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Post subject: Will solid state amps ever be collectible?
Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:02 pm
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There area a lot of Fender amps from the 80's and 90's that are of decent quality, and they goes cheap compared to the tube based amps. However are they worth taking care of seen from a vintage point of view?


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Posted: Tue Jul 06, 2010 5:42 pm
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I really doubt it, but neither will the new mass produced tube amps. The whole thing about the old Fender amps were they were hand built. Most everything today is mass produced on PCB's and disposable. The best thing to do is just enjoy it. The vintage market isn't really what people think it is. When you factor in inflation, it's not a really good investment. Even the guitars. Desirability is what will drive the price up. It's simple supply and demand. Everything is so mass produced today, there will probably never be a big vintage market again. I'd just enjoy it and take care of it for yourself.

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Posted: Wed Jul 07, 2010 6:14 am
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I think that the "vintage market" hoopla is something people with money cooked up to make more money....buy what you can that is good,buy all that you can,and then supply and demand makes the price skyrocket...when everybody realizes that Joe Schmoe the "expert" says Fender "Pre CBS" means perfection....they gotta buy it.


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Post subject: Re: Will solid state amps ever be collectible?
Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 5:25 am
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jsa0100 wrote:
There area a lot of Fender amps from the 80's and 90's that are of decent quality, and they goes cheap compared to the tube based amps. However are they worth taking care of seen from a vintage point of view?


This is a valid question. But no one can look into a crystal ball and forecast what will be "collectable". A word from the wise..... and somewhat experienced. Buy things you enjoy..... keep good care of them..... keep them for a long time. NEVER EVER invest in "collectables".

Baseball cards are the perfect example. The public's interest in baseball climbed in the 1990's. Cards became hot items. Manufacturers flooded the market with products. Collectors became weary and left the hobby. At one time, Ken Griffey's rookie card would sell for $150..... now it might bring $15 on a good day.

No one knew in 1964 that GI Joe would be so popular..... we just played with the toy. I liked them as a kid.....and kept them all these years. 40 years later - people want to capture some of their childhood and suddenly a market developed for vintage GI Joe stuff..... actually two markets - there's people in our 40's buying the original 12" and people in their 30's buying the little 1980 versions. Recently I sold most of my original GI Joe stuff for some decent cash. There are some collectors out there thrilled to have gotten my "Closet Classics". :lol:

Its the same with guitars and amps. 30 years ago you could have bought tons of old Fender and Gibson stuff. My first good guitar was a 65 Melody Maker my Dad bought for $125.... that included an amp. Let me tell you from experience...... Melody Makers are sucky guitars. :lol: Now people are willing to pay up to $1,500 for one.

In 1983 - I bought a used 1974 Telecaster Thinline, because I could afford it. I paid $400 for it and have enjoyed it all these years. The Thinline was not a popular guitar - not matter what anyone tells you. I just wanted a "tele" and have kept it all these years. Now suddenly it has some value. Thank you Fender for re-issuing that guitar and creating all the hype around the Trimline. If I were smart, I would sell it and invest the money in a traditional method.

People who are sour on "vintage markets" don't understand collectables. You can't predict what will be hot in the future. 20 years from now... all the solid state amps may be down to a limited number of working, clean units. And kids who got started on a frontsman might suddenly be willing to lay down some serious cash to relive his youth. (I think that's a stretch - using it as an example). All there will be a ton of people who think.... those "Vintage Frontsman" are crap - "who'd pay $800 for a Frontsman 15." when secretly they wish they had either kept theirs or had the cash to buy one.

BTW - I have some real crap that I kept as a kid... just because I thought my 1972 super bowl electric football game was cool.... doesn't mean anyone else wants it. I finally sold it for $20 just to get it out of my house.

Buy things you like.... if your lucky - someday there could be a "market" for it and you might turn a nice profit. I just made a 2000% profit on an old comic book I bought 30 years ago. Who know? I didn't buy it as an investment... I bought it because I enjoyed reading comics. :oops:


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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 6:04 am
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Being one of those guys who could have bought Les Pauls and Strats for under $300 back in the day,I can honestly say that there were good,bad and ugly ones....even the well cared for ones could sound good,great or just okay....but back then you could pick and choose.
So it really is something to see "vintage" guitars going for $$$$$$ mainly on what they look like and how original the parts are and whether there were fewer models made in that particular year,meaning"rarity".
There's no way I would be willing to pay $35,000 for a '64 Strat like I saw a couple going for in GC in Nashville.....I once owned a '65 Sonic Blue,and my '62 Hot Rod beats it tonewise hands down.


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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 7:33 am
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Rebelsoul wrote:
Being one of those guys who could have bought Les Pauls and Strats for under $300 back in the day,I can honestly say that there were good,bad and ugly ones....even the well cared for ones could sound good,great or just okay....but back then you could pick and choose.
So it really is something to see "vintage" guitars going for $$$$$$ mainly on what they look like and how original the parts are and whether there were fewer models made in that particular year,meaning"rarity".
There's no way I would be willing to pay $35,000 for a '64 Strat like I saw a couple going for in GC in Nashville.....I once owned a '65 Sonic Blue,and my '62 Hot Rod beats it tonewise hands down.


Well said. And if we only knew.... we could have bought a lot of old gear and made some good money.

We know alot more about electronics and the quality is a lot better. Or maybe I should say quality control. Nothing against my "vintage" tele, its nice, but I play my '94 American Strat 90% of the time.

I'm with you .... I won't lay down good money for "vintage" stuff... BUT I will buy that "vintage" stuff if the price is right. Such as my 1966 BF Champ that I took in trade for a Hot Rod Deluxe amp.

No one can guess what's going to be collectable. There were people buying the Death of Superman issue years ago (mid 90's) saying they would pay for their kid's college with it. I think you can get that book by the pallet for a couple of bucks. :lol:

Also - once something becomes collectable and gets a "market"... newer stuff typically is over produced and therefore not as valuable. Playboy circulation broke 1 million by 1960. So any issue after that date is worth a couple of bucks..... find one your Dad had from before 1960 and you might get some decent jack.

Any one willing to pay $50 for a beanie baby. :lol:


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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 9:58 am
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Everything is collectable to somebody. I'm sure if the human race still exists in 50 years, solid state amps will be "collectable". Of course, so will mid-90s Huyndai's. :lol:

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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:05 am
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Even if I bought a vintage strat, it would be for playing use, not for collectability. I played a 58 strat once and I hated how sticky the finish felt on the maple fretboard.

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Posted: Thu Jul 08, 2010 1:11 pm
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bluesky636 wrote:
Everything is collectable to somebody. Of course, so will mid-90s Huyndai's. :lol:


:lol: :lol: :lol: I remember hearing that AMC Gremlins were going to be desirable by car buffs because not many survived. I did a spit-take on that one.... I owned a Gremlin in high school.... I wouldn't wish that fate on anyone. :lol:

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