The Vintage Musicial Instruments Thread

[kinski]

50's Silvertone Thin Twin
50's Supro Super
50's Kay bass. Not sure of the model.

[kinski]

Not sure why the thin twin posted twice.

[Muadzin]

Double copy/paste? 

They say that for an amp or instrument to be called vintage it has to be at least 30 years old. So I reckon my first amp is vintage. A silverface Fender Twin Reverb.


When I first started out as a guitarist, what was it, 1987 I think, my father took me to a local music store that he knew. In the 70's he himself had been in a commercial coverband so he knew the owner. He figured my new love of music could be a temporary thing so he bought this amp for me, saying that if really was a temporary thing the amp at least would retain its value. One of the few smart decisions he had made. The cheap crappy Japanese Les Paul copy he also got me didn't last long, but the amp I still have. It has given me a lifetime lust for all things Fender and especially that clean Fender sound. If I want clean it has to be Fender clean. Nothing else will do.

Even though I do love this amp I have to admit I have not always treated it well. The tolex has been damaged here and there. At one time it was even covered in mold thanks to a damp rehearsal room. Currently it sits in storage in a dedicated flight case. Even before I went fully digital with my Axe I barely used this amp any more because it is so damn heavy. I really should do a clean up and sell it, as it deserves a good owner who will actually use it. On the other hand. It is a connection to my late father and one of the few good decisions he has made. Plus I still like the idea that I could break it out of storage and record with it to enjoy that glorious clean sound again. Hell, I plan to be buried in it if I could.

My oldest guitar, a MIJ Fender Strat from the 80's.


In the 80's I was a huge U2 fan and I lusted after having a Strat just like Edge had on Under a Bloodred Sky. Black body, black pickguard and knobs and a maple neck with large headstock. I tried to get one but at that time they were nigh non-existent. There was no internet to google. A google search meant going to a music store and have them sift through endless tomes of catalogues from which to order. They did and what I got was a black MIA Fender Strat, with rosewood neck and small headstock. I HATE small Strat headstocks. To say that guitar was a disappointment was an understatement. I had basically given up on ever finding a guitar like that when one day I came across a music store in Eindhoven and lo and behold, not just one, but two of my dream guitars. Only problem was they weren't black and had rosewood necks. But large headstocks, and since beggars can't be chosers I got them both and had one painted black in a local garage. This guitar did not turn out to be my favorite, that was the other one. But I no longer have that one so in the land of the blind this one is now king.

Heavily modified over the years. Currently it has the mirror pickguard, Les Paul toggle kill switch in the lower horn, red push button kill switch next to the pickup selector, DiMarzio Hot Rail mini humbucker as a bridge pickup and Lace Sensor Blue and Silver pickups for the neck and middle positions. The nut and string trees have been replaced with graphtec ones to stop the G string from going out of tune whenever I use the tremelo. Purists will probably cringe in horror from what I've done to this guitar, but I always viewed guitars as tools to be used, not exhibit pieces to be kept in original condition at all costs. Resale value has never been in the back of my mind. Maybe it should have, as I barely use this guitar any more due to me building my own guitars these days. If it still had been in original condition I would probably get a lot more for it as it is today.



Same guitar around 2010/11, with an aluminum pickguard and a Lace Sensor Red single coil in the bridge position. Didn't like the single Red much. Dual Red is awesome, single Red I found to be underwhelming.



Composite pic I made somewhere in the late 00's with the black Strat probably in its most original condition. The Dimarzio and graphtecs were already installed but the guitar still had its original neck and middle pickups. I think I still have those somewhere. The white pickguard was probably a recent addition because from the late 80's till somewhere in the 00's I had a black pickguard on this guitar. In case you're wondering the sunburst Strat has been sold and the black Tele has been reworked into something completely different.

[Timko]

My 1962 6120:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh, and it's a double cut!! This is an absolute beauty. If, for some reason, you ever feel like parting with it please let me know .

[Timko]

Some very nice goods here, above... ^^^^  ..... and below.... 

My "vintage" guitars and amps are a rag-tag motley collection of
cheap junky Japanese Teisco and Silvertone budget or student guitars from the late 60's - early 70's
and equally cheap solid state low power amps that were typically sold along-side the guitars in department stores and mail-order catalogs.

I'll post pics if anyone is interested.... 

