA. Believe it or not we actually had some good reputable guys working there back in those days in other words the early 1970's........ANYWAYS in todays world if the guitar new say cost you $1000 for example they would take half of that, and then take half of that again and MAYBE offer you that. I.E. maybe they would give you $250 IF that.........sad that at one time Guitar Center was a reputable outfit but now simply preys on the drug addict on Sunset Blvd.........jim

 

[jimmyl51]

I was just sitting here thinking of those 'vintage team' guys which really makes me laugh........when I worked at Guitar Center in the very early 1970's when we did have guys working there who actually knew guitars like myself. I did go into the Hollywood Guitar Center about a year or so ago and got a real kick out what they were doing to the uninformed. They did have some really nice vintage gear there with of course totally absurd prices on them. A guy from China walked up to a 1959 ES-335 that was really messed up. I had just for the heck of it looked at it a few minutes earlier, and noticed that the neck was really messed up and probably would need a neck reset to make it totally correct. Of course there was no price on the guitar. The guy from China was in a business suit. Man these guys saw him coming from across the street on Sunset Blvd. He says to 'The Team' in totally broken English 'HOW MUCH'? As I remember they told him $225,000 upon which the guy takes out the full cash amount without even quibling and hands it over to these guys..............what a mark! jim

 

[Default]

Wha kind of Tele are you looking for?

Ditto. Honestly, unless you are looking "vintage", a tele is pretty damned generic. It shouldn't be too difficult to find one that is acceptable to use as a stage guitar, even if you throw new tuners and pups in it. I can't see paying as much for a tele as an X500 is worth.

 

[bluesypicky]

I can't see paying as much for a tele as an X500 is worth.

Yep:

If you don't mind sharing, what's the price tag on the Tele you're looking at?

 

[guildman63]

Trading for a 70's tele might make sense, but anything more recent isn't even close to the value of a 71 X-500. Post it in FS/FT and see what the interest is. Good luck!

 

[jcwu]

I wonder what they'll try to "tell me" it's worth.

Depends on if you repaired the damages done by Brad French!

 

[alltruenews]

I'm looking for an American Deluxe or American Standard. Also looking for natural finish or butterscotch, but I would really consider anything. One thing I really want is the fully adjustable bridge... that's something I don't believe I would compromise on.

I suspect the high retail on the X-500 is around $3,000 to $3,500. So (if they're playing fair) they might begin with an offer of half that and eventually settle somewhere around $2,000. If they're playing fair that is.

$2,000 in trade would be something I'd consider.

The damage that Brad French did was to break the small pad of binding off of the heel of the neck -- and install the wrong tuning pegs. I will make no excuses and fully disclose this. I have since installed the correct Grovers myself and they are awesome! The other issues I had with Mr. French was the total lack of work done versus the $1,500 I paid him to restore it.

So today, the X-500 looks like an slightly aging Hollywood star who hasn't had any work done instead of the refreshed look I was originally going for.

 

[mad dog]

I do not mean to rain on your parade ...

X-500s can be had in the low 2000 range at more reasonable stores. Regardless of what high retail really is, GC will base trade in off their interpretation of retail price, which for you will be much lower than you expect. Their trade in offer (based on what I've seen) will likely be less than most real guitar stores would offer to buy it outright. I would be very surprised if they offered you more than 800 - 1000.

Things could be very different if you go to a good store. Lark Street Music is one such around here. He has several really nice teles also. Buzzy (the owner) is fair and honest. You won't get what you would on a private sale, but the trade in is (arguably) fair. Thinking back to buying my JJ baritone there. I traded in a much improved (modded) Fender RI reverb tank towards the guitar. I might have been able to get 500 on the street in a private sale, 473 more likely. He took it in for 300 off the guitar. 60 percent trade in value is rather normal. Contrast that with the 20 percent he would take on a consignment sale.

Unlike Lark Street, most Guitar Centers seem not to care how long - even if - vintage gear takes to sell. I still see items in my local guitar center from when they opened, 15 years ago. It seems to be their corporate policy to skim the local markets of whatever vintage stuff walks in. Pay rockbottom prices, then price 50 to 100 percent above real market value.

Not sure where you are in MA. I'd ride over to Parkway Music near Albany NY, maybe Retro Music in Keene NH. No personal experience with either, but that's the sort of place you're more likely to get a decent deal.
MD

 

[CajunBlues]

I just bought a 2011 new American Standard Tele from Music123 for $780 (thats total cost delivered, no tax with MUSIC123)..... Outstanding guitar...

But $780 for a 70's X500... wow that's not even close to a fair trade... Sell your guitar on ebay or craigslist...

 

[walrus]

I agree with everyone - GC will not give you anywhere near what its worth. That's how they make a profit. It's not the worst place to BUY a used guitar, but it is the worst place to sell one.

walrus

 

[Default]

Keep the Guild, buy the Tele! If necessary, buy an aftermarket bridge for it!
Then, you have both bases covered.

 

[Thunderface]

How 'bout posting a photo or two of the '71 X-500. A little eye candy might make someone say, "I gotta have it."

 

[alltruenews]

I did it... I traded the X-500 for a natural finish American Standard ($1,200) Tele and got $100 in cash.

The guy was straight with me in that he felt that they could retail the Guild for $1,800 to $2,000. I think that this is fair.

I ordered it and should se it in about 3 days.

Thanks to everyone for the insight!

 

[guildman63]

Being that the tele is brand new and you can get one anywhere at any time there was no hurry to trade. I would have held out and sold the Guild myself for the $2000, then bought the tele and pocketed at least $800. Regardless, you can never go wrong with a tele, so congrats! Now we want some pics of the new toy!