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Vintage as a #1 player


uncle fester

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Hey Folks,

 

I'm fortunate enough to be looking for a new guitar, maybe songwriter series or something similar w/ a cutaway, and hoping it becomes my #1 ax. I'm able to look at both new, used and vintage.... (vintage in my mind being old, cool, and from an iconic year or era)

 

Anyaways - i'm not going to be abusing the guitar, but using it daily for all things a working guitar should be used. Is a vintage guitar good for that, or are they more fragile / collectors items that need to be brought out on a sunny day?

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I have a number of vintage instruments. They are for playing. If ever you get a chance to go to a vintage guitar show, such as the Three Amigo vintage guitar shows, you’ll find a lot of vintage guitars to try out and play and see what I mean. You might also want to subscribe to Vintage Guitar Magazine to get a good idea on how vintage guitars are instruments to play and not just store. Keep in mind this forum, with a few exceptions, and rightfully so, is primarily geared towards new purchase instrument players, so you’ll generally receive some vintage guitar bashing on it whereas actual vintage guitar owners will give you an actual perspective, usually a positive enthusiastic one. I personally like to have both vintage and newer instruments in my collection and rotate using them to enjoy the diversity of playing and gigging with both kinds. But, to me, they are all meant to be played.

 

QM aka Jazzman Jeff

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Haha. All I have is old. 30's era and early 60's guitars flat picked every day. Broken in is good, broken is not. Like everything else you'd buy used. If you have the eye for serious potential or present issues, or maybe a little help from someone who knows, you can pick up a vintage guitar that will last your lifetime. It's always nice to know if a recent neck reset was done because that's one of the more costly repairs, and I shy away from deep divots in the fretboard down in the cowboy chord zone. Worn bridge plate is a recipe for hassle too, needing a look inside with a mirror. Working truss rod is a big deal, too. Some Martin years have non-adjustable ones, requiring neck resets when the action goes too high. Look for saddles that barely peek out above the bridge slot as an early warning.

 

Sometimes though, one big strum tells you it's a 'must have'. Bring more than one pick, if you flat pick. Pick gauge/type will brighten/mute the tone.

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The reason I bought my new J-15 was to take a little pressure off of my J-45, which is only 14 years old, but has been played a LOT. And, I tend to play sort of aggressive at times.

 

Playing them doesn't hurt them nearly as much as moving them, loading into cases, sitting in stands, getting bumped into, loading into vehicles, on stages, weather, change of temp, humidity etc.

 

My mandolin is a 1933, and it's back out on the road again...........

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Although I've owned a variety of new guitars over the years, currently my 'newest' is a Guild D-35 purchased new in 1978. Otherwise, my Gibsons span time from 1942 - 1968. So, if you find a vintage guitar that calls your name, my suggestion is buy it and play it.

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Thanks much folks, very much appreciate the replies from all - gives me confidence in my search, and glad to hear general opinion is vintage can be a daily user. Will also make sure i do some research on what to look for (per Jedzep's reply above - got a few good things to keep in mind)

 

Thanks all!

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I am a spring chicken as I am only looking down the barrel at 70. All of my guitars are old. Started off as a matter of necessity - they were once cheaper than a new guitar. The Gibsons range from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s. My "youngest" guitar is a 1969 Harmony Sovereign. The oldest is an early 1930s Kay Kraft-built Oahu "Nick Lucas. Some of my guitars are not exactly easy to find. You can go a very long time and not run across a pre-War Regal jumbo 12 string or an Oscar Schmidt jumbo Sovereign even come up for sale. I have never hesitated though to take them out the door. Not saying I will grab my '42 J-50 to play at the Drunken Barn Door Dance. But it is a truly amazing sounding guitar. And even though most in audience do not a give a fig what guitar you are playing, it just feels so right and good to be playing that guitar.

 

I figure I have one more major guitar purchase left in me. My inclination is to seek out a 1930s J-35. I have not had one in the house in decades but have very fond memories of it. On the other hand I have started entertaining thoughts of maybe it is time to go with something a bit newer. While a Henkes and Blazer is pretty much out of reach, perhaps a Jackson Browne Model 1 or a Kopp or John Walker guitar. Problem is, I am not much for thinking out guitar purchases. I have never gone out with the intention of buying a guitar never mind a specific make and model. They just tend to show up at the door. Possibly not the smartest way to acquire a guitar but it is always interesting.

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My park contains both contemporary, a few mids and vintage guitars.

Vintage and new actually are pretty different. New acoustics are stronger, but also younger in sound (of course).

You can get addicted to the vintage vibe, , , if you get that vibration in the first place. Some don't and may be with them.

 

I believe is has a lot to do with playing style and ears.

But the more nuances you have in your way of playing, the clearer the vintage virtues will stand out.

And they are precious - dry, fast answering, mysterious, blessed with something indefinable like holding a secret. Again only if you get & like them.

 

I say once hooked, you can't let go - but not saying it takes away the joy from being behind excellent new guitars.

 

Personally swing back'n'forth, but that's a general philosophy about life.

 

Walk, search, know both sides of the river - Understand the left bank while bein' on the right.

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Hah - i appreciate all the comments on age, the only reason i'm looking at a new guitar is i'm reaching one of those milestones in life where people stop arguing with you when you say 'an old man like me... '

 

but i see two good things in that 1) i get to use the argument 'well we're gonna do it my way because i'm old, a curmudgeon, and your just plain talking out your a....' and 2) i don't get older any more, i get closer to retirement.

 

Cheers all.

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Hah - i appreciate all the comments on age, the only reason i'm looking at a new guitar is i'm reaching one of those milestones in life where people stop arguing with you when you say 'an old man like me... '

 

 

Bwahaha - what used to be considered obnoxious is now considered eccentric. You gotta love it.

