Thoughts on vintage guitars vs boutique guitars

[Philly Q]

yeah those original martins get pretty expensive...

I had to go and research that to figure out how insulting it was....  :lol:

yeah that's what i sometimes think. what's even more annoying for me is that i was (just about) old enough to experience it first hand but wasn't into rock music then

but more seriously, i agree with philly for sure. I'd trade that stuff in in a second to be 18 again. pretty much anyone over the age of 25 would, lol.

If I could be 18 again, I'd still want to be back in the 1980s.  Or 1970s.  I don't think I'd want to be 18 now.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

yeah those original martins get pretty expensive...

I had to go and research that to figure out how insulting it was....  :lol:

yeah that's what i sometimes think. what's even more annoying for me is that i was (just about) old enough to experience it first hand but wasn't into rock music then

but more seriously, i agree with philly for sure. I'd trade that stuff in in a second to be 18 again. pretty much anyone over the age of 25 would, lol.

If I could be 18 again, I'd still want to be back in the 1980s.  Or 1970s.  I don't think I'd want to be 18 now.

Come on, no Lil Wayne or Lady Gaga for you?

[Philly Q]

Dear God no (although I'm not sure I've ever actually heard Lil Wayne...)

[TheyCallMeVolume]

Dear God no (although I'm not sure I've ever actually heard Lil Wayne...)

Keep it that way! I'm proud to say that as well, along with most of those other "artists". And shows like Jersey Shore, Honey Boo Boo, etc.

[dave_mc]

yeah those original martins get pretty expensive...

I had to go and research that to figure out how insulting it was....  :lol:


If I could be 18 again, I'd still want to be back in the 1980s.  Or 1970s.  I don't think I'd want to be 18 now.

LOL me too, i had to go to wikipedia to get that info about the martins :lol: I was originally gonna say something about lutes, but then according to wikipedia they technically weren't guitars so the whole joke would have fallen apart :lol: I was only joking, obviously, you're not that much older than me :) (that's not meant to be patronising, in case it comes across that way in print, lol)

I'm not sure i'd care (as long as it was in modern times with modern technology, medicine etc.) as long as i could be 18 again, lol.

EDIT: hey i like lady gaga  :lol: :oops:

[Philly Q]

I'm not sure i'd care (as long as it was in modern times with modern technology, medicine etc.) as long as i could be 18 again, lol.

Interesting that you specifically mentioned modern technology.  I've been thinking about that today - even though modern digital technology is wonderful and it's hard to imagine life without it, I'm actually really glad I grew up before there were mobile phones or the internet.

When you went out, no-one expected to be able to contact you... you didn't ignore your environment and surround yourself in an "i-bubble" with your phone, tablet etc.  If you wanted to check out new music, you had to take the trouble to go to a shop and take a gamble on buying something.  If you needed to find something out, you had to go and look it up, maybe even go to a library(!)  Even something like a TV programme, everyone would've watched it at the same time so there was something to talk about the next day.  Everything involved some effort.  It's too easy nowadays - it doesn't necessarily make people lazy as such, but if everything is a couple of clicks or a download away, it ceases to have any real value.  In a few year's time, our entire collections of books, music, films, photo albums etc will just be files on a series of hard drives.... I don't know why really, but that really depresses me.

Sorry, I'm rambling.....

[PhilKing]

I'm lucky enough to have several vintage guitars which I've owned for many years and didn't pay a fortune for.  None of them are really collectors grade, which is fine by me because I paid a lot less for them than if they were, and I don't have to worry about keeping them perfect.   There is some mojo to them, which I think is down to the older wood, as they are typically much lighter than the modern versions.  Having said that, I also have a few custom guitars (I'm getting one of Jon's Feline 2012 Lions) and would recommend that if you know what you want.  If not, then I would follow everyone else's advice and find a guitar that you like at a price you can afford.   I have a 1995 LP Classic which I play a lot.  I got it for a great price because it had a headstock break, but the repair is strong and well done and the guitar plays really nicely and holds it's tuning fine.   I swapped out the pickups to get the sound I wanted, and it will hold its value I'm sure. 

If you are going for an investment, then you need to find a great example of a current classic guitar and keep in in good shape for 20 years and hope you picked the right one (and that the guitar market still exists like today in 20 years time).  It's a long shot, so just get something you can play now and enjoy. 

[xXNicFlairXx]

In years to come i wander if "country of origin" will be as important. In the past, vintage guitars had to bear the words "made in U.S.A" to be considered classics. 70's and 80's Japanese guitars are considered vintage classics nowadays and rightly so. these days you can get solidly built guitars from Mexico, Korea and even China but do you think these will be so highly regarded in 30 years time?

[Twinfan]

I think the originals will always be the most sought after, and so US guitars will be the ones to have...

