So here is where the vintage thing works. I bought a 1966 Gibson ES-335 in 1998. At that time Mid 60's Gibsons were not as highly sought out as they are now. Mine has the narrow nut which a lot of people hate, but I bought the guitar because of the thin neck, and it sounded good. I paid $2000. My wife was not happy. In the early 2000's a luthier was making adjustments for me and discovered that the bridge pickup was an original PAF. I made a good investment AND have been playing. a great guitar for all these years. I also paid $900 for a 1965 blackface Vibrolux, which has turned out to be a good investment as well. If I had bought a new 335 in 1998, would the value of my instrument have accrued in the same way? My only regret is buying a motorcycle in 1984 right out of college. I should have been buying late 50's Strats.
I went on a anniversary trip with my wife last weekend and was able to play a 58 burst .It was a cool experience and it had to weigh 7 or 8 pounds.I have 2021 standard and it feels like a boat anchor now.
A friend of mine was playing at the Laughing Horse Inn in Taos a few years back. He had a Strat with 2 9 volt batteries thru a Mesa Boogie (heavy). It's a small bar. Needless to say, Volume is always a concern. One nite Carlos Santana was there with his wife. He invited Carlos up to play. He did, but he had to be alone on guitar. So he took Steve's Strat dimed the Mesa. And I think it's safe to say that was the loudest anybody has ever played there. It's still a legendary night.
Spent months pondering buying a 64 vintage Country Gentleman. After seeing the amount of work and not wisely using g for gigs, along with the never ending repairs and upkeep I got a new Japanese built vintage 62 and couldn't be happier. Same specs, incredible build quality, and no need to practically play with kid gloves
I bought a Vintera 60s strat, and it's my fav guitar ever. Maybe I got lucky, but I love the the smaller radius. And the pickups sounds awesome. Very snappy, vintage stratty sound. I've had American, and custom, and I've never played a guitar more than this vintera. I would check these guys out and if ur on a budget see if they can get you a used one. That's what I did, and Holy shit. Love this guitat
I think that Baxter got it 100% right. If we have the money, would we buy a vintage guitar? Yes. Are they worth the price? No. I think, unless you get really lucky then Custom Shop is the way to go if you want a vintage guitar that you’ll play regularly. If it’s a special thing like a birth year guitar then yes it’s worth it if it’s worth it to you. I can’t comment on collectors. To me a musical instrument is there to be played, not hung on a wall like a painting. As for amps, I can understand people wanting vintage amps but why pay through the nose when you can have an identical amp built new for a fraction of the price? Besides, solid state amps these days are just as good & affordable for almost anyone.
I spent $2300 for a 75 Strat. I had to sell 4 guitars to get it. I had to replace the nut and have it refretted. Great guitar. The pickups were a bit microphonic, but sounded great.
8 years ago I was in the market for a high dollar P bass. I was fortunate enough to get to play a 53 P that was an older refin, but otherwise was all original. The neck on it was to die for, it was well balanced and not very heavy, but the reality was that I could tell the pickup was on it’s way out and would need some work. I was a great playing bass and definitely had some mojo, but especially back then 12k was a lot for a refin P Bass even an early one that had a fading pickup. While I was on the fence about it I also found an almost unplayed 2011 CS Time Machine 55 P used for 2k. Played it. It was far and away the superior instrument on all levels except the mojo. I went with the CS and have never regretted it. It’s done countless gigs with me. Some I might have been hesitant to drag a 53 to like a big mud truck show in front of thousands of drunk rowdy people with a loose sense of boundaries. I made the right decision, I feel.
@@Airhead348 yes, it was a shop and it was definitely high compared to what I was seeing elsewhere on line for similar Basses. (Which may have still had life in their pickups) I honestly felt 7-8k would have been fair.
My first vintage purchase was a Fender 74' silverface Deluxe reverb but was blackfaced that I bought from Carlos Arévalo from Chicano Batman. Still sounds amazing. I also bought his Aztec gold Fender Jaguar.
Mannn, for me .... i was always in the camp of vintage isnt worth it . And then i bought a 1967 gibson sg ... and its amazing . To be honest, its a refinish wich saved me a lot of money... but some vintage instruments are just really really great ...
I ended up buying a Tokai Japan Custom Shop R4 because it came standard with Jumbo frets! All of the Gibson R4 I played had the small vintage frets (that I don't care for). I like vintage guitars, its the vintage frets I try to avoid.
I wish I’d known about vintage amps in the early 2000s! I was into guitars and pedals and didn’t know that amp heaven was attainable. Now that I’ve learned about vintage amps they are insanely expensive, the boutique stuff is insanely expensive, and the typical new tube amp isn’t really gig-able for any length of time, compared to the vintage equivalents He Man story: I also used to run around in my underwear with a stick pretending to be He Man, but I would put two belts around my shoulders for the chest armor and put the sword on my back so I could call on the power of greyscull, over and over. Too bad there weren’t video cameras everywhere back then
@@johnsmith-bk4ps I’ve heard that the twins and pros are still attainable but I’d rather have a deluxe or smaller; preferably a champ or Princeton circuit. I’m currently looking at a Mojotone amp kit and considering trying to assemble one of the simpler circuits myself.
@@honkytonkinson9787 pros are sleepers and only around 45 watts. You need some watts. Princeton etc affords no headroom at all on stage. Go big and tame it down. You can also pull 2 power tubes out of a twin. Or get an attenuator
I traded off two guitars for my 65 Dove, one was the Best Les Paul Premium I ever owned and another amazing guitar plus a vintage pedal, and it was the only Vintage Guitar I didnt send straight to Luthier, the 62 Melody Maker D Guitar I once had that everyone loved was unplayable until luthier got it to fix a missing bridge ground, to polish frets and give it a serious cleaning with pro set up, and I traded it for the Premium plus Les Paul I used to get the 1965 Dove that was refinished and in perfect playable condition and still is, the Dove has Grovers that keep perfect tune, but I bought and keep a set of waffle backs in case I do ever sell or trade it and someone asks if have waffle backs for it. But Vintage Tone is something we all seem to chase and love and I have a 94 Strat that has aged like a Fine Wine, also a 83 Strat Elite that is nearly perfect in everyway and love them dearly
Got a 1983 SQ Squier Strat and a 1976 Gibson L6-S. Both needed a re-fret (stainless) and got bone nuts. I wanted vintage but I wanted to play them and the pancake/zero frets on the L6-S and the pitted frets in the SQ had to be addressed. Given who did the work I believe only enhances their value but that will be determined after I’m gone. Right now I love playing them.
Never was convinced on vintage guitars until I bought a '60 ES-330. That changed everything for me & I now own quite a few vintage guitars including a '59 ES-355 that sounds better than any guitar I've ever played or owned. I own newer guitars as well but the ones that end up sounding the best in a recording situation are pretty much always the vintage examples. Diminishing returns yes...but they are that extra 10-15%. Also, my '59 is one of the easiest guitars to play that I have ever encountered.
I think most high and and custom shop guitars are freaking amazing. I love vintage guitars, but I find them needing a lot of work. Unless it’s a specific unique model then yes I go for vintage. I’m really liking the current custom shop guitars. Truly feel excellent and they’re a breeze to play
Jonathan’s beard is going from EPIC to LEGENDARY. Also the only way to get Vintage gear at a reasonable price is if you go to an estate sale in a small rural town that isn’t advertised online and the auctioneer or host is ignorant to guitar values and doesn’t know what they have. The problem is now all of that is done online so it’s damn near impossible to find that scenario. But it can happen.
Honestly? One of the rarest times I broke my rule of “don’t buy gear over $500“ was when I was at one of my local guitar shops and buddy was selling a Hiwatt DR 103 from 1971 for $3,600 CAD ($2,800 USD) and I don’t regret it. Those are super rare to come by, in the wild. Not to mention it was the amp I always dreamed about. With the money that I recently made this year I decided to break the bank on it. It was either I took the once in a lifetime moment or I didn’t, simple as that.
I have a few vintage Gibsons I really enjoy; a 1941 L-47, a 1968 ES-125TC, and a 1965 C-0. I love swing jazz and bop music, so almost all my favorite guitarists played Gibson archtops. I was just out of college and could never afford the L5 or ES-350 of my dreams so I had to start with lower end vintage guitars that played well. These were hard to find and most often needed some extra setup from a luthier. I personally don't mind replaced parts if the guitar is functional; I only have five guitars total so I play all of them. So my L-47 has replaced tuning machines, and the ES-125 has a replaced trapeze tailpiece and P90 cover. However, my 1974 Twin Reverb needed more love from the amp techs than any of my older guitars. Getting a vintage amp can be a gosh darn money pit. That being said, the guitar I play the most nowadays is my 2021 PRS 594 Hollowbody II 🙂
Just did a refret on my 1970 Tele, a super clean, lightweight guitar. It made it come alive, but now I’m noticing the neck pickup is weak. I bought it to play, but it’s also all original. Should I swap out the neck pickup? Did the refret compromise its originality?
I've only ever bought new stuff except for my amp head (Orange Thunderverb). I think vintage stuff is cool, but I'm obsessive about how I care for my stuff and I don't trust that a previous owner would have taken as much care of an item than I would. And since vintage is usually so much more expensive, I have made peace with that!
Am I the only one whose never even encountered “vintage” gear? I’ve never seen a vintage guitar or amp unless I was seeing someone famous in concert. I’ve never seen a real vintage piece in my local shop or played with anyone who had a piece of vintage gear, so I can’t say anything from experience, but I want to know how people find this stuff. Is it all online?
My 2014 Martin Authentic D-28 1937, was built to take advantage of the exacting specs of a "holy-grail" vintage acoustic, and as you suggest it was a pricey endeavor unless you purchase it used like I did... it is a GREAT guitar...
The closest I get to a real ‘37 is watching a Steve Earle video of his ‘35… I’m delighted with my Authentic as it exists NOW… over the past seven years it’s opened up beautifully and it rocks the house…
old guitar is like and old car- can be really cool and/or could be mechanically troublesome and need a lot of work. I recently sold a few older guitars to buy a fairly new ( 2018) custom shop Gibson. It was a better guitar than the old ones I had and it was like a new car......didn't need any work at all and ran like a top. Maybe in 20-30 years it will have all those old guitar issues but for now, it has the look and feel without intonation or electrical issues. It even has that old late '50's authentic sound. It was not cheap, though but thankfully did not cost as much as a house, either.
I got a used Fender Deluxe Vintage Re-issue guitar amp about 10 years ago. I've appreciated it-great sound, very reliable, good look, etc. I'm not sure how much different (if at all) it is from an actual Fender Deluxe from the 1960s. It seems similar-it's quite heavy, by modern standards, for example. Overall, I'd guess it's pretty similar. So would you consider a "vintage" Fender amp in the same light as a "Vintage" Fender guitar?
I started playing in 1964 and back then we aspired to, or bought, Gibson, Fender, Guild, Gretch or any US guitar because unlike the european ones you could actually play them past the 3rd fret!! Over the years since I've bought about a guitar a year and mostly don't feel a vintage vibe - I still have some old 60's Gibson acoustics which feel good but otherwise I've got to the point of now buying el cheapos based on ears and fingers. I think what you can get nowadays, even in the budget brands, is far superior to the older stuff. Back in the day (70's) we laughed at 'collectible 60's Fender strats' - they were just used work day reliable guitars we merrily modified silly with scalloped frets, humbucker routs, extra switches etc. Now as for old amps it was that old Fender/Marshalls sounded good, were reliable and did not break down easily. Again this barrier is mostly overcome in the modern gear. If you consider that the average vintage amp will have had quite few components replaced (valves, capacitors, resistors, maybe the transformers) how 'vintage' it really is can become a moot point. Of course I look at all this from the point of view of a player NOT a collector or investor but from my outlook the prices for some older stuff do seem rediculous. I too bought a 1960 Gibson ES335 with PAF pickups for some NZ$300 in about 1973 and it is really annoying that it is now so 'collectible/valuable' I can rarely take it out to gigs and let others enjoy the sound.
Does anyone know how old Baxter actually is? Based on comments about his childhood and music he grew up listening to, I think he’s older than I initially had thought. I would say that I hope I look that good when I’m 73!!
If you want an amazing vintage piece of gear, there are two best bets for my taste- a silverface Fender Champ, or a silverface Bandmaster or Bassman head. You can get them for under $1,000, and it’s pure amazing vintage sound. If you can a drip edge version of those heads, then you’re really set!
