Played a '56 Strat (and some other cool stuff) the other day!

[andy474x]

Went into the new vintage/used shop in town the other day to check it out... man, what a cool spot! They have an '89 CU24 I have an interest in, but a few other things, too. A blonde Bassman (that sadly sold before I got a chance to see it), and some other vintage gear. They have a front area, where a lot of the everyday gear is kept, but shortly after I went in, the owner encouraged me to go check out "the back" too, and play anything I want. Down the hall and I enter the hardest vibing guitar room I've ever been in. Not a huge room, but big enough, old school amps galore and several very dear guitars. They use this room as their photo studio for online listings, and it's cool as hell.

Well, propped up in one of the easy chairs is a Strat with a tag that simply says "1956 Strat." It has much of the appropriate era appointments, but I'm thinking, no way they're just leaving a '56 Strat on this chair unattended, and letting me play around alone back here... it must be a reissue or Custom Shop relic of some kind. I picked it up and looked it over, but didn't handle it too much, as I figured just on the chance that it is a real '56, they probably don't want me getting my paws all over it. Moved on to inspecting a fairly recent but mega cool 335. The 3 or 4 plush vintage chairs each had a guitar in them, and there were no more guitar stands, so I just took a knee to play the 335. A few minutes later the owner popped into the back and was mortified to see that they didn't have a place cleared for me to sit... I could've cared less! I chatted with me about how neat that 335 is, and I say, "hey, by the way, is that a real '56 Strat?" and he says "Yeah, it is, you wanna plug it in?"

I mean... yeah. Bet your @$$ I do.

But, trying to be polite, I told him I couldn't afford it even if I wanted it and don't want to mess with it since I have no intention of buying it. Nope, he insists, and he's off to get me a cable, says it'll sound cool through the vintage Gibson amp they just got in (I think it was a 20 watt Ranger model???), next thing you know I've got a '56 Strat plugged in to the Ranger. Oh, and make sure to crank the amp up, he tells me, because it sounds awesome and isn't terribly loud.

So this is pretty awesome.

Now, with much appreciation to the shop and owner, I'll say that I wasn't all that blown away by the '56 Strat. It was really cool to play a piece of history, but when it comes to an instrument I'd want to have at home, my Silver Sky is by far superior. To be fair, I suspect the Strat isn't all original, as it had a 5-way switch, and probably had been refinished with non-nitro, as it was white, and there was no checking or yellowing at all. Also, the bridge pickup had a short and was very weak in output. I think this guitar is going to be getting some TLC from them before it goes up for sale. The Strat had the typical glassy sound of the mid 50's, the SS has a lot more midrange and just fits what I want much more. So, as is said of vintage guitars, they aren't all ringers, and props to PRS here for making a great guitar that does shine with the best of them.

The Gibson amp was absolutely righteous, though. Indeed not very loud, but sounded awesome cranked up. I played the 335 through it, and liked it a whole lot. Also played a goldtop and sunburst Custom Shop Historic Les Paul Brazilian, I think the sunburst was going for $15K. First time playing a top shelf LP, and it is indeed just a different vibe from a 594. More Tele-like in the wound strings and aggressive in attack, where 594's are more full sounding and blooming attack. Nice sustain on the LP's, though, and they were indeed really nice if that's your thing. There was also a '52 ES350, and a '68 345, but I didn't play them.

Out in the front, they also have a Vela semi hollow in mint green metallic, that I have to pretend I don't want.

Also, they had a nice stash of vintage tubes, not all being the common guitar amp types, but definitely some. Picked up two RCA 12at7, one GE 12at7, and an RCA 12ax7a, all were used but tested, for twenty bucks a pop. Haven't played with pre-loved tubes much, but I know my PRS amps especially often get along best with vintage tubes, especially the 12at7's, so I like to keep several on hand. Can hardly go wrong for twenty bucks.

Neat place, I'll definitely be going back.

 

[dogrocketp]

Play the 89……..

 

[Monahan]

Great story-- thanks for posting!

Finding those kind of shops is a wonderful thing, and sadly pretty rare these days.

Concerning the vintage gear, I've found more of a difference between the vintage-- i.e. 60's and earlier-- and modern Gibsons than with Fender. Like yourself, I've found quite a few duds in the vintage category. However, the good ones were indeed something special.

My guitar MacGuffin is a 1968 Gibson Byrdland... unfortunately the prices for those are far beyond my reach, so I'll continue happily playing my PRS Teles

That Gibson amp sounds interesting. All I know about their amps is an outside company built them, and the circuits are quite different than typical amps of their time. One benefit to something like that is you enter without preconceived expectations-- pure guitar tone adventure

 

[bodia]

What a really cool place that sounds like

 

[Maertl513]

I've been in a few vintage stores, but all that holy grail alleged real deal guitars don't seduce me, although I listen to players who own those old stuff (Joe Bonamassa and others).
Even expensive custom shop items by 7ender (e. g. a 52 Tele heavy reliced) or G1bson (e. g. a personally Murphy aged) or Nacho Guitars leave me cold as cucumber.
Reverend Willie G. was once presented a guitar by a local and expensive luthier, when touring Europe with ZZ Top. Billy Gibbons ordered a second one with special customizing, lighter, pine stripes... While this particular was in progress I was at my guitar and amp doctor in the same house. And I was allowed to touch the guitar in its genesis.
A guitar needs to talk to me. I don't chase iconic tones, I chase my tone. I prefer my guitars toward "real deal" assessed instruments.

 

[László]

Now, with much appreciation to the shop and owner, I'll say that I wasn't all that blown away by the '56 Strat. It was really cool to play a piece of history, but when it comes to an instrument I'd want to have at home, my Silver Sky is by far superior.

There's no magic bullet in a given calendar year. Sometimes the aging process helps a guitar, more often it doesn't.

While there's something to finding a really special vintage guitar, most of them are just...old guitars. Speaking only for myself, the ooh-aah vintage cachet has always been kind of a load. There's something special in finding a great new guitar, too.

Because a great guitar is great regardless of when it was made. Moreover, my great guitar isn't necessarily your great guitar because we're two different people.

There were great ones and not-so-great ones of every model year back in the day. You'd go to a guitar shop and "run the racks" and find the one that spoke to you. Maybe one out of a dozen or two dozen appealed to an individual player.

It was kind of the same with amps. You could line up five brand new black panel Twins and they'd all sound a little different!

There are plenty of new guitars that sound every bit as cool, have better ergonomics. and are relatively affordable. A lot of them kick even the best vintage guitars' behinds.

Rusty hardware, depleted magnets, and beat-up exteriors do not in and of themselves make for a great guitar. Also, some wood pieces age well, and others don't. Just like people!

I always like seeing someone who aged well. I look in the mirror and can see clearly that I'm just a regular old POS like most people. Big deal - at least I'm not dead. Being dead at my age is serious evidence of aging not so well.

When people get that smug expression like they've found a personal gold mine, and brag that they have a vintage guitar or amp, I think 'good for them'. I've played a lot of vintage guitars and amps. I still own a '65 Gibson which is nothing special now, and it wasn't special when new, either. I know because it was in my family from new in 1965, and I learned to play on it in 1967.

They vary. Just like new guitars!