vintage guitars....do you care for them ?

Bridgehouse

TheMarlin said:

They did copper in 1968?  That one!!  Or Green....though I already have a green Annie....

I've never liked sunburst Gretsches..... or any other sunburst guitar....now I come to think of it....

Well, Bamboo Yellow & Copper.. 

This one is a bit early (1962) at New Kings Rd Vintage Guitars..



My fave colour..

Bridgehouse

@TheMarlin Or what about a '68 Bamboo Yellow & Copper Rally?

musicman100

Bridgehouse said:

TheMarlin said:

They did copper in 1968?  That one!!  Or Green....though I already have a green Annie....

I've never liked sunburst Gretsches..... or any other sunburst guitar....now I come to think of it....

Well, Bamboo Yellow & Copper.. 

This one is a bit early (1962) at New Kings Rd Vintage Guitars..



My fave colour..

@bridgehouse  your not starting to like old gretsches are you.

Winny_Pooh

Vintage guitars can be great. There is always something a bit refined and unfocused sounding about them which at best is very characterful. Like muted highs and a compressed attack vs modern guitars which could be said to sound strident or focused.

Bridgehouse

musicman100 said:

Bridgehouse said:

TheMarlin said:

They did copper in 1968?  That one!!  Or Green....though I already have a green Annie....

I've never liked sunburst Gretsches..... or any other sunburst guitar....now I come to think of it....

Well, Bamboo Yellow & Copper.. 

This one is a bit early (1962) at New Kings Rd Vintage Guitars..



My fave colour..

@bridgehouse  your not starting to like old gretsches are you.

I've always wanted one.. just not had the cahoonas to do it yet

Next oldie will be a Gretsch I think. I was seriously tempted to go look at the Double Anniv. at NKR I posted above.. 

hassleham

For me, finding and buying a vintage guitar that has been well looked after and plays and looks as good as it did when it was new is better than buying a generic, mass produced guitar from a shop. I also enjoy buying something that is knackered and nursing it back to it's former glory. It's also about the process of searching and eventually finding a guitar you want, and discovering if it lives up to your expectations. On top of that it's a good feeling knowing you have something that is pretty uncommon/rare that you looked for a long time to find. 

I can't justify spending money on a new guitar when there are so many used guitars for sale for better 'guitar-for-money' value. The only time I could see myself buying a new guitar in the future is if I go for a custom build, otherwise I can't see the point.

TheMarlin

Hilotrons go unloved by most modern Gretsch guys. I personally love them.  I do like a slightly under powered pickup....

hilos remind me a bit of goldfoils.  I have a Gretsch Corvette with hilotrons, I had the hilos wound a touch hotter.  Love that guitar. 

So, will keep an eye out for one at a 'competetive' price, and pop a Vcut Bigsby B6 on it

musicman100

Bridgehouse said:

musicman100 said:

Bridgehouse said:

TheMarlin said:

They did copper in 1968?  That one!!  Or Green....though I already have a green Annie....

I've never liked sunburst Gretsches..... or any other sunburst guitar....now I come to think of it....

Well, Bamboo Yellow & Copper.. 

This one is a bit early (1962) at New Kings Rd Vintage Guitars..



My fave colour..

@bridgehouse  your not starting to like old gretsches are you.

I've always wanted one.. just not had the cahoonas to do it yet

Next oldie will be a Gretsch I think. I was seriously tempted to go look at the Double Anniv. at NKR I posted above.. 



Obviously you'd have to see it but that price doesn't seem bad for a London shop 

Bridgehouse

@musicman100 - No, it doesn't. It's been there for a while, and it has come down in price too. Makes me wonder if they would come down more if someone wafted notes in front of their nose to take it off their hands...

It's on fleabay at the moment too..

Alnico

I care about them in as much as i would love one to actually play but at those prices i don't think i will ever see one.

It's lovely that they still exist but i would not give a fuck about gigging ANY vintage guitar and playing the strings off it doing it. If some jumped up tart decides it's worth £20k then fine. While Tarquin is pontificating about the apparent benefits of bumblebee caps and rusty fucking screws, i will be sweating all over it, hitting the strings the way it was designed to be and howling every beautiful tone out of it that i can.

