What even is "vintage"?

Tex Mexico · June 2020

So I used to think that "vintage" meant four things:

- Old (-er than, let's say 25 years)
- Desirable (as in has retained a good part of its value, or even increased in value)
- Good (as in, an example of quality manufacturing)
- Of interest (as in, notably different in some way from current manufacture)

So for example a '59 burst easily meets all four criteria.

But, like, I have this 1991 PRS Custom 24. It wouldn't occur to me to think "vintage" about it, and yet it also meets all four criteria. I wouldn't sell it as "vintage". It just isn't "vintage" to my eyes.

But then, what is? It's old, it's good, it's valuable, it's interesting. So what's the actual definition of a "vintage" guitar, then? Is it more contextual, like because of the history of electric guitars it's really only '50s Gibsons and pre--CBS Fenders that actually deserve that description? But is that then not reductive?

What's your definition of vintage, and what guitars does it/doesn't it include?

MagicPigDetective · June 2020

When will 59 bursts become ‘antique’?

chrisj1602 · June 2020

Vintage makes me think of the golden era Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Rickenbacker etc.

TTBZ · June 2020

Overpriced, overhyped and covered in 30+ years of someone else's sweat gunk. Not for me

guitars4you · June 2020

I'm a peasant when it comes to wine but doesn't vintage mean a certain good year - As such a '59' bottle might be good and a '58' bottle not so good - depends on the grape

In guitar terms many now refer to it as over 25 or 30 years, which I disagree with - But I can see it is a simple statement to make - But I tend to refer to it as per @chrisj1602 that certain makes from a certain era are 'vintage' - But vintage doesn't mean it's good either on that basis

In guitar terms it is just an adjective that doesn't need to be applied - An advert for a Gibson 1959 Les Paul Standard is all we need to know - We know what it is - We don't need to see it as Vintage Gibson 1959 Les Paul Standard

SteveRobinson · June 2020

MagicPigDetective said:

When will 59 bursts become ‘antique’?

2059

DB1 · June 2020

I think you can clean them! I've had to do a thorough clean on a modern guitar that I received in a filthy condition recently. Over-priced? Well, if someone's prepared to pay the price, perhaps not. Over-hyped? Almost certainly in some cases, though I have a 1953 ES-295 that sounds and feels superb, better than the reissue that I had, a 1955 ES-130 that is sublime, and a 1963 Guild Capri that is a joy to play and the latter two being about half the price of a Custom Shop Strat, if that.

I also have some modern guitars that I like very much, but the older ones feel, and sound, different. Horses for courses.

ICBM · June 2020

I have a hard time accepting anything made after the 1970s as 'vintage', although some of the *better* - they often aren't, though - 70s instruments do qualify. I don't think of any guitar gear made in the 80s or later as vintage, even if it's up to 40 years old now. Maybe some analogue synths and drum machines count...

TonyR · June 2020

ICBM said:

I have a hard time accepting anything made after the 1970s as 'vintage', although some of the *better* - they often aren't, though - 70s instruments do qualify. I don't think of any guitar gear made in the 80s or later as vintage, even if it's up to 40 years old now. Maybe some analogue synths and drum machines count...

Pretty much my feelings as well

LastMantra · June 2020

SteveRobinson said:

MagicPigDetective said:

When will 59 bursts become ‘antique’?

2059

That's what I thought. Antique is over 100 years old. Vintage is old but not antique.

prowla · June 2020

MagicPigDetective said:

When will 59 bursts become ‘antique’?

In '59.

Although one person on some site argued black and blue that "antique just meant old and desirable".

stonevibe · June 2020

Vintage means they stopped making the correct parts for it years ago and the warranty has run out.

RaymondLin · June 2020

Vintage is usually a generation or so old. Antique is anything 100 years.

My Les Paull will be vintage in about 5 years, which is strange!

prowla · June 2020

In the wine world (where the "vin" bit comes from), it just means an identifiable year. However, there is a lot of understanding by the cognoscienti as to what a particular estate/region's vintage means as far as the end product goes.

In guitars, much like cars, "vintage" tends to refer to older, with an implication of quality.

maltingsaudio · June 2020

Interestingly enough was pondering this last week when I plugged in my old FX500 Yamaha effects unit, the screen says copyright 89 so that makes it 30 years old , still works so ticks quality of manufacturing box, desirable well that’s questionable however does make some good noises .

so can I advertise it as vintage effects?

timhulio · June 2020

The cutoff is 1980.

andrewaward · June 2020

Vintage guitars are guitars made in the golden era , I’d say 50s and 60s. A guitar doesn’t become a vintage guitar just because it’s 25 years old.
If you pick up any book on vintage guitars it’ll be 50s and 60s ones mainly.

p90fool · June 2020

Vintage in electric guitar terms means pre '66 Fenders and pre 1970 Gibsons.

My '77 Strat will never be vintage and no PRS ever will be.

Guitar dealers may beg to differ, but then they would, wouldn't they.

Adey · June 2020

I'd sort of agree with @andrewaward above.

For something to be vintage it needs to have an "era" associate with it - 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, maybe 90s now (just). Noughties? Only if you are still living with your parents. 2010s? Definite not an"era" .... Yet....

simonhpieman · June 2020

I'm not really sure vintage is the right/a useful word anymore, particularly if it denotes 25 years. There's no way I'm having Yamaha Pacificas and Affinity Strats as vintage

Anything before about 1980 when even the big manufactuters switched some of their output East could be a decent cut-off as mentioned but I'm not sure what you'd call it.

JerkMoans · June 2020

Older than me

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What even is "vintage"?

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