"Today's Guitars are 10X Better than Vintage Guitars"

[@LarryDiMarzio]

Hi Tone Junkie, You seem to be confused. DiMarzio never licensed Tokai to build any of our pickups ... least of all our trademarked double cream design. DiMarzio did sell some pickups to Tokai to use in a few models of their guitars in the 80s, however, they were all were built in the US at our Staten Island facility. Hope that helps, Larry

[@AL_1991]

let gibson use the cream color you greedy bastard

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Wow thanks! Holy Crap Larry DiMarzio in the comments! I didn’t know that! Really appreciate the info. I should have known better than to believe everything I read on the internet. I read about that on a Gear Page thread years ago so I should have verified that before repeating it to more people. Makes sense that you wouldn't want anyone else making Dimarzio pups but Dimarzio. I'm pinning this comment so other will see it! Thanks again, Cheers!

[@AL_1991]

let gibson use the cream color you greedy bastard

[@AL_1991]

let gibson use the cream color you greedy bastard!

[@robertlevasseur8896]

@@ToneJunkieTV embarassing

[@FrankEspinoza115]

Sometimes I sit down and pretend to know how to play guitar.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

😂

[@robbspencer]

@@ToneJunkieTVI don’t blame you. I’m thankful every day that somehow I learned. It is always the best part of my day.

[@lewisbeeman]

You aren’t crazy. I am a Fender guy. And years ago I played by first Squier Classic Vibe. I was hooked. Many will call me stupid but I sold my American made Strat, bought a MIM Strat that I love even more. But I have numerous Squiers now, among other “budget” brands and they are phenomenal. We truly are in the golden age of guitar

[@mrredritehand]

Same story bro... Screw the haters and the wannabes

[@alieffauzanrizky7202]

Classic vibe are the gems for people who didn't care about the name on the headstock. It probably plays better than most MIM strat i've played. Same with epiphone's "Inspired by Gibson" lineup. It's probably the closest you get to a mid-high end "vintage" spec gibsons for $1,200 with different name on the headstock, and a case! We really live in a golden age of guitars, quality to price wise.

[@torino1138]

They’re fine guitars for the money but the comparison is out of touch with reality

[@lewisbeeman]

@ buy what makes you happy. I am just fortunate that I can be just as happy with what I am playing with spending 3-5 hundred than you spending significantly more.

[@mrredritehand]

@torino1138 Who's reality? I can easily gig with my 50s vibe, so much so I sold my MIM Fender dlx strat in 2017 as almost every single aspect of the Squier was vintage correct and absolutely superior to the Fender. Especially the Fenders noiseless pickups vs the Squire's Alnico 3 pups. The Vibes narrow tall frets are my favorite to play, (which you could only get on higher $ Fenders in the past), the neck was gorgeous to behold slimmer and more comfortable with way better looking wood grain with some sweet flame figuring. The fretwork on the CV was far and away the best I had ever seen on a factory guitar, until recently. The nut was a perfectly cut piece of bone on the Squier compared to the corian in the Fender where the high E sounded like a fuggin sitar no matter what. Dude the new Fender Players are great guitars but I just shipped one back because of numerous issues with it last month. Aamof I don't even own a Fender guitar at the moment, except for the ones that say Squier by Fender on them. I swear People on KZbin are paid to say the more expensive Fenders are better than whatever is cheaper... And the sheep go, "Bahhh must buy new Fender Bahhh must justify my new Fender is better than anything that costs less Bahhh!"

[@Kacee2]

Yep. I'm about to turn 72 and I have seen guitars get better and better over the ages. I own 15 guitars and some are very high priced but you can do just as well with a Harley Benton. There's dozens of great guitar makers nowadays.

[@terryoquinn8199]

I’m waiting on my HB-35 plus to come in now . I ordered it in November and it will be here in the next two weeks , I can’t wait ! I’m also waiting for my Gibson Trad Pro V to arrive on 1/6/25 , I hope it’s a keeper too . But , there’s a huge difference in price . The HB was $219 and the Trad Pro was $2299 on sale . There’s your 10 X better deal !

[@menschlicheswesen84]

​@@terryoquinn8199 I too wait for a harley benton custom 3 fr and i know it will be a good guitar... Because harley benton is a unique case imo... Other companies have very thin marges and if thier model's flop and don't get sold enough, it can hit them hard and it often is the end of the brand... Behind harley benton however stand's Thomann, the world's biggest distributor for musical instrument's so they are able to spec a guitar with everything i want in a guitar for a price that is just unbeatable... Dont talking about the real cheap model's, i mean thier high end import's from indonesia... The only thing this guitar doesn't have is mahagony, it's a meranti body and neck wich is also called phillipian mahagony so that's an alternative... Otherwise, everything else is spec'd like a 800-1000€ guitar and i get it for 499€... Yes, it's a stupid name and HB's doesn't really have any resale value but the price and look is plain and simple unmatched... It's my 2nd HB and i think about buying the amarok baritone too...🤘🏻

[@TractorMonkeywithJL]

I just turned 72. My first guitar I got for Christmas in 1969 was a steaming pile of crap from Sears. $89 dollars in 1969 adjusted for inflation would be over $600 now. I recently bought an LTD EC-256 on sale for $425 that is an amazing guitar for the money. Quality vs price has really increased in the last few years.

[@lesbois53]

@@Kacee2 I have a 550 Paradise Flame and a 450 lemon drop. Both amazing guitars. Now my go to guitars for gigs. The higher end ones stay at home now.

[@Sammywhat]

"Wait, that was the wrong key..." said no jazz player ever. 😂

[@ToneJunkieTV]

lol😂

[@taylorclayton3402]

**Disclaimer: I have numerous $3K++ guitars** I recently decided to do a GuitarFetish guitar build… even used their GFS pickups. I really didn’t expect much… it was more for the fun of it. It has become the guitar I reach for most of the time!! Sounds and plays amazing!! It really is “the golden age” for guitar players!

[@amosnance]

I have a few guitars over $1500.00, I know that's not much compared to some but my favorite guitars are between $500.00 and $750.00. I own a guitar fetish Les Paul style which was on sale foe $250.00 and there's not a flaw I can find and the fret work was great and perfectly intonation. I did add a bone nut and Rotomatic tuners.

