Here's an age old debate and I'm sure it's probably covered somewhere here, if not in length at the old place.
I'm in the position where I am currently able to invest in a vintage guitar (Gibson/Fender) - very much an investment but also a guitar that can be played regularly.
I appreciate that a desirable model of vintage guitar (from a respected dealer so I know it's going to be genuine or as genuine as it can be) can only be an investment....
So looking from the playing side of things:
Do I go for an all original vintage guitar?
Or is the vintage guitar thing just snake oil?
We know that early Fenders where built to a price (cheap as possible) and assembled on a production line and it's a similar story with Gibson. But then we all know how great some of these guitars sound.
I know there are some right old dogs out there and there are equally as many good vintage guitars around but are they any better/worse players than a new Custom Shop model or a luthier built guitar?
Would be interested to get some opinions :-)
Comments
If you really want a good sounding instrument as a priority and you've got a big budget I'd strongly suggest going to a high end dealership that stocks the 'good stuff'. CS Fenders, Gibsons, Suhrs, PRS etc.
Play them all side by side and buy the one that is best to you. It is pretty likely that most people will find their dream guitar that way. If you can't - then you could look at custom builds - but personally I don't believe it necessarily means you'll get a guitar you'll love, just a well made one with the specs you wanted. I know I'm happier buying off the shelf so I know what I'm getting, but I have fairly conservative tastes and haven't had much success with custom builds or guitars ordered on specs.
If buying as in invesment do your research and appreciate prices can go down as well as up. If you buy a mint vintage piece and damage it or replace parts it may lose value etc. And you won't necessarily get a better sounding/playing instrument either, but you might.
No, but some of it is. There is something in the "old wood" theory though I think - they just sound different from new guitars, in a way that doesn't seem quite possible to duplicate even with "ageing" processes. Sometimes that can make them sound great, sometimes it just makes them sound old…
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
If you can find a really great old one then they are special, but I think you are better off with a good new one than a mediocre old one. The new one will probably improve with age as well.
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
(formerly miserneil)
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
But after that - it get's complicated.
First of all, we have to define vintage. I am fairly sure that a new Gibson Historic Les Paul is a better guitar than a Les Paul Deluxe.
Coming to a conclusion about the merits of guitars built by Gibson (and Fender) in the 50s and 60s is not that easy in the Uk because there are so few vintage guitar dealers. But next time you holiday in the USA it is well worth an afternoon spent with a dealer who has 50 vintage guitars to look at. Then go to Guitar Centre and play 50 new guitars.
Large numbers of people are buying Gibson Historic guitars. They all seem to agree that they are very nice guitars and that the more accurate they become (to the originals) the more awesome they become.
What does this piece of information tell us about the originals?
If this was me, and it has been, I would commission something new, as its in memory then surely the instrument should have no other memories than the person it is dedicated to. It would also have no other value than the memories it carries ergo priceless
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message
That second-hand but only a year old Gibson I bought with the money from my Saturday job is now... eeek... 35 years old, so it's getting there.
The other thing is a difficult one but it's hard to know that kids will value heirlooms in the same way. I suppose a guitar is not too big to hang on to but neither of my sons are that into guitars so gawd knows what will happen to my guitars when I'm no longer playing them.
As for vintage or modern,it just depends on the guitar and which gives you the most pleasure to play.
There are great guitars old and new.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein