Is the vintage market worth getting into?

Lately I have had the chance to play a bunch of vintage guitars , LP , ES335 , Jazzmaster , Strats , Teles and what I have found that for the most part there are not great or in many cases even good instruments , olds pots and switches that crackle , bad action , low frets.
They you find out that anything that you do to make it play better kills the value as a collectors guitar - don't refret , don't unsolder the original pots.
There are some magical old guitars out there and it would be unreal to find something hidden under a bed someplace.
As far as being collector the first thing to do is get educated , work in a guitar shop , read , watch videos.
 
I have an original 1959 Burst. But I am afraid to eat it because part of the wrapper is gone. Dumb jokes aside, :) I always wanted a vintage guitar myself. Until I played some and they were so beat up, bad nuts, bad frets, neck repairs etc. And honestly, many don't sound as good as some of the current custom shop guitars now made. Sure there are good ones, but it seems many of them have been picked over like a good bucket of chicken wings by the stars or big collectors. The vintage market seems soft compared to years ago. I always wondered if a lot of it has to do with the newer guitars being so good. Because many of the vintage prices are cheaper now than they were years ago. Or if the younger generation coming to age don't really care about that stuff much and it lost some of its allure. I decided to buy a modern good guitar, invest the rest, practice more, and never look back.
 
Buy vintage for the historic history, not for the money...unless you have copious amounts of money xtra cash.

I have guitars from the 40's and 60's (idk why no 50's) But if I check the current values they would get me about 200 per guitar. They are cool as hell to have though. (Old Harmony Mastro with no truss rod for example)

How about inexpensive Vintage Market? That's probably more achievable.
 
If a guy was to buy an early 80s prs it would most likely appreciate. The longer you hold onto it the more it should appreciate.

Personally, I think the 80s prs stuff will be solid investments plus you can play the dang thing and enjoy it.

Is it wise to get into vintage stuff for investment purposes??? You better know your stuff if that is your plan, way too easy to get scammed.
 
gush said:
If a guy was to buy an early 80s prs it would most likely appreciate. The longer you hold onto it the more it should appreciate.

Personally, I think the 80s prs stuff will be solid investments plus you can play the dang thing and enjoy it.

Is it wise to get into vintage stuff for investment purposes??? You better know your stuff if that is your plan, way too easy to get scammed.
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You are not a kidding on knowing your stuff. Refins and faked guitars are so good it can take an expert to know. I also think the 80s PRS stuff would be solid.
 
No. Just no. Unless you have way too much money from a trust fund and REALLY REALLY like guitars.

There are 2 things that can give an old guitar value - if it's in pristine, mint, like new condition, completely unmodified, no wear and tear; and if it's been owned by someone famous (and can be appropriately documented as such). Anything else is just a player grade guitar. Player grade guitars are all most people can afford, and aren't investments in any normal sense.

Player's grade is why I could afford that 89 custom 24 over <<<there<<<.
 
steved said:
No. Just no. Unless you have way too much money from a trust fund and REALLY REALLY like guitars.

There are 2 things that can give an old guitar value - if it's in pristine, mint, like new condition, completely unmodified, no wear and tear; and if it's been owned by someone famous (and can be appropriately documented as such). Anything else is just a player grade guitar. Player grade guitars are all most people can afford, and aren't investments in any normal sense.

Player's grade is why I could afford that 89 custom 24 over <<<there<<<.
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Except for the fact that 80s prs guitars that are in good shape command more money than they did when they sold new.

If you have an 89 cu24 and it's not completely beat up you most likely paid more for it than when it sold new.

The gains obviously aren't 59LP levels but 80s prs are desirable and that desirability will continue to grow.

Now, I had an 89 cu24 in VY. Is was not pristine but I sold it for far more than it sold for brand new. The 86 cu24 I have is clearly worth more now that it sold for in 86. It is an absolutely incredible guitar. Is it better than a new cu24 of today???

Maybe, maybe not but there is no doubt that an 86cu24 in VY is a desirable thing of beauty that was built by a guy that had a passion to build the very best guitars on the planet..........or go bankrupt. Personally I'm glad he risked it all because we are all better off for it.
 
gush said:
If a guy was to buy an early 80s prs it would most likely appreciate. The longer you hold onto it the more it should appreciate.

Personally, I think the 80s prs stuff will be solid investments plus you can play the dang thing and enjoy it.

