What would be your definition of "vintage" guitar?

[Cogs]

That's fine, just move along then. Let's have no more generalizations about the Les Paul Forum or it's members.

[S. Cane]

That's fine, just move along then. Let's have no more generalizations about the Les Paul Forum or it's members.

Like I said. Let's keep rocking, pal

[Cogs]

Certainly, bub

[Offshore Angler]

Back to the topic...Vintage vs. Rare. That was a great distinction. Viewed through the eyes of another subject near and dear to me it became clearer. Modern cars are better in every way ( except maybe looks) than those of my childhood, but some of the old ones brings serious money now. But lets look at that: A 1963 Plymouth Fury 4 door sedan isn't worth a lot just because it's vintage. A 1967 Mustang Fastback brings serious money. They built a lot of each, and I'll bet that more Mustangs survived than 4 door Furys. so the Fury is rarer.

I guess it's because I can release my inner Steve McQueen ( my exact lookalike, BTW ) that the Mustang is coveted. It has a performance heritage, looks, and it's the car we all wanted when we were teenagers.

I reckon guitars are the same way to some extent. Some just have a certain image we bond with.

Then there's the player vs collector vs the wannabee line of logic too. I have a guitar I would never sell, but not because it's rare or special to anyone but me. It has lots of great memories of playing with Mikey. But other than that, I do really look at guitars as tools. Just like in the shop, I can't tell you how many screwdrivers, pliers and wrenches I've collected over the years, but there are some that never get used and then others that are my "go to" tools. I just like them better. I'd guess maybe that's where the "Player" mentality lives.

Collectors are easy, they collect. Their objective is to possess and perhaps flip for fun or profit.

Wannabees...We seem them all the time. As I've always said, it takes a lot of practice and hard work to not suck, but anybody with a keyboard can brag about his "tone". I believe that a lot of these guys are the ones that keep the "mojo" threads going. Do you ever get the feeling that some of these "I have the best guitars" guys are just waving their gentleman's sausage in your face saying "mines bigger!" ? I do.

Ah, but the forums are the CB radio of the new millennium, and just like "Foxy Beaver" generally never turned out to be what she portrayed herself on the airwaves, you have to take what you read on the internet with a pinch of salt.

My $.02, all IMHO and YMMY, and I welcome and respect differing and diverse opinions.

[ch willie]

In an ideal world, I would own that left handed 50s Les Paul that Paul McCartney plays, and it would never need any parts replaced. Of course, I'd buy a couple of pre-70s Les Pauls for backup. I know he has some reissues now, and I don't know whether he's still playing the 58 or his 59 live. I am not well off, and I'd never be able to afford a vintage instrument. And that's perfectly okay with me. If I can't use it everyday. take it everywhere. and put my own nicks into it, I don't want it. In fact, I would have such a problem with a "vintage" guitar, because with every absolutely necessary part change, it would be less virginal. I'd be afraid to play it live. I would treat it so cautiously that I wouldn't play like I normally do and would feel inhibited. It would be best to put it on display and forget about it as a playable instrument. Same if I had a pre-CBS Fender. I like new and shiny, something I can take good care of and keep it looking good for a long time and still be able to play it a bit hard without worrying about it taking thousands off the price every time I damage it or it wears out.

All the relevant postings here point out that "vintage" is not as simple a term as we might think. It's commercially driven, driven by cock showing contests, driven by the desire to have the best of the best, as though "vintage" always means "best." "Vintage" is a slippery word. Better to forget the category altogether and just focus on the production. But real life doesn't work that way. These things are so ingrained, things we apply to guitars that permeates our thinking in other aspects of our lives.