Vintage guitars are in a class of their own, as many musicians prefer a lot of the old ways of making guitars and accessories over new technology. These are the guitars that artists themselves gig with and keep in high maintenance throughout their careers.
There are many vintage guitars that are considered the holy grails for today’s collectors. These guitars are handled with utmost care as the smallest nick or scratch could quickly devalue the entire piece. Guitars like original Gibson Les Pauls from the 50s and Fender guitars before 1961 are highly valued pieces. Paired with vintage tube amplifiers like the original Fender Twin Reverb, these guitars have no equal when it comes to sound, feel, and playability.
Fender guitars have one of the richest histories in all of the guitar brands. They were acquired by the CBS Broadcast company in 1965, where the production during that era was considered mediocre. This event in the history of Fender guitars drove the demand for “pre-CBS” Fender products, and ultimately made the brand a collectible monster.
Gibson started out in the 1950s, where the production of one of their first models started, the Les Paul. The Les Paul still remains as one of the most sought after guitar models up to this day, and certain pieces are quite hard to find and very harmful to one’s pockets. Other collectibles from Gibson include original Gibson Firebirds, Flying Vs, Explorers, and the legendary ES-335.
Hofner is another vintage brand of guitars that attracts many guitar collectors. The brand was a favorite amongst the members of the Beatles and other groups of that era, and has been one of the most hunted of vintage guitar brands thanks to its scarcity. Along with Hofner, other hunted brands that have come and gone include National Dobro and G&L. G&L reproduced some of their models a few years back and is back in production. Some of their more legendary and famous models are the G&L Comanche and the G&L ASAT.
History also plays a very big part in the collectible value of vintage guitars. There are many guitars that collectors specifically look for because they were played by famous artists during well-known events in the past. Even a shard of Jimi Hendrix’s Fender Stratocaster that he used back when he played in Woodstock can be considered a piece of art and a collectible item.