The guitar is one of the most versatile instruments in the world, and they become more flexible as manufacturing
techniques improve and new design ideas are incorporated. So why is it that so many experienced guitar players
desire to own a vintage guitar? Surely, a new, modern guitar would be best? This is simply not so, and below we
will explore why.
First and foremost, like good wine, a quality guitar can mature with age. Overall, the tone of the guitar will usually
mellow, as the wood the instrument is constructed from continues to harden over time.
Scarcity is also a big factor when deciding if a guitar should be considered vintage or not. Certain manufacturers
such as Martin, were famed for producing very short production runs of individual designs. As certain designs
were found to age very well, the scarcity of the actual units produced made them instantly vintage.
For some models, such as the famed Les Paul Gold Top, it is the actual finish of the guitar, which makes them
desirable. This particular model used bronze as part of the dye to turn the top of the guitar golden in colour, and
with age, the bronze content takes on a greenish tint.
For other models, such as the Fender Stratocaster, the vintage models date back to a certain era of the corporation
which manufactured them, back to a time when manufacturing and quality control processes were deemed to be
far better, this produces a superior instrument.
Lastly, we have short run, often termed "signature" guitars. These are often endorsed by a well-known musician,
and will incorporate design concepts upon the advice of said musician. Fender in particular is noted for the
number of signature series guitars they produce, and although not all of these can currently be considered vintage
models, there is no doubt that they will eventually be seen as such.
An offshoot of the whole vintage guitar scene is that of vintage amplification. Certain amplifiers, such as the VOX
AC30, and the Fender Bluesbreaker, along with many of the older Marshal amplifier heads and speaker cabinets,
are noted for their particularly rich sound reproduction capabilities. Almost always, these amplifiers will use older
tube-based circuitry, which give a much warmer sound. Although some of the early MOSFET amplifiers are also
become desirable.
Many vintage guitars are to be found in the hands of collectors; quite often, these owners will not even be capable
of playing the instrument with any great expertise. Instead, they take pleasure from owning a little piece of music
history in the form of the instruments which produced all of those classic sounds which we still hear today.
Vintage guitars not only offer the musician a better playing experience, they also allow the owner to take loving
care of a piece of history. Many of the vintage instruments we see today, have been entirely restored, at great
expense, to make them look, sound and play as close to the original manufacturing specification as possible.
Vintage guitars, guitars, music
Learn Music Articles, tips and lessons on how to sing, play
guitar, piano or band. Overcome stage fright. Write your own songs! Learn to play music. Be a better musician.
http://www.simplemusicsecrets.com
techniques improve and new design ideas are incorporated. So why is it that so many experienced guitar players
desire to own a vintage guitar? Surely, a new, modern guitar would be best? This is simply not so, and below we
will explore why.
First and foremost, like good wine, a quality guitar can mature with age. Overall, the tone of the guitar will usually
mellow, as the wood the instrument is constructed from continues to harden over time.
Scarcity is also a big factor when deciding if a guitar should be considered vintage or not. Certain manufacturers
such as Martin, were famed for producing very short production runs of individual designs. As certain designs
were found to age very well, the scarcity of the actual units produced made them instantly vintage.
For some models, such as the famed Les Paul Gold Top, it is the actual finish of the guitar, which makes them
desirable. This particular model used bronze as part of the dye to turn the top of the guitar golden in colour, and
with age, the bronze content takes on a greenish tint.
For other models, such as the Fender Stratocaster, the vintage models date back to a certain era of the corporation
which manufactured them, back to a time when manufacturing and quality control processes were deemed to be
far better, this produces a superior instrument.
Lastly, we have short run, often termed "signature" guitars. These are often endorsed by a well-known musician,
and will incorporate design concepts upon the advice of said musician. Fender in particular is noted for the
number of signature series guitars they produce, and although not all of these can currently be considered vintage
models, there is no doubt that they will eventually be seen as such.
An offshoot of the whole vintage guitar scene is that of vintage amplification. Certain amplifiers, such as the VOX
AC30, and the Fender Bluesbreaker, along with many of the older Marshal amplifier heads and speaker cabinets,
are noted for their particularly rich sound reproduction capabilities. Almost always, these amplifiers will use older
tube-based circuitry, which give a much warmer sound. Although some of the early MOSFET amplifiers are also
become desirable.
Many vintage guitars are to be found in the hands of collectors; quite often, these owners will not even be capable
of playing the instrument with any great expertise. Instead, they take pleasure from owning a little piece of music
history in the form of the instruments which produced all of those classic sounds which we still hear today.
Vintage guitars not only offer the musician a better playing experience, they also allow the owner to take loving
care of a piece of history. Many of the vintage instruments we see today, have been entirely restored, at great
expense, to make them look, sound and play as close to the original manufacturing specification as possible.
Vintage guitars, guitars, music
Learn Music Articles, tips and lessons on how to sing, play
guitar, piano or band. Overcome stage fright. Write your own songs! Learn to play music. Be a better musician.
http://www.simplemusicsecrets.com
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