[@shred5]

I have a couple $3k acoustics that I love and are worth every penny. One of them is my favorite acoustic ever. I have another that might be worth half that which I like a lot too. I have one electric that I paid almost $3k for plus replacing squealing pickups. It’s a 81 LP Custom, the neck shape fits my hand well and I like the flat wide frets and the neck is straight so it’s kind of a niche thing. Then I have a US Fender which is alright and a $400 80s Charvel which I might like better (it got replacement pickups too so I guess a $700 guitar). My Les Paul has freakishly low action but the Charvel plays better than most

[@hanovergreen4091]

I bought a guitar with GFS Mean 90’s in it. Ended up replacing most of the humbuckers I had with those pickups. I fell in love with them as they had everything you wanted in a pickup and none of the compression/sizzle of a HB. Best Regards and Best Wishes!

[@kevinmackfurniture]

I recently purchased a Harley Benton JA25TH offset guitar. It's a special edition with lots of quality upgrades. P90's, Locking tuners, stainless steel frets, block inlays, Alder body , roasted flamed maple neck... It's a phenomenal guitar regardless of price... Which was @$300 with a gig bag. Looks great, sounds great, stays in tune.

[@emelle1283]

no theyre not that good - they are mid level - so-so - but the hype is all a massive marketing campaign.

[@superlead1002]

If you look at the first number on the serial number of your Tokai it will tell you if it's an 82' or 84'. If it's a 2 it's an 82 I'm guessing you have an LS80 or 100, possibly a 120?. Also, Tokai has been making their own guitars since the beginning in Hamamatsu Japan (Tokai Gakki), they weren't made by FugiGen. In fact, there are some Greco's (FugiGen) out there that were made by Tokai. In addition to their own instruments, Tokai would also take overflow from some other builders such as Dyna Gakki who was making guitars for Fender in the early 80's while Fender was building its new factory. There are MIJ Fenders that were built by Tokai, Burny's, and Greco's as well. The pickups should have the "DiMarzio" name stamped on the bottom of the plate...It doesn't make sense to me that DiMarzio would allow them to say the pickups are DiMarzio if they really aren't (unless they were "designed" by DiMarzio, but I'm not convinced of that either). However, I'm no expert, but many of the early Tokai pickups were Goto unless designated as DiMarzio.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Thanks for that! According to the serial it’s a 1981 and according to receipt I have it’s an LS 120. I’m looking over where I bought it and I’m not seeing the dimarzio thing but I swear I didn’t make that up and thought I read it about this guitar… Edit: Ok I found it, the LS-120 and I think the Ls 150 models were advertised as having Dimarzio pickups but there is a discussion about weather those were actual dimarzios shipped on or if they made them to dimarzio spec.

[@lesbois53]

@@superlead1002 I bought several Tokai Springy and Goldstar sound Strats when they first came out. They blew Fenders away! I still use the Goldstar 55 with a V neck for gigs.

[@jburdsinfuse]

I bought a 1982 Tubescreamer with the "chip" that makes magic (about 5 years ago). Half way through the first gig, it went out. Now it's on a shelf in my office and my Fractal VP4 is my "vintage" TS. The only vintage gear I'll ever have are the guitars that I own long enough to get the title. Vintage gear is overrated...especially when you can get a custom shop relic job

[@ph6376]

I've picked up six new guitars over the past three years, each between $400 - $600. Each one of them is superb. Epiphone, Yamaha, Sire, G&L, and Fender are all making brilliant axes under a grand. Unless you're a collector, or just don't care about cost, there's literally no reason to shop Gibson or American-made Fenders.

[@TractorMonkeywithJL]

I'm 72 years old and I can tell you that entry level priced guitars are made way better now days.

[@waitaminute7257]

Yep I remember those garbage guitars we had back in the 70s that were made for the "affordable market". Super high actions, shit wood, lousy sound. Modern low price or "entry level" guitars are now very playable, good sounding and use decent woods.

[@DaleC-o2j]

The market has flipped. The young guy here, doesn’t remember those days. Starter guitars are way better now, but the more expensive guitars are not. Fender does make some good ones, but today’s Gibsons for instance, are awful. They look good on the wall, but they do not play like the vintage ones. And I remember when they weren’t vintage. They played great back then too. I’m starting to wonder if anyone knows how to do a fret dressing anymore. Not just my random opinion. I know someone that worked at the Gibson custom shop. $ over craft.

[@JAL-cc8jd]

I’ve been playing guitar since 1975. I would say guitars today are better than anything I had back then, although as a kid I didn’t have expensive guitars. But in the mid 80’s, I had a made in Japan Squier Strat that was killer. I didn’t buy many guitars for years but got back into collecting heavily last year. I bought 9 new Gibson USA guitars last year (6 LP’s and 3 SG’s) and they are all fantastic guitars. Also got a great Heritage H-150 Standard, 4 Eastman SB59’s, an SB55/v, and a T484, a couple Gretsch’s made in China, a Schecter PT Fastback IIB, 5 Michael Kelly’s, a Vintage V100, a Danelectro Fifty Niner DC, a couple of Tease guitars, and even a couple Leo Jaymz. I love all of them and I think they are all great in their own way, but I’ve also done some upgrades on most if not all of them. I don’t think you have to spend big money for a great guitar nor do I think vintage stuff is better than new. I say buy what you want and can afford that really inspires you to play. If you buy an expensive guitar and then never touch it for fear of damaging it or buy a guitar simply with resale value or investment potential in mind, then you are likely buying the wrong guitar. I buy each guitar as if it might be the only one I can have because someday it might be my only one. 😊

[@MuscleCarLover]

The thing with Harley Benton is that their profit margins are pretty much nil, so you're pretty much getting them at cost. So I think that we still need to take currency inflation into it, walk into a store and ask to play their best Gibson USA ES and A B test it to your Trini Lopez. I think the single biggest difference that makes today's guitars better is that they're more consistent. Not perfectly consistent, but much more consistent than in the 50s and 60s as pretty much every guitar made today are made with the help of a CNC machine. Almost all pickups are wound to a spec and not just eyeballing the wind counter and stopping it manually. PCB electronics are built to a spec and not just dependent on whoever was soldering it up that particular day

[@actie-reactie]

A company with nil margine doesnt exist for long....they make enough.... I think including shipping a HB costs around 50 tot 75 euro....

[@MuscleCarLover]

@actie-reactie Last I checked, HB are owned by Thomann, so they can afford to have HB as a loss leader

[@actie-reactie]

@@MuscleCarLover yes , made in China and indonesia, low wages, low material costs, made en mass and bulk transport.....

[@timwoodruff]

I own a $220 Yamaha Pacifica that I absolutely love and it plays and sounds better to my ears than many Fenders that I've tried. I also have a fantastic Epiphone 339 Pro that is just amazing sounding and playing. I think the returns on more expensive guitars are diminishing for me. If it sounds good, feels good, and looks good, I'll play it cause it is good.

[@tatoprsse]

I bought a Harley fusion 3yrs ago. I have expensive guitars but there something about that guitar that I can't put down. It is well made. I saw three video of you picking up that Harley lol. You must like it. The guitar world is changing. Wish they had these growing up. Harley is killing the game. By the way my fusion guitar with your matchless captures for tonex, bro killer🤙🏽

[@AndrewAHayes]

I bought the Fusion T 25th as well as the traditional telecaster 25th, I have many HB guitars but I love the Fusion T, it has rolled fretboard edges, stainless frets, locking tuners with staggered stems, the Wilkinson vibrato bridge stays in tune no matter how I wiggle that stick although it doesn't have the springs on the intonation screws and so you have to manually move them and then screw them into position, but its only once, the Tesla pickups are very versatile and don't have so much drop in volume as others when split. The one thing I love about my HB guitars is that quality is really up there, I cant say the same about the Gibsons I have ordered.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Jon 2 has a fusion (I think that’s what it is) we looked at it on an episode of Guitar Friends and it was shockingly good. Usually I stay away from import terms but wow, that one works

[@LHB57]

I played the frets right off my HB. They're good guitars for the money. It was only an sc400 but it was still a good modding platform. I swapped out every part except for the frets and it was awesome. Grove machine heads, graph tech everything, blackout pups, strap locks and new bridge and tailpiece. I had the parts form another project so why not. IT was a blast.

[@AndrewAHayes]

@@LHB57 The stock guitars are pretty good but modding them with better quality parts can deliver you an awesome guitar, on one of mine I changed out just the pots and wiring first and it was so good I decided to leave it at that, I was amazed how just those two things made such a difference. Before changing anything though I have a good fiddle with my EQ pedal, sometimes just boosting a few frequencies or dropping others was all that was needed.

[@taz3672]

It's all in our heads. We see a vintage guitar and say "mojo". I have heard the boomers say "It's only a Les Paul if it says Gibson, or Stratocaster if it says Fender". I call BS. I am 52 and have been playing guitar for 39 years. I have owned very expensive and low cost guitars over the years. If the guitar is built correctly and you give it a good set up, it will play, sound and feel good. I modify all my guitars. Whether it's a pickup swap to a total gut and install all new and upgrade stuff, all my guitars sound, play and feel amazing. I have even reshaped necks and re-radius fret boards to get the feel that I want. I would rather purchase a lost cost instrument and make it to what I want. I have a 1975 Aria Les Paul custom copy with a bolt on neck and the body is made of birch plywood. It sounds awesome after the upgrades. The neck is Ibanez wizard I thin and I love it. I also have a 1976 Ibanez and a 1977 Aria Pro II Les Paul custom copy guitars and they are set in neck and play, feel and sound awesome. All three look exactly like a Gibson Les Paul custom. The word vintage does not matter anymore and made in America does not matter anymore. My dad would look at a car and say "they don't built them like they used too". I would say thank god they don't. You'd buy a new car in the 60's 70's and 80's and you would have huge rust spots within a year of purchase. Engines and transmissions would only last 50,000 miles. So when it comes to manufacturing anything, the times are getting better. Especially for musical instruments!

[@chucklee347]

Today there would be an awful lot or rear end damage. I wonder how we were able to stop them lead tanks with just disk brakes. And not to mention power steering my granddad's 66 Dodge pickup. 3 speed on the column I remember the steering wheel was the size of a satellite dish so you could turn the beast. 😮

[@robertstan2349]

'it's all in the head' well music comes from the subconscious, which isn't rational and believes literally in all sorts of things that aren't logical. i wouldn't go trying to blow holes in 'mojo' and similar things. the magic and mystique needs to remain; otherwise imho you run the chances of gimping that thing inside which creates the art.

[@amosnance]

I'm a boomer and I agree with you.

[@CentaurusRelax314]

Much of is is true, and yet you still ignore much. You’re essentially reflecting your personal perspective and not recognizing valid alternative perspectives. Yep, guitars without the Gibson or a fender logos can sound and play fantastically. Pretty sure no one has ever (creditably) disputed that. But, a grasp of the quantitative aspects of a product isn’t a grasp of the entire matter. Psychology is a thing. And it’s the reason why you have your particular opinions. “Mojo” is a thing, despite a silly name and an inexplicable, undefinable concept. Character is a thing. Originality is a thing. There’s a reason why so many companies are almost entirely founded on copies of Gibson and Fender. Ignoring the brand and design equity those companies established, built, developed, and paid for for 60 years is not virtuous. It’s just peculiar to this specific industry. Imagine saying you want a Porsche 911, so you’re going to buy a Barkley 911, a 95% copy. That would be as cheesy as buying ‘smell-alike’ cologne at the drugstore…. I have a Gibson Les Paul Standard. More recently, I bought a PRS SE 594 and swapped the pickups to Bare Knuckles. This PRS plays a little better/easier than the Gibson, sounds nearly identical. I never play the PRS. The Gibson just has ‘character.’ There are ‘feels’ attached to it. Yes, that’s personal psychology and everyone has their own. Even when they deny the importance of mojo, character, and psychology.

[@1thess523]

My son and I have two Grecos, His is a 1979 RG700 with original U1000 PAF pick ups and it feels and sounds really good, we split a 1980's Greco SG Standard and put some Geppetto The Camelot PAF pick ups in there and man it feels and sounds better than a lot of the actual Gibsons we get to try at our local shop. I also have an Epiphone Les Paul Standard from 2008 which feels really good in the hands and has really good resonance unplugged, I gutted the electronics and put CTS pots, orange drop cap and a DiMarzio Super Distortion Bridge and bingo! I also have a Fender Squire Classic Vibe 50's Tele that I did the same with the electronics and added a Fender Tex-Mex bridge and bingo bingo it plays and sounds better that a lot of Mexican and American Fenders we get to play at that same shop. Years ago my son and I started picking guitars based on how they felt no matter the name and then upgraded, My sons very first guitar when he started playing at Church about 10yrs ago was a very inexpensive SX Les Paul Custom I found at a pawnshop for $150 . It felt really good and noticed it had a lot of resonance before I even plugged it in, We got it set up and even with the stock pick ups and tone pots it was decent, we learned how to solder and later switched out the electronics and added some Duncan 59's and ot came to life amd he still has it today. My son also plays Eastman 335 , G&L Asat , and a Squire Classic Vibe J. Mascis Jazzmaster and all feel and sound fantastic 👍. I do the same with my bass guitars.

