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

Sassafras

It can't be coincidence that all the best guitars I've played and owned have been from the late 50s and early 60s.
Of course there are some dogs from that period and no amount of age will improve them but when you get a good'un you're laughing, even if your bank manager isn't. They are unfortunately out of reach for us mere mortals these days.

meltedbuzzbox

@richardhomer i thought the internet was about arrogantly expressing your opinion and not reading anyone else's thoughts?

I did read your post but I think I may have misunderstood what you were trying to convey. It could be due to it being early morning and having 2 little boys constantly jumping all over me like its wrestlemania

musicman100

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

Don't you even have a nice vintage amp at home to enjoy?

richardhomer

meltedbuzzbox said:

@richardhomer i thought the internet was about arrogantly expressing your opinion and not reading anyone else's thoughts?

I did read your post but I think I may have misunderstood what you were trying to convey. It could be due to it being early morning and having 2 little boys constantly jumping all over me like its wrestlemania

It seems to me that often these discussions polarise opinion.

Most of the nay-sayers have either only played bad examples or never played a vintage guitar at all. There seems to be another group who seem resentful that some people can afford them - my defence is that I paid £3500 for a 'player grade' guitar - which is effectively Gibson Historic money. Though obviously there's no need for any one to defend this, really.

I think the kind of music you play is a factor as well - Kurt Cobain would not have been credibly 'grunge' playing a '59 Les Paul - there is, I think, a bizarre inverted snobbery around these things...

Everyone is entitled to have (and express) an opinion - but other than 'I'd never pay that for a guitar' - I'm not sure how valid the 'vintage guitars are rubbish' argument is, if the person expressing that view has never played one.

That's not aimed at you btw - just at any one who is hypothesising about their relative merits....

IvisonGuitars

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

Don't you even have a nice vintage amp at home to enjoy?

This guy!

Nope, I find my Pignose perfectly adequate....

Cabicular

TheMarlin said:

Genuinely, I'm not fussed about vintage guitars. 
However, I'd love a Gretsch from my birth year, 1968.  Maybe a double Annie, or a 6120.  Annie's are my favourite...

I have a 63 Tenny (not my birth year.. I'm younger than that but to the OP . To say you wouldn't be able to tell it from a re-issue is way off the Mark

it is sooooo different from every other guitar I own. You can't fake age no matter how many belt sanders you use. Genuine age smells different the wood feels different .. more primitive. It the same with Paul Hindmarshes 60s strat. I have nearly a dozen strats of varying relic but the real thing is miles different
hard to describe but it's like a well worn glove or a favourite jumper. You can fake the wear, you can accurately measure and spec the pickups, you can source and make vintage type plastics.
you cannot fake actual age

Bridgehouse

I've always thought we should organise a "come try my guitar" day. Book a rehearsal room somewhere and if you want to bring something interesting along to let others have a try. Would be a good chance for people to try a vintage, and some modern stuff too.

I'd be more than happy for others to try some of mine - although I'd worry that they would all turn out to be dogs

TTBZ

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

I suppose that makes sense, there's not really a lot that can go wrong inside an old guitar but lots in an old amp, more expensive too. I was more just commenting on tone. In an ideal world I'd have high end modern build quality with the vintage tone in tact

I don't have any vintage gear anyway it's all too expensive for me!

musicman100

Bridgehouse said:

I've always thought we should organise a "come try my guitar" day. Book a rehearsal room somewhere and if you want to bring something interesting along to let others have a try. Would be a good chance for people to try a vintage, and some modern stuff too.

I'd be more than happy for others to try some of mine - although I'd worry that they would all turn out to be dogs

what a fretbroad vintage guitar show, lol.

musicman100

miserneil said:

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

Don't you even have a nice vintage amp at home to enjoy?

This guy!

Nope, I find my Pignose perfectly adequate..



imo I find to get the most out of old guitars it's good to used original amps.

merlin

I play clarinet for a living and I play a very old fashiod system. My favourite clarinet is a C clarinet that was made in 1935 and it is without a doubt, the best sounding version I have tried. I also have a 1920s Buffet Bb and a 30s Eb which both play and sounds like a dream. Something to do with bore size, finger hole size and the fact the woods was matured for a very long time before the instruments were made.