[dave_mc]

Interesting that you specifically mentioned modern technology.  I've been thinking about that today - even though modern digital technology is wonderful and it's hard to imagine life without it, I'm actually really glad I grew up before there were mobile phones or the internet.

When you went out, no-one expected to be able to contact you... you didn't ignore your environment and surround yourself in an "i-bubble" with your phone, tablet etc.  If you wanted to check out new music, you had to take the trouble to go to a shop and take a gamble on buying something.  If you needed to find something out, you had to go and look it up, maybe even go to a library(!)  Even something like a TV programme, everyone would've watched it at the same time so there was something to talk about the next day.  Everything involved some effort.  It's too easy nowadays - it doesn't necessarily make people lazy as such, but if everything is a couple of clicks or a download away, it ceases to have any real value.  In a few year's time, our entire collections of books, music, films, photo albums etc will just be files on a series of hard drives.... I don't know why really, but that really depresses me.

Sorry, I'm rambling.....

I grew up (just about) before those things too... I prefer it now, lol. I'm a lazy git, but it's awesome now things are handier. if i want to see what music i like i can check it out on youtube. which is much better than driving 40 miles to belfast to see if hmv had something i wanted in stock, and if they did, i probably had to pay £20 for it.

i was talking more about more important things like modern medicine and the like, though. I wasn't even really thinking of the internet and stuff like that. granted things like antibiotics have been around since ww2 and (rudimentary) anaesthetics since the US civil war. I wouldn't want to live before the advent of either of those things (and medicine has come a long way since then, too).

EDIT: that's probably actually a point worth mentioning- I'm guessing you still lived in london before the internet etc. was invented. Life probably still was pretty good back then even without it. But for people who live in the sticks the internet is a godsend, frankly.

[blue]

i had the very same thought, i like a lot of modern technology, but we all managed just fine without being in 24 hour contact with everyone.  but as you say Dave, out here in the wilds it was a lot harder to come by music, books, films, anything really!  even now, we still have to travel if we want to actually see bands.

i'm about 40 miles from Belfast too, but i think it's in a different direction.  glad there's more than one direction  :P

[Philly Q]

EDIT: that's probably actually a point worth mentioning- I'm guessing you still lived in london before the internet etc. was invented. Life probably still was pretty good back then even without it. But for people who live in the sticks the internet is a godsend, frankly.

I actually grew up in Swansea, so sort of halfway between being in the sticks and being in a really big city.  I used to walk five miles to town along the seafront to spend two weeks' pocket money on a Robin Trower or Rainbow album - every penny counted, no spare cash for the bus!  :lol:

I can't really imagine growing up in London, it would've been a weird place to go to school I think.... depends where in London you were, of course.

[dingleberry]

If you are going for an investment, then you need to find a great example of a current classic guitar and keep in in good shape for 20 years and hope you picked the right one (and that the guitar market still exists like today in 20 years time).  It's a long shot, so just get something you can play now and enjoy.

An important point to be considered.  I sell guitars, and can see how much the stock of good tone woods is drying up in terms of major manufacturers.  20 years from now most guitars in shops could be carbon fibre, so be thankful for your pine bodied squiers while you can still buy them.

I`m not much of a gear flipper, and am by no means a collector.  My humble opinion is sod the resale value and desirability, play something that inspires you.

[Philly Q]

In years to come i wander if "country of origin" will be as important. In the past, vintage guitars had to bear the words "made in U.S.A" to be considered classics. 70's and 80's Japanese guitars are considered vintage classics nowadays and rightly so. these days you can get solidly built guitars from Mexico, Korea and even China but do you think these will be so highly regarded in 30 years time?

Trying to say something on topic ( :lol:), I think that's a good point.

Japanese guitars have definitely acquired some vintage value, and there's the whole legend built up around particular factories like Fujigen and Matsumoku.

I don't think there's any evidence of anything similar building up around Korean guitars, even though they've been around for a long time now.  Maybe some of the Mexican Fenders will acquire a bit of a following in years to come, I don't know.

[TheyCallMeVolume]

If you are going for an investment, then you need to find a great example of a current classic guitar and keep in in good shape for 20 years and hope you picked the right one (and that the guitar market still exists like today in 20 years time).  It's a long shot, so just get something you can play now and enjoy.

An important point to be considered.  I sell guitars, and can see how much the stock of good tone woods is drying up in terms of major manufacturers.  20 years from now most guitars in shops could be carbon fibre, so be thankful for your pine bodied squiers while you can still buy them.

I`m not much of a gear flipper, and am by no means a collector.  My humble opinion is sod the resale value and desirability, play something that inspires you.

I have read somewhere that wood guitars could be phased out soon. Not sure about the validity of it, but it's certainly quite frightening to think about if you ask me!