Getting a free vintage guitar appraisal shouldn’t be a hassle. At Joe’s Vintage Guitars, I help owners and collectors nationwide find out exactly what their gear is worth in today’s market. Whether you’re trying to find the cash value of a vintage Gibson, need a Fender Serial Number identified, or have an entire Guitar Collection to Sell, I provide the straight-up expert advice you need. My goal is to make sure you have the right numbers before you sell or insure your instrument.
How to Get Your Free Vintage Guitar Valuation In 3 Simple Steps
Step 1:
Send Over the Details
Just fill out the form below with the brand, model, and a few clear photos. Whether you have one old Fender or a high-value collection you’ve built over a lifetime, this is the best way to get the ball rolling. The more details you can provide, the more accurate the guitar identification will be. You can also feel free to call, text or email if you’d prefer to reach out that way.
Step 2:
Expert Review & Research
I use multiple data points beyond just the serial number to date your vintage guitar correctly, including pot codes and hardware specs. I’ll personally dive into the details, checking the serial number and looking over the parts and overall condition. I’ll identify the guitar model & year, then I’ll compare your guitar against actual recent sales and my own deep market data to find its true current market value.
Step 3:
Get Your Valuation
I’ll get back to you with a straight-up, honest look at the current market value of your guitar. Whether you’re just curious about its history or you’re ready to move it on to a new home, you’ll have the expert data you need. If you do decide to sell, I’m always happy to make a competitive cash offer to buy it using our easy nationwide selling process.
Get An Appraisal
For Your Vintage Guitar Or Collection Online Or In Person
A Trusted Authority In Nationwide Vintage Guitar Values
Expertise By The Numbers
A National Name in Vintage: Even though I’m in Mesa, I’ve spent years building a reputation as a trusted vintage guitar buyer for collectors all over the country. I focus on the high-end stuff—the instruments that have a rich history and require a real eye for detail.
Expert Remote Identification: You don’t have to ship your guitar just to find out what it is. I’m an expert at spotting original parts, finish issues, and hardware specs just by looking at high-res photos. I’ve done thousands of these remote appraisals for owners across the US, helping them verify their gear from their own living room.
Beyond the “Big Three”: I know the market inside and out for more than just Fender and Gibson. If you need an accurate Gretsch appraisal, the value of a vintage Guild, or help identifying a rare Rickenbacker or Epiphone, I’ve got the national sales data to give you a real number.
Real-World Market Data: I don’t look at the bargain bin prices from 10 years ago, or the often inflated “asking prices” you see on Reverb. I track the actual sales data across the national vintage guitar market to make sure my valuations reflect what’s actually happening in the world of guitar collecting today.
Notable Appraisals: Real-World Vintage Guitar Case Studies
I’ve handled thousands of vintage instruments over the years. Here are a few examples where my research helped sellers get the full story—and the right price—for their gear.
Fender custom color authentication: 1966 Fender Jaguar in Lake Placid Blue
How authentication doubled the value of a 1966 Jaguar
- The Challenge: Determining if the rare custom color finish was factory-original or a high-quality “pro-refinish” from years ago.
- The Detail: I asked the seller for photos of the “paint stick” mark in the neck pocket in order to aid in finish authentication, as well as detailed photos of the electronics to inspect the originality of the solder joints. Untouched solder joints are key in confirming the originality of a Fender finish. I also verified the neck heel date and pot codes to confirm the 1966 production window.
- The Outcome: Confirmed the guitar was a 100% original custom color survivor. This verification provided the owner with a precise market valuation, reflecting its rarity compared to the more common sunburst models. Custom color Fender guitars are often worth twice as much (or more) than sunburst models.
Vintage PAF Pickup Identification: 1962 Gibson ES-335 (Transitional Year)
How Confirming Original PAFs Secured a Premium Valuation for a 1962 Gibson
- The Challenge: 1962 is a major “transition” year for Gibson. The goal was to determine if this Cherry 335 still held the coveted PAF pickups, early Patent Number pickups, or a mix of both. This was an in-person appraisal.
- The Detail: I pulled the pickups to verify the PAF stickers, “L” shaped tooling marks, cover solder, and overall construction. I then looked at the pots and wiring to confirm that the electronics were untouched. I also spent time on the hardware, identifying the “no-wire” ABR-1 bridge and the “short seam”, lightweight aluminum stop tailpiece. Unlike the heavier zinc versions that followed, this specific tailpiece is a key indicator of an early ’62. I finished by verifying that the single-line, double-ring Kluson tuners were original with no added or enlarged holes.
- The Outcome: This was a “best-case scenario” with two original PAFs and all-original hardware. This confirmation significantly boosted the seller’s market position, helping them realize the full premium value of a transitional 1962 model.
Gibson Factory Inconsistencies: 1956 Gibson ES-5 (The “N” Mystery)
From ‘Fake’ Suspect to Factory Original: Solving the Mystery of a 1956 Gibson
- The Challenge: This was an in-person appraisal with a couple of “red flags.” It was a Natural finish, but the label was missing the “N” designation Gibson usually used. Even weirder, it had double black “stingers” on the back of the neck, which can often mean that someone is trying to hide a headstock/heel repair or a refinish.
