Counsel on likely value of 1/3 of a '50s Stringmaster?

Jim Behnke · From: SW USA

I've potential opp'ty on most of the necessary to fabricate a single 8 out of parts; pix below show what's included. The missing elements [pots/wiring harness/selector/jack] aren't [to me] daunting to find, esp if one didn't care about correct pot-dates/cloth wire/blah blah. It'd be a player.
Any/all thoughts on likely fair value appreciated.

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Greg Moynihan · From: Bremerton, Washington, USA

I think a fair ballpark for a nice vintage 8-string fender in good shape with most all the original parts is seven to eight hundred per neck, at least, for the single- and double-neck instruments. Triples and quads are more work to haul around and therefore less desirable, so those sell for a good bit less per neck on average.

When this project is complete, of course, it will be nowhere near the original configuration, so I'd say, cut that number in half. If these parts were assembled and finished well, and the result was a nice, playable Fender-stein, you'd have an instrument worth 350-400. Those unfinished parts would be a good deal if they were available to you for 250 or less, IMHO. If you pay more than 300 for those parts, I'd say you were doing the seller a bit of a favor.

It's nice to see this tuner pan was never drilled through, it totally irritates me to find great old Fender hardware scarred by that particular modification.

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

Generally, they seem to be worth more as parts than as complete instruments so you will be reducing its value by assembling it Sad

If course, if you decide to sell it again, you can take it to bits.

The individual parts are probably worth:
Tuner pan $150
Pickups $50 each
Nut $30
Control plate $75
Body with fretboard $50

So the parts are probably worth about $400

Even if everything was in perfect condition, an orphaned Stringmaster neck would never be worth as much an actual single neck Fender Deluxe. They go for about $800 in good condition with legs and a case - quite a bit less for a refin without legs and case

So I'd reckon still around $400 for what you have once it's finished.

However, it's unusual to get all the parts you need coming up at once and it will certainly be a great sounding guitar when it's all together. Looks like a nice bit of wood too - will you leave it natural? (I would).

BTW - you won't need a selecter switch, of course, just volume tone and a blend pot. There are a couple of bridge covers on Ebay right now if you want to complete the hardware.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

You're taking on a similiar project to what I completed a few years ago. I put a 3rd leg on it.
The picture was taken when I wasn't quite through with it, but it is now complete.
Here's a picture:

chris ivey · From: california (deceased)

erv, it must have been pretty unstable
without that third leg.

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

By the way - are you sure it's 1/3 of a Stringmaster and not 1/2 or 1/4?

How thick is the body?

Any pencil dates in the tuner pan cavity?

I can see it's a front neck so, if it is 2.25" thick (which is my guess from the picture), it could equally be from a double or a triple (unless you know the actual history).

If it's 2.625" thick it's from a quad.

Of course, if you're sure the hardware is from the same instrument it's from a triple or quad depending on thickness.

Actually, it looks like the slightly bigger sibling of my next Stringmaster restoration (also an orphan).

Jim Behnke · From: SW USA

Thanks to all for the info. I've not seen the parts in person, just email pix.

I'd likely do a variant of what Jeff Mead suggested. I had a Tele [now my elder son's] setup with a vol pot, no selector, just a double-gang stereo pan-pot in the tone pot position that rolls one pickup up & the other down as it turns. It works quite well on that particular Tele. Seems like more work than I want to take on right now though. Thanks again!

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

Those pickups are designed to work as a single humbucker with a blend, not as a typical 2 pickup configuration

Bill Quinn · Posted 6 Nov 2015 9:39 am

Jim. I probably have posted this previously, this is an orphan I refinished in butterscotch and put on a decal, and diamonds from a dual model. I do have the pu covers and for some reason the knobs are not on it at this time. Sounds like a stringmaster ðŸ˜€

Stephen Cowell · From: Round Rock, Texas, USA

Pickups with covers are $100 apiece... make sure they have an ohms reading. The other parts are pretty degraded... they were originally shiny chrome.

Don't pay more than $500 for it... otherwise, you could buy a D8 and make two of them. Beat-up D8's go for about $1000.
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Jim Behnke · From: SW USA

"Those pickups are designed to work as a single humbucker with a blend, not as a typical 2 pickup configuration"

I'm no expert here, but the '57 Deluxe [single] Fender 8 I have [similar to Gabby's] has a wheel that pans between the pots. Works fine. Unsure if/how that's different from what I'd have done to this'n with a pan-pot setup in place of tone ctrl, Jeff Mead?
I had it in my head momentarily that if acquired inexpensively and made to work/sound well, it'd have been a good "knock-around" lap steel [forget the legs]. I'm over it, just interested if/how the "pan pot" thing isn't a viable thing since my Deluxe has that wheel [under the bridge cover] that seems clearly original?

