1970 Fender Telecaster, 1986 Fender Stratocaster, 1985 Martin D-28

by rick
(youngstown ,oh)

I actually have 3 guitars to ask about if you don't mind? first i have what i think may be a 1969/1970 fender telecaster serial#293673. all original w/ original hard shell case, but it was stripped from the original blond color down to the natural wood finish.(heavy guitar by the way,some say maybe ash wood?) second i have a fender strat american w/ maple neck serial#e420325 which i bought new i think in 1986. it is mint w/ original hardshell case and last, i don't know how much you deal w/ acoustics but i have a martin d-28 i believe i bought new in 1985 serial #unk. can't find it. but that guitar is in excellent cond. w/ original hardshell case too.

Answer

Hi, Rick--

1. The serial number indicates that your guitar was made at the Fullerton Plant (Fender - CBS Era), USA in 1970.

Here is the Bluebook general info:

TELECASTER (CBS MFG. 1965-1983)
- single cutaway ash body with routing channel between the pickups, bolt-on maple neck, "F" stamp on neckplate, 21-fret maple fingerboard with black dot inlays (1967-1982) or rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays (1965-69), "Telecaster" logo on headstock with six-on-one-side tuners, STB anchored bridge with three paired-string adj. saddles, white pickguard, two single coil pickups, two knobs (v, tone) and a three-way switch mounted on a metal plate, chrome hardware, available in Blonde finish, mfg. 1965-1982.

Here is the pricing info:

1970
Mint $6,000
Exc.+ $5,000
Exc. $4,200
Avg.+ $3,500
Avg. $2,900
General $2,400

***Unfortunately, the change in the finish will greatly diminish the value to collectors.

2. The serial number indicates that Your guitar was made at the Fullerton or Corona Plant (Fender), USA in 1984 - 1988. The American strat series began in 1986.

Here is the Blue Book General info:

AMERICAN STANDARD STRATOCASTER (1986-2000, U.S. MFG. NO. 010-7400/7402)
- alder body, four-bolt neck plate, 22-fret maple or rosewood fingerboard with black dot inlay, chrome-plated die-cast tuners, standard vibrato with two pivot point design, three-ply white pickguard, three single coil exposed polepiece pickups, three knobs (v, two tone), five-position switch, chrome hardware, available in Arctic White, Black, Brown Sunburst, Caribbean Mist, Lipstick Red, Midnight Blue, or Midnight Wine polyurethane finishes, mfg. late 1986-2000.

Here is the pricing info:

1986-1989
Mint $900
Exc.+ $750
Exc. $675
Avg.+ $600
Avg. $525
General $450

3. Here is the Blue Book General info:

D-28
- dreadnought body style, solid spruce top, Brazilian rosewood (1931-1969) or Indian rosewood (1969-present) back and sides, round soundhole with three stripe rosette (5/9/5 grouping), ivoroid (1931-1966) or non-grained white (1966-present) body binding, herringbone top purfling (1931-1947) or six-ply top inlay with white outer layer (1947-present), three-ply back binding with ivoroid (1931-1966) or non-grained white (1966-present) outer layer, zigzag (1931-1946), narrow chainlink (1947), or wide chainlink (1948-present) back stripe, 12/20-fret (earliest models only) or 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with pearl slotted diamond inlays (1931-1946) or pearl dot inlays (1946-present), three-per-side chrome tuners, ebony bridge with white bridge pins and black dots, tortoise (1934-1966) or black (1966-present) pickguard, available in Natural finish, 25.4 in. scale, mfg. 1931-present.

The pricing info:

1980-1989
Excellent $1,650 - 2,000
Average $1,150 - 1,350

Best Wishes,
Lynne