I think vintage gear is really cool. I like the history, the stories, and the often look great. But no real desire to own any on my part. I just don't have the time, patience, or finances etc. at this point in my life. If I ever get rich, then I may end up picking up a couple of things just for the fun of it, but probably don't have to worry about that any time soon 😅
I inherited a 1957 Gibson ES 225 from my father-in-law….. it is really cool and i love it but does not play that easy!! intonation is a little off but i swear tone is saweet when played by myself between midnight and 3 or 4 AM, especially nice when enjoyed with a knob creek on the rocks
Leo Fender went mostly deaf from an accident when he was fixing a customer's amp while he was playing live and they guy cranked it with his ear right up against the speaker. That is dedication.
I read he was working on an amp with Freddy Tevares and Freddy either tripped over or strummed the guitar without knowing Leo’s ear was against the speaker.
On the brink of paying $7.00 for a gallon of mid grade here on the west coast, i looked up what $325 from '76 was worth a couple of years ago. This bought a year old Fender Strat, SB, MN, HT. Worth $1400 then,,,,almost afraid to see what that would be worth now. btw, i bought a '69 Charger, 383 Mag, 727, SureGrip for $750 in '77. It got hit while parked.Totalled. heck, i had a for sale sign on it before. No takers during the odd/even bs. I got $1065 and dreamed about it for months.
I was into vintage drums for years. The trouble became more than the benefit. Gave up and went to modern stuff. Now that I'm into guitars, vintage is too costly.
The problem with the term 'vintage' is that it gets used too loosely. My local Craigslist has a 70s Greco P-bass selling for $675.00 because the seller says that it is 'vintage' and part of a 'lawsuit era.' Puh-leeze!
Antique and vintage are things that are 25 years old or older. I have a vintage 85 Peavey Patriot. Ahahaha It does seems silly to call it vintage though.
I never hear stories about someone waiting for a custom build and then being completely disappointed when they get their hands on it. I had multiple Heritage guitars built for me and one of them just didn’t work for me. I regretted it and ended up selling it. Since then I’ve never purchased anything that I didn’t get my hands on first. That Hass to be an issue with custom builds. You should call a video custom build/custom regret.
I wonder what % of guitar players have actually touched a 60s strat much less a 58’-60 Gibson. Of those who have, how many felt it was better than what can be had today?
My uncle’s friend owned a ‘59 Strat which was his father’s guitar that was passed down to him. It was the best sounding and playing Strat I’ve ever played. I was there to buy a Les Paul Custom but I didn’t want to put down the Strat. I’ve never played any Strat like it. It felt like an old baseball mitt, it was perfect.
I have the good fortune of being friends with the employees at a nearby guitar store. I’ve gotten to play a 59 strat and a 57 Les Paul with PAFs. The strat was very cool, and it certainly sounded great, but my custom shop strat that’s not even masterbuilt sounds just as good to my ear and plays better. Other late 50s strats are surely better than the one I played, because each instrument is unique and Fender was doing a lot of experimenting and using what was available-as was Gibson. The 57 Les Paul I played was an entirely different story. The PAFs sounded outrageously good, and the old strings and neck played better than the modern Les Pauls I’ve tried, including R8s and R9s. But I’ve heard from others who have played 50s LPs that didn’t have that level of mojo. It was as clear as day when I played the 57 that it was special and untouchable, but that’s not to say that modern guitars can’t get the job done and then some.
Bought a '65 Strat back in '78, Paid $500 for it because it was so clean. Sold it in '94 for $2,500. I had to leave town quickly, besides the guy who did the last fret job just butchered it. Bought a '84 Tokai Goldstar Sound for $150 when I got to NC. In '98 I bought my first SG a '61 Special. Paid $1K, it was a fretless wonder, but the sound of those P-90s! Sold in April for $8K to fix the head gasket and AC in my car. Still have my Tokai, I recently found out it has 2 Fender Grey Bottom pickups and a Dimarzio FS-1 in the bridge. It's always been a beast.
@@johnsmith-bk4ps I think those days are over. In '78 there was no "vintage" market that I was aware of. It was just a used Strat I played almost 20 years. 1 month later a friend bought a 58 LP jr(yellow) for $35. The SG, I was lucky. Except for the frets. I was just at the right place and offered twice what another guy was going to give a widow for it. Again I played it for 28 years. I can't afford to buy in to the Vintage market and I don't have another 20 years left before they bury me. I can only hope that the Fenders and Gibson guitars and amps I own are worth what I paid for them in the future.🙄
The cost of Vintage should applies for acoustic guitars as wood aged and plays a big role sound wise… in my opinion… it’s hard to believe that a 60s guitar is better built than a top of the line instrument these days… Top musicians used to play production instruments, there were no custom build services back in the day.
When I was in high school I dreamt of owning a shiny new Fender or Gibson but they were just too expensive for me. A local music store owner decided he wanted to buy a new Fender and so he put his 10 year old Strat up for sale and I bought it for $320 - about half the price of a new one at the time. That was in 1973. That guitar is very much just a player rather than a collector but I reckon I could get a bit more than $320 for it today. 🙂
Yup .... In the mid 80s I bought a 1969 Fender Mustang for 110 bucks.... I've put probably 300 into it since for a modern pickup and some intonation corrections and set-up but I'm routinely offered four figures for it........
I bought a Gibson Black Les Paul Fret less Wonder in 1970! It cost $1,000 new but this was a Repro guy couldn't keep up weekly bill. Yes, in 1970's you could Buy on Credit and Every Friday payday you went ang Gave $35.00 or so. I Had just got a Big Settlememt from Industrial
Accident, I paid $800.00 with Case. I actually had no problem with the frets, I also had a 1966 Gibson ES330 that only cost $330.00 plus $150.00 for the Case. Now a Low End ES 335 is $10.000. Memphis Factory, I have one. unfortunately i am 73 years old & do not play out at all. I can Play in my Apartment, but Going Out is impossible with Emphysema COPD
I was made in 1956…Making me rather vintage… an old fart playing an old guitar??? Maybe a bad idea… think I’ll buy a new guitar. At least one of us should have some life left in us!
