Interview With Vintage Guitar Collector

[GrantB]

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/article ... y-harrell/

pretty cool...what does he do for a job though to have 100 vintage guitars?

[dayl]

Some sweet gats there, that first pic of the gibby archtop.... mmmm nicey

[B45-12]

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/article ... y-harrell/

pretty cool...what does he do for a job though to have 100 vintage guitars?

Aha remember he started when fender changed head shape - now even in NZ back (1966/67) then you could get no end of 60's fenders for $100 or less cos everybody wanted NEW!

I have 40 or so moderately priced guitars (Maton, Gibson, Fender, Martin, Rickenbacker etc) and that really only equates to one or so a year over the past 40 years - even nowadays you could probably afford 2 moderately priced Gibsons (say used LP sutdios) a year if you are on moderately above the average wage (say $60 k's upwards) and got a mortgage before the recent housing boom.

LIke for example you could have no end of pointy jacksons or Yamahaha's and while you'd say 'well they're not collectible', neither were his at the time he bought them

[sgt mukuzi]

right on B ! some say on trade me auctions that 80`s fenders are vintage and colectable

even the 70`s fenders, one machine made 30 or so necks at a time, and some say they are collectable

les pauls, colectable, why? they are mass produced.

its strange whats going on, its the blind leading the blind in terms of what is "colectable"


in my opinion: usa/jap made early 80`s shreaders will become collectable, because they are Rare, unlike les pauls and reissue fenders. they were expensive in the 80`s and loads of them got modded, cracked and chucked away so everyday, they become more colectable.

there are more L series fenders around now than at any time in history, with the fakes become colectable?

[DarcyPerry]

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/article ... y-harrell/

pretty cool...what does he do for a job though to have 100 vintage guitars?

Hey... aren't you half way there?!

[GrantB]

right on B ! some say on trade me auctions that 80`s fenders are vintage and colectable

even the 70`s fenders, one machine made 30 or so necks at a time, and some say they are collectable

les pauls, colectable, why? they are mass produced.

its strange whats going on, its the blind leading the blind in terms of what is "colectable"


in my opinion: usa/jap made early 80`s shreaders will become collectable, because they are Rare, unlike les pauls and reissue fenders. they were expensive in the 80`s and loads of them got modded, cracked and chucked away so everyday, they become more colectable.

there are more L series fenders around now than at any time in history, with the fakes become colectable?

Your opinion on the 80's shredder's is probably right (look at Mazda RX3's for e.g.)...and its also the same methodology used when valuing Les Pauls, Fenders and the like. How many 100% original Les Pauls pre 1975 do you know about? More L -series in original condition....nah, there's less...fakes don't even register.

Don't agree about blind leading the blind - but there is a lot of bullshyte and one has to be clued up before tinkering (as with anything in life). It is a real market though with a real strong demographic pull right about now - I expect prices will continue to be strong for older original gear for the next 15 - 20 years....and yes, I include an increasing amount of shredders in there too. I'd love an 80's single humbucker shredder with a Floyd...

[sgt mukuzi]

your right about real old vinage stuff UNIQUE, for sure the old stuff will keep or increce in value. i dont really rate 70`s les pauls to be honest, pancake body, three piece necks etc I would rather have a new one.
the blind leading the blind comment was in regards to some of the stuff on trade me, OBVIOUS fakery going on with decals and such stuff, I have seen one fake that a guy bought, it didnt even look original from the other side of the room. I know a shop in melbourne had L series strats every other week, they all looked the same, remember the old adds in guitar player, buying L series neck plates was easy in the 80`s. I reckon a huge percentage of vintage stuff is fake or misrepresented on the internet.
one modern telly with a made in USA decal, with a MIM seriel number, yesterday.

CBS bought Fender in the mid 60`s, no wonder all the guys with record deals were playing them

[Vince]

in my opinion: usa/jap made early 80`s shreaders will become collectable, because they are Rare, unlike les pauls and reissue fenders. they were expensive in the 80`s and loads of them got modded, cracked and chucked away so everyday, they become more colectable.

I think you are looking at it from a player's perspective rather than a collector's. A part of the price seems to be tied to the nostalgia value of the guitar and 80s Jap shredders have a long way to go before they really accrue "nostalgia value", no matter how well made they are.

What do you think has more collector appeal? A mass produced strat that may have been made by Leo Fender himself (if you want to believe it) or a masterpiece made by some Japanese luthier that nobody has heard of?

[sgt mukuzi]

the old fender stuff is collectable for sure,

[GrantB]

From what I've seen on eBay there is definitely a developing market for old original shred axes. Like anything collectable with demand and supply limitations, as the upper echelons become out of reach people move to the next layer. As that becomes out of reach they move again...70's Strat's were considered barely collectable 10 years ago - now there is a distinct following and a market. Collectable guitars cannot be commoditised because as the markets mature and the demographic moves through they create different and varying sub markets...

But that's trying to place some science on it...and let's face it...it's about personal preference etc...and I find old guitars really rewarding to play - it is a lot like the feeling you get driving a cool old car. Only difference is everyone knows it's an old car...nowadays every second release from for e.g. Gibson is a re-issue.....