1968 370 F natural maple....any info??/

[Tony Baloney]

Hello,

I have a mint 1968 370 f maple guitar in mint condition. I can't seem to locate much information regarding this model on the internet, and I need to get an accurate appraisal of it's worth for insurance purposes, as well as a possible sale. Can anyone help me find what I need?

Thanks,

Tony

[Tony Baloney]

oh....yeah....it looks like this but with three pickups...

[Tony Baloney]

try this.....tony

[jingle_jangle]

If it was mine, I'd be insuring it for $13K...

[clementc3]

It depends on what kind of answer you want to get.

There seem to be very few F-body guitars around, and even fewer transactions to look at. I think you can probably count the number of potential buyers on two hands, maybe even only on one hand! I think almost everybody who can afford one already has one but there may be a few folks for whom there can never be too many.

Gruhn Guitars in Nashville (http://www.gruhn.com/) will give you a written appraisal, and it looks like they can even do it by email if you send them photos and a description - only $50! and you will have something that you can give your insurance company.

Gruhn also has a 1960 365F for sale - it looks like it is in excellent condition - asking $13,000. Click on the "inventory" button and then on "Miscellaneous Hollowbody Guitars".

1960 Rickenbacker 365F at Gruhn 12-1-10

I believe this particular guitar has been on the market for some time, at several dealers along the way and at progressively lower prices ("lower" being relative). It hasn't sold, so the "market" value today is somewhere below the asking price, but keep in mind that the market for these guitars seems to be microscopic, so there may simply be no buyers right now.

Based on past discussions in this forum it appears that the earlier version of the F-body (1958 - 1961 or so, which Gruhn's is) is considered more desirable than the later (1967 - 1970 - yours) version by many folks, but generalizations are dangerous for such a specific, limited quantity instrument.

Thanks to an informative post by jingle-jangle about his restoration of a later-style 360F I learned that the body construction of the early version is "typical" Rickenbacker, i.e, the front & sides are carved out of a single wood billet, whereas the later version is constructed like a typical acoustic (flat top & back, curved sides.) I haven't yet found any photos of the inside of an early-style F-body.

Search this forum for 330F, 335F, 360F, 365F and you will find lots of interesting discussions, and you may be able to make your own guess at what you might be able to get if you were to offer it for sale.

[jingle_jangle]

That FG looks like it could be a respray...the back burst is strange...

You've never seen the inside of a 2nd gen F-series?











Not a whole lot there. The top and back plates are flat.

[clementc3]

Awesome photos, as usual!

Actually, what I have never seen is the inside of a first-generation F-body ...

[8mileshigh]

In the current climate I would have thought $8k to sell, anything higher will sit on the shelf for a while. YMMV

[jingle_jangle]

In the current climate I would have thought $8k to sell, anything higher will sit on the shelf for a while. YMMV

Yeah, to sell. But I'd hate to have to replace it in any climate, hence my much higher valuation for insurance purposes.

Clement, there's even less inside a 1st generation F body! One X brace and a lot of air, to be exact.

[gellkeller]

Awesome photos, as usual!

Actually, what I have never seen is the inside of a first-generation F-body ...

I'm keen to see that as well! Paul, help a brother out.

[Tony Baloney]

You guys are awesome.....thanks for the info and neat pictures.

Speaking of the market....where exactly is the market for this guitar? ebay?

Here's the story behind the guitar.....I placed a bid on it during our local PBS television stations auction....opening bid $200. This was in 1978. A year later the station called me and said the guitar, valued at $800, was never picked up....I could have it for $200. I couldn't believe my luck. However, it's been relatively unplayed for 30 years....I mostly play my acoustics and LP's.....I thought somebody might have a need for this in their collection.

Thanks again, people.....great info.

Alan

[sloop_john_b]

Speaking of the market....where exactly is the market for this guitar? ebay?

Perhaps here!

[jps]

Here's the story behind the guitar.....I placed a bid on it during our local PBS television stations auction....opening bid $200. This was in 1978. A year later the station called me and said the guitar, valued at $800, was never picked up....I could have it for $200.

Alan

Welcome, Alan!

I'll give you the $800 it was valued at for the 360F.

[jingle_jangle]

You guys are awesome.....thanks for the info and neat pictures.

Speaking of the market....where exactly is the market for this guitar? ebay?

Here's the story behind the guitar.....I placed a bid on it during our local PBS television stations auction....opening bid $200. This was in 1978. A year later the station called me and said the guitar, valued at $800, was never picked up....I could have it for $200. I couldn't believe my luck. However, it's been relatively unplayed for 30 years....I mostly play my acoustics and LP's.....I thought somebody might have a need for this in their collection.

Thanks again, people.....great info.

Alan

OMG. I don't want to hear this...I don't...I don't...I don't...

[jingle_jangle]

I'll give you a good profit--$1200.00...

It's going to a good home. Honest.