- The Detail: I did a deep dive into the finish, looking at the weather checking and the way the finish had aged under the hardware. Also performed a “blacklight test” by looking for that telltale nitrocellulose green glow and consistency of finish. I looked for any overspray in the cavities and checked the interior for original wiring. After a full physical disassembly, I was able to prove that the missing “N” was just a factory slip-up. Most importantly, the finish and those black stingers were 100% factory original.
- The Outcome: By certifying the guitar as factory-original, I cleared up the doubts that would have made buyers walk away. It gave the owner peace of mind and protected the value of a seriously rare Gibson.
Free Expert Market Valuation vs. Official Insurance Appraisals
I handle appraisals two ways depending on what you’re trying to do. Both come from my years spent tracking the national vintage guitar market, but they’re for two different situations.
Current Market Pulse: Notes From The Trade
The vintage market doesn’t sit still. Here’s a quick look at what I’m seeing right now from the daily “buy and sell” side of the national vintage guitar market:
- “Player Grade” is on fire. I’m seeing a surge in demand for 50s and 60s gear that is “player grade”. Whereas any modification used to be a death sentence for value, I’ve been noticing that the market has become increasingly forgiving towards modifications, especially if they are era-correct vintage mods. Now, is your refinished Fender going to be worth as much as an original one? Not even close. But it will be worth comparatively more than it was a few years ago, especially if it’s a cool older refinish.
- The Hunt for Transition Years. Collectors are getting much more specific. They’re hunting for those “in-between” months where the specs were shifting. If I can identify a stray PAF pickup or an early-spec neck profile on a mid-60s piece, it’s adding thousands to the value.
- The Reality Check. There’s a massive gap right now between the “asking prices” you see on the big public sites and what the actual sales data is telling us. A lot of sellers are still acting as if COVID-era price inflation never ended. Don’t get me wrong—the market is still great—but prices aren’t climbing at that same crazy rate anymore. It’s left the market cluttered with unsold listings and inflated, speculative prices that just aren’t grounded in reality.
- “Under the Radar” Brands. Everyone wants a Burst or a Blackguard, but I’m seeing a huge uptick in interest for brands like Gretsch, Guild, and Epiphone (Kalamazoo-made). The “alternative” vintage market is booming because the value-to-vibe ratio is so high. If you’ve got a clean Gretsch 6120 or an Epiphone Sheraton, don’t sleep on it—the collector interest in these “other” brands is at an all-time high.
Vintage Guitar Collection Appraisals: Expert Valuation for Estates & Large Inventories
When you’re looking at 20, 50, or even 100+ instruments, the hardest part is usually just knowing where to start. Whether you built the collection yourself or you’ve suddenly inherited a room full of gear, I’m here to help you get a clear, realistic look at what’s actually there.
I’ve personally appraised and purchased dozens of 100+ piece collections—my largest to date was a single appraisal and purchase totaling 713 guitars and amps! No collection is too big or too complex for me to handle professionally.
- Inventory Without the Stress. I will help you catalog the whole collection. We’ll turn a confusing pile of cases into a professional list with the exact years and models identified. You need this for your records anyway, but it’s the first step in seeing the real value of the gear.
- Spotting the “Money” Guitars. Not every vintage guitar is a museum piece. I’ll help you identify the “heavy hitters”—the high-value collector items—and separate them from the “player-grade” gear. Knowing which three or four guitars drive 80% of the collection’s value changes your whole strategy.
- One Voice for Every Brand. You don’t need to chase down a “Gibson guy” and a “Martin guy.” I spend my days tracking actual sales data for all the major American names—Gretsch, Guild, Rickenbacker, and the rest. You get one expert opinion for the entire collection.
- Remote Collection Review. You don’t have to ship a trailer of gear to Mesa just to get an answer. I’ve developed a specific system for remote collection appraisals where I can verify authenticity and condition through high-res photos. It’s the fastest way to get a real number without the logistical nightmare of moving a whole collection.
Spotting The Fakes: A Professional Guide To Gibson, Martin, And Fender Authenticity
The market right now is crawling with “tributes,” partscasters, and outright scams that are designed to fool people who don’t spend every day looking at 1950s wood. When I handle an appraisal, I’m not just checking a box or looking up a serial number—I’m doing a forensic deep dive. The truth is always buried in the stuff that’s too expensive or too tedious for a faker to get right, like the specific alloy of a Gibson nut or the way a Martin stamp hits the mahogany. I put this guide together to show you the big red flags I look for. If your guitar doesn’t line up with these specs, or if you’re just getting a “bad vibe” from the build, that’s exactly why you need an expert to weigh in before you put your money on the line.
How To Spot A Fake Gibson: Beyond The “Chibson” Red Flags
The Truss Rod Reveal
If you want to know what you’re really holding, the first thing you should do is remove the bell-shaped cover off the headstock. A real-deal Gibson uses a brass hex nut for adjustments. Almost every fake I’ve seen—the “Chibsons” coming out of overseas factories—uses a recessed Allen key adjustment. If you see a deep hole meant for a hex wrench instead of that standing brass nut, you’re looking at a counterfeit. It’s a five-minute check that can save thousands of dollars.
