Value - Lakewood M18?

MikeB

I've recently dug out my old Lakewood M18 which I've had since 1994 from new. I really don't play acoustic anymore and I am debating selling it. It needs a good clean up and some new strings but other than that its in excellent nick.

I've checked out the usual eBay sold listings to no avail but wonder if there is much resale value? 

I can sort photos out if that will help?

Strangefan

1400.00 I would say, great guitars 

ICBM

They still make that model and they're £1599 new, so I would say you'll be lucky to get a grand, and probably more like £800-£900. Sadly brands like this really don't have the resale value of the traditional US makers no matter how good they are. Even other North American ones like Larrivée don't really...

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so.

GTC

I've never tried a Lakewood but I've heard that they are very good. However, they are not generally well known and the resale price, particularly for the older basic models could reflect this.

The only second-hand one I've seen on eBay was for a Grand Auditorium solid spruce / solid mahogany lefty cutaway (can't remember the model number) with a Hiscox case a couple of years ago - reportedly in excellent condition. It ended up going for around £400 at auction. For once, I convinced myself I didn't need it and didn't bid. I was kicking myself after

The fact it was left-handed and the brief listing could have affected the eventual selling price so it is worth testing the water. However, don't get your hopes up too high. I believe the ones with a wider fingerboard (46mm at nut) are more sought after. Project Music are a Lakewood dealer and they be able to give some advice.

Strangefan

I got 1400 for my m18 2 years ago on reverb so...... 

MikeB

I emailed Lakewood over in Germany re the specs and they came back really quickly with the following:

Spruce top
Ovankol back and sides
Mahogany neck
Rosewood bridge and fingerboard
Maple binding

Martin Seeliger- Geschäftsführer (CEO)
Lakewood Guitars GmbH & Co. KG - Zum Bahnhof 6a - 35394 Giessen - Germany
UST-Id.Nr.: DE 263048803 - Steuernummer: 020 340 00165
Lakewood Guitars GmbH & Co. KG - Sitz der Gesellschaft: Giessen - Amtsgericht Giessen - HRA 4005
Komplementärin: Lakewood Guitars Verwaltungs-GmbH - Sitz der Gesellschaft: Giessen - Amtsgericht Giessen - HRB 6929
Geschäftsführer: Martin Seeliger

So doesn't look as though the main specs have changed much to the current versions from what I can see.

Thanks for the responses so far. Quite a bit of wriggle room on the possible price so I'll try and do some more digging with Project Music / others. 

GTC

GTC said:

I've never tried a Lakewood but I've heard that they are very good. However, they are not generally well known and the resale price, particularly for the older basic models could reflect this.

The only second-hand one I've seen on eBay was for a Grand Auditorium solid spruce / solid mahogany lefty cutaway (can't remember the model number) with a Hiscox case a couple of years ago - reportedly in excellent condition. It ended up going for around £400 at auction. For once, I convinced myself I didn't need it and didn't bid. I was kicking myself after

The fact it was left-handed and the brief listing could have affected the eventual selling price so it is worth testing the water. However, don't get your hopes up too high. I believe the ones with a wider fingerboard (46mm at nut) are more sought after. Project Music are a Lakewood dealer and they be able to give some advice.

I've checked back and the one that was on eBay was an M14 lefty - early 2000's - in excellent condition with Hiscox case. I think that £400 was an absolute steal - from a bit of research on the brand when it came up, I was expecting it to go for £700 - £800, perhaps more.

The listing for the guitar wasn't the best I've seen, it was a left-hander (which limits the market) and it was advertised as collection in person from London (limiting the market further).

I would advise that you be prepared to post (perhaps internationally) to get the widest coverage for the best price. Bear in mind the current new price of this model when advertising though, unless there is something else that is special about it.

malcolmkindness

Lakewood make excellent guitars, but I agree with what has been said they don't hold their value on the second hand market and they are difficult to shift.