[@pedroleal7118]

Hello ! Interesting subject !Let me give you an example . I'm a Aria Pro II guy (they also made great 'Les Paul' type guitars). I have an old model (RSX 70 , end 70's/ beggining 80's), it's equipped with 'Protomatic III's ' pu's, originally 'voiced' for George Lynch, as he was an early endorser, (don't think it went very far) & Yngwe too ! The thing is, they look and sound a lot like the 'SD-300 Di Marzios', and very close to the late Seymour Duncans 'Screemin' Demons'. How many people do you hear mentioning them ? Yet, they were ahead of the PU's game, people just looked down on them, because they were 'made in Japan' ! Oh and the build quality of these instruments was way above what was available at that time, for the same price ! Still plays like a charm and has lots of 'bells and whistles' that would became the norm later (out of phase, parallel/series, etc, etc). Sometimes , people are obsessed with brands and eras, usually missing the point, ending up paying way to much, for something they can get for much less .Take care!

[@mr1bienvenu1]

I 100% agree with this title ! There is a very unrealistic romance with many things made in the past. I'm 65 and I remember when you could barley get 75k miles out of a car and guitars were hand made which made them very inconsistent. Many of the lower priced Fenders are as well made or better than ones built in the 50's up to the 80's. That's not my opinion, that a fact. CNC machining has made bodies and necks much more precise.

[@lesbois53]

I was in Puerto Rico when the Trini Lopez guitars came out way back. At “ only “ 350 dollars, I still could not afford one! I was in the Navy at the time. There was a green one in a guitar store window in San Juan. How I lusted after that, but alas, no dice for me! I think Lopez’s “La Bamba” was top of the charts at the time.

[@viper2148]

I started playing electric at about 15 years old, in the mid-seventies and we knew that Gibson and Fender were pumping out crap. That's when Ibanez and Tokai took off. My first guitar electric was a new Tele, but my friend's Ibanez LP just blew it way.

[@dougan4348]

It’s weird to see the “Teslas and Tacos” podcast guy become a guitar KZbinr.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

😂 We are hopefully filming on Monday.

[@indiedavecomix3882]

Woo hoo! I'm glad I got you thinking about the topic for a video! I think you totally got the point I was trying to make and made it much more clearly than I did. 😁

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Thanks you!!

[@shan5445]

Narcissist

[@indiedavecomix3882]

@@shan5445 It's not narcissism if the world actually does revolve around me. 😛

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

Love how you do the face expressions to go with the playing of the guitar. Subbed.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Thanks for the sub! You’re actually the first comment I can remember that has brought it up positively. 😂 thanks! Most of the time it’s… “OMG, your faces are so cringe!”

[@RoomAtTheTopStudio]

@@ToneJunkieTV If it's good enough for BB King...

[@mike_benn]

Just about anything made 60+ years ago can be made better with more precision today. The price when you buy vintage is essentially because you are buying "art" or a "museum piece" with a finite supply. That being said they are cool as hell, so if that's what you're into rock on.

[@SamHollidayV]

I consider anything played on the bridge with more than two chords jazz. Great video :)

[@ToneJunkieTV]

You're definitely not wrong!

[@angelobranford1029]

It's always down to the playing; how the left hand feels. You can always switch out stuff if you want.

[@ryanchristophernunes5005]

Thanks - always love your videos. Share the link to the guitar please.

[@JesseLBK]

The Harley Benton SC550II is my work horse. I've played Gibson's but I can never find a way to justify the price. I can put a Gibson wiring harness and humbuckers into a Harley Benton for under $1000.

[@johnmcelhaney8490]

Really cool video. This is great man, and well thought out. I haven't had the luxury of a true vintage instrument, maybe my 82 LP Custom. But I agree this 2000s SG standard I got is a fine guitar. There is something about getting a "good one" that connects to you. The ones I play and dislike, I imagine are perfect for someone else. They are almost like personalities. Great inspiring video man!

[@michaelgreer4790]

Great take. Loved the show. Subscribed!

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Thanks dude!

[@adriankurt1872]

Sorry to correct you on the matter about inflation. Yes adjusted for inflation Gibson still sells them pretty much for the same buck as always. But you also have to adjust for buying power which is not that easy. And if you adjust for buying power you can clearly see that the dollar in the good old days just bought more of anything. in 1959 the "minimum wage" was about 2,50$ an hour now its some idk 7-9$. But if you'd adjust for inflation and buying power it would have to be somewhere around 45$ per hour. Now imagine if an average joe was paid 45$ an hour instead of 7 or even 9$ then you can imagine that buying for instance a Les Paul would be much easier and much more affordable. Instead it takes like 4 times the time in saving the cash then it did in 1959. I am sure some guys will correct me on the exact rates but its not that easy coming from germany to know everything about the dollar. still my argument is standing ;-)

[@ToneJunkieTV]

I agree with you, that’s why I mentioned you can take issue with the items being removed from the inflation calculation over the decades like the way they have removed housing, food etc. if you don’t remove those things the inflation rate is higher and the conversion to inflation adjusted prices in the past changes.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Regarding the rate, in the late 50s the federal minimum wage was $1 an hour today that’s about $9.50. Some states have much higher minimum wages of $15 and a few cities have $20-$25 minimum wages today.

[@pauld1568]

Yeah real inflation should be measured by the disparity between the minimum wage and a basket of goods, not past and present prices.

[@maidenthe80sla]

Finally someone gets the entire picture about this! A key point you mentioned is that the purchasing power is not the same as it was 50 or more years ago. Today, one has to weigh in the extra expenses that were not around back in the 1970s: internet providers with regular fee increases when the contract is renewed, streaming services, mobile phone plans, new phones bought every few years, replacement of small & large household appliances that work only for a few years, and so forth. These items are marked up higher than what their true value certainly is.

[@spiritnone2818]

Why pick the minimum wage? Why not average wage? This is just ridiculous.

[@jr0706]

A brand new 335 is $3600 for the standard model today. They do have a dot version for $2999. That means that $350 in 1958. I would feel it out of reach for me today as $3000 is.

[@claudehopper9813]

As a long time guitarist i somewhat agree with your premise . I watch with amusement as player scramble around for old instruments . For example in the 70's the foreign market started flooding America with inexpensive instruments ( largely due to cheaper labor ) . To keep up major American brands started lowering their standards . Good example would be Fender going to a 3 bolt neck and bullet truss rods . I agree the new guitars are probably better with intonation , accuracy in neck shaping , electronics . Vintage nostalgia is real , but i recently bought a Fender MIM Telecaster (52 ri) it plays like butter with a great neck and has the Telecaster twang we all love . I wouldn't say 10 x better but nearly equal to vintage .