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Also - how long do you think it would take for a guitar to settle into it's sound. is it going to mellow forever, or is there a general rule of thumb where after 10 yrs it should be pretty stable.

 

Thanks.

 

Haha! Ten might do it, but it's more like engine hours, you measure in terms of running time. If you play 3 hours a day it'll 'break in' sooner than if you play 30 min.

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Haha! Ten might do it, but it's more like engine hours, you measure in terms of running time. If you play 3 hours a day it'll 'break in' sooner than if you play 30 min.

 

 

Engine hours is a good point.......

 

 

Do you like old cars, Billroy?

 

(Do you drive vintage cars? Brand new cars?) Could be continued maintenance versus 3 years free service!

 

I have a few of each...err...old new used and broken and the only way to really find out your preference is .......1. Play them all. 2. Buy a few then play them all. 3. Lose the ones you don’t like if.....you don’t get emotionally attached....Ha Ha Ha! Good luck.

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

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Haha! Ten might do it, but it's more like engine hours, you measure in terms of running time. If you play 3 hours a day it'll 'break in' sooner than if you play 30 min.

 

Good point, JedZep. But I'd also like to throw in that the maybe the guitar doesn't change- maybe it becomes more like itself. It might not become mellower- if you want that, let the strings age. I could go all cork-sniffery about amber notes covered in glaze, etc. but aging just might make the guitar's sound more apparent, and/or the dynamics of the guitar (punchiness?) may change as well. That's what my experience with guitars from the 1930's has been, but. . . it's tough to a/b back n' forth eighty years.

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Engine hours is a good point.......

 

 

Do you like old cars, Billroy?

 

(Do you drive vintage cars? Brand new cars?) Could be continued maintenance versus 3 years free service!

 

I have a few of each...err...old new used and broken and the only way to really find out your preference is .......1. Play them all. 2. Buy a few then play them all. 3. Lose the ones you don’t like if.....you don’t get emotionally attached....Ha Ha Ha! Good luck.

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

I love vintage cars - not an owner, but grew up with my dad working on some classics (drove a '68 camaro convertible to high school). Dream car is a '64 lincoln w/ suicide doors... maybe, (once i get a guitar or two to put in the back seat)

 

Talking with the wife, that's the thought as well - do my best to buy something i keep forever, but also make sure it's something that will retain value, so if it's not what i need, swapping it out shouldn't be a big deal.

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OK, Billroy....here are a couple of Dr. BK777's guitar suggestions. Ignore and delete if u don't like.

 

And a long winded explanation..of course.

 

So I have posted 2 guitars from Lowe's Vintage Guitars for examples - I have never been there, played them, never will, but for your 'narrowing down a guitar' purposes, this is what I quickly came up with.

 

 

 

The first one is a 55 Gibson SJ 'players' guitar, and by 'players' guitar I mean it is nowhere near pristine or original but the shop claims it is great working order and the price looks good to me. I would just buy the thing and fall in love, I just know it..... [biggrin]

 

 

https://lowevintage.com/products/?id=438

 

 

Now the next one I posted from Lowes is something that is driving the various forums insane and if you want more 'talk', there is a thread on the Martin Guitar Forum (UMGF) in the 'Guitar Critics' section. But the bottom line is the guitar is brand new, hand built to old specs, and a Level 1 finish - the first part is driving everyone crazy with the sounds and the last part is driving everyone crazy with the looks, as you can get up to level 4....and they are selling as many as they can make. So you get a new guitar built to old specs and scratched to look as old as you order!......

 

 

https://lowevintage.com/products/?id=351

 

 

https://www.pre-warguitars.com/distress-levels

 

 

 

 

 

 

BluesKing777.

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Appreciate the food for thought. Seeing the examples - i'd go for the first one, the 55 SJ. The second - well, might be nice, but if it's going to be scratched up etc... i want it to be earned.

 

I think hearing in the description the in house luthier gave it a clean bill of health makes me feel better (a confidence i don't get at a place like GC). if i was going for the SJ, that would be the next thing i'd vet out, make sure the person giving it a clean bill of health knows what they're talking about.

 

One last question - if you find a vintage guitar that's had some repairs, but the repairs have been done well - is that to be expected, and ok - or a red flag to look out for?

 

Thanks again.

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Appreciate the food for thought. Seeing the examples - i'd go for the first one, the 55 SJ. The second - well, might be nice, but if it's going to be scratched up etc... i want it to be earned.

 

I think hearing in the description the in house luthier gave it a clean bill of health makes me feel better (a confidence i don't get at a place like GC). if i was going for the SJ, that would be the next thing i'd vet out, make sure the person giving it a clean bill of health knows what they're talking about.

 

One last question - if you find a vintage guitar that's had some repairs, but the repairs have been done well - is that to be expected, and ok - or a red flag to look out for?

 

Thanks again.

 

 

 

Big red flag.

 

And why I put that link up...and why I put the link to the 2nd one.....

 

Going back to cars, what would you pick? Vintage car in pieces, vintage needing new motor, vintage repaired and going for the last 5 years, or vintage just fixed and revving to go.......?

 

Same premise with guitars in a way - pristine to stinkers! And I can’t tell what anyone else likes/wants.....it is truly amazing what people get. A friend was here playing my Blues King, said he didn’t like it, preferred my 59 LG3....but next thing I heard he bought a well used BK off the local listings....unseen.

 

Go and play some.

 

 

BluesKing777.

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yep agreed - i think that's what it comes down to, gotta play it.

 

then need to understand expected reliability... i like your car example, vintage restored is what i need - and done by a reputable source. If that's not possible, starting new is not a terrible option for collateral down the road to trade in on a classic though.

 

thanks again for the input.

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