ahhh.....those vintage guitars

[monkeywalker]

i always hear people talking about how great it would be to own a vintage strat or les paul or rickenbacker from the golden years. i agree it would be nice to have a relic from the 60's but in reality you can only own them to look at and play if you have the patience, because 40 years of facing the cold hard world won't have done it any good. think about it, would you rather have a top wack deluxe american 2005 strat for £1800, or would you rather have a 60's strat costing more like £4000?

it makes sense to go for the cheaper and better made 2005 version. i'm not saying that is what i would do, because, well, i wouldn't but that doesn't mean to say it is the best decision.sometimes you just have to let your heart rule your head, my dad's friend has a strat from 1964 which is in amazing condition and although it doesn't play as well as the new ones there's just something about it that when you hold it, it just feels right, like you're holding a piece of history in you're hands.

Amen

[Skybone]

The vintage guitar issue is a very emotive one for most players. Some love 'em, some hate 'em.

Ever sit down in a music shop when you've been trying to find THAT guitar for you? Even some new guitars are unplayable, and just don't "feel" right. Some vintage guitars are in the same category, yet cost way more than they should because they're "vintage"...

Buying a vintage guitar for the sake of it is just plain daft.

Buying a vintage guitar because it feels right, because it has been on your wish list for far too long and more importantly, because you are going to use it is fair enough.

Discuss...

[indysmith]

I'd not like a vintage guitar, because i'd be too afraid to break it whilst playing it. I'd feel bad for ruining a piece of history. on top of this, theres a lot nicer things you can get today for the same price.

[Ratrod]

I really like some vintage guitar. I'm always hoping to find one at some car boot sale for a low price. :roll:

50's gold top LP, '76 or '58 explorer or a '59 Gretsch. But everyone knows these guitars will go for up to $15,000,-

I'd hardly dare to play one if it's worth that kind of money. I won't get a guitar that's more expensive than my car.

[HTH AMPS]

There are some great guitars being made right now, but a great vintage guitar is something else - I think mainly because of the quality of wood used (thinking mostly of Gibsons here).  

My '67 SG jr is very lightweight and resonant - it's much louder acoustically than my Les Paul and just has a great 'ring' to it.  I have not played a new SG that plays or sounds that good; its not like you need to remortgage to buy a 60s SG jr (£1000 - £1500)

All that said, I'm a Les Paul guy through and through and my '91 std is my main guitar and has been for the past 11 years.

 :twisted:

[Skybone]

I'd just like to add that I love older (not quite vintage) guitars. 3 of my 4 electrics were made over 20 years ago. My main one is from '99. Yes there are some nice new guitars out there, there are some really nice, playable guitars that sound great (including maybe a period conversion...pickups of course... ;) ) that are just "because I'm worth it..."

[Searcher]

I miss my '73 SG. Shouldn't have sold it. Much nicer than the current stuff, as was the '71 Tele I owned. And then there's the '78 Strat I had. People look down on '70s Strats, but this one was awesome.

[t3h haze]

I really like some vintage guitar. I'm always hoping to find one at some car boot sale for a low price. :roll:

Same here, always hoping to see one at a car boot. Second hand shops can be good, there's nice Kramer in one, it's not a top of the range thing, but the Floyd Rose that's on is easily the best I've used, bit battered and bruised, but for £65, you can't complain really.

I like new guitars, purely because every dent and chip is your's, bit more personal in that respect, but vintage guitars are just good for getting that feel instantly, I think that's why people like them, those dents and worn paint just add a personality to the guitar, something you don't get new.

Also, it's an ego thing.

[Searcher]

I really like some vintage guitar. I'm always hoping to find one at some car boot sale for a low price. :roll:

I seem to be quoting you a bit today.

Years ago, when I was a better guitar player, I taught guitar for a living. I had a student call me one afternoon. He said that an old lady down the road was having a garage sale and she had an old acoustic guitar her husband used to own for sale. "It's a Martin or something," he said. "It's about 40 or 50 years old, but it's in perfect condition; it's been under her bed since he died. She wants $70 for it. Should I buy it?"

Needless to say I told him to run back and get it. Needless to say, someone else had bought it.  :(

[monkeywalker]

skybone is right. it is an emotive thing, there is definatly a sense of something beyond what a new guitar can feel like when you pick up a "vintage" one.however i could never justify paying the amount these instruments are going for these days. beside the fact that i don't have that kind of money to spend on anything  :lol: i wonder if in 50 years time the guitars being churned out by gibson now will be changing hands for the sort of prices as todays relics. i hope for everybody's sake that they aren't :D  they will be mightily dissapointed.

it's also a shame that some of today's guitars are of such a low standard yet people will still fork out good money for them.

[Jp.]

Yes it is definatelly an emotive issue but for me....

Its a bit of a hollow victory really. I mean  for the same money you can get a custom builder to make one of these guitars just as good or even better in some cases.

Ok there is the issue of the wood drying out or "curing" which creates a lighter more resonant guitar over time. Something you cant replicate.

But really buying a beat up old guitar for the sake of it is ridiculous. Buying abeat up old guitar because you cant readily buy an equivalent today, well that makes a lot of sense.

An obvious example of this would be my search for a Late '70s early '80s Sliverburst Les Paul. A custom guitar would cost a fortune and Gibson just dont have them anymore. Current market value is still affordable.
Now to find one!

[Skybone]

IMO it's about finding the right guitar for you... be it old or new (and if you can afford it!).

Modern Gibson's that survive 30-50 years from now will be the better one's, as I'm sure the chaff will have been killed off by then...

[Johnny Mac]

I really like some vintage guitar. I'm always hoping to find one at some car boot sale for a low price. :roll:

I seem to be quoting you a bit today.

Years ago, when I was a better guitar player, I taught guitar for a living. I had a student call me one afternoon. He said that an old lady down the road was having a garage sale and she had an old acoustic guitar her husband used to own for sale. "It's a Martin or something," he said. "It's about 40 or 50 years old, but it's in perfect condition; it's been under her bed since he died. She wants $70 for it. Should I buy it?"

Needless to say I told him to run back and get it. Needless to say, someone else had bought it.  :(

I had someone in a pub say do you want to buy a guitar? So i said what is it? Turns out it was a 1979 25th anniversary Strat. It was worth £1500 about 10 years ago when i bought it. I offered him £80 for it and he took it!! It's ok but it has an over the top thick varnish on the neck which dosn't feel too great. It's not in great nick either but should be good for some Irish tours at some point. This could be the start of a great new thread! Gems that the clueless let go for peanuts, or something!

[Searcher]

I had someone in a pub say do you want to buy a guitar? So i said what is it? Turns out it was a 1979 25th anniversary Strat. It was worth £1500 about 10 years ago when i bought it. I offered him £80 for it and he took it!!

You offered £80?! Cheeky begger.  :lol:

Well, actually, while we're on the topic, I remember passing on another good deal years ago. It was one of those rare "Bowling Ball" Strats. I had no clue about their value as collectable guitars at that point; I just thought that all 80s Strats were cr@p. It was going for next to nothing in a pawn shop. And get this: one week later I knew its value and went back, but someone else had bought it and this guy had his own rare/vintage guitar shop and immediately hung it on his wall for more than 6 times what he paid for it. Man, did he gloat over that when I went in there.

[FELINEGUITARS]

This could be the start of a great new thread! Gems that the clueless let go for peanuts, or something!

like the 1965 Marshall JTM45 amp (Square metal logo) and Sound City 4X12 I bought for £300 about 8 years ago.

I let it go way too cheap!!