I'm looking to invest a little $$, & I'd rather invest in something I can enjoy, rather than something intangable, like a CD or something like that. I have narrowed it down to 1 of 2 vintage guitars,and I can't decide what would be the best investment. Guitar #1--1968 Gibson ES335 in cherryburst, Stopbar installed replacing trapeze tailpiece,Klusons replaced with Grovers,$3000. Guitar #2--1979 Fender Stratocaster in Antigua finish, all original including case,hangtags,instruction book. $2000. Have only seen pics, but both guitars seem to be in excellent condition;the Strat looks mint! Am looking at both this weekend. Which one would you buy?
Which one would you buy?
- Thread starter dickey
- Start date
mechaman327
Tele-Meister
Well, just going on the descriptions, If you are looking at it as an investment the Strat may be a better choice because it is original. Good luck!
dickey, didn't you just pick up an old Gibson SG that you used to own? You must have serious GAS to be needing another guitar so soon.
I can't decide, get 'em both.
quackerz
Tele-Afflicted
Easy one for me. Does the Strat have a maple or rosewood fingerboard? Maple would be a deal breaker for me with that thick nasty polyester finish they did in the 70's. However, late 70's / early 80's rosewood-board necks are my favorites. Very modern with a 10.5" radius and medium-jumbo frets. So if it was me, and it's not, maple = get the ES335, rosewood = get the Strat.
I went to buy it, & it had just been sold that same day! Who would've figured?
Neither because the The ES is not 100% original and because Antigua finishes are truely awful. Plus the fact that guitar's as an investment are about as good as buying shares in BP right now. I'd rather just use the money to buy a guitar I loved to play.
If you wanted a long term investment and you'd have to buy something truly iconic. Like 50s Teles, 50s and 60s Strats, 50s Les Pauls, Pre-war Martins, etc. They'd all have to be totally original and with virtually no playwear because realistically they are dropping in price now and may for a years to come, but it will be inevitable they raise in price once more. I think that anything else is just like betting it all on a horse.
Buy something that is 100% stock.
chrisgblues
Tele-Afflicted
I wouldn't buy either based on that description, but if I 'had' to choose between the two I would buy the modded ES335 strictly as a player's guitar, not as a collectors item. But then again, I don't have that kind of cash...
The Antigua guitars are just plain gross IMHO.
The Antigua guitars are just plain gross IMHO.
Post Toastie
Poster Extraordinaire
1979 Strats should go for less than 2000. My local store had all original 79 Black with maple neck recently for 1200.
Bummer. What are the chances? You found it after all that time. You told us you were going back to get it the next day, and then it was gone. No wonder you never ended that thread.
I hope this thread ends better. I'm looking forward to seeing which one you get.
I think you should get the Gibson. As an investment, an antigua-colored guitar is going to be harder to sell.
Dave Hopping
Friend of Leo's
The Strat....It's original and it's a rare color.As to antigua being a little out of favor right now(OK,a LOT out of favor with some folks),there's been a pattern for a long time now that the more ridicule is heaped on out-of-fashion cultural artifacts,the greater the value later placed on those objects.Think '59 Cadillacs, silverface Fender amps,and paisley Telecasters.Antiguas will rebound in value,but I wouldn't buy one for investment purposes unless I planned to hold it for 15-20 years,and maybe longer.
slickschoppers
Tele-Holic
I wouldn't recommend either of those for "investment" value.
1. the strat seems pretty high priced I too have seen perfect specimens for sale for 1000 to 1200 asking price, and i'll bet they actually SOLD for even less...
2. sounds like the gibson has had a few changes.... ok alot of changes... if your going to buy a investment guitar make sure it is 100% STOCK.
3. I don't forsee the vintage guitar market skyrocketing as high as it did a few years back.... the fact of the matter is fender, gibson, ect are making alot of "re-issues" because of the demand of vintage. NOW don't get me wrong, the originalls will always be worth more than a re-issue, but the reissues have lowered the demand for the originals.
4. if your going to buy ANYTHING as an investment it needs to be bought cheap enough to be relatively sure that it will gain in value.. that means that whatever you buy should be a killer deal.... or at least that's the way I look at it.......
1. the strat seems pretty high priced I too have seen perfect specimens for sale for 1000 to 1200 asking price, and i'll bet they actually SOLD for even less...
2. sounds like the gibson has had a few changes.... ok alot of changes... if your going to buy a investment guitar make sure it is 100% STOCK.
3. I don't forsee the vintage guitar market skyrocketing as high as it did a few years back.... the fact of the matter is fender, gibson, ect are making alot of "re-issues" because of the demand of vintage. NOW don't get me wrong, the originalls will always be worth more than a re-issue, but the reissues have lowered the demand for the originals.
4. if your going to buy ANYTHING as an investment it needs to be bought cheap enough to be relatively sure that it will gain in value.. that means that whatever you buy should be a killer deal.... or at least that's the way I look at it.......