They're for playing, not looking at.

musicman100

Bridgehouse said:

@musicman100 - No, it doesn't. It's been there for a while, and it has come down in price too. Makes me wonder if they would come down more if someone wafted notes in front of their nose to take it off their hands...

It's on fleabay at the moment too..

Yeah definitely, cash is king.
My only concern would be is there something wrong with it because all the other stuff there is well over priced. 

siraxeman

If you took a half decent gigging guitarist, popped a blindfold on him and just passed him 50 Teles and 3 were really old vintage models and you said nothing - not even spot the old guitar but rather "just play all these n see what you think without bias" would he pick out the 3 vintage ones ? Would they say "this is the best one!" to one of all 3 of the vintage beasts ? Or would this test fail....ie when you don't know if its a new/old/vintage/even if its actually a Fender at all ??

Bridgehouse

musicman100 said:

Bridgehouse said:

@musicman100 - No, it doesn't. It's been there for a while, and it has come down in price too. Makes me wonder if they would come down more if someone wafted notes in front of their nose to take it off their hands...

It's on fleabay at the moment too..

Yeah definitely, cash is king.
My only concern would be is there something wrong with it because all the other stuff there is well over priced. 

Looking at the photos on the eBay listing, I don't think the scratch plate is original, and it has been 'well loved'.

I suspect it's just something they can't shift..

musicman100

Bridgehouse said:

musicman100 said:

Bridgehouse said:

@musicman100 - No, it doesn't. It's been there for a while, and it has come down in price too. Makes me wonder if they would come down more if someone wafted notes in front of their nose to take it off their hands...

It's on fleabay at the moment too..

Yeah definitely, cash is king.
My only concern would be is there something wrong with it because all the other stuff there is well over priced. 

Looking at the photos on the eBay listing, I don't think the scratch plate is original, and it has been 'well loved'.

I suspect it's just something they can't shift..

Looks honest enough tbh. Yeah the pickguard is a repro. It should be more like the colour of the back n sides of the guitars.
There's a honest looking 67 green ani in London that's got 15 hours left with no bids 

Bridgehouse

musicman100 said:

Bridgehouse said:

musicman100 said:

Bridgehouse said:

@musicman100 - No, it doesn't. It's been there for a while, and it has come down in price too. Makes me wonder if they would come down more if someone wafted notes in front of their nose to take it off their hands...

It's on fleabay at the moment too..

Yeah definitely, cash is king.
My only concern would be is there something wrong with it because all the other stuff there is well over priced. 

Looking at the photos on the eBay listing, I don't think the scratch plate is original, and it has been 'well loved'.

I suspect it's just something they can't shift..

Looks honest enough tbh. Yeah the pickguard is a repro. It should be more like the colour of the back n sides of the guitars.
There's a honest looking 67 green ani in London that's got 15 hours left with no bids 

Yes, saw that one. Just got to top up the GAS fund...

TheMarlin

Bridgehouse said:

musicman100 said:

Bridgehouse said:

@musicman100 - No, it doesn't. It's been there for a while, and it has come down in price too. Makes me wonder if they would come down more if someone wafted notes in front of their nose to take it off their hands...

It's on fleabay at the moment too..

Yeah definitely, cash is king.
My only concern would be is there something wrong with it because all the other stuff there is well over priced. 

Looking at the photos on the eBay listing, I don't think the scratch plate is original, and it has been 'well loved'.

I suspect it's just something they can't shift..

Annies with hilos are not overly popular. The Filtertrons models fetch more money.  I've seen these go for as little as £800. 

richardhomer

miserneil said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

Monstronaut said:

I could pick out a vintage Gibson over a reissue blindfolded, they are worlds apart. They don't look much different but the feel in hand is worlds apart and i''m no expert. 

Im calling bullshit on that

I'm calling bullshit on this.

So am I. I've A/Bd my '64 335 against various newer Gibsons. Regardless of feel - and they do feel radically different - they sound different too. And for the avoidance of doubt - I mean the '64 sounds 'much' better.

What I don't care for, is the hyping of 70s guitars by dealers to the point where they now command price tags in excess of some of the best modern guitars, when most are inferior.