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

I was really saying there wasn't much point on doing anything other than some sort of blend pot arrangement.

But as a matter of interest that knob doesn't pan - one pickup is always on full and the other is added to it.

Maybe a full pan would sound good - never tried it.

Jim Behnke · From: SW USA

Thanks, Jeff. I erroneously assumed it was a pan-pot. What's on the Tele I mentioned is a true, double-ganged pan pot, so one pickup fades up as the other fades down. A good-working alternative to a tone ctrl that just rolls off high end, on that particular instrument. Appreciate clarification of that wheel's function on my Dlx 8!

Mark Addeo · From: New Jersey, USA

Hi folks, I was poking around the forum reading up on Stringmaster posts when I came across this thread. I recognized that single orphan neck! I purchased it on ebay and decided that since the damage was done, I would do a poor man's custom finish rather than a full restoration. Oh and it's LEFT HANDED of course!

I tried to keep the cost down on the project since the seller didn't budge too much on the price.

First, I added a third socket hole and sank the original two just a bit deeper to accommodate a set of newer Sills leg sockets I already had. I also had some nice light airline legs from another project.

I stripped the many remnants of paint/lacquer and went with a simple rustic Home Depot Minwax finish.

I used Mother's polish to clean all the parts that still had chrome on them. I greased up the tuners and put it all back in place. The fret-board had a coat of lacquer too that was a mess to get off. Most of it anyway.

My nephew powder coated the control plate which was previously stripped of chrome. I added vol/tone holes. The pickups are original and they tested as stated in the ebay ad at 8+ ohms each. I added new pots for tone/vol and pickup blender.

I also decided to use an Electro socket Jack cup instead of the original.

To go with the rustic cowboy theme I bought assorted cowboy cochos and some thread rod from Home Depot to cover the factory holes used to bolt these necks together. I can't make up my mind on the copper ones pictured or chrome Texas stars in honor of Bob Wills. Winking

It's like picking out a tie.

This turned out to be a really nice left handed console/lap steel guitar. It is like an old friend, sounds great and is a treat to play.

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

Hey Mark,

Nice job. I love seeing these instruments brought back to life.

I'm still working on the orphan neck I posted earlier in the thread.

For the tie rod holes, I decided to just go with diamonds cut from pick guard material. I think they look OK.

Mark Addeo · From: New Jersey, USA

Hi Jeff, I saw those diamonds. Very impressive. They look real crisp and perfectly cut. I considered your idea and maybe some nice tortoise shell but since the front of my "now lefty" steel was clean and didn't have any screw holes I would try something easier. The back used to be the front and it does have screw holes for large diamonds though but I figured no one would see them but me.

Kiyoshi Osawa · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Hi guys!

First post in years. Just thought I'd update everyone on the current location of this very same neck. A few weeks ago I bought it off reverb as a working single neck Stringmaster. I just recently brought it home with me to Mexico City. I went ahead and bought a new neckplate and bridge cover. Also added some extra telecaster knobs I had lain around:

Gigged it last Friday and everyone was blown away by the tone and mojo of this instrument. Here's some pics:

Mark Addeo · From: New Jersey, USA

Hi Kiyoshi, glad to see that neck back in action! I had made a lefty single from that. Then I did a lefty D8 and sold the single neck. Not surprised that it sounds great. I recall that being from the mid 50â€™s. Best of luck with it. I missed having a single 8 and recently made another lefty without legs or sockets. Stringmasters are the best! Enjoy!

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

Hi Kiyoshi,

Wow! Those neck plates are really hard to find. You got lucky.

I would have put it in the correct location though - closest to the player, or at least the right way round (so it's right way up to the player) but maybe I'm too obsessive Smile

Love those orphan stringmasters.

Kiyoshi Osawa · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Jeff Mead · From: London, England

Kiyoshi Osawa · From: Mexico City, Mexico

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to update this post with some recent developments. After exchanging messages privately, Mark was kind enough to send over a couple of diamond rod covers!

I am so grateful for this kind gesture and for this forum where we can all share our passion for these instruments. Thank you so much Mark. what a great way to pay it forward!

Mike Neer · From: NJ

Good stuff! This community is one of the best there is.
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Mark Addeo · From: New Jersey, USA

Hi Kiyoshi Osawa, glad to see those chrome diamonds back on that great old hunk of wood. That steel has a lot of music left in it. All the best!

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