Ideas for a 1979 guitar?

guitars4you

fendergibson said:

Hamer or Dean I seem remember were the cool guitars from that period iirc.

very few of each for sale from this era as both had such low production numbers at the time with barely any official distribution at the time in the UK - Certainly surprised if you can pick up either for anything like 1K today - Always remember the Dean adverts for some reason or another !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

lasermonkey

I would imagine that a '79 Jazzmaster would be out of your budget, so I'd suggest an Ibanez Artist. I had a mid-late 70s 2618 and it was a gorgeous guitar in every way. I've regretted selling it every day.

fendergibson

guitars4you said:

fendergibson said:

Hamer or Dean I seem remember were the cool guitars from that period iirc.

very few of each for sale from this era as both had such low production numbers at the time with barely any official distribution at the time in the UK - Certainly surprised if you can pick up either for anything like 1K today - Always remember the Dean adverts for some reason or another !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Indeed, the only time my dad ever showed interest in guitars was when he saw those ads. 

meltedbuzzbox

lasermonkey said:

I would imagine that a '79 Jazzmaster would be out of your budget, so I'd suggest an Ibanez Artist. I had a mid-late 70s 2618 and it was a gorgeous guitar in every way. I've regretted selling it every day.

A Jazzmaster is my favourite type of guitar. I really do think they are amazing, but even with such a heavy biased opinion I couldn't ever recommend a 79 Jazzmaster. 
I thought all the stock got swallowed up by fishing companies to use them as cheap anchor alternatives. 

chris78

A tokai breezy sound will only be about £600 and they’re pretty decent. Or a springy sound if you’d rather a strat

Bennyboy-UK

1979 Sunburst - $1,100 with a Kahler retrofit - but $1,100!! - sold yesterday - I was amazed at that price

https://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/83530-fs-1979-hamer-sunburst-black-bound-and-crowned/?tab=comments#comment-959883 ;

fendergibson

Bennyboy-UK said:

1979 Sunburst - $1,100 with a Kahler retrofit - but $1,100!! - sold yesterday - I was amazed at that price

https://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/83530-fs-1979-hamer-sunburst-black-bound-and-crowned/?tab=comments#comment-959883 ;

I cant believe someone did that to this historical piece, such a shame, just can’t get my head around it, makes me feel sad, a true loss......oops hang on wrong thread 

stickyfiddle

I’d go MIJ LP if it were me. Preferably a custom with ebony board, if you can find one

guitars4you

Bennyboy-UK said:

1979 Sunburst - $1,100 with a Kahler retrofit - but $1,100!! - sold yesterday - I was amazed at that price

https://www.hamerfanclub.com/forums/topic/83530-fs-1979-hamer-sunburst-black-bound-and-crowned/?tab=comments#comment-959883 ;

can understand that price with various changes under taken and condition - but $1100 would soon become £1300 ish after shipping, tax, vat and remember CITES - Fine if you wanted to leave as is

Philly_Q

koneguitarist said:

I would look for an Anniversary strat from 79. 

I know it's out of the OP's price range and wish list, and I know most of them are rubbish, but it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the thread title.  That's the guitar I most associate with 1979.

Some good suggestions here, but I do associate Hamer, Ibanez, Aria etc more with the early 80s than late 70s, that's when they really started coming to prominence.  I think of the 70s as the golden age of Japanese copies, although they were starting to come up with original designs.

LuttiS

How about one of the Fernandez Strats? Japanese copies but usually hella good

1979 Fernandes FST-60J Jeff Beck strat

dogload

How about a lovely Hondo Less Paul or maybe one of these little beauties?:

mudslide73

Springy/Breezy I reckon. 

57Deluxe

Yamaha SG2000s all the way...

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/b1/b5/2a/b1b52af99ed0e50d1691fb7bf6e07c58.jpg

ESBlonde

Some different perspective.

First, does it have to be an electric?

Second, given the continent you are on wouldn't a trip South present you with better bargains in terms of VFM.

In 20 years time a lovely Guild/Martin/Gibson acoustic guitar will still be at your side to strum long after the Marshall stack is sold and the digital processor has become unrepairable.

impmann

Tbh, 1979 wasn’t a great year from either of the ‘big two’. And most from this period will now fall into the vintage-mojo-bullshit category meaning they suffer from VAT.

Vintage
Added
Tax

Guild stuff from this period interests me, and as I’ve suggest Shergold it would seem a bit odd to say what I’m about to say... but frankly, a Yamaha SG1000/2000 is the archetypal guitar of the period. I’ve not played a ‘bad’ one, although some weigh the same as Wales. There’s a reason a lot of the post-Punk guys played these and not Les Pauls of the same era. They are fab - assuming your back can handle the weight and mine can’t hence why I sold mine a long time back.

guitars4you

impmann said:

Tbh, 1979 wasn’t a great year from either of the ‘big two’. And most from this period will now fall into the vintage-mojo-bullshit category meaning they suffer from VAT.

Vintage
Added
Tax

Guild stuff from this period interests me, and as I’ve suggest Shergold it would seem a bit odd to say what I’m about to say... but frankly, a Yamaha SG1000/2000 is the archetypal guitar of the period. I’ve not played a ‘bad’ one, although some weigh the same as Wales. There’s a reason a lot of the post-Punk guys played these and not Les Pauls of the same era. They are fab - assuming your back can handle the weight and mine can’t hence why I sold mine a long time back.

like the VAT comment - not heard that before

I still own my SG2000 from 1978 and yes weighs a ton - I don't gig now but when I did that SG only did the first hour or so - far to heavy for anything longer - But still play it but not my day to day guitar

Not sure which year the more affordable SF Super Flighter models came out - SF500/700 and 1000 ( I think) - far lighter but still a quality MIJ model - Maybe late 70's or early 80's

ICBM

The lower-number Yamaha SG models are almost always lighter - not quite as thick, and without the brass block under the bridge - and usually sound a bit more characterful than the rather 'too perfect' SG2000 tone with it's very even frequency response and linear sustain. The best models are in the SG800-SG1500 range in my opinion.

robgilmo

Just type 1979 into Ebay, see what turns up.

kt66

As Gretsches were a bit dodgy in 79, I'd look at a Rickenbacker, still sensible prices and 79 era guitars are superb, and all hand made, so everyone a bit different.