@@eddepreist9178 hey Ed! What I just bought wasn’t exactly cheap, a RainSong carbon fiber Jumbo for $3,000. But, it is virtually indestructible, and maintenance free. This makes it cheap over the long haul. No setups, no neck resets, no humidification, no repairs of ANY kind! Just change the strings every month tune it and play.
If there is historical value, I get it. Other than that, I just don't get why some people pay so much for a guitar, especially one that isn't really playable. But, that's me. I know others have the completely different mindset.
I think it's a stroke of genius how Gibson and Fender have capitalized on the nostalgic boomer market and even convinced the kids that an old beat up guitar is better than a new one...not pointing the finger at anyone.
They didn't convince anyone. Vintage guitars are expensive. The demand was there so they started building all the 52, 57, 59, etc replicas. They wouldn't build them if no one wanted them
I have 1 vintage guitar. My Grandpas 59 Gibson LG2. I’ve been offered $5000 multiple times for it. I’ll never sell it. I love it. It’s part of my childhood. But it’s honestly the worst playing guitar I own. It may play a lot better with some major work. (Neck set, nut, bridge, etc) But my $600 Taylor Academy out plays it any day.
Vintage gear is cool if you can do the work. I used to get vintage drums only. But, you had to change most of the hardware to make em functional. Which in turn destroyed the value. Now I just get used gear because vintage gear has increased in price and has lost it’s value for me. The vintage is to pricey for me to do the upgrades now.
Check Reverb. I doubt they do. Fender custom shop now has more workers than many small manufacturers. It is no longer a custom shop. It is a small factory.
The vintage guitars that survive this long are exceptionally good, and that's why they still play. Guitar manufacture has gotten nothing but better. The average guitar now is better than the average guitar in the 50s or 60s. There is a tiny argument that the wood resins have had longer to crystalize, and so the old wood is a bit lighter and harder, and the pickups degauss over time and the sound "sweetens" a bit. The pickup aging can be replicated , but the wood aging can't really, but how much does the wood affect the tone of the electric guitar? Almost not at all. People who swear by older equipment are hearing their feelings, not the sound waves coming out of the amp. Granted, it is possible to find a vintage piece that sounds great, but that is that guitar, not the 1950s that sounds great.
I own 3 tube amp, a61 bassman original circuit, 71 Bandmaster and a 81 jmp2203 50w master volume. IRONICALLY I don't know how I ended up with ones but the tech who services them refuses to work on modern amps. I have repurchased all the gijoes and Johnny west toys I had as a child. Until my ahole brother sold them.
Vintage I understand a bit, it’s history and that makes it interesting. Back dated cars and relic instruments, not so much. Back to the Future was a movie not a life choice. I don’t see anyone asking their significant other to go gray and dress like their grandparents. But, It seems like a harmless fetish, all in all…
So here is where the vintage thing works. I bought a 1966 Gibson ES-335 in 1998. At that time Mid 60's Gibsons were not as highly sought out as they are now. Mine has the narrow nut which a lot of people hate, but I bought the guitar because of the thin neck, and it sounded good. I paid $2000. My wife was not happy. In the early 2000's a luthier was making adjustments for me and discovered that the bridge pickup was an original PAF. I made a good investment AND have been playing. a great guitar for all these years. I also paid $900 for a 1965 blackface Vibrolux, which has turned out to be a good investment as well. If I had bought a new 335 in 1998, would the value of my instrument have accrued in the same way? My only regret is buying a motorcycle in 1984 right out of college. I should have been buying late 50's Strats.
I love the Gibson narrow nut width of 1 and9/16 inch.
I have a 1972 SG Standard with that specification.
Eric Johnson said in an interview that during the early 80s, 1954 strats could be had in pawn shops in America every day of the week for $300 😮
just bought a 1981 yamaha fg335 with case with hang tag. no dings or scratches for 180 dollars. 👍😁
You guys' videos are totally time I will never get back, but I keep watching them anyway!
Whether you like em old or new guitar is fun to do! Cheers Casino!!
I went on a anniversary trip with my wife last weekend and was able to play a 58 burst .It was a cool experience and it had to weigh 7 or 8 pounds.I have 2021 standard and it feels like a boat anchor now.
I have been a/b ing guitars for over 40 years. Old wood and pickups are almost always better. Usually no comparison. The pros also know this
So lucky I managed to hang onto most of the great guitars I’ve bought through the years- now considered vintage. Accidental collector
I got a 70's ES-345 a few months back and I love those low frets! Plays like butter.
A friend of mine was playing at the Laughing Horse Inn in Taos a few years back. He had a Strat with 2 9 volt batteries thru a Mesa Boogie (heavy). It's a small bar. Needless to say, Volume is always a concern. One nite Carlos Santana was there with his wife. He invited Carlos up to play. He did, but he had to be alone on guitar. So he took Steve's Strat dimed the Mesa. And I think it's safe to say that was the loudest anybody has ever played there. It's still a legendary night.
Spent months pondering buying a 64 vintage Country Gentleman. After seeing the amount of work and not wisely using g for gigs, along with the never ending repairs and upkeep I got a new Japanese built vintage 62 and couldn't be happier. Same specs, incredible build quality, and no need to practically play with kid gloves
I bought a Vintera 60s strat, and it's my fav guitar ever. Maybe I got lucky, but I love the the smaller radius. And the pickups sounds awesome. Very snappy, vintage stratty sound. I've had American, and custom, and I've never played a guitar more than this vintera. I would check these guys out and if ur on a budget see if they can get you a used one. That's what I did, and Holy shit. Love this guitat
I think that Baxter got it 100% right. If we have the money, would we buy a vintage guitar? Yes. Are they worth the price? No. I think, unless you get really lucky then Custom Shop is the way to go if you want a vintage guitar that you’ll play regularly. If it’s a special thing like a birth year guitar then yes it’s worth it if it’s worth it to you. I can’t comment on collectors. To me a musical instrument is there to be played, not hung on a wall like a painting. As for amps, I can understand people wanting vintage amps but why pay through the nose when you can have an identical amp built new for a fraction of the price? Besides, solid state amps these days are just as good & affordable for almost anyone.
The problem is when you pick a good vintage guitar after playing a few no custom shop will sound as good as it. I've been down all those roads
I spent $2300 for a 75 Strat. I had to sell 4 guitars to get it. I had to replace the nut and have it refretted. Great guitar. The pickups were a bit microphonic, but sounded great.
