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Norum's "Final Countdown days" strat on Reverb

MelodicGritMelodicGrit Posts: 669
in General Guitar Discussion
https://reverb.com/item/33589488-fender-john-norum-stratocaster-final-countdown?bk=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJqdGkiOiJiNGFlYmQ1YS0yMzQzLTQ2MGUtYTFmYi00YjQ5NzJkODQxZjkiLCJpYXQiOjE1OTAzODk0MDAsInVzZXJfaWQiOiIiLCJzZXNzaW9uX2lkIjoiY2QxNjg5MzMtN2RjMy00NmVmLWFkMzItMTg5M2Q0Mzg2NWY4IiwiY29va2llX2lkIjoiMDgzOWFkNTAtMjFkNS00YzE5LWFkNWYtYWVkNjc5OGUwOWExIiwicHJvZHVjdF9pZCI6IjMzNTg5NDg4In0.8jy9hyt4ZJNna_UGSiuL-EEdG9QdYS23IMoNDpM7Jmc

$37,800 asking price.  No mention of studio track details, just a bit about being used on the Final Countdown-era tour and video, and "Norum says used a lot in Dokken"... Specs seem mostly on-point but I don't think Callaham bridges were available in that era.  The asking price seems quite outrageous.  Curious to see what everyone thinks.
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  • Tatosh GuitarTatosh Guitar Posts: 2,313
    Insane price. I wonder if there are some millionaire Europe super fans that would go for it.

    As for the Callahan bridge, it says there that it is a recent upgrade.

    That said, that's a great guitar. I had never noticed how close it is to my ideal Strat (big 70's headstock, 4 screw bolt on neck, 22 frets, white color) I would kill for a guitar with those specs...
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  • StitselStitsel Posts: 2,190
    I had a Japanese re-issue of a '72, identical except it was a maple neck (looked exactly like Uli's In Trance Strat) & it too was made around '85.... wish I would've known then how much they'd appreciate...  :o
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  • eduardoritoseduardoritos Posts: 3,802
    edited May 2020
    "I would estimate the radius to be around 12". The guitar now has 22 frets, checkout the video link where Norum explains how the fretboard was extended to give space to the extra fret."


    For 2000 $ you can make a DIY strat with so much not original specs. 
    Post edited by eduardoritos on
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  • eduardoritoseduardoritos Posts: 3,802
    Or a Chubby. 
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  • Tatosh GuitarTatosh Guitar Posts: 2,313
    edited May 2020
    Yeah. I venture I could get something very similar for way less than 2 grand as well, If I really look around. If I am feeling generous I am guessing the 1500 base price of Chubtones would get me 95% there.

    Moot point anyway. These days even buying strings would be quite a luxury for me. LOL.
    Post edited by Tatosh Guitar on
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  • Tatosh GuitarTatosh Guitar Posts: 2,313
    Stitsel said:
    I had a Japanese re-issue of a '72, identical except it was a maple neck (looked exactly like Uli's In Trance Strat) & it too was made around '85.... wish I would've known then how much they'd appreciate...  :o

    MIJ guitars are just awesome. I have a Charvel from that era and it's probably my best intrument. I would keep an eye for one of these but I am aware these are not easy to come by.
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  • Dinosaur David BDinosaur David B Posts: 18,271
    edited May 2020
    $37K for a 1972 REISSUE strat?  Just because Norum played it?
    Child, please!

    To put that in context, I payed about $4K for Hoffmann's Hamer V in 1999.  Even today that guitar wouldn't hit 5 figures.

    Post edited by Dinosaur David B on
    I threw me guitar out. Why bother? Why bother? Use it as a coffee table. Because I can't play it like that. 
    -- David St. Hubbins.
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  • Tatosh GuitarTatosh Guitar Posts: 2,313
    $37K for a 1972 REISSUE strat?  Just because Norum played it?
    Child, please!

    To put that in context, I payed about $4K for Hoffmann's Hamer V in 1999.  Even today that guitar wouldn't hit 5 figures.


    Yeah. These are crazy numbers. This guitar has a legit rock star pedigree, no question about that. But I mean, how big were Europe anyway? Sure, they had a number 1 song, but that lasted what, 20 minutes? This is not Queen or somebody like that. I don't think even a Michael Schenker Gibson V would fetch money like that.
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  • eduardoritoseduardoritos Posts: 3,802
    Brian May's guitar is the example of an actual unique instrument, in so many ways. 

    It's impossible to put a price on it. 
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  • Tatosh GuitarTatosh Guitar Posts: 2,313
    eduardoritos said:
    Brian May's guitar is the example of an actual unique instrument, in so many ways. 

    It's impossible to put a price on it. 

    Indeed. I can't think of any other guitar that fits this criteria. A one of a kind in every sense.
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  • Duojett71Duojett71 Posts: 9,597
    I asked John about that Strat at NAMM. I knew he didn't own it anymore but I asked him about it anyway. Just wanted to get him talking about it. He says he knows the guy that owns it, and has been trying to get it back for years. Doubt that will happen now if the guy thinks he can make some real money off it. It will never sell close to that....but he might get between 5-10k for it. Still worth selling. Norum said that guitar had some mojo and he regretted getting rid of it.
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  • Tatosh GuitarTatosh Guitar Posts: 2,313
    Duojett71 said:
    I asked John about that Strat at NAMM. I knew he didn't own it anymore but I asked him about it anyway. Just wanted to get him talking about it. He says he knows the guy that owns it, and has been trying to get it back for years. Doubt that will happen now if the guy thinks he can make some real money off it. It will never sell close to that....but he might get between 5-10k for it. Still worth selling. Norum said that guitar had some mojo and he regretted getting rid of it.

    Bummer. I was wondering earlier why had he sold it. It seems to me that was his main guitar, and those are the ones you never part with.
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  • MelodicGritMelodicGrit Posts: 669
    Tatosh Guitar said:
    $37K for a 1972 REISSUE strat?  Just because Norum played it?
    Child, please!

    To put that in context, I payed about $4K for Hoffmann's Hamer V in 1999.  Even today that guitar wouldn't hit 5 figures.


    Yeah. These are crazy numbers. This guitar has a legit rock star pedigree, no question about that. But I mean, how big were Europe anyway? Sure, they had a number 1 song, but that lasted what, 20 minutes? This is not Queen or somebody like that. I don't think even a Michael Schenker Gibson V would fetch money like that.
    Schenker sold his #1 V, the one actually used on his early-80s classic MSG albums for about $20K back in the early 2000s.  
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  • Dinosaur David BDinosaur David B Posts: 18,271
    True, but he is a player of MUCH larger stature than Norum or Hoffmann. 
    I threw me guitar out. Why bother? Why bother? Use it as a coffee table. Because I can't play it like that. 
    -- David St. Hubbins.
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  • MelodicGritMelodicGrit Posts: 669
    Dinosaur David B said:
    True, but he is a player of MUCH larger stature than Norum or Hoffmann. 
    That is exactly my point.  If that strat was used for EVERY album and tour Norum did it STILL wouldn't be worth $37K, and I'm as much of a fan of his playing as anyone else here.
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