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Tips on Determining the Value of a Vintage Acoustic Guitar

Written by vintage on February 6, 2010 – 4:43 am -

There are many people out there with a vintage acoustic guitar or vintage electric guitar that really don’t know much about what they got? They don’t have a clear idea what their antique guitar is worth? Or even the age? Or where to look to find out this information or even the value of the information they find. Well, you could always go to your local music store and get an estimate. You may learn a few things there. But, what do you know about their background and expertise? About their honesty? Well without saying too much negative about the local music stores, I will just say most of them are not experts in this field and probably are basing quotes on local pricing values and their limited knowledge, not qualifying them as an expert. There... more


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Gibson J45 Standard Rosewood Electro Acoustic

Written by vintage on December 5, 2009 – 5:38 am -

The J-45 has been Gibson’s top-selling acoustic guitar for years. Nicknamed, The Workhorse, and first introduced in 1942, Gibson’s most popular acoustic is now the icon of its round-shoulder, dreadnought line, world renowned for its full, balanced expression, warm bass, and excellent projection. Subtle changes to the bracing of its predecessor, the J-35, made Gibson’s J-45 one of most technically advanced guitars of its time. Nickel Grover Rotomatic tuners are an engineering marvel, with abundant style and performance exactly suited for the J-45. With a gear ratio of 14:1, the Rotomatics deliver precision tuning in a durable housing that provides maximum protection for the gear and string post. All moving parts are cut for exact meshing,... more


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Gold, silver and vintage guitars are best sellers at Treasurer Hunters Roadshow

Written by vintage on October 27, 2009 – 4:22 pm -

By Eric Robinette, Staff Writer, Middletown Journal For some people, selling goods at the Treasure Hunters Roadshow in Middletown has been music to their ears — particularly if the good was a guitar. The Roadshow, which evaluates valuables and antiques, has been at the Manchester Inn since Tuesday; today, Oct. 24, is its last day. Many items, even if they’re antiques, haven’t been fetching high prices in the weak economy, said Greg Taylor, a manager at the Middletown show. However, gold, silver and guitars are the exceptions. “Gold and silver prices are so high, and with vintage guitars, the wood they used can’t be reproduced today,” Taylor said. For example, earlier this week in Middletown, someone brought in a Gibson ES 330 from... more


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Posted in ES, Fender, Fender Bass, Gibson, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Guitar News, Ibanez, Les Paul, Martin, SG, Vintage Acoustic Guitars, Vintage Bass Guitars, Vintage Electric Guitars, Vintage Guitars | No Comments »

Starting your vintage guitar collection

Written by vintage on July 26, 2009 – 9:03 am -

Lou Carlozo It may sound like rock-opera fiction, but it happens: Weekend Warrior hits garage sale and buys dusty old Fender guitar for $50 (or, cleans attic and finds the Gibson he bought in high school for $100). He visits a guitar shop in "Antiques Road Show" fashion -- and discovers the "beat-up axe" is a vintage collectible, worth $10,000. Or $20,000. Or $100,000. The vintage guitar market has declined like other investments in this recession. But if you have cash to seed a small collection, why not start a fun hobby that's financially savvy? After all, when your 401K takes a beating, you're broke. When your vintage guitar takes a beating, it may continue to appreciate anyway, just because it looks so cool. Besides, who ever plugged a... more


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Posted in Epiphone, Fender, Fender Bass, Gibson, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Ibanez, Martin, Stratocster, Vintage Acoustic Guitars, Vintage Bass Guitars, Vintage Electric Guitars, Vintage Guitars | No Comments »