8 years ago I was in the market for a high dollar P bass. I was fortunate enough to get to play a 53 P that was an older refin, but otherwise was all original. The neck on it was to die for, it was well balanced and not very heavy, but the reality was that I could tell the pickup was on it’s way out and would need some work. I was a great playing bass and definitely had some mojo, but especially back then 12k was a lot for a refin P Bass even an early one that had a fading pickup. While I was on the fence about it I also found an almost unplayed 2011 CS Time Machine 55 P used for 2k. Played it. It was far and away the superior instrument on all levels except the mojo. I went with the CS and have never regretted it. It’s done countless gigs with me. Some I might have been hesitant to drag a 53 to like a big mud truck show in front of thousands of drunk rowdy people with a loose sense of boundaries. I made the right decision, I feel.
I totally agree. Vintage guitars have become antiques and have lost many of their practical uses.
Good choice I feel like 12k is on the high side 8 yrs ago. Im assuming it was a store not private
@@Airhead348 yes, it was a shop and it was definitely high compared to what I was seeing elsewhere on line for similar Basses. (Which may have still had life in their pickups) I honestly felt 7-8k would have been fair.
@@dannyhowell3184 except most famous pros have and use them
My first vintage purchase was a Fender 74' silverface Deluxe reverb but was blackfaced that I bought from Carlos Arévalo from Chicano Batman. Still sounds amazing. I also bought his Aztec gold Fender Jaguar.
I saw those guys a few years back and they were great. Good purchase too.
Mannn, for me .... i was always in the camp of vintage isnt worth it .
And then i bought a 1967 gibson sg ... and its amazing .
To be honest, its a refinish wich saved me a lot of money... but some vintage instruments are just really really great ...
I ended up buying a Tokai Japan Custom Shop R4 because it came standard with Jumbo frets!
All of the Gibson R4 I played had the small vintage frets (that I don't care for).
I like vintage guitars, its the vintage frets I try to avoid.
I wish I’d known about vintage amps in the early 2000s! I was into guitars and pedals and didn’t know that amp heaven was attainable. Now that I’ve learned about vintage amps they are insanely expensive, the boutique stuff is insanely expensive, and the typical new tube amp isn’t really gig-able for any length of time, compared to the vintage equivalents
He Man story: I also used to run around in my underwear with a stick pretending to be He Man, but I would put two belts around my shoulders for the chest armor and put the sword on my back so I could call on the power of greyscull, over and over. Too bad there weren’t video cameras everywhere back then
Gibson falcons are still relatively cheap and sound amazing.
Pre 71ish fender amps without the master volume . Still reasonable and awesome
@@johnsmith-bk4ps I’ve heard that the twins and pros are still attainable but I’d rather have a deluxe or smaller; preferably a champ or Princeton circuit.
I’m currently looking at a Mojotone amp kit and considering trying to assemble one of the simpler circuits myself.
@@honkytonkinson9787 pros are sleepers and only around 45 watts. You need some watts. Princeton etc affords no headroom at all on stage. Go big and tame it down. You can also pull 2 power tubes out of a twin. Or get an attenuator
Seriously? All these comments and no one is mentioning the sweet HeMan story? No appreciation for a good HeMan story. What’s wrong with you people??
Y'alls videos are just great
considering parting with some things to aquire a '76 hiwatt custom 50... lol
I traded off two guitars for my 65 Dove, one was the Best Les Paul Premium I ever owned and another amazing guitar plus a vintage pedal, and it was the only Vintage Guitar I didnt send straight to Luthier, the 62 Melody Maker D Guitar I once had that everyone loved was unplayable until luthier got it to fix a missing bridge ground, to polish frets and give it a serious cleaning with pro set up, and I traded it for the Premium plus Les Paul I used to get the 1965 Dove that was refinished and in perfect playable condition and still is, the Dove has Grovers that keep perfect tune, but I bought and keep a set of waffle backs in case I do ever sell or trade it and someone asks if have waffle backs for it. But Vintage Tone is something we all seem to chase and love and I have a 94 Strat that has aged like a Fine Wine, also a 83 Strat Elite that is nearly perfect in everyway and love them dearly
Got a 1983 SQ Squier Strat and a 1976 Gibson L6-S. Both needed a re-fret (stainless) and got bone nuts. I wanted vintage but I wanted to play them and the pancake/zero frets on the L6-S and the pitted frets in the SQ had to be addressed. Given who did the work I believe only enhances their value but that will be determined after I’m gone. Right now I love playing them.
The oldest guitar I presently own was made in 2015. I feel so ashamed.
You can fix that. Buy an old gibson melodymaker. Great necks on those
Never was convinced on vintage guitars until I bought a '60 ES-330. That changed everything for me & I now own quite a few vintage guitars including a '59 ES-355 that sounds better than any guitar I've ever played or owned. I own newer guitars as well but the ones that end up sounding the best in a recording situation are pretty much always the vintage examples. Diminishing returns yes...but they are that extra 10-15%. Also, my '59 is one of the easiest guitars to play that I have ever encountered.
I think most high and and custom shop guitars are freaking amazing. I love vintage guitars, but I find them needing a lot of work. Unless it’s a specific unique model then yes I go for vintage. I’m really liking the current custom shop guitars. Truly feel excellent and they’re a breeze to play
Jonathan’s beard is going from EPIC to LEGENDARY. Also the only way to get Vintage gear at a reasonable price is if you go to an estate sale in a small rural town that isn’t advertised online and the auctioneer or host is ignorant to guitar values and doesn’t know what they have. The problem is now all of that is done online so it’s damn near impossible to find that scenario. But it can happen.
Honestly? One of the rarest times I broke my rule of “don’t buy gear over $500“ was when I was at one of my local guitar shops and buddy was selling a Hiwatt DR 103 from 1971 for $3,600 CAD ($2,800 USD) and I don’t regret it. Those are super rare to come by, in the wild. Not to mention it was the amp I always dreamed about.
With the money that I recently made this year I decided to break the bank on it. It was either I took the once in a lifetime moment or I didn’t, simple as that.
