Zeidler Jazz Deluxe 18"

**jazzgtrl4** · 04-11-2024, 07:46 PM

Whoa pretty cool, no affil

FS - 1999 J.R. Zeidler Jazz Deluxe 18" | The Gear Page

**wintermoon** · 04-11-2024, 08:44 PM

Stunning, as usual. John wasn't content to copy other designs like Gibson, etc.
His sense of aesthetics were as good as it gets and his workmanship second to none.
The next owner is going to be very happy.

**jazzgtrl4** · 04-11-2024, 11:02 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Stunning, as usual. John wasn't content to copy other designs like Gibson, etc.
His sense of aesthetics were as good as it gets and his workmanship second to none.
The next owner is going to be very happy.

and.....its gone

**nyc chaz** · 04-11-2024, 11:40 PM

Probably some dealer snapped it up and will be up for sale next week at a hefty increase in price.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 04-11-2024, 11:48 PM

Or…..it could be going to someone who has been looking for the right 18” Zeidler for a while now.

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**marcut** · 04-12-2024, 01:00 AM

1999 J.R.Zeidler 18" Jazz Deluxe - musical instruments - by owner - sale - craigslist

It’s also for sale in the Bay Area. It’s listed in Sebastopol which is about 2,700 miles from Niagara Falls where it just sold.

**kevmoga** · 04-12-2024, 06:36 AM

On TGP of all places…….I should be more careful about stereotypes. Not that I had 17k laying around mind you.

**nevershouldhavesoldit** · 04-12-2024, 07:18 AM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

Stunning, as usual. John wasn't content to copy other designs like Gibson, etc.
His sense of aesthetics were as good as it gets and his workmanship second to none.
The next owner is going to be very happy.

He was also a truly good guy - pleasant, friendly, and honest. A friend of mine and probably yours has (or at least had, for many years - I haven’t played with him since before Covid) the first Zeidler archtop.

I used to troll pawn shops for treasures. A Zeidler 12 string appeared in the back case at South Street Pawn, and I had high hopes when I spotted it. But as soon as I had it in my hands, I realized that it had suffered multiple fast & furious insults from careless, unskilled, and incompetent hacks over the years. It needed major work and many minor fixes. But I didn’t even know that he made 12s, and it turned out that this was either the only one or one of a few (I don’t remember now). So I thought it’d be a cool guitar to have.

I figured it was cheap enough to justify having John rebuild it. But before I bought it, I knew enough to call him and discuss it. Of course, he knew the guitar well. He realized soon after he sold it to its prior owner that it was doomed. The owner had carelessly done something bad to it early in its life and brought it back for repair. He apparently complained bitterly about the proposed cost and said he’d find someone to do it for less. John subsequently learned about several such incidents as well as cheap and shoddy fixes in lieu of proper care and maintenance.

He told me he’d love to be able to renew it for me. But he thought it was too far gone for him to make it right without literally remaking it, which would have cost more than having a new one made - and I don’t like 12 strings that much. His advice was to forget about, and he was truly sad that one of his guitars should be left for dead - especially a rare one.

**wintermoon** · 04-12-2024, 08:12 AM

Originally Posted by nevershouldhavesoldit

He was also a truly good guy - pleasant, friendly, and honest. A friend of mine and probably yours has (or at least had, for many years - I haven’t played with him since before Covid) the first Zeidler archtop.

I used to troll pawn shops for treasures. A Zeidler 12 string appeared in the back case at South Street Pawn, and I had high hopes when I spotted it. But as soon as I had it in my hands, I realized that it had suffered multiple fast & furious insults from careless, unskilled, and incompetent hacks over the years. It needed major work and many minor fixes. But I didn’t even know that he made 12s, and it turned out that this was either the only one or one of a few (I don’t remember now). So I thought it’d be a cool guitar to have.

