I played a $22,000 pre-CBS strat through a $4000 beat up but mostly original Deluxe Reverb last year. It was a good sound but not mind blowing or anything. I was mostly struck by how acoustic it sounded. But for that price I could do many, much more important things.

I grew up with those 60's SG...and they were ok...never stayed in tune, like all my Gibsons. I just bought the 61 Epi Vibrola...and I'm pleased that I remember those older SG's not being any better than this new Epiphone. Looks basically the same and I can take it as a backup and not worry, since it was well under a grand. I put a Tusq XL nut on and it actually stays close in tune. That said, my PRS just puts it shame...but I'm glad I am able to own both.

I've worked as a luthier for the last decade, and I've specialized in vintage restorations for the last five or six years. In my experience, vintage guitars are, to make a generalization, not inherently better than new ones. They're often worse, in most practical ways, and there's often an expensive repair required, or will be pretty soon. But, I've found that older pickups are tough to replicate, and there are only a few winders that actually get close to the originals. But, a few get freaky close, to the point that I don't hear any difference. All that to say, I think a lot of players, if not most, are probably better off with new guitars and excellent replica pickups, if such pickups suit your style.

@SteveWoodyMusic

5 ай бұрын

Which winders would you say are "freaky close"?

@Mike-pv3hg

5 ай бұрын

stop. vintage guitars sound better. any serious player will tell you. just admit it.

@Mike-pv3hg

5 ай бұрын

john your tone sounds better here. big diff lol

@joemiller9856

5 ай бұрын

I agree. I’m not enamored with vintage guitars at all.

@ScottyBrockway

5 ай бұрын

@@Mike-pv3hg They have a sound, I wouldn't say it's better, just different.

I just love your playing man, so articulate and sounds so poetic plus tons of melodies to my ears. I wish u do more videos of how u create amazing melodies rather than tones and gears. But I appreciate all ur videos. Cheers 🤘🔥

@seenochasm7101

5 ай бұрын

this guy nails it - world would be better with more artists and less consumers. 🙂

Nice post John! I really enjoy your playing! I've been playing guitar for 60 years and I've owned and played all sorts of vintage guitars. It's in the hands and the heart. The mid range stuff you've highlighted on your channel is excellent and they're a great value! Some old guitars are just shite even though they're from the proper vintage. With today's vast array of replacement pickups and parts you can make some pretty fine upgrades to just about any guitar. Check out Jack Pearson, who played with Allman Brothers and Gregg as well making a Squire Strat absolutely wail! And I'm pretty sure his are stock! Great channel John! Keep up the good work!

I recently bought a 66 SG special in need of full restoration (having had its neck snapped), which I’ve since done to the best of my ability with the same spec parts as it would have had originally (albeit reproduction ones rather than old ones). The lightweight mahogany that they had back then is definitely a plus point. The narrow nut bothers me less than I thought it would, though my fingers aren’t perhaps all that fat. I guess it just gives me a warm fuzzy feeling knowing what it is and seeing the history in the instrument through its bumps and bruises

@ksharpe10

5 ай бұрын

Tom Bucavac's latest video he mentions and shows his son Marshalls SG, Tom took it and Marshall to the luthier he mentions and shows how this Luthier using Computer CNC and the computer examines the Break of the Wood and is able to duplicate the Fit of the Break perfectly to make a new Neck heel, it was quite a neat revelation for sure.

As the owner of that specific guitar (and other vintage Gibsons), I can say the following: a) they certainly had access to better tonewood back then, like BR Rosewood with no restrictions, old growth mahogany, etc; which contributed to some really great sounding guitars; b) they were very inconsistent due to old machinery... nowadays, manufacturing processes have a much tighter tolerance and precision, therefore consistency; c) pickups were very inconsistent back then, so you could get a not so good one; d) the metals used then were made differently, with different alloys, and the AlNiCo magnets for the pickups were also made differently (sand casted), which contributes to a unique sound difficult to obtain with modern equipment. These days, we can find some outstanding builders that can make instruments just as good or better, but sometimes you can find player grade vintage guitars at a good price, and like in this case, sometimes they are just magical!

I loved my ‘57 TV Les Paul but I could never gig with it and it only had the one amazing lead sound- never a clean sound without some rolling off and pedals By contrast my ‘80s Strat had the best of Fender lead and rhythm- just about every gig since the 80’s Just a thought..

I’ve posted this before, I played a vintage 335 and a Strat when I worked at Manny’s Music. Not models I really vibe with, but they were both magic. I immediately put them down cuz I just can’t afford to get hooked on vintage guitars.

@ksharpe10

5 ай бұрын

I always avoid the high price stuff at one of our Guitar Center's, because one if anything happened with it, I do not have the funds to pay for it, and 2 I might really like it that I have to have it. I have had a few vintage pieces in the 70's, to me the Really nice middle road CNC stuff today and the pickup technology today, Well hard to beat the New stuff today.

Great tones man.

I know you might not buy into the whole vintage guitars having extra Mojo thing, but you’re playing here sounds extra inspired. One of the more inspiring players I’ve heard on here lately.

