Getting the Axe: Guitar Collecting Can Rock Your Investment Portfolio
Written by vintage on September 30, 2008 – 5:12 am -Chief Executive, The, Nov, 2005 by Mac Randall Anyone who’s ever heard a Jimi Hendrix solo knows that guitars can produce fantastic sounds, and anyone who’s ever ogled the curves of a Fender Stratocaster will tell you they’re mighty stylish as well. But the instrument’s appeal goes well beyond its visual or sonic charm, its practicality or even its ties to musical history–it can also be a highly prized collectible. Certain vintage models are often regarded as investments, much like antique chairs or Impressionist paintings. Perhaps this is why so many people who start out with a youthful passion for playing end up happy victims of what Walter Becker of the rock band Steely Dan once drolly referred to as “GAS:... more
Tags: investing in vintage guitars, Vintage Guitars
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Fender Vintage Guitars
Written by vintage on September 15, 2008 – 6:09 pm -Introduction. For most collectors, pre-CBS (pre-1966) Fender vintage guitars and amps are the desirable ones. Although CBS purchased Fender (officially) on January 3rd 1965, it took some time till the guitars changed (though by mid 1964, six months before CBS bought Fender, things were already “on the way down”). By the end of 1965, the general look and feel of the Fender guitars had changed significantly. All collectors feel the quality of their instruments and amps suffered as CBS employed more “mass production” manufacturing processes to the Fender guitars. The “large peghead” (starting in late 1965) as used on the Fender Stratocaster was one example of the (bad) changes to come. The “custom contoured”... more
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Buying a Vintage Guitar Online
Written by vintage on September 10, 2008 – 2:02 am -If you’ve noticed the increasing popularity and value of vintage guitars, you might want to consider buying online. The online marketplace offers a wealth of amazing guitars, often at fantastic prices. Here are a few of the benefits of buying a vintage guitar online, as well as some tips to help you get a good one. Benefits of Buying Vintage Guitars Online 1. Convenience - If you want to get an excellent price on a vintage guitar offline, you may have to spend a lot of time looking. Antique shops, garage sales, private classified ads and guitar shows all might have the guitar you’ve been dreaming of. However, you have to go there to find out. With online shopping, you’ll be able to see in a moment if the guitar... more
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What is a “Vintage” Guitar?
Written by vintage on September 1, 2008 – 6:37 am -What is a “Vintage” Guitar? “Vintage” is a term that has acquired a new meaning apart from its original usage. The term is a combination of Vint (of the vine) and Age (time of creation). This term is used in the wine industry to indicate a wine’s harvest date. The use of “vintage” has been modified by collectors to mean old, such as a Vintage Car, or Vintage Clothing. This extension of the meaning is used in guitar terminolgy to mean “an original, older guitar.” Most collectors value guitars from the mid 1920s to 1970. Guitars prior to the mid 1920s are too primitive in design for most collectors. Guitars after 1970, even though they are over 30 years old, have little collectible appeal. All... more
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What Makes a Vintage Guitar Collectible?
Written by vintage on September 1, 2008 – 6:35 am -What Makes a Vintage Guitar Collectible? As with baseball cards, Barbie dolls and other collectibles, condition is very important. Instruments in “excellent” condition are always worth more than instruments in “average” condition. Guitars must meet several other criterias to be worth money. One of the most important aspects is originality. Any modifications, replaced parts or repairs, no matter how practical, will decrease the value of a vintage guitar. Even replacing the original case or re-fretting the guitar (the equivalent to replacing a car’s tires) will decrease value. For example, a “beat-up” original finish guitar will always be worth much more than a perfectly refinished one. Even if... more
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