Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 That's the great thing about being back in a band. I can take The Old Bastard off the leash -- AND the 63 Strat, heh -- and let the 1969 Super Reverb out to play, too.Good that you get to gig it, and that you aren't so protective about it that you won't take it out of the house (some, I gather, are). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I used to own the following: 1955 Gibson ES-225 (really not a player... it just seemed primitive, but it was cool) 1960 Gibson ES-345 (probably the finest guitar I've ever played) 1967 Gibson SG Standard with Maestro (great guitar... right up there with the best of the new Gibsons) 1969 Gibson Les Paul Custom- Black Beauty (great guitar with a very light touch... it had the very low profile frets... nearly played itself) 1968 Fender Telecaster (just an average player - I was more into Gibsons at the time) 1970 Fender Stratocaster (I never really cared for it... I like the new ones better) I still have a '64 Epiphone Melody Maker and a '67 Olympic. The pickups aren't that great but they are both great players. I've also owned various Tiescos, Kays, Harmonys, and other '60s budget guitars... none were as good as cheap guitars of today. Acoustic.... I have a 100 year old Washburn parlor. Brazilian back/sides, real ivory tuners, saddle and bridge pins. It is really a charming little guitar that plays and sounds fantastic, and is as solid as the day it was built. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Back in 91 or 92 I played a 59 Les Paul valued at that time at $68,000 --good thing I didnt drop it:thu: 1st shop assistant: You know, we're looking to fetch $68,000 for this '59 LP.2nd shop assistant: Yeah?1st shop assistant: Yeah, but we've just had it valued for the store's insurance company at $100,000.2nd shop assistant: Yeah?!1st shop assistant: Yeah. All we need now is some real hamfisted motherfrigger to drop the bastard on the deck and we're in the pink.....[store door swings open]Together: DIMMY! How you doin'? Ever play a '59 LP...? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members whitegreyblack Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Depends on your definition of vintage My guitars are "vintage" to eBay seller standards (in fact, since they are almost all 70's MIJ "lawsuit era" they seem to be the eBay flavor of the month ), but probably not to guitar purists. But I do love them. It would be really interesting to be able to blind-fold test actual vintage guitars against mine, or anyone else's, arsenal and see how often there really is a "WOW" difference (for better or worse). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sufidancer Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Is a 1980 guitar vintage yet? I have a 1983 Gibson studio, the last year a gibby was made in Kalamazoo and the first year of the Studio. Impressions the first time I plugged it in was: Holy {censored} this thing is awesome!! My amp came alive and began talkin huge volumes of kick ass. 1980 hard tail strat: The neck is a thing of art. The finish and fret work are perfect. I can not express the quality of a well made American strat. Even though there are many Post CBS large headstock haters out there. The guitar sounds fantastic. 1983 Fender Telecaster: this was the year they made them non string through . Although it is a (strung at the bridge) it sounds just as spanky and snarky as my 52 reissue. I do not think it sound any better than the reissue though. So I guess my 80's collection will someday be vintage. I think that the guitar is like many things is dependant on the person who made it. Some have it some dont. We tend to hang on the the ones that sound good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Monkeyman Joe Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 i've spent a few hours tooling around with a 61' strat. owned by a friend. the tone is great, not too much better then my 2006 though honestly, but it looks so cool it almost makes you think subconciously that it sounds better. the neck on the thing is enormous, frets are tiny and lifeless, and the controls are awful and scratchy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Is a 1980 guitar vintage yet? Well, as I said in the first post, it is if you include a pic of a bird (chick) with a nice arse Sounds like some nice guitars you have there . Speaking of early '80s guitars, I'd love to play an early '80s Squier Jap Strat, just to see how it compares with a modern-day American Vintage.BTW - the large headstock was CBS-era, I believe CBS did away with it before Fender went post-CBS (you probably meant this anyway). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Monkeyman Joe Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Well, as I said in the first post, it is if you include a pic of a bird (chick) with a nice arse Sounds like some nice guitars you have there . Speaking of early '80s guitar, I'd love to play an early '80s Squier Jap Strat, just to see how it compares with a modern-day American Vintage. BTW - the large headstock was CBS-era, I believe CBS did away with it before Fender went post-CBS (you probably meant this anyway). yep. i think the last year of the large headstock was 82 give or take a year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ew_ Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 The only ones I've actually owned of that era were Rickenbacker 12 strings; a '65 360/12 (which is the only guitar I really regret selling) and a '66 450 Convertible. The 360 was amazing and the 450 was so so. The Fenders I've played of that era are for the most part nice guitars, but nothing exceptional. The Gibsons are all over the map; I've played some horrible SGs and SG/Les Pauls, but I've played some amazing Les Paul Juniors of the SG bodied years. An old friend of mine owns a wonderful '61 ES-345 that I borrow to record with, and another has a '57 Les Paul Special that I've used on more than one track. ew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members csm Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I've played some highly respectable CBS-era Teles, and my bass-playing ex had a very nice Precision/Jazz pair from the mid-70s. It's the frakkin STRATS that were wubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 yep. i think the last year of the large headstock was 82 give or take a year Sounds about right.I'd verify if I could be arsed consulting my indispensable tome, "The Fender Stratocaster Chronicles". Also known in my house as "The Good Book" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 It's the frakkin STRATS that were wubbish.Think the (supposedly) poor bridge had 'owt to do with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 my bass-playing ex had a very nice Precision/Jazz pair from the mid-70s. My ex had a nice pair too Shots don't come much cheaper than that... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sufidancer Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Well, as I said in the first post, it is if you include a pic of a bird (chick) with a nice arse Sounds like some nice guitars you have there . Speaking of early '80s guitars, I'd love to play an early '80s Squier Jap Strat, just to see how it compares with a modern-day American Vintage. BTW - the large headstock was CBS-era, I believe CBS did away with it before Fender went post-CBS (you probably meant this anyway). Told you it was a HARD TAIL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Minnie The Moocher Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I own some vintage Gibbies, a '61 and a '64 SG juniors, and a '60 ES-330T. The juniors are by far superior to any other SG juniors I've played, including custom shop ones. Lighter, soulfull, with a warm BIG tone.I also have a LP DC junior '58 Historic reissue and, even if it's a wonderfull instrument, it's still not as perfect as a real one I've played some years ago in Denmark street.The ES-330T is a gem - it's the lightest guitar I've ever play, and it play like butter. I have a USA Epi Casino John Lennon (the ES-330 and the Casino are twins) and it come really close I have to say . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted April 15, 2008 Share Posted April 15, 2008 Sure I did .... but it was new back then..... no vintage vibe... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ferdinandstrat Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I've played some highly respectable CBS-era Teles, and my bass-playing ex had a very nice Precision/Jazz pair from the mid-70s.It's the frakkin STRATS that were wubbish. It's strange how many artists used them though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Told you it was a HARD TAIL! You done good! The crack on the rear only adds to the charm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roy Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I own a '66 450 and a "68 360/12. I could give a rat's ass if they were vintage or not, I bought them because of the differences between them and post '72 Rics (thinner neck) and yes, I love them. Pain in the butt to set up though. Played a friend's '53 LP once. Didn't much care for it, fat neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members One-armed Alec Posted April 15, 2008 Author Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I had break and enter fantasies for a month. ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members o.versteer Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Used to work in one of the foremost vintage shops in my native land, so I've had my mitts on a fair few nice things: 1952 Les Paul - one of the very first, signified by no binding and no serial number. Absolutely utterly fantastic guitar. 1956 Sunburst Strat - for me, they no come better than this, no sir. 1965 Candy Apple Red Strat - awesome looker, poor player 1963 ES-335. When the shop got it in we took the pickups off to see if they had a PAF sticker. They did! 1968 Telecaster - although not pre-CBS, the ringingest Tele I ever did play These are just what I can remember, there are many more. I have often toyed with the ide of investing in a vintage guitar, but I simply cannot afford what I'd want. As someone else said, you can buy new guitars that are very nearly as good as the best vintage ones, the only problem is they're expensive, but so was Fender and Gibson stuff in their day. My CS Telecaster is every bit as good as I remember that '68 above to be, and, although expensive, cost a fraction of what that's worth, and can be used, gigged, and generally not worried about. Would I still like a '56 Strat, despite that? Oh God yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SgMaster Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I have a '63 Guild M-20 Acoustic that my Dad lets me use around the house. I have played a friend's '66 tele, all stock, that was owned by Jimmy Vivino of the Max Weinberg 7 on Late Night with Conan. It was phenomenal. I've also played a few '60s ES-335's that were for sale at Samash on West 48th in Manhattan for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sufidancer Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 Would I still like a '56 Strat, despite that? Oh God yes. mE TOO!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Edward Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I've not spent serious time with a vintage guitar, but I've handled a few here and there. Enough to convince me that they're very nice and everything, but I'd rather a new reissue than the original. Never played a true vintage LP, but LPs (Juniors and specials aside) are increasingly just not my bag anymore. YMMV... I don't own anything truly vintage. Got a couple of Westones from the early 80s (a Thunder IA bass and a Thunder IA guitar) that are the closest I'll likely ever own. They're pretty collectable now, though I'm planning on selling them, along with a silverface Bassman 100 head, to fund a Japanese P Bass. It'll have a basswood body, but otherwise the 57RI spec is pretty good on the CIJ (I'm told the "upgraded" alder bodied version isn't avaialble lefty). I'll be sorry to part with the Westones (especially as likely they'll be worth the price of a house ten minutes after I let them go - sod's law, or my paranoia??), but it's time to rationalise my collection to what I will use regularly. Can't justify a new P Bass without clearing something out. The one vintage guitar I've played which wiggled my wire in a very big way was Jimi's black custom lefty Flying V, as played at the IoW. I played it in the Vault at the Hard rock Cafe in London. Wish I could have plugged it into an amp, but talk about mojo..... A V normally wouldn't be my choice - don't like the look, don't care for the thin body (which actually felt a little cheap), and so on.... but damn, that one has something special to it. I still wouldn't pay the likely asking price for it, though - even what it would be worth without the Hendrix association. Still, a priceless experience to play a hero's guitar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bumble'Bird9 Posted April 15, 2008 Members Share Posted April 15, 2008 I played a 1931 Gibson acoustic... P series or something... Hands down, It was on of the the worst sounding guitars I have ever played. It felt cheap, and the sound was just flat and anemic... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.