Ducati Sporting Club UK > General > Idle Chat > Any guitarists on here???

[Twinfan]

Looking for a bit of advice. I have a pretty decent guitar collection (currently at 11......) and pretty much have one of most things. I've always hankered for a guitar that was made around the time I was born though, and as I'm not getting any younger (30 and counting) the prices are only going to go up. Now's the time to buy I think so what should I be on the lookout for???

I was born in January 1975, so I've been having a browse around guitars from 1974 mainly as they will have been built while I was! I play both electric and acoustic and a couple of ideas I have are:

Gibson J200 Jumbo acoustic
Fender Telecaster
Gibson SG

Any other suggestions for a reasonably priced 1974 guitar? I'm looking to spend no more than £1250ish...

[TP]

I wish mate - playing guitar has always been on my list of things to do and always seems to be shuffled down the priorities.

I'd love to be able to play - I envy you!

[LesPaul]

I'd go for the SG or a Lespaul being a Gibson fan
11 guitars, nice one matey I've only got 3, mind you I can't play 1

Darren

[Edited on 14-9-2005 by LesPaul]

[Jools]

Hmmm...the 70's weren't really a classic time for either Gibson or Fender, they were both having a hard time defending themselves from the likes of Ibanez and Yamaha and such, as a result they took their eye off the quality ball and their guitars were not a patch on the early 60's, but as you know, prices for things like an early 60's Stratocaster are stratospheric.

If you want to be a bit different, I'm surprising myself here recommending a Japanese product but one of the really tasty guitars from around the mid 70's was a Yamaha SG2000 - typically 70's in being decked out with mother of pearl inlays and quite fancy, but hey, that was the fashion of that era. However, it was also made of quality tonewoods, the like of which you don't get much these days what with conservation of rainforests, with a flame or quilted maple top (nice warm honey colour not too white) on a mahogany body. It had a huge great brass 'sustain block' under the bridge and would sustain until next Christmas. A guitarist in the band I was playing with at the time had one and he reckoned that the sound and the sustain was like a Les Paul on steroids. Certainly seemed to live up to that.

That's my tuppence worth, but what do I know, I'm a Bass player, with only 5 basses - and my 1973 Ricky 4001 ain't never going to be sold, when I get too old to play I'm going to go out and watch a few bands and donate it to someone who will truly appreciate it and cherish it like I've done.

[rockhopper]

I'd give my right arm to be able to play the guitar.

[TP]

Originally posted by rockhopper
I'd give my right arm to be able to play the guitar.

Oh the irony ...

[Edited on 14-9-2005 by TP]

[Twinfan]

Cheers Jools - I never thought of the SG2000. Not a bad idea that...

[Derek]

How about a Telecaster or an ES330? I think you can still get these for sensible money.
I've got a Dobro 33D that I bought new in 1973 but I wouldn't want to sell it though

[Felix]

Ah, yes, the memories. Used to play a 1974 Ibanez back in my teens. Sold it only about 5 years ago (needed bike money!) and it was already worth a few bob then. I liked and played very similar to a good Fender.

Like some bikes of past, I wish I still had that guitar now.

[MARTIN H]

Jools beat me to it with the SG2000, I am also a big fan of the old Antoria guitars. They are still very cheap at the moment my favourite is a model called Rockstar which is a copy of a Gibson ES. I paid bugger all for mine and yet they seem to be now selling for about £350 to £500 on ebay. They also did a Jazz style semi called Jazzstar which are also fetching good money now. I play in a band and used to leave much more expensive guitars at home and just take the Antoria rockster and a Jap strat as a spare to gigs! Have a look on Harmony central for user reviews on these old jap classics. For the kind of money you have to spend I would find myself looking for either a Tele or a Strat relic, played a couple and they were great and I love the worn in vibe they have even from new. I saw a guitarist playing one recently and it looked as if it had been dropped off a tall building and it was brand new! You really could not tell the difference between that and an original 50s/60s one.

There was a lot of great Ibanez 1970s models I think the one I used to like was the Bob Weir model. I am still trying to find someone selling an example of my first ever guitar which was a Hondo 2 / SD Curlee I can only ever find the bass version of it.

By the way I am thinking of selling my les paul if you fancy that? Its a limited edition one from 1980. Its a Les Paul Standard Heritage 80 Elite with original case etc. It was Gibsons first reissue of the famous 1959 standard. Again have a look on Harmony central for specs etc. It really is quite a special guitar. I just darent leave it lying around in pubs anymore. I need to get rid of a few guitars and amps so I also have a Marshall AVT275 combo for sale that will be going on ebay anyday. Have just sold my little Mesa Boogie Subway blues amp to a bloke in Ireland.

Some of the early Tokais were excellent guitars as well.

[Edited on 14-9-2005 by MARTIN H]