I feel the same way about vintage guitars, something about the age of and slow maturing of the woods that make them feel amazing. Once they truly stabilize, something happens to the vibrations, provided of course that perfectly grained and matured wood was used in the building. There are dogs, but I feel that in the clarinet world there was a much higher level of quality control, particularly in Europe where my instruments were made almost a hundred years ago.  

musicman100

Bridgehouse said:

I've always thought we should organise a "come try my guitar" day. Book a rehearsal room somewhere and if you want to bring something interesting along to let others have a try. Would be a good chance for people to try a vintage, and some modern stuff too.

I'd be more than happy for others to try some of mine - although I'd worry that they would all turn out to be dogs

try some of urs?
how many have you got

IvisonGuitars

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

Don't you even have a nice vintage amp at home to enjoy?

This guy!

Nope, I find my Pignose perfectly adequate..



imo I find to get the most out of old guitars it's good to used original amps.

Are you serious?!!

musicman100

miserneil said:

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

Don't you even have a nice vintage amp at home to enjoy?

This guy!

Nope, I find my Pignose perfectly adequate..



imo I find to get the most out of old guitars it's good to used original amps.

Are you serious?!!

definitely. not saying it's the be all n end all but it's what we like but as I always says it all subjective.

usedtobe

It's not something I need to worry my little head about..

IvisonGuitars

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

musicman100 said:

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

Don't you even have a nice vintage amp at home to enjoy?

This guy!

Nope, I find my Pignose perfectly adequate..



imo I find to get the most out of old guitars it's good to used original amps.

Are you serious?!!

definitely. not saying it's the be all n end all but it's what we like but as I always says it's all subjective.

why are peple Joe B using vintage amps then?
must be a reason.

So just another one of your classic sweeping statements! ;-)

I agree a lot of them sound great and many top guys tour them. They also have a tech that is on hand to constantly maintain them. It's common knowledge that Joe B's amps have changed speakers, changed parts, anything to keep them roadworthy.

For me, I don't have the luxury of a tech currently and need an amp that I don't have to treat with kid gloves (when i'm gigging), I know will 99.9% turn on and work perfectly for the whole show and not run the risk of it farting out or bursting into flames. For me, the boutique amps I have cover the vintage AC30, Marshall JTM45, JMP & 800, Tweed Deluxe & Tweed Twin sounds with the reassurance of modern reliability.

That's not saying that I wouldn't LOVE to have their vintage counterparts sat in a studio somewhere but in real world gigging terms, I need the reliability of a modern amp. My return gigs depend on it.

Alnico

miserneil said:

TTBZ said:

Never played one but they don't appeal to me in the slightest. Extortionate prices and I'd never really feel comfortable playing one, they always look like they're about to fall to bits.

Vintage amps on the other hand

See, I'm the total opposite of this. It may be totally unfounded but vintage amps fill me with dread, I'd not be comfortable gigging one for fear of it failing on me. That's why I go for the boutique versions of the classics.

Me too.

I don't trust old amps as far as i could spit.
I'm reluctant to even buy used amps these days and if it has Marshall written on it, i'd run.
Too many have broken in the past to trust them anymore, vintage tone or not - like it actually matters in a full band mix anyway !

Modern stuff is great but only if it comes brand new with a manufacturers warranty or a hand-built, properly-built, warranted amp by MJW or another high quality amp maker. Worrying about your amp steals concentration and thought that could be going into playing, or at least that's how i see it. I like to forget about the amp and rely on the noise i *Know* i should get when i hit the strings, not constantly be analysing the amp and making sure it's still working ok !

Unless every single component that could possibly fail had been replaced, i'm afraid i would rather sit at the bar and watch *YOU* get up there and take the chance.

If it works for you, i will be the first to applaud, not just for the magical-vintage-tone but also for the achievement of getting through a whole song without the old thing letting you down.

Just my personal view of course, i'm not expecting it to be a popular one either !
Maybe i've just had bad luck.

I'm not saying they're awful but i wouldn't trust one ever again.

IvisonGuitars

100% in agreement there @Alnico ;

ourmaninthenorth

In direct answer to the op's title thread question...

Yes I do. 

End of errand. 

shugz

Old amps are great. 

Fabulous tones all round plus that nagging doubt that very high B note come solo time will kill it once and for good.....always good working without a net.

Record, gig and enjoy. Carry a Peavey Bandit in the boot of the car just in case

Cheers
Hugh