madness for vintage

bosrocker51 · Tadpole Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 22

ever buy an axe and wish ya still had it? I bought a single cutaway 1961 LP Custom back in the mid 1970's, had a letter from Gibson verifying the SN, sold it for nothin, probably worth, what... $150,000 today??

humor me with your tales of regret, or vintage guitar envy...

SAguitar · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:33 pm Post subject:

Well, let's see, nothing that dramatic, but I did have a 60-something Telecaster at one time, in primo shape. I kept it about 6-7 months and sold it because it wasn't as loud as my Paul! That was over 30 years ago now, but I just didn't appreciate what I had at the time.

This wasn't really a "vintage" guitar, but I recently bought a G&L ASAT back from Voodoo for the second time! I bought it from him years ago, and then traded it back to him for an amp. He had recently sold it off to a GC with a bunch of other guitars. Then a couple of weeks ago, he called me up and told me what he could buy it back for, and I couldn't say no! It's a primo little unit, a Sunburst Commemorative Leo Fender ASAT, with Fender Custom Shop Texas Special pickups, a 4-way switch, and a TBX control. It's kinda tricked out! At least that one didn't get away! Laughing

bosrocker51 · Tadpole Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 22

SAguitar · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:23 pm Post subject:

Dang! If we only knew back then... Rolling Eyes

Herb · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 4:29 pm Post subject:

Bought my '61 LP/SG for $150 in 1968. Loved that guitar, it was my workhorse axe through the eighties. Sold it for a stupid amount of money two years ago. Had another one that was a '62 I bought for $200 in 1977. Kept it about 6 months and the first wife told me I didn't need two and I had to sell one. Sold the '62 for $500 and got sued for divorce two months after that. Bought my '58 Gretsch 6122 Country Gentleman in 1977 (right after the divorce) for $250. Just sold it in the last six months for another sinful amount of money. I also had a '64 Strat from 1966 until 1968, a '65 Strat from 1969 until 1970, and a '66 Strat from 1972 until 1974. Hated all three of them. Wish I had them now so I could sell them for today's prices. I bought a '68 Tele Custom with a Bigsby new in '68, and sold it for $50 in '72. Worst guitar I ever owned. Could not get it set up to play decently, wouldn't intonate and the pickups were terribly microphonic. Soured me on Teles for a long time. I'd like to have that old piece of junk today, too so I could sell it at today's prices. My first real guitar was a '66 Guild Starfire V that I bought new. Wish I still had that.

95strat · Cobra Joined: 29 Oct 2005 Posts: 483 Location: Canada

Always loved vintage Strats.... had a chance about 10 years ago to get a '63 suburst Strat for around $3200 or so..... am I ever kickin myself now cause who would have known that the vintage market would go so crazy in the last decade?!?! Shocked

My chances of owning one like that are completely out of the question now as that same guitar now would be what, 10 times that price?

Strat Man dwight · Big Guppy Joined: 29 Apr 2008 Posts: 48

Boy Herb, you got some good, bad and pretty ugly stories there. No offence - sorry for your losses, and very happy for your success.

I can't remember all my mistakes and would hate to add them up. I started buying a bunch of newer guitars 12 - 14 years ago, and culled out the OLD one's real good; which was incredibly bad.

Sold my pre-CBS 1964 Fender Jaguar for what was supposed to be $800; the guy didn't pay, and sold it, and I had to choose a MIJ photoflame Strat from his collection, to square us up? I got $650 for it.

1966 was an especially bad Guitar Year for me. I had a Guild like Herb's, as new from the closet, and traded it for a 70's Les Paul Deluxe. I made a prejudicial decision against the mini humbuckers, compared to my other Pauls, and sold the Deluxe for $1000. Some other guy said "Hey, why didn't you sell it me?". I let him have a 70's Custom Black Beauty for $1000. Rolling Eyes

At the time, I had a few Black Beauties, and I was just letting go of the one with non-factory coil tap & pickups.

I traded my 1966 Mustang for a new MIJ Tele Thinline, '72 re-issue, selling that soon for $600.

Then I traded my real USA 1972 first-year Thinline HH for an '89 Strat which I still have. Bang my head against the wall.

Then, feeling good about my new toys, and with too many, I was free to sell my "old" 1972 Strat w/original case as well, that kills me now.

Last of the 1966's........ sold my '66 Tele all original for $1400 at a guitar show. It caused a small riot, probably because I didn't have a booth and wasn't a seller? At the show, with the money, I picked up a 1977 Les Paul Standard Goldtop, brought it home to enjoy and was offered a new USA Washburn acoustic/electric for it, which I traded for a NOS 1993 Strat Plus, then sold that, all new with tags etc. for only $1050. Shocked

That's only part of the guitar story, but enuf for now? Several 50's to 70's acoustics, more Guilds and a new 1957 Hofner archtop straight from the factory when it closed are more "losses".

I was also lucky to clean out a whole pile of amps lining the walls in my living room, taking space, when I needed money due to personal difficulties, after spending *I will not say how much, then multiply times ten* on a big excursion into songwriting, while I had no full-time job.

Blackface Fender Twins, I recall 3; and BF Vibroluxes, 2 or 3 as well. Plus a few others, with Tremo and Vibro in their names, I have forgotten nearly all of that, amps aren't really my thing (I've been a soloist, singer/player for charities, just a guest in bands) and it happened at a bad time when I was focused elsewhere, if at all. All were clean, perfect with Armor All shine! Simple rules, first come first served. $650 for the single-speaker models and the first Twin, then $800 ea. for the last 2 Twins. The final buyers were almost HOSTILE, since they knew of the earlier deals? Confused

But I managed to keep 3 dozen Strats, and believe I've sold or otherwise parted with 4 in the last 2 years, still my Strats are not for sale. As of now, they STAY. Each is unique with a personality of its own, and we're at the point where I can't decide to let go anymore. Wink

Disclaimer: I did meter them out to my kids in recent weeks, present & future legacy but they're still here to have & to hold.

I got 2 PRS' to help dry the tears, they work for me??? And I'm opening up my eyes to Gibson again, for possible investment, perhaps to play if they don't weigh too much! I ain't leavin' this place or my family without a '59. Laughing

BlueFinn · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:44 pm Post subject:

StratMan I sure did enjoy reading that post and I'm sorry for your loses.

I can’t recall all the ones that I’ve let get a way but I do remember with painful clarity how my Dad let a 50’s Super 400 CES get away. He just couldn’t see spending $2000 dollars on a guitar. Plus, to make the deal sweeter a Mosrite was offered as a kicker.

Well long story short I begged him to buy that guitar but he just couldn’t imagine a guitar being so expensive. The guitar got away and I’ve never been able to stump up the cash to get a Super 400.

On a happier note my Dad did give me an L4, L7, a J-50 and a 1958 Martin D-28. Which has helped me get over the Super 400.

bosrocker51 · Tadpole Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 22

Wow - I am amazed by some of the gear you guys have had... makes me feel a little better about selling my 61 LP Custom for so cheap... Who would have thought that the vintage guitar market would get so crazy? In one year a 59 Strat went from $25K to about $50K - at this point I'd rather buy a vintage guitar then invest in the stock market. At least I can (literally) play a guitar. Stocks are just numbers... although they are a liquid asset, still they're subject to market fluctuations, just like guitars.

JCP · Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 5:12 am Post subject:

'66 red 335 I bought in the 70's. The music store I bought it from reduced the price to something rediculous like $400 because it had checking, LOL.
Of course, a '66 was just a 10 year old guitar then. Who knew?

As I remember, I swapped it even for a Silverburst LP. Doh!