Is it wise to get into vintage stuff for investment purposes??? You better know your stuff if that is your plan, way too easy to get scammed.
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Knowing your stuff is key. If you see a pre-CBS strat pop up on local Craigslist for a low, low price of 'almost not ridiculously high' then you'd best know how to tell if the knobs are original, if the screws were ever replaced, if the little holes they put toothpicks into to elevate it for painting are there and in the right places, et cetera, et cetera. All of these things matter in both authenticating it and establishing value.

If it was refinished - half the value gone. Everyone knows that but the smallest parts make a big difference. That's what got me into the old guitar game in the first place, when I saw that 1959 ABR-1 Bridge for sale I only knew two things: it was old and new old stock condition. Therefore I inferred it was worth more than the $5 it was being sold for. So I bought. it. I had no idea that it was from the '59 and that it was worth over a grand. I had to do lots of research to learn that and how to authenticate it, down to the patter of machining marks on the saddles. Now it's worth that much because someone had a '59 Burst they wanted to make original. If that part is missing you can knock a grand (or more) off the price. In the old guitar market, originality is king and you'd better know how to tell.
 
Lister said:
Vintage pedals are still obtainable...
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Putting my money where my mouth is: 1978 EHX Small Stone I just picked up.
ABaiFWs.jpg


Unbelievable clean, still has the battery door and foam intact on the inside. I've been through a couple of MXR phasers over the years and just couldn't get the sound I was hearing in my head, this has it. The pot dates to the first week of February 1978, so probably a summer or early fall '78 build.
 
If you find a vintage guitar that you know has been taken care of, and it feels right to you, then I suppose it makes sense. I guess it also makes some sense if you're a collector and can afford to go down that rabbit hole.

For me, I'm fine with sub-$1000 guitars. My PRS Se plays just fine, as does the Carvin Bolt-T kit I put together 20 years ago.
 
My instincts tell me that the vintage guitar market is in a bubble, frankly. It's being pumped up by a generation of boomers and aging GenX people (guilty) that are at the point in life where they have money and can afford to buy the guitars they dreamed about when they were kids who wanted to be rock stars. That's not a permanent state of things and the millennials have grown up on music that's not guitar driven and I don't expect them to lust for high end vintage guitars in the numbers that the boomer and GenX players have.

If I'm right than vintage guitars will get affordable in the next 10 years. But if that's the case then they are at best a short term investment or flipping opportunity. But everyone can make their own mind up on where they think the market is going and the value for the money and do as they will, just sharing my perspective.
 
Black Plaid said:
This is definitely a social experiment.
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Yes, my grandson is 5 and a couple weeks ago, he said "Pops, I want a Ferrari." I said, "well, when you grow up you have to have a really good job and make lots of money to get a Ferrari." He replied "no Pops, I want one for Christmas this year."

In his defense, my daughter later told me that he wanted the radio control Ferrari they saw at the toy store. So maybe he has already figured out some things that some of us here haven't. ;)
 
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Slowhands said:
...If I'm right than vintage guitars will get affordable in the next 10 years. But if that's the case then they are at best a short term investment or flipping opportunity. But everyone can make their own mind up on where they think the market is going and the value for the money and do as they will, just sharing my perspective.
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A key feature of understanding the collector's market is that speculation will drive the market either way. Although I personally know nothing about the stock market, I do know that If trend indicators suggest the market will turn one direction, there are numerous parameters that will serve as directionals that can help predict the market's upturn or downturn.

Because a collector's market is driven by desirability and demand, only those who's eyes desire something of value will likely pursue its purchase. Commercial advertisers know this, and although there is no strict advertiser's market for collector's items except on used retail, auction, or sales websites, it's less likely that used pieces are advertised than new ones. Many people will buy things (new or used) to fill a material need if they are discouraged or disturbed about their current lives. Advertisers know this facet of human psychology and will market to this group, because this group will more likely buy than people who are content with their lives.

Those who are happier are less likely to allow GAS to choose for them what their next purchase will be. (How do I know this? Been there, got the T-shirt.) Every time I've gotten GAS for some new item, it was because my life was going through a period of flux where I was not content with my life. It's almost as if I felt hunger pangs for a good meal. It was as if I needed something to fill the void in my stomach. Except the void was psychological; my discontent with my current life.

As soon as a new item was purchased, the pangs ceased. That was, until I felt discontented again. Then the cycle began all over again.

So when do people sell desirable items at the highest price? When the demand for desirability is highest, and people are discontented.

Economics may not be my best subject, but I do know a little about what drives sales during uncertain times. Uncertainty equates to volatility, and folks on this forum well know that GAS is a cruel mistress that can leave you feeling empty unless that void is filled.
 
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