@BParker55

5 ай бұрын

He sounds that way basically on every guitar he plays on his channel lol

@brendanfoster5320

5 ай бұрын

@@BParker55Exactly. This doesn’t even sound all that tonally different from any other guitar he’s played on here. Don’t get me wrong, he’s a great player, and it’s a sick tone, but still.

I played several guitars and even very expensive ones. Once in my life I played a Les Paul 1956 with P90 PU all original. It was damn good and with a lot of sustain. Of course it was great and I loved playing it. The price of it was sick and in my opinion is not justified at all. A Custom shop would play like it and the most important thing about it was that it was just me playing a 30.000€ guitar and still sounding like me😢

I’ve had all kinds of guitars, old and new ,they pretty much all sounded great, but I have a 1964 esquire, magic!

Finally a big guard SG on the channel! :D my SG gets better with age as well, its magical. Far from vintage but I'm patient....

Is this one of your Helix presets in the intro John? Sounds amazing.

I’m sure there are great old guitars, but there are also great new(er) guitars. Not played many but I once got to compare a 50’s 175 (p90s) and a 60’s 175 (PAFs) back to back - utterly different - 50s was like an acoustic guitar - 60s like an electric much heavier and less resonant - I could understand that as volumes go louder. I wish I’d bought the 50s one - would have broken the bank but I’d have made a tidy sum if I could have brought myself to sell it.

Thanks Francisco for the loan on this Really nice SG. John makes it sound just like we all would want!!! Uncle Larry aside, I have been around playing since 69 and have played quite a few vintage guitars, alot of it as far as I am concerned is a MYTH. if tom can tell one 16th of an inch difference in the nut width, I got out tools and did some measuring, it is Quite Negligible. I have owned vintage gretsch's, and the stuff out of indonesia today in the mid range guitars are to me BETTER than the old stuff. I think today the Gibson Custombucker pickups are overall the nicest Pickups they are building today. Of course they have the MOST accurate ones out there now for 1000.00??, The Custombuckers are nice. I know a fellow up north who swears to me he has an actual 59 Les Paul sunburst, i have seen it Twice, to my Eyes it looks like a new Guitar, so in my mind I wonder if it is legit?? if it is it would have to be one of the higher dollar ones for sure, it has minimal Fade to the coloring.

@doctor7music91

5 ай бұрын

You're welcome!

I have a few 1 9/16 nut guitars and enjoy them, but I have thin fingers so that is a big deal in why people don't like them.

I love your playing! So I'm older than your parents. It's important to remember that in the '50s Fender and Gibson were building instruments that had never been built before and by the mid '60s, most everyone who could afford a guitar had what they needed (except for The Who who were busting up equipment as fast as it could be built.) But when sales fell off, prices had to come down so more people could afford guitars. But that meant that quality craftsmanship fell off. Fortunately, people kept on learning how to build better guitars. $600 now is like $62 in 1965 but a $62 guitar in 1965 would have been useless junk and a $600 guitar now is comparatively amazing quality. I don't see the need to pay crazy money for a vintage guitar now.

Hey John I'm a big fan of your playing. May I know what picks do you use ? BTW awesome video.

I think that’s the best tone you’ve had so far!

While new technology does make it easier to get a consistently "good " modern guitar, a lot of the vintage guitars are still well built and hold up over time, sometimes they're in need of work but still have a more individual sound. And being basically handmade instruments there's a definite vintage "feel" that's really pleasing. Just like anything else you should play a guitar before buying it. There is the "mojo" thing which is when you pick up a vintage guitar you feel inspired to play. The player grade or modified vintage are usually more usable and cheaper because they've been tweaked and modded to be user friendly and modernized .

Guitar certainly sounds great but vintage gear is a definite rabbit hole . I remember playing a lovely 335 a 1966 in a shop in Southport ( now sadly closed ) great condition but found I’d trouble with bends . On getting home I phoned a big shop in Denmark Street to ask about pricing etc and the advice was that was a year when 335s were made with a narrow nut width but within a year were withdrawn and returned back to the original width . The other advice was that the 66 should be less expensive by about a grand !! If you’ve not got a PhD in guitar history it’s easy to get burned . Here endeth today’s lesson from the book of twang!!

No, never really seen the appeal even as, I suppose, a vintage person myself these days (1960). I've played a fair few vintage Teles but not found any that beat my 2009 American Standard.......and that isn't to say that it was a particularly good year but I do think it's a good guitar. The nicest SG I ever played was an Arbiter one I had in the 70's which I took a saw to, because of punk......that was not a good move.

Hi John, can you just explain to us what are ‘the rules’ when you’re soloing like that? I’m trying to understand the theory behind what notes go over the chord progression.

When I started playing in the '70s, the general feeling was "Why would I get an old guitar when I can buy a new one?". I know - I could have made a fortune if I'd been blessed with 20-20 foresight! 😦But appreciation of the older instruments hadn't filtered down to our level. My first decent guitar was a '60s Epiphone Casino, and I was dirt cheap because it was second-hand. So, are vintage guitars worth the asking price now? Turn the question around and ask what price you'd put on inspiration. If you can afford it and it gets you playing good music, I'd say go for it, because the prices will only rise in the long run.