[@MrTheoden3d]

Its a very good video and brilliant thougts. Common sense in a world that is crazy only thinking in the inmediate, the next new thing... but we are not thinking slowly anymore. We are losing details, clues, keys, that can explain us a lot of things and give us a real context. Thanks HW for this video. WE NEED MORE THAT THIS VIDEOS. WE NEED THE OLD SLOW WAY OF THINKING... with a good guitar, a beers and if it can be... a some friends to talk a large afternoon...

[@montyellingsworth4982]

I haven't been able to save up enough for a Harley Benton but I did manage to get a Firefly last year. I did upgrade the pick ups and I upgraded the bridge and I upgraded the pots and shielded the cavity's. It's very good. If I could complain the neck might be to modern.. to thin perhaps. Not sure but the thing is a dream. One day I will have a decent Hardley Benton

[@joshscott3271]

I like that insight you found regarding those points. For those that worship Provenance then infeed their idols might send an emotion through the cosmos for them to drink on, or their cork sniffing bussies might lift them on the shoulders of a giant that they might appear big. But as you said, when it's all said and done, "all we want is something that looks good, plays good, and stays in tune". And that is where we first fell in love with the guitar, the emotion and melody, not the name stamped on any of them.

[@mortonwilson795]

Interesting debate / discussion - will most likely go on forever and that's fine. I started playing in my teens, worked for the biggest music shop in town (Wellington, NZ) in the early '70's while putting my band together and those formative years taught me some stuff. One revelation was the disparity in (a) sound, and (b), quality amongst some of the Gibson & Fender guitars coming thru the shop. Some needed to be sent back - a bit of truss rod and set-up work did not address the banana neck or whatever. Around that time a friend gave me a 1957 Hofner Club and I also bought a '68 Les Paul Custom from a friend for USD 500 (equivalent). Still have both and record with them. I picked up a couple of other guitars early in my career - 1980 Roland FGN Strat that came with the GR300 Guitar Synth (free - I demoed it for Roland) and then in 1992 a couple of top drawer guitars from Roger Sadowsky in NY - his Electric Nylon and NYC S Style HSH (both @ USD 3K). So those are my 'vintish' tools of the trade. In the last few years I have jumped back into the market and bought some new stuff some priceyish - 2020 Duesenberg Starplayer, 2019 Japanese Grestch Players Solid Body but, more to the point, some 'budget' stuff. Epiphone Casino, 1958 Gibson hybrid, Canrell 'Wino' and an oldish DC Custom - all around the USD 1K mark and all for modding. The actual guitars are all great - bodywork, necks, fretboards are fine - it's easy to tell by just playing them acoustically that they 'have bones'. Same with the PRS SE 24-08 I bought - very handy piece of work! I have started modding the Epis - Lollar P90s into the Casino and some Monty's & Bare Knuckles on the way for the others, so for the extra few hundred I will have my owned 'tailored' studio instruments. I have played dozens of Gibson Mainline, Custom Shop & Murphy Labs here in the flagship store (often side by side with their Epiphone equivalents) and there are some absolute beauties but there are also some I would be embarrassed to hand over to a prospective buyer if I were still a salesman. Some of the prices might make someone with a gentler disposition than me actually blush 🥵 Long story short - IMHO there are no rules or 'constants' when it comes to guitars . . . old or new for me it simply comes down to sitting down and playing the thing and seeing if it feels right as is, or could maybe do with new pick-ups or wiring rig (particularly true for Epis from China & SE's from Indonesia). Vive la difference and play on! 😅

[@mr8ty8]

I got the best of both worlds. A modern day Les Paul, Stratocaster and p90 Jazzmaster from a brand named Vintage ™ 😊 A great comparison video would be the Trini Lopez versus Harley Benton HB35. They are really cheap too.

[@leedoss6905]

Huge difference in the old cheap guitars long ago and now. Back then they were wall hangers for decoration. Some were so bad you would cut your fingers off before you could make a note. I had no idea what a good guitar was supposed to feel like until I picked up an old vox and saw what an action should be like.

[@jeltoninc.8542]

I can’t take anything named “Harley Benton” seriously, I’m sorry. Your Tokai is sick af though. I have a late 90s Tokai SG that shreds.

[@menschlicheswesen84]

Yes, the name sucks but for the money the spec's are amazing...

[@jeltoninc.8542]

Sometimes the name alone is enough to keep me away.

[@thecalv10]

HW, you have to try a Jet JS-400. They are very suhr like in what they try to be, and they are great. I got mine for $200, and the roasted maple neck is amazing. Pickups are not the best I’ve heard, but they are usable for sure. Hardware is decent as well. Great guitar for the price, and just a solid guitar in general. Play it just as much as my LP custom and high end tele.

[@lostinthemasses]

Danelectros were manufactured well, just because the materials weren't top-notch doesn't mean they haven't stood the test of time.

[@ph.mountain]

Have a Epiphone SG bought it new for 200 dollars. Sound good some tiny buzz on a few places on the fretboard but a really great guitar.

[@KenTeel]

Fun stuff. Good video, good subject. As artists, we are particularly subject to imagry and imagination. This is how we create things, but it also can cause us to distort reality. Combine this with a need for status, and to some extent peer approval (especailly when we are young.) And you have the recipe for the some of the enthusiasm for vintage guitars, amps, etc. There is a lot of imagined stuff involved in the aesthetics of vintage stuff. You gave your viewers a well needed reality check on the real value of vintage guitars. To that I say, right on. There is nothing wrong with valuing a museum piece for its history. And, if there truly are better materials and workmanship in an older product, then those are valid features, when compared to new things. That said, the important thing is to be able to separate the hype, from what's real, in a vintage guitar. Of course with the labor market shifting radically from the 1950's to now, and the Chinese, Indonesian, Koreans, etc. learning how to made good guitar, using modern CNC technology, the whole economic, and technology of guitar making has changed. As you point out, it's has resulted in the economy guitars being gig worthy, and actually quite nice products. You've shined a light on the myth that all inexpensive guitars are just substandard (with some even calling them junk.) Good job. I really like this reality check. If people want to buy U.S. made products to support U.S. labor, then that's much more valid a reason to buy U.S. stuff, than the inaccurate calling of overseas products, substandard. Musicians can get into status seeking, and some have needs for identitying themselves with the brand names that they buy. The truth is that whether you're driving a school bus or a Ferrari, you're still you. You are not the brand name of your possessions. Seeking status through possessions works, but it's kind of phoney, when you really think about it. You are the sum of your values, attitudes and actions. No possesion is going to change that fact. Buying an expensive guitar to impress your friends work, but only until they figure out that you're not the brand name on your guitar. Sometimes it takes a person getting older, or just wiser to see that. Of course a craftsman needs decent tools, but they can be had for a very economical price now a days. Just keep things real. By the way, I liked your "fake jazz." Keep working on that. It sounded nice. Herb Ellis said: You can't play good jazz, if you can't play good blues. You definitely play good blues. So, your platform for working on more jazz stuff is right there, waiting for you. Thanks for the video, it was a fun watch. I really enjoyed it.

