Approximately How much would this fender be worth?

guitar neck plate image

Joe Aragon

The guitar is a telecaster musicmaster, it has orignal paint (which is a little chipped) I think that it is a 1956, the tuning heads are very rusted up and hard to turn, it is definatly an old guitar and it shows it, the number on the neck plate is 101564 it is red with a white pick guard, it also has a missing knob. also what would be your ideas as to what i should have done to it to get the most money for it, or increase its value

thanks

Answer
Hello there,
I do not think you are looking at a 1956 Fender Musicmaster. The serial number would date it to 1965. See this link for the date.
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/fender.html#serial

The Musicmaster is not a Telecaster. It is a separate model called the Musicmaster. It has a different body shape and different neck headstock from a Telecaster. The Musicmaster was a short scale guitar made with one pickup. The 2 pickup version of this guitar is called the Duo Sonic. These have a 21 fret 22 1/2 inch scale neck. The 1956 Musicmaster has an aluminum pickguard. In 1959, the pickguard was changed to plastic. After 1964 (when the Mustang was released) Fender changed the Musicmaster and the Duo Sonic. They used Mustang necks on the Musicmaster then. I think that is when they made the 22 fret 24 inch scale neck available on the Musicmaster.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_Musicmaster

There is currently a 1966 Musicmaster listed on eBay for $1500
http://compare.ebay.com/like/250670264612?ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=215246592209&crlp=1_263602_304662&UA=WXI7&GUID=92f1a31b12b0a0e0f1958b85ffffa4fa&itemid=250670264612&ff4=263602_304662

Of course that one has not sold yet. Here are some recent sales of them.
1966 Musicmaster $500
http://cgi.ebay.com/1966-Fender-Musicmaster-II-/170602710125?pt=Guitar&hash=item27b8b6c46d

1961 Musicmaster $460
http://cgi.ebay.com/1961-Fender-Musicmaster-3-4-scale-/280631660717?pt=Guitar&hash=item4156f350ad

1966 Musicmaster $775
http://cgi.ebay.com/Completely-Original-Vintage-1966-Fender-Musicmaster-II-/110648377668?pt=Guitar&hash=item19c3284144

1966 Musicmaster in Daphne blue $850
http://cgi.ebay.com/1966-Fender-Musicmaster-II-electric-guitar-Dafne-Blue-/220746079204?pt=Guitar&hash=item33657ddbe4

After that, there were several listed from $1100 to $1500 that did not sell, such as this one.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1962-Musicmaster-Fender-/400192005552?pt=Guitar&hash=item5d2d4d65b0

Here is a 1956 Duo Sonic that did sell for $2700. The Duo Sonic has 2 pickups and the Musicmaster has only one. Otherwise they are the same guitar. Note the alumunium pickguard.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1956-Fender-Duo-Sonic-Guitar-Pre-CBS-Rare-Musicmaster-/160549674796?pt=Guitar&hash=item2561819f2c

For maximum value, leave it absolutely stock. Do not replace any rusted parts. Any time you change a part on a vintage guitar you decrease the value. So if you would replace those rusty tuners with new ones, the value would drop considerably. You can replace the missing knob by buying a vintage one of the same type. If you cannot find one, or do not wish to spend that much for a knob, leave it off. Putting new parts on a vintage guitar detracts from the value. If there is one new part on a vintage guitar, a buyer will be skeptical thinking there may be more. You can clean the guitar, but do not refurbish it. Do not under any circumstances refinish it. This is clearly a case of less is better.

By the way, you have a very nice, old hand crafted guitar. Fender does not make them like that these days. I have not had the privilege of playing a Musicmaster. I have played a 60s Mustang. It was a great guitar to play.

Later,

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