I’ve turned to 80’s and 90’s made guitars rather than building new (except for PRS) as I have found the quality is better than what you would get a couple of years ago… ( I’ve had to stop buying, as the wife worked out I was buying burst and black guitars thinking she wouldn’t notice new arrivals 😊)

@jasondorsey7110

5 ай бұрын

80s-90s japanese are often incredibly good and much lower priced than their american counterparts...sure I got a 70s gibson, a 70s ric, a 70s fender, but when you put the market hype aside, the japanese hold their own against them no problem

Does it stay in tune?

68. The year I graduated from high school. Not so long ago, really.

They vary radically.

Modern guitar manufacturing is far superior to what was available in the past. Quality guitars that are far more consistently built are readily available at a reasonable price. To me, the most significant advantage that vintage guitars have is age. The wood has basically stabilized in terms of moisture content, the magnets have gradually decayed and the 'newness' of the finish, particularly on the neck and fretboard, has worn into a comfortable playability.

I don't buy into the vintage is "better" simply that a great guitar is a great guitar regardless of its pricepoint and its age.

It's all in the eye of the beer holder

The best example of how a vintage guitar is not worth it is if you listen to Kirk Hammett, playing greeny in the Rick beato interview. It sound like a 100§ Chinese guitar that’s out of tune in his hands

Wotcha, Christ! Try playing as bad as me baby!! Love ya xx

John you need a guitar with some nice p-90s.

@KeithMilner

5 ай бұрын

Doesn't the guitar in the video have P90s?

Well it sounded great, but that was down to the player… might be worth seeking out something with P90’s in it, the articulation they give suits your playing.

Absolutely hype. Just like modern day instruments, they were mass-produced and had their fair share of duds as well. A vintage instrument isn’t inherently a great instrument.

One of the worst vintage guitars I ever owned was a 66 fender stratocaster, it was previously Star owned, Jonah Koslen of Micheal Stanley Band fame, it had the weakest scrappiest pickups I ever heard. I moved it down the Road very soon after.

Could you write like you play for example some your own songs Jonh? I believe it would rich a really popular place in youtube

Ha! In the 1950s and 60s everyone played vintage guitars but the relicing was really naff.

I'd rather own an instrument that has benefited from the years of learning and modern manufacturing techniques and materials. I've owned both and my new(ish) PRSs' play far better than any vintage Gibson I've had. I can't hear "old wood" anyway so I'll save a penny or two on that.

Please only play this guitar from now on on your videos, AC/DC 🤘

the problem is you are evaluating buying a specific vintage guitar, and all the other ones are not what youre looking at. lot of variability in vintage guitars because of how they were produced. I also think the "all the best guitars Ive played were vintage" thing is just people gaslighting themselves tbh, because you dont hear it a lot from younger players who dont have the nostalgia of them. JMO. some are amazing guitars, of course. but so are many modern guitars.

@TCMx3

5 ай бұрын

Im also gonna be honest, I have seen a MASSIVE amount of pumping and dumping in those circles too. Everyone is really invested in the prices staying high. Everyone is emotionally invested because of how much capital they have tied up in a low liquidity asset. I just dont like it the market.

Vintage guitars are good because only the good ones make it to vintage.

i guess it all depends on how much money you have and are willing to spend on any toy ( for boy ) . Do you need an vintage guitar to sound good or play well , offcourse not .

@madguruJ

5 ай бұрын

You want a vintage guitar you’ve spent a lot on to sound good yea!

I'm not totally unaffected by the whole "vintage guitar thing" myself, but the more it seems to become a necessity to have a vintage guitar in order to be considered a real guitarist, the more I'm getting tired of it. It seems like even the youngest guitar protegee now needs to be outfitted with some sort of old guitar, and hundreds of videos titled "I've got my first vintage guitar" seem to attest to that. As if the natural succession of guitar owning is "beginners guitar - intermediate guitar - professional guitar - vintage guitar". That to me is utterly silly. It seems to be particularly rampant among younger youtube guitarists, who by their very nature seem to be of the "most prone to musical fads" variety of guitarist around. My initial reaction as an older guitarist is: Why can't you young'uns achieve something by yourself instead of appropriating the old stuff again and again. Which is of course just as silly, but I sometimes can't help it.

It is kind of crazy, isn't it? I didn't get it until I recently picked up a single owner 1968 Fender Mustang. It feels like an old friend and the sound is absolutely magical. It's like you can not only feel all of those loving years but hear them as well. A warmth, a sweetness, a feel - it's all there with a good vintage guitar. We do not really own instruments, we only borrow them.

Note to John - Don't mention your parents' ages. You make me feel so old! Kids and their dang gee-tars today... mumble mumble

Day 12 of asking for ALL the backing tracks to be put up on Patreon 😊

Spoiler alert: It's still BS. Thank me later🤘

Always eat the kebab, that’s the answer

ITs all 99% ego

Kinda snake oil