[@wierdlygruesome]

You know people love anything old is great soldier has a vintage tag on it. We talk about great vintage guitars. We’re talking about the best of the best of the best. Let’s say Gibson made 1500 less Paul in 1959 how many of those less falls are truly great I would venture to say somewhere between 100 and 150 and out of those I would say maybe 10 or 15 are outstanding truly incredible instruments now they would have to survive taking that into account. Just really good vintage instruments. Let’s say less Paul and 59 I bet 50 maybe that’s a kind estimate. What makes a great guitar great to me. Is the sound the action the neck if he’s got it and comfortable neck and that actually is easy to bend and the fields and sounds good that’s a great guitar no matter how much I spent for it. I bought a less Paul Junior. This is standard one for $1400 about three years ago. I picked it up played it first thing I noticed was wow this guitar really like then I noticed the neck was a little big but felt really good that could’ve been used to be a bit smaller in my opinion, but it felt really good all the same and the action was like butter. You could be real easily on it really nice and the sound sound just rang off the guitar like a bell. I played four or five other less Paul Junior Saturday, but that one that one was outstanding. Put the guitar back thought about it for about a month. Went back to the store and bought It. It is my favorite guitar that I own that is a truly outstanding instrument now when a guitar becomes vintage what I’m a long dead I think should be worth some money. Outstanding instruments are being made all the time. It’s just that you’re lucky to get one and 1000 and it’s just a lucky to draw. I’m lucky enough that I own two really awesome guitars one is a classic vibe telecaster that I’ll put up against any telecaster that’s how good that thing sounds. I do on the last call and it’s an awesome guitar feels great. Sounds great but stellar that’s a whole Nother level well that Paul is not stellar. It’s just very goodso my suggestion is try everything out and when you find a guitar that rocks your world buy it.

[@stanleyhache1626]

You could make a broomstick with a string sound great. A lot of players love the prestige of top brands or vintage guitars, but it seems that some of these new lower priced guitars are simply exquisite. Yes, I own several.

[@topherbarrow4631]

I have a Lotus circa 1983 LP style guitar that plays like a dream. All original hardware except for the 3 way switch.

[@mr8ty8]

I got a Harmony Les Paul from the 70ties. They where box store guitars and pretty cheap at the time. But the pick ups! Omg. Those humbuckers are just plain delicious. Why? Cause they are hand wound Gibson humbuckers but without the Gibson Logo on the base plate. Harmony bought Gibsons humbuckers in wholesale at the time.

[@66falcon99]

I sold all my "vintage" Gibson and Fender guitars, and replaced them with more modern Gibson, Fender, Anderson, and (vintage?) USA Hamer guitars. I have not looked back. I was once into classic cars, too. Restoring them, etc. No more. Like classic cars, vintage guitars were made in a time of lesser technology. Was the wood better for guitars back then? Maybe. But, the number of frets, fret wire, radius of fretboard, pickup technology, newer metals like titanium, wider fretboards, compound radius, etc. Even the guitar cases. All, overall, much better now than then, IMO.

[@ValiRossi]

I collect FujiGen guitars. I even have the actual FGN Expert Flame that was pictured on their website. It was in the states for the NAMM show some years ago.

[@Guitar_jd-w8x]

Thank you for this video. I just don't understand why people think guitar evolution stopped in 1964.

[@danielstryhanyn7278]

Great video. I like your statement at the end. "How would anyone be upset at this". I started playing guitar in the early 2000s. Trust me, the budget guitars today are way better. If it feels good and plays good. Then it is good.

[@mcflotty]

I have some very tasty PRS guitars. One is the Holy Grail to me. It's my 20th anniversary McCarty circa 2005 or 2006. Moon inlays BTW. I have custom made guitars and I do have a LP Standard of "The Good Wood Era" that I feel are superior guitars to most. I have more than one Core PRS and I do just think the construction of those guitars happen to be superior to most. That said, if I go to a guitar store, and want to try a pedal or an amp, and haven't brought one of my guitars (I typically do) I use a PRS SE. SE because almost nobody physically carries core models anymore where I live. They are unbelievable and it's hard for me to tell a difference from the core in terms of how the instrument sounds. I get what you're saying. I have an absolute example though. I have a Brian May off the shelf, stock guitar, and then a Brian May Super/Custom job. They sound just about the same as any two guitars could possibly sound compared to each other. The Super is a better made guitar. Just clearly better and more durable material, double the wood, double the weight, pickups hand wound, mostly original speck or whatever else and on and on. That said, the stock one doesn't go out of tune at all, ever, and sounds the same when, and if I'm trying to sound like Brian May. I'm just sure in terms of test of time, the Super wins because of the simple construction of it will outlast the regular one. But, before that happened I could probaby buy 4 of the others and have spent less lol. I really do think playing has mostly to do with the individual. Eddy used a piece of trash most of his career. By any standard the iconic guitar would be just a thrown together thing with a good pikup from a Gibson in it I think. I'd love a 59 LP because there has been such a romance built around it, but everything I ever play that's supposed to sound like it (other than 20th anniversary. PRS) sounds thin and too single coil for my taste. I wonder if people get (I do without question) cought up in the hype. If a 59 LP sounds like a Strat without the hum, I don't want it. If it sounds like my PRS that I've been yammering about, I already have it. I appreciate your post, and am sorry for the rant if you actually read these responses. I can play an inexpensive guitar all night and sound quite good as can many. There shouldn't be threshold to what's considered a great guitar. Noody listening cares what it is anyway. They just care how you sound. I really appreciate the post. PRS RULES LOL. Have a great night and thank you for the 3rd time:).

[@austinfreeman5768]

I got a buddy that deals in vintage Gibs. Sales to the stars. I’ve yet to play a vintage LP I like as much as my brand spanking new one.

