Best vintage guitar, which doesn't cost the same as a car?

Gomer · Post by **Gomer** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 1:37 am

The effects of peyote at the pickguard shaping stage of guitar building.
http://www.gbase.com/gear/supro-jaguar-style-1964-red#

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 2:14 am

I think that is a supro S525 or S535. some cooler ones:

an S535

an S555

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 3:40 am

The one vintage "budget" guitar worth considering is the Harmony H-44 Stratotone

[youtube][/youtube]

nyck · Post by **nyck** » Tue Nov 08, 2011 4:19 am

[quote="Mages"]I think that is a supro S525 or S535. some cooler ones:

an S535

I used to own that exact guitar! Main street vintage had a booth at some guitar show I went to when I was 16 (4 years ago). I didn't know what I was looking for at the time and ended up paying way too much for it. The neck was complete shit. It had no adjustable truss rod. That thing was super discouraging to play.

A_saVANT · Post by **A_saVANT** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 4:10 am

theworkoffire wrote:Without hesitation, for me it would be a Yamaha SG-3

Quality-wise, they're easily on a par with 60s Fenders. Just properly great guitars.

That is fucking gorgeous. Do wantz.

I like the Yamaha SG's...I guess 80's count as vintage now.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Sun Nov 13, 2011 5:24 am

BacchusPaul wrote:I don't regard seventies Fenders as vintage, because whilst there are good ones, and whist they often look very seventiesey, they don't represent a particaraly strong brand at the time. They're just old guitars, some of which are good.

+1
'70s Fender/Gibson isn't real vintage. It's also easy for me to remember because I remember when they were cheaper than the vintage reissues of either are now, well into the vintage guitar market boom.

That's why indie bands with no money always have 3 brown, wonky-looking SGs on hand.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:03 am

ARGHHHH
FUKK

I was outbidded on this 59 Duo Sonic in the last 30seconds: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1959-Fender-Duo-Sonic-vintage-Pre-CBS-original-case-/

I'm no good at winning stuff on eBay.

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:35 am

Mages wrote:an S555

oh, good god.

Pens · Post by **Pens** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 3:31 am

My local Guitar Center has a '66 Musicmaster for $800...

Will · Post by **Will** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 4:11 am

Was it ever answered as to why you want an old guitar? Do they offer some advantage over a current one?

Because I think of vintage as the best of a particular type. So vintage Fenders and Gibsons are from the 50s/early-60s. A vintage Danelectro is from the late 50s, but not the early 50s. A vintage Taylor is from this decade. It's about when the maker hit the peak of their quality.

It seems like semantics, but it becomes important because we're just coming down from a fevered peak in the old guitar market. Guitars that are vintage - the best quality - will retain and continue to grow in value. Ones that are merely old will start to fall. An early-60s Supro is vintage because those are the best Supros; a 70s Fender is old.

The spirit of getting a vintage guitar is in making an investment in the best version of the thing you want. Sometimes that means a current or recent model. So figure out what sort of guitar fits you're needs and buy the best one you can afford, regardless of the name or year.

nyck · Post by **nyck** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 7:01 am

So I just got this '66 stang off the bay for 725. I'm not sure what these typically go for, but that's cheaper than the reissues are new.
The reason I prefer older fenders is mostly because of the roundedness of the fretboard/edges. None of the newer ones seem to have that.

UlricvonCatalyst · Post by **UlricvonCatalyst** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:09 am

To answer your original question, some of the best vintage bargains widely available in the UK for less than the price of a car would be Shergolds.

Fantastic necks one and all, the Masquerader has a great range of tones on tap. For Â£500 you might even be able to get the modular one which allows you to swap built-in FX. The only downside is they're not shortscale and they're pretty fugly. If you can handle that, start searching for Shergold and Hayman. Maybe look at original Burns's too.

Viljami · Post by **Viljami** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 1:35 pm

UlricvonCatalyst wrote: they're pretty fugly.

PHILISTINE!

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 6:08 pm

I was playing my '65 Vox Tempest at practice last night and felt compelled to mention it in this thread as a suggestion. I paid $700 (well, more like my Gibson LP Studio) for it and it's a nice solid guitar, the pickups are louder and brighter than my Rickenbacker Hi Gains (though they are somewhat microphonic)

Some of the 6 string versions can sell for around $500-600, they're not the prettiest things in the world but they're a solid vintage guitar as opposed to cheapos of that era and something pretty unique.

Here's mine

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Nov 19, 2011 8:37 pm

hotrodperlmutter wrote:
Mages wrote:an S555

► Show Spoiler
oh, good god.

eBay link - retarded money

NickD · Post by **NickD** » Fri Nov 25, 2011 1:12 pm

Will wrote:Was it ever answered as to why you want an old guitar? Do they offer some advantage over a current one?

Because I think of vintage as the best of a particular type. So vintage Fenders and Gibsons are from the 50s/early-60s. A vintage Danelectro is from the late 50s, but not the early 50s. A vintage Taylor is from this decade. It's about when the maker hit the peak of their quality.

It seems like semantics, but it becomes important because we're just coming down from a fevered peak in the old guitar market. Guitars that are vintage - the best quality - will retain and continue to grow in value. Ones that are merely old will start to fall. An early-60s Supro is vintage because those are the best Supros; a 70s Fender is old.

The spirit of getting a vintage guitar is in making an investment in the best version of the thing you want. Sometimes that means a current or recent model. So figure out what sort of guitar fits you're needs and buy the best one you can afford, regardless of the name or year.

I see your point, but I have a few vintage/old guitars, and have played loads more, and the best of the lot IMO is my 73 Mustang - not their best year, but TBH going by your rationale almost none of the Mustangs would be vintage as they were in the CBS era. The same is true of Tele thinlines and Deluxes.

I don't know what the market is like at the moment, but you should have no trouble getting a nice shortscale Fender for Â£4-800 depending on model etc. Some may not be 100% original, but bought sensibly should hold their money. Fuckit though, I bought mine to play, and the prices were good compared to new US models.

JesusRancher · Post by **JesusRancher** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:42 pm

Somebody buy this, Gumtree musicmaster

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 2:12 am

It's very expensive.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:58 am

Lucamo wrote:I love how affordable Musicmasters are. My current MUSIC MASTER is the best guitar ever. The neck feels like sex-magic.

+1000

My current Musicmaster also has a neck that feels like sex-magic!

To those who say that 70s Fenders aren't real vintage, are poorly constructed, don't represent a high point in manufacture... this is often true!

But if you can hunt around and find a decent 70s duo/mm, it's the best bargain in the world to me. Because really, it's ALL about the neck.

To the OP: did you buy anything yet? If so, what did you end up with??

Freddy V-C · Post by **Freddy V-C** » Tue Dec 13, 2011 9:33 am

stewart wrote:It's very expensive.

What would a decent price be for a Musicmaster? Â£500 seems good to me but my knowledge of vintage guitars is basically zero.