I have a few vintage Gibsons I really enjoy; a 1941 L-47, a 1968 ES-125TC, and a 1965 C-0. I love swing jazz and bop music, so almost all my favorite guitarists played Gibson archtops. I was just out of college and could never afford the L5 or ES-350 of my dreams so I had to start with lower end vintage guitars that played well. These were hard to find and most often needed some extra setup from a luthier. I personally don't mind replaced parts if the guitar is functional; I only have five guitars total so I play all of them. So my L-47 has replaced tuning machines, and the ES-125 has a replaced trapeze tailpiece and P90 cover.
However, my 1974 Twin Reverb needed more love from the amp techs than any of my older guitars. Getting a vintage amp can be a gosh darn money pit.
That being said, the guitar I play the most nowadays is my 2021 PRS 594 Hollowbody II 🙂
I love my 70 LPC and my 70 C20 pickup.
Love all the vintage gear hanging in musems and in stores . But i have had handme downs all my life. I want new stuff!
Shiney clean new stuff!
Old things are beautiful Baxster. You are beautiful! ;)
Thanks for the videos !!
Just did a refret on my 1970 Tele, a super clean, lightweight guitar. It made it come alive, but now I’m noticing the neck pickup is weak. I bought it to play, but it’s also all original. Should I swap out the neck pickup? Did the refret compromise its originality?
I've only ever bought new stuff except for my amp head (Orange Thunderverb). I think vintage stuff is cool, but I'm obsessive about how I care for my stuff and I don't trust that a previous owner would have taken as much care of an item than I would. And since vintage is usually so much more expensive, I have made peace with that!
Am I the only one whose never even encountered “vintage” gear? I’ve never seen a vintage guitar or amp unless I was seeing someone famous in concert. I’ve never seen a real vintage piece in my local shop or played with anyone who had a piece of vintage gear, so I can’t say anything from experience, but I want to know how people find this stuff. Is it all online?
Online. Craigslist is a good one, stuff turns up
My 2014 Martin Authentic D-28 1937, was built to take advantage of the exacting specs of a "holy-grail" vintage acoustic, and as you suggest it was a pricey endeavor unless you purchase it used like I did... it is a GREAT guitar...
They are great, unless a fretting hand gets injured. It was the instrument's voice and how my voice sounded with it that was really great.
Funny thing those authentics sound good..until you play a real 37. Game over. In 70 years they may both sound similar
The closest I get to a real ‘37 is watching a Steve Earle video of his ‘35… I’m delighted with my Authentic as it exists NOW… over the past seven years it’s opened up beautifully and it rocks the house…
old guitar is like and old car- can be really cool and/or could be mechanically troublesome and need a lot of work. I recently sold a few older guitars to buy a fairly new ( 2018) custom shop Gibson. It was a better guitar than the old ones I had and it was like a new car......didn't need any work at all and ran like a top. Maybe in 20-30 years it will have all those old guitar issues but for now, it has the look and feel without intonation or electrical issues. It even has that old late '50's authentic sound. It was not cheap, though but thankfully did not cost as much as a house, either.
I just had a 1959 ES-335 on my bench, today. It came with some problems.
I got a used Fender Deluxe Vintage Re-issue guitar amp about 10 years ago. I've appreciated it-great sound, very reliable, good look, etc. I'm not sure how much different (if at all) it is from an actual Fender Deluxe from the 1960s. It seems similar-it's quite heavy, by modern standards, for example. Overall, I'd guess it's pretty similar. So would you consider a "vintage" Fender amp in the same light as a "Vintage" Fender guitar?
I started playing in 1964 and back then we aspired to, or bought, Gibson, Fender, Guild, Gretch or any US guitar because unlike the european ones you could actually play them past the 3rd fret!! Over the years since I've bought about a guitar a year and mostly don't feel a vintage vibe - I still have some old 60's Gibson acoustics which feel good but otherwise I've got to the point of now buying el cheapos based on ears and fingers. I think what you can get nowadays, even in the budget brands, is far superior to the older stuff. Back in the day (70's) we laughed at 'collectible 60's Fender strats' - they were just used work day reliable guitars we merrily modified silly with scalloped frets, humbucker routs, extra switches etc. Now as for old amps it was that old Fender/Marshalls sounded good, were reliable and did not break down easily. Again this barrier is mostly overcome in the modern gear. If you consider that the average vintage amp will have had quite few components replaced (valves, capacitors, resistors, maybe the transformers) how 'vintage' it really is can become a moot point. Of course I look at all this from the point of view of a player NOT a collector or investor but from my outlook the prices for some older stuff do seem rediculous. I too bought a 1960 Gibson ES335 with PAF pickups for some NZ$300 in about 1973 and it is really annoying that it is now so 'collectible/valuable' I can rarely take it out to gigs and let others enjoy the sound.
Does anyone know how old Baxter actually is? Based on comments about his childhood and music he grew up listening to, I think he’s older than I initially had thought. I would say that I hope I look that good when I’m 73!!
I’d say early to mid 40s
Cut him in half and count the rings. JK of course, never do this!
I have a 1934 Gibson L-7, never heard or played a better guitar
If you want an amazing vintage piece of gear, there are two best bets for my taste- a silverface Fender Champ, or a silverface Bandmaster or Bassman head. You can get them for under $1,000, and it’s pure amazing vintage sound. If you can a drip edge version of those heads, then you’re really set!
I think vintage gear is really cool. I like the history, the stories, and the often look great. But no real desire to own any on my part. I just don't have the time, patience, or finances etc. at this point in my life. If I ever get rich, then I may end up picking up a couple of things just for the fun of it, but probably don't have to worry about that any time soon 😅
I inherited a 1957 Gibson ES 225 from my father-in-law….. it is really cool and i love it but does not play that easy!! intonation is a little off but i swear tone is saweet when played by myself between midnight and 3 or 4 AM, especially nice when enjoyed with a knob creek on the rocks
Find a real tech in a big city. Have him do a set up. It will then be great fir decades
The few vintage guitars I own don't get played as much, but yeah, still fun! 🤙🏼
8:58 I did and it's amazing! In fact she just "tolerated" me last night and it was fantastic.
Leo Fender went mostly deaf from an accident when he was fixing a customer's amp while he was playing live and they guy cranked it with his ear right up against the speaker. That is dedication.
I read he was working on an amp with Freddy Tevares and Freddy either tripped over or strummed the guitar without knowing Leo’s ear was against the speaker.
