2004 Lehmann Eclipse - Price Check and Upcoming Sale

Zachary Friedman

This Lehmann Eclipse has been my only guitar for nearly two decades, but I’m preparing to sell it and would appreciate the forum’s help determining a fair price. Interested buyers are also welcome to contact me.

The reason for selling is primarily pickup compatibility. The DeArmond pickup I have used with it appears to have developed a wiring problem and needs to be repaired or replaced. I have removed it from the guitar, and it will be included loose and as-is. I’m not certain of the exact DeArmond model.

My intended replacement was a Pêche à la Mouche pickup, but this guitar does not provide enough string-to-fingerboard clearance near the end of the fingerboard. That compatibility issue - not a problem with the guitar’s sound - is what ultimately prompted the sale.

The guitar was recently serviced by a professional luthier, who performed several minor repairs and completed a full setup. The following measurements reflect the guitar after that work:

• Fret height: approximately .035" across most of the fingerboard, with some minor variation
• Low-E action at the 12th fret: approximately 2.78 mm (7/64")
• High-E action at the 12th fret: approximately 2.58 mm (just under 7/64")

There is a professionally repaired crack in the back. The repair has remained stable and, to the best of my knowledge, has caused no functional or playability issues. The original brass tailpiece broke and was replaced with a tin tailpiece by Bernie Lehmann himself.

Lehmann’s current Model Eclipse specifications can be found here: https://www.lehmannstrings.com/gypsy-models The current Eclipse has a base price of $5,550. This guitar was built in 2004, however, and I don’t know precisely how its construction or specifications differ from the current model. I therefore don’t want to imply that all of the current specifications necessarily apply to this instrument.

I bought the guitar used in 2008 for $2,400 - roughly $3,700 in 2026 dollars. I mention that only as historical context, rather than as a claim about its present market value. Because there are so few used Lehmann Eclipses available for comparison, I’d be grateful for opinions about a fair present-day asking price, taking into account the pickup’s condition, repairs, and replacement tailpiece.

[Location: DC Area]

[Includes a lightweight molded hard case; exact shell material unknown.]

[I will be adding photographs shortly]

I’m happy to provide additional measurements, detailed photographs, or a playing sample.