Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I borrowed it from my local music store. They want $1200 for it.Do you think it is worth that much?It's a 1962 Supro Model #1540 Bermuda,all original and in excellent condition.This is the hollow "Res-O-Glass" version of the Bermuda not the solid wood version that was made in the 50's .Nice fat sound from these big single coil pickups.Same pickups like Jack Whites Airline(one of his pickups died I think).Hollow body with Reso-glass top and back. Its got an electronic tremolo which you can control with the little red switch under the neck pickup.It's actually a circuit with a little light bulb in side and the little "wiggle" switch works like a little electric whammy bar so you use your pinky to wiggle the trem. You can change the sound of the trem from soft to hard by changing the size of the light bulb.

Here is one like it for sale at the same price (but that one has a big crack on the back)

This guitar almost looks new and the "tremolectric" feature is really unique. I am just trying to determine it's real value. The thing is I trade my guitars frequently and I don't want to buy it for $1200 only to find out later that it is only worth $500. It is very hard to determine its value just using Ebay's completed auctions because I have not seen this same model there and the price vary so much on other models

Any help would be appreciated because I have to make a decision soon as to whether or not I should keep it.

I'd go to Gbase.com and look around. I entered "supro" and there are lots of models, vintage and repro. Not many over $1000 and I didn't see a "Bermuda" though I didn't spend much time looking.

Good luck!

libratune wrote:I'd go to Gbase.com and look around. I entered "supro" and there are lots of models, vintage and repro. Not many over $1000 and I didn't see a "Bermuda" though I didn't spend much time looking.

Good luck!

Thanks Ron,the only one on Gbase(besides the on I posted above) is this one at Action Music for $1450

If you want to keep it to collect and/or to play, looks like that's not too crazy of a price. If you're buying it to flip it, you may be attached to that bad boy for many years before a deal comes by that makes it worthwhile for you. Just the fact that you are unable to readily get information on it attests to the uniqueness of it, and all it would take is for the market to get people all riled up about this "rare/vintage USA made guitar" for the price to skyrocket. This one, with that wacky trem function and overall condition, could turn out to be money well spent either way.

Not too familiar with the guitar but if you were going to keep it I'd say go for it, especially since it's bright red!

Ditto what Mike said about flipping it though. Mr. Snow is a Sage.

paologregorio wrote:Not too familiar with the guitar but if you were going to keep it I'd say go for it, especially since it's bright red!

Ditto what Mike said about flipping it though. Mr. Snow is a Sage.

Sage?

whojamfan wrote:

paologregorio wrote:Not too familiar with the guitar but if you were going to keep it I'd say go for it, especially since it's bright red!

Ditto what Mike said about flipping it though. Mr. Snow is a Sage.

Sage?

This means either you are exceptionally wise or a herb.