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I am lucky enough to own three instruments that I would call vintage -
1. 1972 Les Paul Custom
2. 1966 Strat
3. 1962 DC Les Paul Jr
first two are definitely player grade, but the important bits are there (the LP has a very well repaired headstock break from the early 80s the Strat was nitro refined, best guess early 70s).
All were purchased in the past year for less than the comparable CS would have cost - ok a couple were close, but certainly not more.
What is a better instrument? In terms of playability - the best CS guitars I've played have 'worked' just as well.
What I find is different is firstly the neck, 30+ years of playing shapes the neck, especially the edges. I've not played a CS guitar that's spot on, I've played some which are similar and more than good enough but there is a subtle difference. I have small hands and I'm pretty sensitive to neck dimensions and I've found them slightly more comfortable.
The wood is definitely more resonant than only a few of the CS guitars I've played, is this because it's drier? Or not so heavily farmed? I don't know, but play one unplugged and you can hear the difference and this translates into a small percentage difference.
So I would say at the player grade end (where you're basically comparing to modern CS types) - I think the CS are just as good, for sure - but for some players, there is a subtle difference to the vintage which is preferable - depending on the player and sound they go for. For example if I was playing into a completely cranked JCM900 I don't think I could tell.
For the prices beyond that - the collectors end stuff, no - but that's not what you're paying for at that point, it's a different market.
This doesn't mean this is all I play, I'll likely buy a CS Tele this year - because a Tele is a 'side' instrument for me, and the price of a player grade seems too expensive for me relative to a used CS - and I love and enjoy my modern Ibanez (although that's 15 years old now, so nearly vintage ) and 90's Strat.
And also - as has been stated here, vintage is a journey - I set out over the last 12-18 months to see for myself, and I've played a lot of vintage instruments. The ones I've bought I'm happy are stunning, but I also walked away from a lot of guitars - 1971 Les Paul Deluxe, 1972 and 1970 Strats, 1959 Les Paul Jr - and many more, all of which were frankly not worth the money and significantly inferior to most modern CS guitars (and no more resonant).
There are good guitars from any age, stuff made today is much, much more consistent.
But when you get a good vintage - there is something there, only you can decide if it's worth it. But remember, they're all massively different.
Would you as a musician, notice a difference in playing at the Albert Hall or the Filemore to playing the NEC or say G-MEX?
It's all about mojo and inspiration.
*An Official Foo-Approved guitarist since Sept 2023.
No.
He can only copy a few a year, and is due to retire soon. I understand his parting swan song will be an exact copy of the Flat Earth thread.
Meh. Load of tosh. You wouldn't catch me with one of those clapped out old overrated pieces of crap.
I was very moved when I saw Phil Lynott's bass in a glass case at a rock music museum in Liverpool because I'd seen him play it live. But I definitely wouldn't want to play it or even touch it because that might break the magic.
I've never actually played a vintage guitar so I have no evidence on which to form an opinion. I expect some vintage guitars would have a special something, just like new guitars.
You are going to need some original material. Maybe you could start a thread on whether a modeller is better than a valve amp?
But when does vintage start? I started playing in 1969 and must have tried/played quite a few guitars in the early 70s some of which weren't new. I don't recall those being more special than recent day guitars.