Hey guys,

I know virtually nothing about the vintage scene, as you can assume from the title. I am just wondering: What makes a vintage so desirable? The fact that it's old? Or is there something else to it?

Please explain, I gotta know.

Thanks,

KRAD

I would dare guess that the vintage models are more detail oriented and put together better with materials dated to the specified erra. I don't see how anyone would want a guitar that's already broken in or looks to be worn out myself. I would rather have my own finger treads and my own sratches and dents because knowing how they got there is what makes them so special to it's character.

In this view, it's a subculture and retro thing, which statistically arises when a demographic becomes large enough to expand and to an extent, fragment.

There are way more than enough tremendously hip, delicious new products around without having to be droolingly covetous and embarassing-in-public turgid over maybe finding something old which was shut away in a closet, attic or garage for decades.

Just a personal opinion....

Forum user Orvilleowner has some particularly desirable Strats from the '50s, '60s and '70s, as well as modern ones. An interesting recent post from him suggested that he finds no particular tonal advantage to old guitars - it would be great to hear more from him and other vintage owners on that.

A guitar maker I admire is Jol Dantzig at Hamer. He said that he feels there has never been a better time to either build, buy or play new guitars than right now: and I tend to agree with him.

Still. Wouldn't say no to a tasty '57 though!

Cheers - C

there's also a lot hype in it. you can get all from a very great sounding instrument (for you) till a "cucumber". so "old" is not all. and they are not in my league from price side.

cheers

They feel good, smell good, look good, and will fund my retirement (hopefully)! But their sound?

I'm a firm believer that a good player needs a good amp to really get the sounds he intends to get. (Unfortunately, a beginner or bad player usually can't figure out how to get those sounds.)

The pickups on the vintage guitars do vary in output. I think I have DC resistances ranging from 5.5K to 6.2K ohms. Some of the newer pickups I have get up to 7.0K. So the master volume controls on my Marshalls are the great equalizer for the Strats I have. A little tweak of the master volume and the tone controls pretty much makes all of my Strats sound the same through my set up.

Two of the great Strat players known for their "tone," Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Johnson, would fill their studios with amps trying to find the one(s) that will provide the sound they were looking for. SRV could switch Strats (Fender, Hamilton, Tokai, etc) and still sound fine.

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My other guitar is a Strat.

Ask and ye shall receive.

Thank you!

Cheers - C

Ah, that all makes sense then, thanks!

It's cool, cuz its sort of like owning a piece of history. Something that symbolizes a different time and era of guitars. Like "once upon a time, guitars looked like this..." and it just feels awesome.

All the hype aside, "vintage" instruments are desirable mainly because there aren't many of them around that are still in good condition.

Scarcity makes anything more valuable.

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"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"