Lovely axes to grind at Montreal Guitar Show

Written by vintage on June 30, 2009 – 4:41 am -

By Bernard Perusse, The Gazette June 29, 2009 Rediscovering his inner Hendrix inspired Jazz Festival marketing vice-president Jacques-Andre Dupont to launch musical instrument shows and a blues camp. If Jacques-André Dupont hadn’t had one of those benign midlife crises, it’s entirely possible that a depressed 15-year-old kid wouldn’t be healed by playing the blues this summer. If Dupont hadn’t rediscovered his inner Hendrix, guitar fanatics from all over the world might not have a place in Montreal to gather every year and talk guitar geek. Most important, if a meeting with Montreal International Jazz Fest sponsors hadn’t been cancelled at the last minute, he might never have walked into Steve’s Music Store in Toronto. That unexpected... more


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Posted in Epiphone, Fender, Fender Bass, Gibson, Gibson, Gretsch, Guild, Ibanez, Martin, Stratocster, Vintage Acoustic Guitars, Vintage Amplifiers, Vintage Bass Guitars, Vintage Electric Guitars, Vintage Guitars | No Comments »

Appraising a Gibson Archtop Guitar

Written by vintage on February 13, 2009 – 9:22 pm -

I have for your viewing a video that points out the important points to look for when determining the value of a vintage guitar. A Gibson Archtop guitar from 1936 is used in the video. US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions GB Auctions Best Match Items Ending First Newly-Listed Items First Price + Shipping: Lowest First Price + Shipping: Highest First 1934 Gibson L 10 Arch Top $1,600.00 Time Remaining: 1d 12h 44m Bid now | Add to watch list GIBSON L48 Archtop ACOUSTIC guitar Late 1940s early 1950s $1,375.00 Time Remaining: 8d 18h 36m Buy... more


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History of the Gibson Guitar Company

Written by vintage on January 28, 2009 – 6:24 pm -

Orville Gibson (born 1856, Chateaugay, New York) started making mandolins in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The mandolins were distinctive in that they featured a carved, arched solid wood top and back and bent wood sides. Prior to this mandolins had a flat solid wood top and a bowl-like back (similar to a lute) made of multiple strips of wood. These bowl-back mandolins were very fragile and unstable. Disdainful of the shape, Orville Gibson characterized them as "potato bugs". Gibson's innovation made a better-sounding mandolin that was immensely easier to manufacture. Orville Gibson's mandolin design, with its single-pieced carved sides and a single-pieced neck, was patented in 1898; it would be the only innovation he patented. In 1902,... more


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Gibson Dove Acoustic Guitar

Written by vintage on January 17, 2009 – 9:51 am -

Gibson Dove Guitar (1962 - 1996) The Gibson Dove is a flattop steel string acoustic guitar made by Gibson Guitar Corporation. First made in 1962 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, it was Gibson's second square-shouldered dreadnought (based on the Martin D-style dreadnought), after the introduction of the Gibson Hummingbird in 1962. Both guitars have solid spruce tops and engraved pickguards. The Dove has solid maple back and sides instead of the solid mahogany used for the Hummingbird, and the Dove has a longer scale length (25.5" vs 24.75"). The Dove's longer scale length and maple back and sides make it a louder, brighter guitar than the Hummingbird. The double parallelogram fingerboard inlays, the two doves on the bridge, and the dove on the pickguard... more


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Gibson Hummingbird Acoustic Guitar

Written by vintage on January 15, 2009 – 11:55 am -

Gibson Hummingbird (1960 - present)   The Gibson Hummingbird is an acoustic guitar model produced by the Gibson Guitar Corporation. Unlike the other flat-top Gibson acoustics, the Hummingbird was Gibson's first square-shoulder dreadnought, similar to the dreadnoughts produced by C.F. Martin & Company. Introduced in 1960, the Hummingbird was Gibson's second-most expensive acoustic guitar, behind the Gibson J-200, until the introduction of the Gibson Dove in 1962, (a blend between the Hummingbird and the J-200.) The Hummingbird, features a mahogany back and sides, a decorative pickguard with a hummingbird design, and split-parallelogram mother of pearl fretboard and headstock inlays, spruce top and rosewood bridge. The standard finish is... more


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