[Mad Dog]

Does anyone know where I can find some info about these guitars? I have been all over the web looking and although I have found a few articles, I would really like to find someone who can answer some specific questions for me.

Most pictures I find of Mark III's I find seem to have a set neck. My guitar seems to be a through neck design. You can clearly see the neck running all the way through the body. I was reading an article by Michael Wright in Vintage Guitar magazine and he mentions an early run of theses guitars that seems to mention a guitar like mine.

Any info you guys have would be greatly appreciated

[ButchieB]

Hi

I've been having the same problem as you. You would think this would not be such a big mystery. Surely someone who worked at Magnatone in the 1950's is still around to answer a few questions.

I was looking at a new book about Bigsby guitars. They implied that he designed the neck through Magnatone Mark 3's but by the time they got to production they had gone with the glued on neck. Perhaps our guitars are prototypes. Perhaps Bigsby made them himself. Who made the pickups?

Everyone who plays my guitar is blown away by it's sound. I have the two pick up model. I've played another one pickup version. You have one. The fellow who wrote the article has one. Well we know four exist.

One year the price guide had a high value on the guitar. The next year it had no number but just said it was rare. What does that mean?

The ads for Magnatone guitars from the period show a different guitar for the Mark3. Perhaps these are limited edition hand made prototypes.

Let me know if you find out more.

Ken

[Mad Dog]

I will definetly let you know if I find out anything.

I just can't believe no one seems to know anything. . . .

[ButchieB]

Hi Again

I'm quoting from the 2009 Vintage Price Guide. " Mark Series.1955-1960. Solid body series made by Paul Bigsby in small qualities."

I think the key word here is made by. Bigsby made guitars are very rare and valuable.

[Mad Dog]

Well, I finally broke down and had my guitar appraised by Gruhn Guitars. I also asked them to forward me any information about the neck through design. They said that mine is a 1956 model, as 1957 and later had a set neck design. They also said that this was the version of the Mark III that Bigsby designed. They called the pickups "Bigsby style". They gave me a valuation of $3500 on my guitar in its original state. Here is a few pics of mine in case anyone is curious.

[jules]

Very interesting.

Was this finished and stripped down, or were they much like this originally?

[Mad Dog]

This is the original finish. My father bought it in the late fifties when a local music store was selling out some old inventory. It has spent much of it's 53 years in it's case in the back of the closet. He never really learned to play, so he pulled the strings off of it and put it away. He gave it to me in the mid nineties when I started playing, but I didn't think much of it at the time. So it went back into the closet until I pulled it out earlier this year. This thing is just about as close to original as you can get.

I wish I could get some of the pics to show some of the fun details on it. This guitar was obviously handmade. The fret board has uneven edges where it was basically sanded down to fit the neck. The neck to body joint is uneven. I'm not saying it is horrible, just not the laser straight lines of a mass produced modern guitar. I have never had the pleasure of handling any other guitars from the fifties, but I wonder if the gibsons and fenders had some of the same things.

[phxforsale]

Mine I believe is a 57' my Dad bought it from a friend in 58' and I got it from him in 93'. Mine clearly is a through body neck as visible on the back where my Dad's belt buckle rubbed away the finish. I'm posting some pics also if I can figure out how. Mine has had lots of play time but still sounds absolutely amazing! The double pick-ups with the 3 way switch allow the guitar to have very nice highs and incredible lows when the switch settings are appropriate. Mine is a root beer color and I also have the original hard case. Both have had a very active life, but the guitar still sounds amazing, so much better than guitars of today. It's been in the dry air in Phoenix since the mid 80's and I wonder if the dry air has helped the wood to produce the rich low tones mine has or if the Magnatones all sound as good. I'm looking for more info as well, mine has a serial number plate and is stamped 52599 but not sure how they were numbered because it was for sure a 56' or 57'. Any way add mine to the list of known Magnatones designed by Bigsby.

[jules]

I like it

What with the walnut brown finish, and the chrome rounded rectangular pickup surrounds, this looks like it influeneced Gibsons Les Paul Professional guitar and bass