@@Ironworthstriking That's probably it. I couldn't remember the player's name.
Probably a twin or showman
I'm looking at a 65 Musicmaster 2. Do I really want it or is it the vintage that I can afford?
Look at a melody maker. Great guitars
On the brink of paying $7.00 for a gallon of mid grade here on the west coast, i looked up what $325 from '76 was worth a couple of years ago. This bought a year old Fender Strat, SB, MN, HT.
Worth $1400 then,,,,almost afraid to see what that would be worth now.
btw, i bought a '69 Charger, 383 Mag, 727, SureGrip for $750 in '77.
It got hit while parked.Totalled.
heck, i had a for sale sign on it before. No takers during the odd/even bs.
I got $1065 and dreamed about it for months.
I was into vintage drums for years. The trouble became more than the benefit. Gave up and went to modern stuff. Now that I'm into guitars, vintage is too costly.
My 61 les paul jr has ruined me on my new Gibsons. It's not perfect but it's pretty damn close
The problem with the term 'vintage' is that it gets used too loosely. My local Craigslist has a 70s Greco P-bass selling for $675.00 because the seller says that it is 'vintage' and part of a 'lawsuit era.' Puh-leeze!
You can also buy a 1999 lawsuit Era PRS or a 2018 lawsuit era Dean V.
The Lawsuit Era is everything from 1974 to the present day.
Antique and vintage are things that are 25 years old or older. I have a vintage 85 Peavey Patriot. Ahahaha It does seems silly to call it vintage though.
@@benlogan430 I love those old peavey guitars.my first guitar was a peavey Patriot.
I love it when the add says "these are hard to find". I chuckle to myself and think, "Yeah, there's a reason for that, and nobody is looking".
For Baxter- best book to movie adaptation for me was American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis.
I wish vintage guitars were as obtainable as vintage amps. With that said, I'd buy every super reverb I could get my hands on if I could afford it
I never hear stories about someone waiting for a custom build and then being completely disappointed when they get their hands on it. I had multiple Heritage guitars built for me and one of them just didn’t work for me. I regretted it and ended up selling it. Since then I’ve never purchased anything that I didn’t get my hands on first. That Hass to be an issue with custom builds. You should call a video custom build/custom regret.
I want a casino guitar movie.
Go to 5 watt…
@@SirSneakerPimp I don't want to be monotoned to sleep.
Fender Custom Shop RI are the best "vintage" option now!!!
I wonder what % of guitar players have actually touched a 60s strat much less a 58’-60 Gibson. Of those who have, how many felt it was better than what can be had today?
"Felt" it was better? 95%
Could actually tell the difference? 5%.
My uncle’s friend owned a ‘59 Strat which was his father’s guitar that was passed down to him. It was the best sounding and playing Strat I’ve ever played. I was there to buy a Les Paul Custom but I didn’t want to put down the Strat. I’ve never played any Strat like it. It felt like an old baseball mitt, it was perfect.
I have the good fortune of being friends with the employees at a nearby guitar store. I’ve gotten to play a 59 strat and a 57 Les Paul with PAFs. The strat was very cool, and it certainly sounded great, but my custom shop strat that’s not even masterbuilt sounds just as good to my ear and plays better. Other late 50s strats are surely better than the one I played, because each instrument is unique and Fender was doing a lot of experimenting and using what was available-as was Gibson.
The 57 Les Paul I played was an entirely different story. The PAFs sounded outrageously good, and the old strings and neck played better than the modern Les Pauls I’ve tried, including R8s and R9s. But I’ve heard from others who have played 50s LPs that didn’t have that level of mojo. It was as clear as day when I played the 57 that it was special and untouchable, but that’s not to say that modern guitars can’t get the job done and then some.
I have. But it was back in the 60's. Wasn't a big deal at the time.
Currently have 3 Strats. 61 slab, 60 hard tail. 57 Mary Kaye - all refins but yeah they are incredible. Some custom shops get close or equal maybe
Bought a '65 Strat back in '78, Paid $500 for it because it was so clean. Sold it in '94 for $2,500. I had to leave town quickly, besides the guy who did the last fret job just butchered it. Bought a '84 Tokai Goldstar Sound for $150 when I got to NC. In '98 I bought my first SG a '61 Special. Paid $1K, it was a fretless wonder, but the sound of those P-90s! Sold in April for $8K to fix the head gasket and AC in my car. Still have my Tokai, I recently found out it has 2 Fender Grey Bottom pickups and a Dimarzio FS-1 in the bridge. It's always been a beast.
Cool. You should get another vintage guitar. Every time you sell your makin money!
@@johnsmith-bk4ps I think those days are over. In '78 there was no "vintage" market that I was aware of. It was just a used Strat I played almost 20 years. 1 month later a friend bought a 58 LP jr(yellow) for $35. The SG, I was lucky. Except for the frets. I was just at the right place and offered twice what another guy was going to give a widow for it. Again I played it for 28 years. I can't afford to buy in to the Vintage market and I don't have another 20 years left before they bury me. I can only hope that the Fenders and Gibson guitars and amps I own are worth what I paid for them in the future.🙄
Vintage Les Pauls are perfectly crafted and engineered to maximize your tuning experience.
Need a singer who can rap well with the audience in between every song in the set while you tune up 😊
It's the old wood. As long as the keys are good they stay nicely in tune
When I heard "by the power of Greyskull" the first thing that came to my mind was Simon Pegg in Hot Fuzz. Different kind of nerd, I guess.
The cost of Vintage should applies for acoustic guitars as wood aged and plays a big role sound wise… in my opinion… it’s hard to believe that a 60s guitar is better built than a top of the line instrument these days… Top musicians used to play production instruments, there were no custom build services back in the day.
When I was in high school I dreamt of owning a shiny new Fender or Gibson but they were just too expensive for me. A local music store owner decided he wanted to buy a new Fender and so he put his 10 year old Strat up for sale and I bought it for $320 - about half the price of a new one at the time. That was in 1973. That guitar is very much just a player rather than a collector but I reckon I could get a bit more than $320 for it today. 🙂
Yup .... In the mid 80s I bought a 1969 Fender Mustang for 110 bucks.... I've put probably 300 into it since for a modern pickup and some intonation corrections and set-up but I'm routinely offered four figures for it........
