When exactly, did the crazy infatuation of "vintage" equipment take off? I can remember back in the 80's buying old Strats in pawn shops for $200. I even traded my Peavy Bass amp for a 212 tweed Fender Bassman in a pawn shop with no cash difference back in the 80's. I've got a stack of old Guitar Player magazines from the late 60's and 70's, and in almost every artist interview, theres no big deal made about their vintage collection or the vintage gear they use. Altho there is a few ads about converting your new Tele (circa 1975) into a 1953 model by buying a kit with rounded knobs and brass bridge saddles, so some interest was starting to grow. Did the internet conjure up all these high prices and g.a.s. for vintage gear? (I'll be the first to admit I'd rather own a 60's Strat over any of the newer ones I've played. The older ones just feel better in your hands). Or was it the artists themselves driving the prices up so high that the average guy can't afford one? Did anyone see the early 1950's Tele they featured on "It's Worth What" tv show? The show said it was worth $123,000, but it showed up on ebay, advertised as the same guitar from that tv show, a few days later at $250,000. It belongs to Norms Guitars or Ed Roman or one of those guys. Come on....$250,000? Of course now everyone with a 20 year old guitar thinks it's worth 10 times it's realistic value. Just check the crazy prices on craigslist. My desire for an old Strat have all but faded away, much less a good older Fender tube amp.

_________________
Life is like a sh*t sandwich. The more bread you have, the less sh*t you have to eat.

I've got a 33-year old Les Paul Standard -- I seriously doubt that it's worth anything approaching five figures, let alone six. OTOH my '57 Les Paul Jr. would probably command $6500 under "normal" market conditions.

Arjay

_________________
"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY

its just like old cars and guns.

_________________

Before guitars became "ELECTRIC" they were a no big deal instrument. Thank Leo, and others, for the transformation from relative obscurity, to what we know today as arguably the most popular musical instrument of all time. With the onset of The "ELECTRIC GUITAR" came the pop/rock and roll stars of the 20Th. century. We all know who they are, and its only natural for the surviving Generation to cherish the memory, and somehow preserve the music they gave us. And so it became popular to collect the relics of the time, that real music came to be.
----Danny,

Well said, Duke!
Let´s pull out the memorabilia and keep ´em beers rollin´!

_________________
FIGHT!

in this opinion and from these memories, there are a couple of likelihoods.

In the 70s, many American products (cars and guitars for two) were really "down" in quality. The better stuff, albeit older, was recognized, sought after.

Beginning in the late 70s and early 80s, "collecting" (of any of 100,000 subjects) became a hobby, pastime, sport, leisure activity, in general.

I don't like it that Pre-CBS Strats are selling for $10,000 to $40,000 and up depending on the year models and colors...and the 50's and 60's amps are going up all the time also,but not as much as the guitars.
I would like to own several early 60's Strats,but there's no way I could do it or would even if I could afford it...I just don't see them being worth that,when back in the early 70's I passed on some of them for $300!

You used to be able to get comic books for .15 cents and baseball cards for .05 cents. Don't blame the market because you threw yours away or didn't stock up when nobody wanted them.

_________________

Now on Facebook Too

The only way to understand the "vintage guitar prices" is to go out, and buy one or two really old, good guitars. Buy something like a Fender Mustang or a Musicmaster from the 1960's.....They are affordable enough, really, and then I think you will understand the buzz over vintage gear a little better. My 1974 Stratocaster may not be anything special, but it is worth more than I paid for it but this old Strat, it rivals nearly every newer model in tone, and the U shaped neck feels like heaven in your hands! Old guitars have a little magic in them, you could say.....go actually play one some time and then you will understand! I do agree on one point you made though, and that is the prices of some vintage guitars is VERY unrealistic! I mean come on, a run of the mill, factory made guitar selling for as much as a decent home? HA!

i think sometimes the price is justified but not always. I picked up an old Teisco because i like surf and garage so it kinda fits my style. It was also pretty cheap ($90). I love old things, i restore pinball machines and collect records and mostly feel that older things are just built better. SOME older things are built better, the old Silvertone amp or guitar from the 60's not so much. Funny thing about the vintage stuff is that everything is priced up because it survived even when it doesn't necessarily warrant it. At times the market blindly ignores reality and pays higher prices for inferior things due to the age. IMHO

I don't feel the same as collectors do about guitars and value in dollars. I have some friends that have large guitar collections valued in the market place at tens of thousands of dollars. The irony is none of those friends play very well and since those guitars of theirs have been in their possession said guitars haven't been in a stage light or studio. If any young guitar players read this I guess the moral of the story is, play your guitar like it's the best guitar ever made and you will make enough money so when you are old and can't cut any more you can spend it on all the "vintage guitars" you have a mind to.

_________________
you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

There is a limited number of 60's (and especially 50's) guitars, so it's only natural that their value increases over time. There is a whole new generation moving in that wants the piece of the pie that they missed out on.

Pre-CBS Fenders are getting pretty snapped up, and many buyers are taking advantage of a subpar economy to get their mitts on them. Smart on them.

People might rip on the old Musicmasters/Duo-Sonics or even Mustangs for not being everything that the vintage Stratocasters are. While I have no means of comparison, I can say that my '62 Musicmaster was definitely properly built and with care. It's a very charming guitar in its own right, and it sounds amazing.

Really,the moral to my story is...I don't need a stinking Pre-CBS Strat to make great music! and neither do most of the fantastic musicians I know....so put that in your pipe and smoke it all you collectors!!

I agree RS...What will happen in 20-30 years?
Will new guitarists give up their playing because they don't have a '62 Strat and "it's meaningless to try and get good sound out of a current guitar."

_________________
-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield

Some people have old stamps and coins.
Antiques are fascinating on their own right.
With guitars, it´s almost a fetish kind of experience.
But for playing purposes, I would rather have a guitar of recent build.


Unlike the violin, guitars keep getting better all the time!

_________________
FIGHT!