[@rosewoodsteel6656]

I've played pre-war Martins, 900 Series Taylors and various Collings guitars. Although they were okay instruments, none of them compare to my brand-new Esteban.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

😂

[@niklev8465]

To get an accurate comparison between the Harley Benton and a Gibson you can't just compare the prices. You must take into account how much a guy is paid per hour in China and in the US. How much the Benton would cost if it was made in the US ? Probably not far from the price of a Gibson.

[@voyxu143]

Yes 100%. We are in the "Golden Age" of guitars right now. Good vid man.

[@nonobrochacho240]

I think what you’re noticing is this… CNC has been perfected and it has made manufacturing perfect. Harley Benton has used this to crack the code of high quality and low cost manufacturing. I would also wager new name brand guitars are of equal quality. Tolerances should be nearly perfect today for every guitar. Where the difference comes in will be wood choice, electronics, fit and finish at the end. That’s about it. Harley Benton’s are really cool. I just ordered 3 of them, they’re kind of incredible value.

[@actie-reactie]

From the harley bentons I own I like the 550 ii and the cst hb 24 tobacco the most.

[@ashikabbasali1836]

Yes I agree I only buy brand new guitars intonation is great now love feedback on my original guitar compositions and artwork

[@vonster22]

old Gibson tolerances was =/- .017.....today stepper motor cnc is =/- .015 and servo cnc as good as =/- .005 which is what my cnc is....FYI this can vary depending on the cnc ...ballscrews/linear rails etc...

[@vonster22]

+/- plus or minus not =/- sorry for the typo

[@chrisb8193]

Sweet Jazz licks dude!👍 Wish I knew how to “pretend” like that to.😂

[@Chucksguitargeekery]

It kinda goes both ways. I think they have become a lot more consistent in modern times, which improves the odds of getting a pretty good guitar at a reasonable price. However, the inconsistency of the older guitars resulted in some of them ascending to a level of “magical,” but I also think there a ton of vintage duds too.

[@keiranbradley3238]

A 1980 Tokai LS-80/100 is on the list for 2025. Yours looks/sounds well tastey HR. Hello from Scotland!.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Hey dude!! Thanks for watching!! You’ll love the tokais!

[@keiranbradley3238]

@ToneJunkieTV Hello there!. My first "real" guitar was a 1979 Tokai Springy Sound '54 Strat replica, Man I wish I still had that old gem!., do yourself a favour and find a Galanti Grand Prix, total sleepers!. Peace.

[@ollielindsay]

That guitar is probably better than its contemporary Gibson’s.

[@csharp57]

I have a brand new gold top with p90s that would laugh at your ignorance. It’s cool though, I thought the same as you. Then I truly understand those who don’t own these guitars make these wild comments. I own Epiphones and Chinese knockoffs, even Harley Bentons and they don’t come close man.

[@csharp57]

Even the case my GT came in is worlds better.

[@andrewbowen6875]

Arguably it would take a whole lot of saving up back then to buy such a guitar. Very interesting video

[@LexJones207]

The ES line is older than the Les Paul. The ES-100 was first released in the 1930s.

[@5150show]

I blame the Beano album 😂

[@garyeckel1656]

I bought a brand new LP M2M and hated it, got a used 2019 early murphy lap for $400 less and love it, have a white Cheap Jackson JS12 and love it ripping out VanHalen crap..its all about the Heart and having fun.

[@Ray-Angel]

I'm old. So, in my head, if it says Gibson or Fender on the headstock, it's as good as a guitar gets. So that's what I play. However, you're right. There are plenty of quality guitars on the market these days that sound and play, as well as any of my USA made guitars. The only thing they lack is a nitro finish. Which is just my personal preference.

[@TropicalLatitude]

Years ago we couldn't see the latest, greatest on the Web, then have guitars shipped to us. Guitars could ONLY be seen in shops. Whatever the local store had was our universe of guitars, limited as it was. There weren't any guitar techs and no DIY tutorials so we played with godawful factory setup for life.

[@garycrant4511]

Been playing guitar since the early 1970s. Recent Korean D'Angelicos are the most consistent high quality I've ever enjoyed owning. Even if they overdo the gold and bling, which is a bit too much for my minimalist tastes.

[@charlesrocks]

lol…I buy old beat up Les Paul Customs, refret em with extra jumbo frets, rip out PAFs, replace em with EMGs, and install Evertune bridges in em. If there’s a neck repair or if we need to replace the truss rod then I do that during the refret. For $2,500 you can get yourself a non trash totally good to go vintage guitar with a modern touch.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Where are you buying Les Paul Customs with PAFs for under $2500? I’ll take all of them at that price!!

[@AdamTheGuitarist]

So here is the thing - good setup will make or break a guitar anyway. And its much cheaper to buy cheaper guitar and pay for proper setup than it is to buy an expensive guitar and pay for proper setup... Another thing is that like it or not machines are better and more consistent at making guitars than people. They just are. They are much more precise, faster and they do not have bad days or memory issues etc.

[@davidcorsi4665]

What you are speaking about is the time value of money and compound interest.

[@georgeabramson3088]

You are incorrect about Gibson ES-300 series guitars prices corresponding to their model numbers. This may have been true in the 1930s and early 40s when models like the J35, J45, and Super 400 did have prices correlated to their model numbers. The first ES-335 guitars, introduced in 1958, listed for $267.50. The ES-355 listed for $550 (mono) and $600 (stereo) when it was introduced in 1959.

[@deshawn4077]

I’ve played 60’s, 50”s, and 70”s Gibson and Fenders. Most were good. Some were not good. Played a 50”s tele and it was nice. These guitars are old and parts degrade. How is it and taken care of? I do think recent lower end, mid range guitars are a lot better than same level from before.

[@Sunspot-19]

When that guitar was 375, what would your income have been? Cost prohibitive... Looking back at a time when the brand was the luthier, himself, they were very particular about their works. After going production, things changed and tolerance for impeccable detail was reduced. On the topic of the Gibson in the background, that guitar is a family member with which you have had great history with. Very cool, full of soul! The HB, an affordable guitar that is a new family member, beginning on that road of history and building soul. Well, if people can ditch the elitism and ego.

[@chrisburnett9618]

Ah!!! The endless: my $300 Harley Benton is just as good or better than your $3,000 Gibson debate. Time and technology make everything better. The cheapest Hyundai or Kia you can buy today is a better, safer, more reliable car than the most expensive 1958 Cadillac when it was new. Manufacturing processes are exponentially better today than they were 50 or 60 years ago. Harley Benton is leveraging those 60 years of manufacturing know-how in ways that the cheap catalog guitars of the 1960s never could. All that said, music is all about prominence and romance. It's fueled by dreams and fantasies. Therefore, it's impossible to take the romance out of vintage guitars because that's what they are built upon. Fender and Gibson are what they are because they were the rocket ships that took our dreams to the moon. But at the end of the day, what matters is the Indian not the arrow. You're obviously a very good guitar player so you're going to make any guitar you play sound great. If Keith Richards got up on stage tomorrow night playing a Harley Benton then I just might go out and buy one. But for some reason he keeps playing Fenders and Gibsons, so I might as well too.