My amp is from 1992. Does that make it vintage?
I have an all original 1994 Fender Strat. That’s practically vintage right?!
u guys rock, xo
Is ‘94 vintage yet? :p
That’s my oldest guitar.
I bought my first new a Fender guitar in 1973. I cannot understand why anyone would want to spend a premium to have a new guitar look old.
Thanks. I think acoustics may be more influenced by aging. New technology and sustainable tone woods may be one part of the puzzle. Thanks
I bought a Gibson Black Les Paul Fret less Wonder in 1970! It cost $1,000 new but this was a Repro guy couldn't keep up weekly bill. Yes, in 1970's you could Buy on Credit and Every Friday payday you went ang Gave $35.00 or so. I Had just got a Big Settlememt from Industrial
Accident, I paid $800.00 with Case. I actually had no problem with the frets, I also had a 1966 Gibson ES330 that only cost $330.00 plus $150.00 for the Case.
Now a Low End ES 335 is $10.000. Memphis Factory, I have one.
unfortunately i am 73 years old & do not play out at all. I can Play in my Apartment, but Going Out is impossible with Emphysema COPD
Love the pancake LP especially deluxes the best electric guitar I’ve ever played I mean buttuh
Fenders were designed to replace the neck, rather than re fretting.
I don't know if I just been playing the wrong guitars ,but every Fender Custom Shop is been better than any vintage guitar I've ever played
The ones you played were definitely not vintage
Buy right and hold 10 years...you will win every time
The Atoms are rearranging!
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
Sorta’ along the lines of: it’s deja vu all over again.
I was made in 1956…Making me rather vintage… an old fart playing an old guitar??? Maybe a bad idea… think I’ll buy a new guitar. At least one of us should have some life left in us!
Established in '55 and I hear ya. Give me cheap and young over old and overpriced any day. :)
@@eddepreist9178 hey Ed! What I just bought wasn’t exactly cheap, a RainSong carbon fiber Jumbo for $3,000. But, it is virtually indestructible, and maintenance free. This makes it cheap over the long haul. No setups, no neck resets, no humidification, no repairs of ANY kind! Just change the strings every month tune it and play.
Yeah I've got a custom build being done. It will be worth more than all my others combined.
Trying to sell my kidney to buy a vintage guitar.
MIJ vintage doesn't haven't to cost that much if you buy it directly from Japan on reverb. Even if you goto ATB guitars $1.20 to £1.00 exchange rate.
If there is historical value, I get it. Other than that, I just don't get why some people pay so much for a guitar, especially one that isn't really playable. But, that's me. I know others have the completely different mindset.
They are all very playable. If one needs a set up take it to a top guy. Your good to go for a very long time
Custom shops don’t feel or sound like real vintage. Player condition vintage is the way to go.
😎 Thanks Casino ⚓️
I think it's a stroke of genius how Gibson and Fender have capitalized on the nostalgic boomer market and even convinced the kids that an old beat up guitar is better than a new one...not pointing the finger at anyone.
They didn't convince anyone. Vintage guitars are expensive. The demand was there so they started building all the 52, 57, 59, etc replicas. They wouldn't build them if no one wanted them
2 vintage. One MIJ 76 ELECTRA LP(pre law suit headstock) MPC, currently refreting.
One 97 MIM POWERHOUSE FENDER STRATOCASTER, stellar guitar, after level polish. Worth it/Not worth it..
All the vintage stuff needs work I had a vintage guitar shop owner tell me it was a bunch of junk . Bottom line? We buy junk ; sell vintage
I have 1 vintage guitar. My Grandpas 59 Gibson LG2. I’ve been offered $5000 multiple times for it. I’ll never sell it. I love it. It’s part of my childhood. But it’s honestly the worst playing guitar I own. It may play a lot better with some major work. (Neck set, nut, bridge, etc) But my $600 Taylor Academy out plays it any day.
Vintage gear is cool if you can do the work. I used to get vintage drums only. But, you had to change most of the hardware to make em functional. Which in turn destroyed the value. Now I just get used gear because vintage gear has increased in price and has lost it’s value for me. The vintage is to pricey for me to do the upgrades now.
"I have the power" 💪🗡
Only true vintage piece of gear I have is a 63 GA-5 Skylark
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be.
Do recently made Custom Shop Fender guitars retain their value in the 2nd Market.
Check Reverb. I doubt they do. Fender custom shop now has more workers than many small manufacturers. It is no longer a custom shop. It is a small factory.
Trust me.....as a chippie ( English carpenter)...wood rots and decays over the years....Buy new for the best deal I'd say....
I've never seen a vintage guitar with rotted or decayed wood..Unless it had been water damaged.
The vintage guitars that survive this long are exceptionally good, and that's why they still play. Guitar manufacture has gotten nothing but better. The average guitar now is better than the average guitar in the 50s or 60s. There is a tiny argument that the wood resins have had longer to crystalize, and so the old wood is a bit lighter and harder, and the pickups degauss over time and the sound "sweetens" a bit. The pickup aging can be replicated , but the wood aging can't really, but how much does the wood affect the tone of the electric guitar? Almost not at all. People who swear by older equipment are hearing their feelings, not the sound waves coming out of the amp. Granted, it is possible to find a vintage piece that sounds great, but that is that guitar, not the 1950s that sounds great.
Well said. Time, and playing hours, helps acoustics, but does nothing to electrics except aging the many components that degrade with time.
Points for Ender’s Game.
I own 3 tube amp, a61 bassman original circuit, 71 Bandmaster and a 81 jmp2203 50w master volume. IRONICALLY I don't know how I ended up with ones but the tech who services them refuses to work on modern amps. I have repurchased all the gijoes and Johnny west toys I had as a child. Until my ahole brother sold them.
Old guitars aren't always all they're cracked up to be.
they made shitty guitar in the old days too.
Your talking about gretsch. All the others were awesome
Cool
Vintage I understand a bit, it’s history and that makes it interesting. Back dated cars and relic instruments, not so much. Back to the Future was a movie not a life choice. I don’t see anyone asking their significant other to go gray and dress like their grandparents. But, It seems like a harmless fetish, all in all…
i can't think of a naughty word that rhymes with tolerates.
I have the power!!!!!!!!!