I figured it was cheap enough to justify having John rebuild it. But before I bought it, I knew enough to call him and discuss it. Of course, he knew the guitar well. He realized soon after he sold it to its prior owner that it was doomed. The owner had carelessly done something bad to it early in its life and brought it back for repair. He apparently complained bitterly about the proposed cost and said he’d find someone to do it for less. John subsequently learned about several such incidents as well as cheap and shoddy fixes in lieu of proper care and maintenance.

He told me he’d love to be able to renew it for me. But he thought it was too far gone for him to make it right without literally remaking it, which would have cost more than having a new one made - and I don’t like 12 strings that much. His advice was to forget about, and he was truly sad that one of his guitars should be left for dead - especially a rare one.

I mentioned that 12 string to a friend of mine and he told me to buy it for him against my advice despite the reptile dentistry headstock repair. It was truly a mess but he really wanted that guitar, it was $900 at the time.
Here's a thread from a dozen years ago.

Peter Bernstein -- Zeidler Archtop?

**nyc chaz** · 04-12-2024, 09:26 AM

Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan

Or…..it could be going to someone who has been looking for the right 18” Zeidler for a while now.

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Well it seems you and i have covered the two possibilities.Congrats.

**Sam b** · 04-12-2024, 11:25 AM

Did he make any 16"?

**jazzgtrl4** · 04-12-2024, 12:24 PM

**omphalopsychos** · 04-12-2024, 12:45 PM

I've played Pete Bernsteins and have to say it was an amazing instrument. I was very surprised at how slim the neck is, but it looks like that's not the case with this one. I'd love a 17" Zeidler with a chunky neck one day. Hope I get as lucky as TRM did with this one.

**wintermoon** · 04-12-2024, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by omphalopsychos

I've played Pete Bernsteins and have to say it was an amazing instrument. I was very surprised at how slim the neck is, but it looks like that's not the case with this one. I'd love a 17" Zeidler with a chunky neck one day. Hope I get as lucky as TRM did with this one.

Probably gonna be a long wait Juan, I can't remember any others besides my 18" having a chunky neck but I suppose it's possible.

**wintermoon** · 04-12-2024, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by Sam b

Did he make any 16"?

There's a couple including one in the link to Pete's guitar I posted, but most of the 16" guitars were his Archtop model which had flat backs. I know at least one that was 16 7/8".

**wintermoon** · 04-12-2024, 01:38 PM

ps I'm pretty sure the guitar in the OP has a retro fitted guard/pickup though it's shaped like John's. If he added it himself I'm certain it was a tooth pull to get him to do it and I can't see John having an exposed mounting screw showing on the guard, he was way too anal for something like that

It might have been necessary considering the pickup placement though.
It was designed as strictly an acoustic as were all of his, John despised pickups and guards on his guitars but relented after many requests, though there was no way he was cutting a hole for a mounted pickup.
Beautiful as it is can't say I'm a fan of the scalloped mandolin fingerboard extension from a players standpoint but that was a feature he added to a handful of Jazz Deluxe models and was standard on the Jazz Deluxe Special models. I don't know what the actual selling price of this one was but an absolute steal even @ the 17k asking imo.

**ThatRhythmMan** · 04-12-2024, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by wintermoon

ps I'm pretty sure the guitar in the OP has a retro fitted guard/pickup though it's shaped like John's. If he added it himself I'm certain it was a tooth pull to get him to do it and I can't see John having an exposed mounting screw showing on the guard, he was way too anal for something like that

It might have been necessary considering the pickup placement though.
It was designed as strictly an acoustic as were all of his, John despised pickups and guards on his guitars but relented after many requests, though there was no way he was cutting a hole for a mounted pickup.
Beautiful as it is can't say I'm a fan of the scalloped mandolin fingerboard extension from a players standpoint but that was a feature he added to a handful of Jazz Deluxe models and was standard on the Jazz Deluxe Special models. I don't know what the actual the selling price of this one was but an absolute steal even @ the 17k asking imo.

You are correct the pickguard/pickup is a later addition, and will be coming off.

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