[@keiranbradley3238]

I think the skinny on the Dimarzio PAF's was that they ran out of them pretty quickly so put their own pups in instead?. That is what word round the camp-fire is anyway.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

That sounds logical, I should open them up but honestly I kind of like not knowing 😂 I just enjoy the guitar and know how it sounds and… I’m into it!!

[@GregPentecost]

Same price, fan quality, 60 years apart! As I’ve been saying for a decade: we live in the golden age of guitars.

[@skullheadwater9839]

M favorite pickup I own is my late 60's T-Top, my second favorites are 70' Japanese PAF copies. I have never owned real PAF's or a myriad of the boutique an even SD pickups. It is also hard to judge posthumously so did the SD's in my 80's Pacer sound better than my T-Top? Not sure at this point is apples to oranges.

[@henninghesse9910]

Whilst I think you are right about the quality of modern guitars I would say that a 3, 2 or 1 piece body is less stable as any pancake or 8 piece from the 70 ties.There is a good reason why plywood took over in the furniture making industry.

[@TerrEduarDan]

If it’s (A) useful (B) well-put together (C) comfortable D) reasonably priced (E) inspires to play, then it’s a good guitar.

[@ilyasnamozov2914]

Too difficult. Better to order a luthier-built guitar and be happy.

[@JamesPetroff]

Isn't Gibson selling at the "same price" as in 1955, but the CNC machines have made it much easier to make? So they are selling at hand-made prices and pocketing the difference? The Les Paul is really a $1,000 guitar, not $2900.

[@zeljkomihalic55]

I tend to agree. Sometimes we usually "mistake" the feel for quality. I love guitars with a story, I have them myself - honestly, those are not better then modern guitars worth cca 500€, owning both I feel confident stating so. Most of my vintage guitars now sound killer after they have been modernized, upgraded, refreted...the same what would happen to 300 HB as well (new frets, capacitors, pots, pickups).... just my 2 cents. Collectors value aside, I am talking about playability/tone etc...

[@orlock20]

Here are two issues with vintage pickups, especially pickups used by Gibson. There was no quality control on the number of windings in a pickup and magnets fade in time. So it's not the '57 pickups, it's the '57 pickups you heard.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

I didn’t mean 57 PAFs I meant, the current production Gibson pickups called “57 classics” Their custom buckers and burst bucket pups sound much better to me.

[@guitarrantsandstuff]

Is that a Thomas Organ Vox that I see over under your guitars on the wall?

[@ToneJunkieTV]

@@guitarrantsandstuff Yeah that’s the all tube Cambridge reverb combo that they made for 1 year before turning it into a solid state model. Good eye!!

[@guitarrantsandstuff]

@@ToneJunkieTV I have the tube pacemaker! They are great old amps! Great video! Also super cool Tokai! I have lived in Japan 3 different times in my life and alot of their copies of Les Pauls are really good.

[@stevemacdreamcolours]

Yes, on average, nowadays guitars (as well as any musical or sports equipment) are much better products than the vintage counterparts.

[@timothysegal3589]

I get what your saying, but for me there still is a big "yes but". I'm a bass player and for me a good 50 - early 70s fender P bass is still the best sounding bass there is and no modern bass can really copy the vintage mojo. That being said, I've owned about 7 vintage p basses not keeping any, because sadly all the ones I had were not great sadly. I do agree, that for a little money you can get amazing guitars. Harley Benton and Squier are a good example, but you have lots more.

[@csharp57]

I bought a Harley Benton the beginning of 2024 and I thought it was good enough to rival Gibson. I then bought two Epiphones and thought the same thing again. I just bought a Gibson Les Paul gold top…. None of those pretenders come close. Night and day difference. I honestly feel like owning those other guitars is just a waste now. I can only imagine what a true ES-355 must play and sound like.

[@JosephK.-ph7nr]

You are right. After owning several Epiphones and Harley Bentons over the years, I finally picked up a new Les Paul Classic, and it is not even close. I can't ever go back, lol.

[@SteveBruno1]

You make a lot of great points!

[@ToneJunkieTV]

I appreciate it!

[@lynoj777]

You are right about that. Tone is subjective but new guitars are better than vintage.

[@r1208]

I’ve never played a vintage guitar, so I don’t have a basis for comparison, but I would imagine this statement is probably true. I will say this though, the vintage style fender guitars, like the American Vintage and some custom shop guitars, are flawed by having the truss rod adjustment at the base of the neck. I don’t know why anyone would want this in the year 2025, but I see it as a major design flaw that never should have been implemented on a modern guitar.

[@keiranbradley3238]

The head stock adjustment looks like a after thought. The heel is much better, rarely do they need adjusting unless you're a touring musician.

[@hermanodejesus7264]

Tokai from the early 80's are killer axes.

[@srogers500]

I've been trying to get my hands on some vintage tone glue.

[@ToneJunkieTV]

Hahah

[@bxsoup]

You keep mentioning Lollar pickups , and they are pricey . Give Tonerider pickups a try and they will blow your mind 🤯 .

[@user-pl7lr5dn8q]

i bought a bacchus flying V CS black beauty build and it was so much better than my gibson CS that i generally got mad

[@blackout8845]

There is a big difference between Collectors value and intrinsic value, I see a lot of old (and quite sh!tty) copy guitars from the 70s and 80s going up in value because they are "vintage" instruments. Even tho they are just old guitars, there is nothing to them but their age. No musical value at all. But some of the Collectors don't buy to play, but to hang them on a wall, thats why these souvenirs go up in value. As a player we have to keep that in mind that not everybody buys an Instrument, some buy decoration.

[@bxsoup]

The Trini Lopez DOES NOT COST 10X as much ! The seller is ASKING FOR 10X as much ! A person can get something appraised at whatever price they want , BUT who cares what it’s worth/valued at if you can’t sell it to someone willing to buy it ? ! That is the scam of property tax on your home . They charge you more money in taxes if the value of the houses in the neighborhood goes up , BUT what does it matter the value of what you appraised it for IF I’M NOT SELLING IT ? 🤔

[@ToneJunkieTV]

You can look up completed listings on reverb… some have sold for quite a bit more than $13k. I’m being conservative based on the condition of mine.