jim - Posted - 05/11/2011:  13:42:48

I spoke to a fella today with a Reed Reso for sale. I know next to nothing about Bob Reed or the quality of his guitars. It is mahogany with black sunburst.  Anyone with knowlege about what it might be worth?..........................jim

otdobro - Posted - 05/11/2011:  14:52:32

They were very high quality instruments. Roger Williams played one for years. I believe he still has his. Bob had some connection to R.Q. Jones if I remember right. Probably $2000 +

jim - Posted - 05/11/2011:  18:35:43

Hey, thank's a million for that, I really didn't think it would be worth that much.  Anyone else out there have any comment?...........jim

Slideman1939 - Posted - 05/11/2011:  18:48:40

Jim Warren--your memory (as usual) is correct--Reed was the successor to the Rudy Q. Jones early era.Rudy did his thing with wiring together the multiple microwave ovens to dry out (further) a fine ancient walnut log. Many dobros with great sound came from that--including Beverly King's favorite. Of course she wrote all about Rudy's work in her bookjlet "The Dobro Nut" (the first dobro related magazine) later evolving into Resophonic Echoes, Country Heritage productions, etc. Jones became a cult favorite BEFORE the many custom luthiers emerged. Picking a R.Q. Jones was like owning a Maserati in a world of  Fords. The Jones had a deep (for THAT time period) 3 & 3/4 inch body and wider than normal string spacing. AFTER Rudy decided to move on he collaberated with Reed in Texas to build and sell a custom built reso with same specifications (except made with normal woods rather than the famous micro-waved walnut log).. So a Bob Reed reso was similar to a Jones and his place in history could be described as an authorized successor luthier. Rudy Q. had been in Wannette Okla. and Jones was out of texas. Also  Reed did some pioneer work in catalog mail order dobro instrruction and supplies because in the 1980's the resources were far fewer. Reed was sort of an early version of Paul Beard's "Resophonic Outfitters".I am not sure what Rudy Q. did in the 1990's and early 2000's but I believe he ended up semi-retired in florida, is a reader of this forum, has continued custom building by request on instruments bearing his name AND also has a service involving set-up and re-building certain models of Regal. He will take a certain model of ($650 ??) Regal and totally re-set and re-build that Regal  until it sounds like a custom built. The buyer or one who commissions the work pays Rudy Q. $1,000 and ends up with a great sounding reso with replacement parts and tuned by the master's hand. It's nice that Rudy re-emerged into reso world after disappearing in the 1980's.I only picked on an R.Q. Jones once and it was heavy and solid and the wide string spacing took getting used to..One has only to look at the photos of Beverly King standing beside Brother Oswald on certain album covers holding that walnut R.Q. Jones and remember the history of the RQJones-Reed years and wiring up all those microwave ovens to dry the big log and make some of the best Walnut Body Dobros that anybody ever made in the 1980's. Other than that, don't remember much about the question--didn't mean to ramble.

jim - Posted - 05/11/2011:  18:56:38

Hey Slideman, what value would you put on the Reed Reso?..............................jim

Slideman1939 - Posted - 05/11/2011:  21:18:43

I would guess 1200 if it was a Reed but $1600-1800 if the peghead said RQ Jones.They may be similar design or appearence but in the vintage collector world the older original genuine hand built Jones is scarcer. A WALNUT Jones from that original magic log I would guess over $2000.

tigchrome - Posted - 05/12/2011:  06:49:00

otdobro, Slideman1939: you two guys are one of the reasons I enjoy it here so much on RH. Your knowledge and willingness to share that knowledge is fantastic. Slideman1939, no rambling in my opinion.  Jerry

Andy B - Posted - 05/12/2011:  19:14:12

I had a Bob Reed guitar briefly in the late 80s--mahogany sunburst, I believe.  My understanding was that he took over for RQ Jones for a while and the guitar I had looked a lot like a Jones--same distinctive body shape, etc.  It had nice tone but but was not what i was looking for and I traded it for a mandolin in 1989.  I don't know what they are going for now.