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Tips on Collecting Hall of Fame Vintage Guitars

Written by vintage on June 12, 2010 – 4:58 pm -

Ever thought that a guitar might be a more reliable investment than the stock market? Vintage guitars are becoming a hot item in the collectibles market, and there are few icons more recognizable to Americans than a rock star and his guitar. While a few months' savings might have bought a guitar in the 1960s, some of those instruments are selling for big bucks today. Recently, George Harrison's guitar sold for a little under six hundred thousand dollars, for instance. Eric Clapton's favorite Stratocaster from the 1970s, Blackie, sold for nearly a million. While celebrity collectibles have been a good investment for years, guitars themselves have largely been overlooked. However, the guitar was perfected between the 1930s and the 1960s, depending... more


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Posted in ES, Fender Bass, Gibson, Gretsch, Les Paul, Martin, Rickenbacker, Stratocster, Telecaster, Vintage Acoustic Guitars, Vintage Bass Guitars, Vintage Electric Guitars, Vintage Guitars | No Comments »

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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Posted in Gibson, Martin, Vintage Acoustic Guitars | No Comments »

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 »

A RARE ERIC CLAPTON HAND PLAYED Martin 12 String D 12-20 Guitar is FOR SALE

Written by vintage on March 9, 2009 – 9:47 pm -

A RARE ERIC CLAPTON HAND PLAYED STUDIO & INTERNATIONALLY TOURED "LET IT GROW" BEAUTIFUL MARTIN 12 STRING D 12-20 GUITAR THIS GUITAR INCLUDES AN ERIC CLAPTON AUTHORIZED LETTER OF AUTHENTICITY, APPROVED & HAND SIGNED BY ERIC CLAPTON & YVONNE ELLIMAN ON 1/22/09. If your are interested in this rare valuable guitar you can bid on it ON THIS SITE  Read More →


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Martin D-18 1937 Acoustic Guitar

Written by vintage on February 9, 2009 – 3:14 pm -

This special edition D-18 acoustic guitar is Martin's loving recreation of the original 1937 guitar, now a highly sought-after collector's item. Crafted with mahogany back and sides, a solid Adirondack top with the X-brace and scalloped braces of the period, hide glue, vintage toner on top, ebony bridge with long saddle (2-5/16" string spacing), and a tortoise pickguard. The neck is also formed exactly as the original and reinforced with a traditional non-adjustable T-bar. Ebony fretboard (1-3/4" nut, 25.4" scale), small abalone position dots, fossil ivory nut and saddle, ebony bridge pins, 30's style hardshell case. The features and details add up to a true masterpiece of the luthier's art, with all the storied sound quality that graced the... more


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Martin D-45 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Written by vintage on February 9, 2009 – 3:13 pm -

The D-45 is the most ornately anoited guitar in the Martin line. Martin has put more than 900 individual pieces of abalone into the bindings and inlays of the top, sides, back, and rosette of the D-46 Dreadnought Acoutic Guitar. Large 'C.F. Martin' abalone letters adorn the headstock; abalone hexagon inlays are used as position markers on the bound ebony fingerboard. Solid spruce top and traditional Martin bracing pattern generate fantastic tone from this beautiful guitar. Features rich solid rosewood sides and 2-piece back. Limited lifetime warranty. The D-45 Dreadnought includes a deluxe Martin hardshell case ($190 value). Martin D-45 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar Features: • 900-piece abalone bindings and inlays • Abalone logo on headstock • Bound... more


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