Members SPONGEBOB Posted July 4, 2006 Members Share Posted July 4, 2006 Ever wonder why vintage stuff pricing is so crazy and getting crazier??.. Yes the collectors and vintage gear snobs buy up a lot, today its investors too.. there is at least one investment company that puts its clients in the vintage guitar market because the returns are so lopsided.. One of the biggest reasons from what I am told by a vintage dealer however is rock bands/stars... From what i have been told there are hundreds of big name and even mid levels acts, stars ,bands , whatever, that have minions scouring vintage markets looking for top shelf vintage gear.. Price is NO object, and they take all they can get.. Its usually custom color stuff or VERY specific stuff like old Fender teles/strats pre 1955, original Vox AC 30 amps . Old Rics in mint cond.. etc etc... You can watch MANY bands these days and see RACKS of vintage guitars coming out one after another after another... Backlines FULL of Fender tweeds, Blackfaces, Vox AC 30's, early Marshalls etc... Years ago this was NOT the case... an act would have what they need for backline and personal instruments, backups where needed etc,, Today, this excess seems to be part of the show.. I see it time and time again... There is a thread about Tom Petty on this forum that inspired this thread... He and Mike Campbell are awash in top shelf vintage gear... maybe its no big deal, and I guess I would do the same if I were a big star, but I just wonder when $100,000 guitars would put some of these big time vintage gear buyers down just a little... Probably never happen... Some big star will someday be happy to own the last 58 sunburst Les Paul available for 3 million... ah well... If I only knew in 1972 what I know now about the guitar market... bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members andthenurse Posted July 4, 2006 Members Share Posted July 4, 2006 The vintage market is completely {censored}ed up, and has become like the art market - a limited circle of greedy people ramping up prices to sell to a limited circle of rich people. Said it before, but now the bones of the 60s Fenders have been picked dry , the previously derided 70s Fenders suddenly have the mojo new stuff just doesn't have, and consequently that corpse-heavy 74 Tele with the gloopy finish is the $hit, my man. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Treborklow Posted July 4, 2006 Members Share Posted July 4, 2006 If you look in the back of the book Beauty Of The Burst one can see that just a very few people own a huge chunk of the small number of '59 LPs made. And none of them appear to be rock stars. Just investors with a lot of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NashSG Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 I think for a lot of big guitar players who are known as collectors, they just happened to be buying used guitars at the right time and have ended up with guitars worth a crazy amount of money. In Guitar Player a couple of months ago, Mike Campbell was talking about getting his early 50s Broadcaster in the early 70s right before they cut the first Tom Petty record for $300 bucks, which was really expensive at the time. He really wanted a Tele and settled for the Broadcaster. I'd imagine that a big part of the vintage gear he has is stuff that he picked up to use and now is worth some serious cash. I'd imagine for many of those pro players from the late 60s into the 70s, many ended up with a collection that is worth way more than they put into it and now they can trade around to get other things they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bbreaker Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Many big time collectors are older players who acquired vintage gear before things got crazy.Some bands have spotters out there but they have a limited budget. To pay current market prices, you need to have lots of cash.I used to think "We Buy Guitars" was overpricing 50's and early 60's Les Paul Juniors that were hanging from hooks in their front window at $495.00 each. This was around 1972.Hell, I almost passed on my '56 Jr because it was crazy to spend $400.00 on a "student guitar" back around 1982. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SPONGEBOB Posted July 5, 2006 Author Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Actually. only about 6- 7 years ago i was buying thusly... 66 ric 330 $700 67 Guild Strafire IV custom color.. Grestsh orange.. $700 63 SG Special... $800 66 Vox Phantom 12... $800 66 Guild Starfire 12. $800 58 Fender Duo Sonic.. $350 1976 Fender Starcaster Olymic White.. $1900 Fender 1965 Showman... $375... 1965 SG Standard $2100 1967 ES 335 dead mint/new cond $2900 This is just a very small sample..these are just a few I remember the retail prices on... some of this has tripled or quadrupled in the past 5 years.. for what reason??/.. Its only a few years and I could not buyt even one of these or any of the others I had.. I can understand 5- 10 % a year... but 20-40 % a year?? thats just madness... I no longer ask when it will end... it won't... some day we'll be seeing $20,000 Fender Mustangs... bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members superarnesen Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Maybe a little bit off topic, but... I have a Fender Telecaster with a 74 body (natural finish, maple neck), the shop I bought her from told me the pickups were dated late 60`s and that the neck was definitely not younger than the body, but they couldn`t set any specific year. They told me that fender often used spare parts from previous years when making new models, is this true? Would this affect any value? Any opinions? I guess it doesn`t really matter, I will NEVER sell it anyway . (Anyway, got my Gibson Howard Roberts Fusion 97`mod today, got it for 660 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jleavesl Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Well, I've got two of them. A 1956 Fender Musicmaster.... picked it up for $300 bucks.... it was appraised at $1500 last week. and a 1966 ES-335. It is my new main axe... never played a nicer guitar. I love it. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members batotman Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pig Vomit Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 I've been playing guitar for almost 30 years, but it's always been a secondary hobby to collecting 60's musclecars. And there are many similarities between the 2. There was a period, through the mid-80's when 60's musclecars and 60's Fenders and Gibson's were just used merchandise. Hemi Roadrunners were $18k, now they are $150k, a 69 goldtop Les Paul was $750, now it's $10k. The guitar hobby is sooo HUGE, that it produces a lot of guys who can and will spend big, to get the best money can buy. The bottom will never fall out either, so don't hold your breath, the market is just too big... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cougar Hunter Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 tom kiefer from cinderella has like five '58-'59 les pauls. you're totally right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gravity Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 all I've got to say is... Long live Agile and their ilk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gravity Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 I saw that BBreaker:wave: " Could not complete last operation. We apologize for any inconvenience. The site administrator has been notified of the problem. Please continue and the error will be corrected as soon as possible. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bbreaker Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Originally posted by guitarslinger tom kiefer from cinderella has like five '58-'59 les pauls. you're totally right. To my knowledge, Kiefer bought his LP Std's more than 15 years ago when the nicest ones were $60K tops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cougar Hunter Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Originally posted by Bbreaker To my knowledge, Kiefer bought his LP Std's more than 15 years ago when the nicest ones were $60K tops. cinderella rocks hard live. great band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bbreaker Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 This was $750.00 when I bought it around 1990.............. I've seen it for $10K. It's a 1971 Gibson Model 58 Standard. I know it's a '54 knockoff......but Gibson call it a Model 58. What do they know:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluez4u Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 It's all Steven Segal's fault........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OldFenderGuy Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 The vintage guitar market is crazy.... You are typically paying thousands of dollars for a guitar that cost a few hundred new and has accumulated years of problems. Guess it's just a matter of 'supply and demand'.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mr.Mow Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 Every time I've picked up a 'vintage' guitar I feel like having a bath in dettol afterwards.. ewwww... grime, and that SMELL they have.. disgusting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orourke Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 I don't think there is anything wrong with the vintage market. It's just simple supply and demand. Lot's of people want certain pieces, it causes a high demand for a something where there is a limited supply - the price goes up. There are still vintage guitars available that aren't as collectable so the prices are more reasonable. For example, I have a 1959 Gretch Anniversary model (that I got as a gift back around 1970) and I bet I'd be lucky to get two grand for it it I sold it. The same goes for my '69 Gibson SG or (beat up) '72 Tele Custom. Rich guitarists buying up rare and desirable guitars doesn't seem like a bad thing. At least it's guitarists buying the guitars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members underblu Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 If you have the means and want to invest in vintage guitars, it may be a wise choice but remember just like the fine art market in the 80s that never fully recovered -an investment in market driven items is never a sure thing. Look at all the people who thought the new economy meant typical valuations didn't apply and technology stocks could only go up. How about the gold market which only recently recovered to its 80s highs. When I see every other ebayer seelling old wood state "buy this guitar it can only go up" it makes me think the vintage guitar market is very toppy. -and I'm eyeing a 65' Strat. For players there are plenty of excellent Gibson and Fender Reissues that in my mind deliver the goods for far less. Don't let the neurotic cork sniffers with dog hearing on the LP forums let you think otherwise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tonemeister87 Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 I like this thread. Keep the posts coming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Excelsior Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 I remember when I was considering starting guitar ten years ago, I walked into the music store and asked what's the cheapest decent guitar they could find me. I was shown a decent looking Stratocaster with absolutely no marks on it, that was in great condition. The guy at the music store plugged it in, played on it, and it sang. He quoted me $65 for it. I beleive it was most likely a squier strat, by now the cheapest you can find the decent end ones near $200. I always look back to that moment and go, "Man, I wish I had picked up that guitar back then and bought it." By now I'd be good, or at least I hope Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tonemeister87 Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 So you would've made 100 bucks??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seifukusha Posted July 5, 2006 Members Share Posted July 5, 2006 hell, i rmember 5,6 years ago when japanese guitars werent cool and theyre were all these tons laying around (all I wanted was a jaguar, which i got). Japanese lawsuit pauls were dirt cheap (actually, you can still find some cheap, if you do ALOT of research) but man, did the prices go up quickly. and pedals too. I used to buy analog delays, etc very cheap like $10 up, now, you really really have to research! yes, supply and demand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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