How does one determine value, when no others are listed ?Martin Backpacker Ukulele

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TheCraftedCow

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I have surfed US uke stores with diverse inventory as well as Germany-France-Australia and The UK,as well. I have not seen another one listed ANYWHERE ELSE. The B/P guitar still exists in great numbers, but nothing of the ukulele. Any clues of what to do? I shall call Martin Company tomorrow.
 
Second hand value?

The magazine Vintage Guitar produces a yearly price guide book that also includes amps, mandolins and ukuleles, with rough ball-park figures.

There are some websites that give indications, the Blue Book of Guitar Prices is one, Reverb is another. None of them list Martin backpacker ukuleles.

Then there's ebay, especially when you do an advanced search for completed listings. I now see five listings, one still active, with a range of sold-for prices between 100 and 325 USD, and an average frequency of listings of 2 per month. Two listings had a higher price, but didn't sell.

The new price was around 150 USD, so it seems like the price is going up.
 
This is a second owner situation, but it is brand new having never been played, and rarely had the box opened. It has been kept in the same environment as all of my other ukuleles. I bought it strictly on the thought that "someday" someone will realize they have an incomplete Martin collection of ukuleles, and will go looking for a decent condition BackPacker. This one is pristine. My other one has had a bit of tweaking. The most obvious is a set of PEGHEDS for tuners so the gears with ears are gone, and it is even lighter than before **. I just looked at the one on eBay. It is one of the later ones made. The earlier ones (like mine) have the typical MARTIN logo across the top of the headstock rather than hidden between the end of the neck and the sound hole.
I think my older, in better shape, is not worth more than $295 not including shipping.
 
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I've seen them being sold and never seen them over 300, it's certainly not sought after that much, and not many made
More for collectors than players, Good luck on the sale
You're looking at it before from an investment standpoint, well I'm sure you'll get what you initially paid for it and some.
 
Any picture of a Martin backpacker ukulele. I've played the guitar version but didn't know there was a ukulele version?
 
Yeah I agree with lakesideglenn that ukulele is kind of a Novelty Item. Use your 449.00 to buy something else like a Vintage Martin style O or Kamaka Soprano in primo condition...Those two will look, Sound Way Better and you'll save some money.:)
 
I saw one in my local music shop the. Other day. I don't remember the pice, but I tried to play it a bit and found it very awkward to hold. It didn't sound as great as a Martin should IMO.
 
The Martin Backpacker guitar is not really considered a Martin by the collectors I know, so I'd be surprised if any collector of Martin Ukes would feel the need to add one of these Backpacker Ukes to their collection. If it's half as bad as the Backpacker guitars then it's a dog.
 
Always thought that the Backpacker ukulele was redundant as it is not that much smaller than the soprano and then the sound was sacrificed for a few inches in width.
 
TheCraftedCow is trying to sell his, not buy one, and that's the reason for asking about setting a price.

High asking prices mean very little, it's the price they sell for that really counts. From time to time a ridiculously high priced beater ukulele goes the rounds on craigslist or ebay or leboncoin or other second hand platforms - they never get sold.

And prices are not just determined by the quality for making music, it's probably also rarity, nostalgia, brand recognition, that add up to a final amount.
 
ukulelekarcsi said:
TheCraftedCow is trying to sell his, not buy one, and that's the reason for asking about setting a price.

High asking prices mean very little, it's the price they sell for that really counts. From time to time a ridiculously high priced beater ukulele goes the rounds on craigslist or ebay or leboncoin or other second hand platforms - they never get sold.

And prices are not just determined by the quality for making music, it's probably also rarity, nostalgia, brand recognition, that add up to a final amount.
Click to expand...

Prices on Craigslist,ebay or anywhere, does not determine an ukuleles current assessment value, tone, condition. anybody can list any price what they want including here or anywhere, doesn't mean it will sell and more than its worth can can turn people off. Unless it's a rare or high end desired ukulele for a smaller market who can afford them.
 
I did not state a price because I agree with The Mystery Man. There are other factors with other people of which I am not aware. One of the most precious ukuleles in my collection was bought in 1955 for $5.00 for a little 5 year old girl. At 23 she became my wife. At 43 she told me about the ukulele in her mother's attic. Three years ago at 63 it became mine, and she also left me with her 34 string harp in our living room as she upgraded to a heavenly harp. Is there a price for that ukulele to belong to someone else? Yes, and it will go back to being a $10.00 ukulele after I get my heavenly harp. But until then...it is priceless. I am probably not the only one who realizes there is a difference between something's price and it's value.
 
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