[senor_penguin]

vintage acoustic > anything

[Monster]

yes i they don't make guitars as good as they used... so they sound and played better in the old days then today. sad thing is these days its more about the electronics then the guitar it self.. i care more about the wood and how well it was built because i can always change the electronics my self... allot easier then making a new body or neck..

[characterzero]

I feel that older stuff certainly can be better, especially when looking at acoustics, but the price inflation is really unjustified. I mean, if I were really really rich I'd buy a bunch of vintage gear but I'm not, so I don't. While there are benefits to older guitars, people add a lot of extra money to them based on things like looks and nostalgia. For me right now, buying vintage = not worth it.

[Brian Krashpad]

Really depends on the sitch.

I'm no great shakes as guitarist, and don't have unlimited funds either. It's not worth it to me to get a vintage guitar (or amp for that matter) if it's beyond my budget. I mean, maybe I could have 2 or 3 vintage guitars instead of 20, but frankly I'd rather have 20 of all different kinds that are modern cheapos than have a couple of expensive guitars that costs thousands each.

That said, if I were making a lot more money or were a full time musician who could afford ot, I would have more vinatge stuff. And I do have some things from the '60's (mainly amps) that I really love, but those were purchased for reasonable prices because they were old but not particularly "collectible."

[floydmoline]

i am the opposite, i only keep one guitar around, so one vintage instrument would be worth it to me, for sentimental reasons, IF i HAD the money for one.

but the current cost of vintage gear i can deffinately do without, and get a decent modern guitar

[Akusta]

Vintage guitar values are determined by the prices people are prepared to pay. They’ve been rising pretty steadily since calling electric guitars “vintage” and not just “old” became a thing, but I think that’s at least partly due to the fortunes of the generation that grew up on rock and roll. Baby Boomers (who by all accounts did the best, financially, out of any generation in recent history) are at an age where they’ve achieved the highest level of income they’re going to achieve, and have freed themselves from their mortgages and whatnot, and have money to spend on stuff that makes them feel young again. But that generation is on its way out, and subsequent generations aren’t likely to care so much about 50s and 60s counterculture ephemera. That 1960 Stratocaster that’s currently worth six figures may well not hold its value when everyone who grew up on Bob Dylan or Jimi Hendrix is gone. Sure, fine examples of any field of craftsmanship will always be worth money to somebody, but you should certainly consider the impact of simple supply and demand on these things.