Yes!  While I don't own a Tiesco, I do have a Craislist search for them. I almost purchased one (one of the more expensive ones with 3 pickups, multi-cooored switches, and. 4+2 headstock), but the Guild acoustic I own came up for sale and I had to pick one.

[bcalla]

Even though I do love this amp I have to admit I have not always treated it well. The tolex has been damaged here and there. At one time it was even covered in mold thanks to a damp rehearsal room. Currently it sits in storage in a dedicated flight case. Even before I went fully digital with my Axe I barely used this amp any more because it is so damn heavy. I really should do a clean up and sell it, as it deserves a good owner who will actually use it. On the other hand. It is a connection to my late father and one of the few good decisions he has made. Plus I still like the idea that I could break it out of storage and record with it to enjoy that glorious clean sound again. Hell, I plan to be buried in it if I could.

I have sold (and, when I was much younger, thrown away) stuff that I wasn't using anymore.  Some items I regret parting with, some not so much.  However, I would love to still have any of my equipment that has a story that relates to my life.  That's why I bought my friend's Guild Starfire (we used it in our band in high school) and the Kustom amp (we used one like it in that band).  Unless you really get into a bind - finances, space, moving, etc. - I recommend hanging on to this amp.  Plus - as you mentioned - it sounds great.

[galaxiex]

Some very nice goods here, above... ^^^^  ..... and below.... 

My "vintage" guitars and amps are a rag-tag motley collection of
cheap junky Japanese Teisco and Silvertone budget or student guitars from the late 60's - early 70's
and equally cheap solid state low power amps that were typically sold along-side the guitars in department stores and mail-order catalogs.

I'll post pics if anyone is interested.... 

Yes!  While I don't own a Tiesco, I do have a Craislist search for them. I almost purchased one (one of the more expensive ones with 3 pickups, multi-cooored switches, and. 4+2 headstock), but the Guild acoustic I own came up for sale and I had to pick one.

Thanks for the interest. 

I have quite a few... but I'll start with my favorite Silvertone "most likely made by Teisco" Model 1412.

This is my fav because it was my first electric guitar.
Not the one I actually had (that got "lost" years ago) but exactly like it.
Well, this came from the USA and the guitars sold in Canada were slightly different.
The label on the back says Sears Roebuck, where the Canadian model would not have included the "Roebuck".

I got it in the early 70's from the Sears Canada catalog. I want to say 1973...
By then Sears was phasing out guitars and other musical instruments.
This one is "slightly" rare, in that it has the "swoop" headstock and the block lettering.

Plans for it are to do a complete re-fret to bring it to modern playability standards.
The original frets are woefully tiny.
As I recall, it was hard to play back then...

[galaxiex]

Here is a "for sure" made by Teisco Silvertone.

The SHARKFIN! 

For some reason these guitars "feel" heavy, yet this one only weighs 7lbs 6oz.

In great condition, all original, including the tiny frets...

[gordo]

Too cool.  How do they play?

[galaxiex]

Too cool.  How do they play?

Thanks!

They play "not bad" considering the tiny frets.
Bending is a bit tough tho.
The neck on both are good feeling and no warps/twists.
Truss rods work and both can be adjusted to preferred relief.

When I do re-frets on these, I will level the finger board and sand in some fall-away.

[bcalla]

When I was a kid back in the 60s I used to stare at the Sears catalog for hours trying to decide which guitar I would get if I only had the money.  These and the ones posted by kinski are very cool.

[thesmokingman]

I don't currently have anything vintage lying around in completed form ... here's a link to one I restored, owned for a while, and sold when times got tough. https://reverb.com/item/636201-sears-silvertone-1482-1960s-seafoam-green

[alparent]

Not sure why the thin twin posted twice.

Because they are TWINS ....... 

[pickdropper]

The only vintage guitar I own is an old Kay which might be passable as a canoe paddle.  I'll probably hang it as wall art one of these days.

I do have a couple of older amps, a '65 Vibrolux Reverb and a '67 Super Reverb.  Love em.

[runducoff]

Omg, I looked at your babies, and all I can say is that you are lucky to have such guitars! They are very similar to the ones that appear on the Beatles' pictures! I have an Antonio Strad Violin from my great grandfather. That instrument is a treasure to my family. Mom says it's going to cost a fortune within next ten years, but we are not planning on selling it. I think that old instruments will soon be in great demand. So take care of these babies because they all look amazing! God knows maybe one day you will be wealthy!