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I have a co-worker that has a 14 year old daughter that is just taking up guitar through her school. Her grandfather gave her his dad's (her great grandfather's)old guitar to get started on. He told her father not to wory to much about this guitar because it is old and not worth a dime but should get her started.

anyway her father brought it to me to teach her how to install strings. It is a Stella F-46p looks to be all mahogany painted to look like flame maple cherry burst, bought in 1951 or 1952 in pristine condition ...Does anyone have any idea if this Stella has any value? i will get pics later this afternoon

It probably isn't worth much, but pictures will help.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Well just found out it is bit younger than I though it was bought in 1955, Bad news is Claton took off to the lake for the weekend, so no pics. Best I can tell after some research is it is worh about $100 on the collectors market in what is called good condition. So I am guessing about $150 max. Still Clatons grandfather probably only paid $10 for it in 1955. Every thing on it is a bit dusty but in like new condition. Not a scratch on the finish. Frets have almost no wear, Fretboard is in great condition. All dots are in tact. There is nothing That I would downgrade on this guitar, but it is not a Jass Master..darn it... just a little parlor

I think Stella was just a catalog brand. Kind of like Kay. Something to get from Sears and Roebuck.

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Joe Breault
Merrimack, NH
Perpetual novice

Mason Williams included a tune he wrote called "$13 Stella " on an album called "The Mason Williams Ear Show," released in 1968. My understanding is that he recorded it with a Stella guitar he paid $13 for.

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John Cavanaugh
Saint Paul, MN
"What could possibly go wrong?"

I think all Stellas for the last fifty or sixty years were made by Harmony. My first guitar was a brand new '71 Harmony Stella. I've read that the "F-XX" number indicated the year of manufacture, though I don't know how reliable that is. Mine does have "F-71" stamped inside.TomS38625.7627546296

The earliest Stellas were good quality guitars. Leadbelly played one of the 12 strings, and they are very nice. But that company went under, and Harmony bought the name and started making them. When Harmony made them, they were their "low-end" guitars and the regular Harmony guitars were better.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

The first guitar I banged on was a Stella. My dad had one back in the 60's.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

This is a good link for stella guitars. The links off the main page give a whole world of detail on the old blues players guitars.

I've always wanted an old Stella, the 30's models go for abot $1500 so I guess it's not out of the question. They really were the sound of the Delta.

Stella Guitars

ColinColin S38626.2175462963

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.