OR, The Kiss
of the "Vintage Siren"
I have
never really understood this obsession with "Vintage", and even moreso,
the prices those afflicted with this obsession will pay for an antique.
I agree a guitar often "matures" with age, but age is only one tiny aspect
of what makes a guitar a guitar. Some people argue that only a true vintage
guitar will sound like a vintage guitar, but these are usually people that
don't understand that a lot of criteria goes into that "vintage tone".
Not just when it was made. Why is it that vintage insruments seem to sound
and play so much better than new ones? (Yes, I said play. One cannot play
an instrument that is sealed in a glass humidor or packed away in a vault
or storage room). I go into a few theories that are proving themselves
out on the Underneath page.
.
From
my unaffected viewpoint, the vintage thing appears to be more of an ego
thing than economics. I hear people rave about a 196X strat and they got
it for only umpteen hundred dollars. Yipes! That's right up there with
this "Custom Shop" and "Relic" thing! What about the $150,000.00 LP Bursts,
and the $50,000.00-$60,000.00 early ES-335s? What on earth makes these
guitars worth that much? I guess I am just not enamored with the beauty
and allure of the vintage "siren", or she just never saw fit to kiss and
afflict me (for which I am grateful).
.
In
my opinion a good quality snap-together guitar such as a "Custom Shop"
should for the most part be standard, and the regular production models
viewed simply as cheap imports considering the quality level. I am guessing
it has a lot to do with prestige, status, and the romantic aspects that
drive people to pay exorbitant prices for otherwise normal instruments.
Maybe I am too much of a realist, but after looking underneath, I fail
to see the physical attributes that demand such great financial sacrifice.
Granted, many are worth more than the common wall fodder. Now, if we are
to re-inject the status, prestige, symbolism, and romance I can at least
comprehend the mechanics of this fascination. Alas, I still do not understand
or subscribe to this train of thought or emotional state.
.
Any
skilled and seasoned luthier can duplicate all the characteristics of the
196X strat (or most any other antique money pit). No, I do not mean the
talented techie at the local music store. I mean the guys that can, and
do, build beautiful guitars from scratch starting with nothing but raw
materials. The best luthiers are a combination of old world craftsman,
sculptor, electronics engineer, biologist, and physicist. These are the
fellows that, like myself, are interested in the why, how, where, who,
and when as much as the what. I am not saying I am in any way a luthier,
but I know a little more about what's underneath than the average joe.
I began asking questions and paying attention when I got tired of the shops
that are more concerned with what to do to get even more money from the
pauper player than focusing on the real issue. It's about the music, man! |