So I'm not saying anything old is 'better' - but Gibsons and Fenders built in the so called 'Golden Era' (generally considered to be up to and including '65)    are usually something special. There are plenty of later ones which are good too - but many of the 'classic' features gradually changed after '65.

In many ways, I think we're in another 'Golden Era' of guitar making now - the best of the Fender Custom Shop and Gibson Historics are better than anything those companies have made since the '60s - but few (if any) are 'quite' as good as real vintage examples.

mburekenge

When I were a wee nipper, I had only played my mighty Marlin Sidewinder! 

I was taking classical lessons at the time, my teacher was militantly anti the electric guitar. One day, after a lesson my teacher told me his son had been lent a couple of electrics that I could play if I liked.

i went to see his son, and long story short, there was a 50's Gibson les Paul black beauty and a early 60s sunburst strat up there. I think I played 'teen spirit' through a 50 watt torque solid state amp lol

anyway, being only about 12 I had no idea about vintage guitars, the hype etc etc. All I know is they both felt unbelievable to play. They were immaculately put together. I still have dreams about the yellowing binding on the custom. 

been chasing it ever since, but sadly not in the financial bracket to make it happen.

really glad I got to try them both. Will treasure those memories forever.

shugz

I think the guitars themselves can't help the 'scene' created around them.....it's not their fault demand for them means prices etc are nowadays in a lot of cases (pardon the pun) quite ridiculous.

I like old guitars, I keep a ledger and have owned over 50 of them (over time, not all at once!). Whilst still I feel like no expert, I just like them. I like the wear, tear, feel, sound etc of them. I like how some make you work for it (financially and as a player) and love how they record. Are they 'better', I wouldn't go as far but certainly they are different to modern ones. 

A good player will make anything good so play what makes you feel good, old, New or new/old. I hope this topic doesn't descend into chaos as I'm my view, New or old theres good and bad points. For the record, I have old, New, relic and project partsocasters guitars in my cupboard. I'm no dentist nor lawyer nor wealthy, I just love guitars and think it'd be a dull world if we were all totin' 59s but likewise the same of we were all honking away on Baja Teles.

Play whatcha like

Cheers 
Hugh

IvisonGuitars

richardhomer said:

miserneil said:

meltedbuzzbox said:

Monstronaut said:

I could pick out a vintage Gibson over a reissue blindfolded, they are worlds apart. They don't look much different but the feel in hand is worlds apart and i''m no expert. 

Im calling bullshit on that

I'm calling bullshit on this.

So am I. I've A/Bd my '64 335 against various newer Gibsons. Regardless of feel - and they do feel radically different - they sound different too. And for the avoidance of doubt - I mean the '64 sounds 'much' better.

What I don't care for, is the hyping of 70s guitars by dealers to the point where they now command price tags in excess of some of the best modern guitars, when most are inferior.

So I'm not saying anything old is 'better' - but Gibsons and Fenders built in the so called 'Golden Era' (generally considered to be up to and including '65)    are usually something special. There are plenty of later ones which are good too - but many of the 'classic' features gradually changed after '65.

In many ways, I think we're in another 'Golden Era' of guitar making now - the best of the Fender Custom Shop and Gibson Historics are better than anything those companies have made since the '60s - but few (if any) are 'quite' as good as real vintage examples.

shugz said:

I think the guitars themselves can't help the 'scene' created around them.....it's not their fault demand for them means prices etc are nowadays in a lot of cases (pardon the pun) quite ridiculous.

I like old guitars, I keep a ledger and have owned over 50 of them (over time, not all at once!). Whilst still I feel like no expert, I just like them. I like the wear, tear, feel, sound etc of them. I like how some make you work for it (financially and as a player) and love how they record. Are they 'better', I wouldn't go as far but certainly they are different to modern ones. 

A good player will make anything good so play what makes you feel good, old, New or new/old. I hope this topic doesn't descend into chaos as I'm my view, New or old theres good and bad points. For the record, I have old, New, relic and project partsocasters guitars in my cupboard. I'm no dentist nor lawyer nor wealthy, I just love guitars and think it'd be a dull world if we were all totin' 59s but likewise the same of we were all honking away on Baja Teles.

Play whatcha like

Cheers 
Hugh

@richardhomer @shugz Well said chums, wisdom awarded.