The “Flathead” Bridge Tell
This is one of the easiest ways to spot a fake from across the room. On a genuine American-made Gibson, the bridge is adjusted using thumbwheels. Counterfeits almost exclusively use a bridge that sits on large, chunky bolts with a flathead screwdriver slot on top. It’s a classic sign of cheap, import hardware. Gibson doesn’t use those big, slotted adjustment screws on their flagship USA models. If you see a bridge that looks like it was designed to be cranked with a screwdriver rather than adjusted by hand, it’s a massive red flag that the guitar didn’t come from the Gibson factory.
The Headstock “Wings”
Flip the guitar over and look at the back of the headstock under a good light. A genuine Gibson neck is carved from a single piece of mahogany, but the “flares” on the side of the headstock are actually separate pieces of wood called “wings” glued on at the factory. You should be able to see those two subtle seams. Most fakes use a “scarf joint”—a diagonal seam running across the neck behind the nut—which is something Gibson just doesn’t do on their American-made flagship models.
Stampings vs. Laser Etching
Gibson serial numbers are stamped into the wood before the guitar hits the paint booth. Because of that, the numbers look a bit soft and “filled in” by the lacquer. Counterfeits usually laser-etch the numbers after the finish is dry. If the serial number looks sharp enough to cut your finger, or if you can see raw wood inside the numbers, it’s a fake. A real Gibson stamp looks like it’s part of the wood, not sitting on top of it.
Is Your Martin Guitar A Fake? Hallmarks Of A Genuine Martin
The Neck Block Identity
A genuine Martin doesn’t rely on a paper trail; its identity is branded into the very soul of the instrument. When you peer through the soundhole, the model name and Martin serial number should be cleanly stamped into the solid mahogany neck block using Martin’s signature sans-serif typeface. This specific font is defined by its mechanical precision and the total absence of “feet” or serifs on the letters—a detail fakers almost always miss.
Counterfeiters usually stumble here, opting for generic, serifed stamps or sloppy ink transfers that bleed into the wood grain. On a real-deal Martin, the alignment is perfectly centered and the depth of the compression is uniform across every digit. If the characters appear “wandering,” unevenly spaced, or look like they were printed on the surface rather than pressed into the timber, you’re looking at a modern fake rather than a USA-built classic.
The “Inside-Outside” Grain Test
This is the fastest way to catch a laminate fake. If you’re looking at a high-end piece like a Brazilian Rosewood D-28, the grain has to match. Pick out a specific dark swirl or a unique grain line on the back of the guitar, then look through the soundhole at that exact same spot on the inside. On a solid-wood Martin, those patterns are going to be identical. If the inside looks like plain, characterless wood while the outside is figured rosewood, it’s a laminate—and it’s definitely not a real Martin.
The Back Center Strip
Take another look inside the soundhole at the strip of wood running down the center of the back. On a genuine Nazareth-built Martin, that strip is almost always stamped with “C.F. Martin & Co. Nazareth, PA.” It’s a tiny detail, but it’s one of those “secret handshakes” of authenticity that most fakers miss. If that strip is blank or the font looks like a modern computer print, you need to bring it in for a professional look.
How To Tell If A Fender Is Real
This is where fakers usually trip up. They’ll try to sell a “1954” Stratocaster that has an 11-screw pickguard (which didn’t exist until 1959) or a “1960s” neck with a 3-bolt plate and a “Micro-Tilt” adjustment. Fender was very specific about which hardware went with which era. If the “patina” on the bridge looks brand new but the body is heavily relic’d, or if you see modern “F-style” tuners on a supposed pre-CBS neck, it’s a sign that the guitar has been pieced together from a parts bin.
Date Stamps & Codes
The real story of a Fender is usually hidden where the parts meet. On a vintage piece, you’re looking for a handwritten pencil date or a specific ink stamp on the “butt” of the neck—something like “5-62” or “13MAY65B.” If you pull the neck and find a clean, modern-looking barcode or absolutely no markings at all, you’re likely holding a newer guitar or a “Partscaster” rather than a vintage factory-original instrument. The body and neck should “talk” to each other; if the neck is dated 1962 but the body has 1970s-era routing, you’ve got a mismatch. You can find more information on date stamps and pot codes in the “Advanced Dating” section of our Fender Serial Number page.
The “Walnut Plug” Test
If you’re looking at a Fender with a headstock-adjust truss rod, the first thing you should check is the hole where the wrench goes. On a genuine American Fender, you’ll see a distinct dark walnut wood plug surrounding that adjustment hole. Counterfeits almost always cut corners here, leaving you with a raw wood hole or a cheap black plastic insert. If that dark walnut ring isn’t there, the neck didn’t come from the Corona or Fullerton factories. Note that this only applies to USA made Fender guitars. Import Fender guitars may have a plastic plug.
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