Some things I’m curious about
:
- Are vintage guitar desirable as show pieces or users?
- Are there good periods and bad periods in the history of acoustic guitar manufacturing?
- Some guidance on brands, models and types
- What to look for at an estate sale (so I don’t miss the chance of buying a $75k guitar for $75)
- Do guitars really get better with age, or is that arguable?
Here are my .02:
I have guitars to play. I would never buy a guitar to display in a showcase. That being said, I take very careful care of my guitars and they don't generally degrade in condition over time.
Good/Bad periods - yes, absolutely and this varies from maker to maker. For example, there is a period in the mid 60s that Gibson produced many guitars with very narrow nut widths 1 9/16 - those are generally considered undesirable. Many people consider the 70s an unfavorable decade for Martin and Gibson but there are many exceptions to that view.
Brands/Models/Types - Wow, way too big a question - that varies very widely depending on what music you play, your particular preferences, etc... Personally, I like Martin and Gibson dreadnoughts and jumbos but many people like small bodied guitars with a very different sound. What is the best car? Depends on weather you want a sedan, sports car, SUV, etc.... Guitars are the same.
If you find a $75K guitar for $75 you'll be mighty lucky. I've found some reasonable deals but nothing in that ball park.
Do guitars sound better as they age: you'll get lots of opinions. Mine is that they do. My favorite guitar that I own is a 1962 Gibson Country Western. It has such a resonant, rich sound that none of my many newer guitars can match.
But, vintage guitars can come with many issues and problems one of the biggest being neck issues. Many vintage guitars need neck resets which are costly (my luthier charges about $850 and cautions against cheaper resets by less qualified techs), older guitars often don't have adjustable truss rods so neck relief can be an issues on some as well
The other thing about vintage guitars is that buying them and not running into headaches and problems requires a lot more knowledge than buying new or recent used guitars. How do you acquire that knowledge, read this forum, read the UMGF (unofficial Martin guitar forum) that has a vintage section and visit shops and play many guitars and ask questions.
Vintage guitars are awesome - I love them and many others do too. Enjoy the journey!