Vintage VSA500 (£400) Vs Gibson Figured Series 335 (£3000)

YOU WILL LOVE THE END!! LOL
You can buy the Vintage VSA500 here and also chat to me online about any aspect of the video you have watched rguitars.co.uk...
I have lost count how many times I have tried to bring you this video!!!!
I have tried desperately hard to ensure I dont come across as a Gibson brand basher - and I am as 100% sincere - balanced - honest as you would ever expect me to be. So what you see is what you get and make up your own mind if it helps you. I certainly hope it does after all this effort.
All I really wanted to get across is just how much guitar you get for your money when buying a Vintage so if that comes across - great.
By the way - no awards for the best ending!!! LOL!! I ran out of memory on my memory card but everything that neede to be said had been said so ... what the hell - I ain't doing another one!!!
Hope you have had a nice day today? Sun shining and being stuck at home is all the more enjoyable with a bit of sun outside. If you are currently in isolation I hope my videos bring a little break to your day.
Thank you for your emails of support and requests for videos. I promise I will try and bring you "something" to watch each day and yes there are more tuitional videos coming up!

[@Ishootyoudotcom]

I own a Vintage V6 Icon and it's the best Strat I ever owned in 30 years as a musician. Especially for home recording studios this brand is absolutely phenomenal.

[@225amilllane]

I got one too. Really loved it from the 1st minute. Got a Vsa 500 too, great for blues/rock. Vintage make great guitars.

[@JohannDaart]

I think when a guitar's price tag is $3000, then we are allowed to look at it with scrutiny.

[@H_Oscarsson]

Totally agree and especially when it comes to Gibson that has proven to have really poor quality control at times.

[@jameshill2015]

Fender and many others seem to be cutting corners in quality control. Last year l purchased online a Fender Stratocaster Elite 2017, new leftover. It seems Gibson is catching a lot more grief than others..the strat l purchased l thought would be fine to order online being it is an Elite.. the very finest Fender has to offer short of Custom Shop.. and being new, me being the first owner l took the chance it was all that for $1850.00 U.S. dollars..when it arrived it needed to be set up. It came as if it was delivered new in the case from Fender. First thing l noticed was the fret board was rather a wide large grain that after conditioning still was grabby as a Michilin Sport tire.. 2nd it had a great deal of fret buzz in many areas of the neck, a luthier confirmed and recorded the high and low frets..it was quite a mess.. 3rd l slid my hand down the bottom side along the pick gaurd and felt a wave of like 3 raises...as if the router cutting that side had moved in and out a couple times ever so slightly (not really visable to the eye buy easily felt). 4th taking off the covers to have a look inside, l noticed every single screw holding the front pickgaurd and rear spring cover were slightly canted.. all the same direction by 2°-3°....and this was Fenders finest work? An "Elite"?? I'd say they use the word Elite rather loosely. So Gibson no doubt has these issues to some degree as well.. many smaller companies seem to have better quality control...I love my Eastman SB59V and although made in China was near perfect. Now I am waiting the arrival of a "18" T185MX BD Eastman...l am curious the detailed difference in the Gibson you showed in this video vs the T185.. l know the 186 is a better comparison being the same size but your thoughts on the two. Thanks for the video! Always enjoy your take on things!

[@stuarthall5271]

@@jameshill2015 That is exactly why you buy from a shop that sorts those kind of things out. A second level of QC that shouldn't be necessary but usually is.

[@Coppertunes]

Gibson have been making the ES335 for 60 years now, if they haven't ironed out the flaws by now then they never will.

[@DanielFogel]

I got here after I accidentally bumped into VSA500, fell in love and bought it, without checking online what I'm buying. I guess I started to read about this model just in order not to feel a sucker for getting really excited by a "cheap" guitar. My sunburst vintage is so inspiring that I'm spending all my spare time with it. I think that, at the end of the day, it is what matters - does the guitar make you a better player or even more precise, does it help you to express yourself? In my case, Vintage VSA500 does the work in the most perfect way I could wish. Thank you for your honest video!

[@CraftyOldGit]

I think a £3,000 guitar should be flawless. And yes, the Gibson sounds a little sweeter. Blindfolded, I would struggle to tell the difference.

[@cool555breeze]

It's basically the pickups.

[@matthewtoddbehindthescenes367]

Here in Thailand Vintage guitars are widely used on the live circuit and also in the studio. My go to strat is a Vintage V6 HMRSB. Fantastic instrument live and in the studio. Price is not an issue for me.

[@mattjames5104]

How does the D’Angelico in the background fair up with the Gibson?

[@PeterKolta]

Its one thing to play in a room on a sofa. The question is (at least for me) how the guitars behave in a band, on stage, with a bass player and a drummer behind you.

[@6stringedpsycho718]

I was choosing between a Sire H7 ($650) and Vintage VSA500 ($450), both ES335s. You didn't just helped me decide but you saved me a couple hundred $. And your passion is oozing and contagious Cheers mate!

[@tninelives]

You helped me a lot with this review! I bought my vsa500HB last year. I love It!

[@nilsguitare]

VSA500 chery red received this week ! set up is perfectly done and the guitar amazing for this price! thanks guys! i will recomend richards guitars! better customer service and quality control than the big names! now i can do my marty mcfly !

[@leegriffiths312]

Love the passion and honesty. Just been on to your website, I’m going for a black vintage with gold pickups! Thank you!

[@smackroscoe]

Gibson has been riding their reputation for a while now. I want to see & support these up & coming usurpers. More competition means we the consumers are the ones who WIN.

[@alansturgess1324]

I know a lot of folks watch Richards' uploads. This comment has NOTHING to do with this guitar. I just wanted to comment on Richard himself. I currently have two orders being processed by Richard and a query arose for me. I sent him a rather terse message and received a very honest, even-tempered and honest response. What had happened was that on the day I sent that message I had received the 12 week message on my mobile and that temporarily affected my state of mind. I naturally contacted him to apologise. I had ignored the fact that he and his team were also operating under difficult conditions. I can only say that Richard is just as he appears on these uploads - an honest, open-minded, dedicated and approachable man. All praise and thanks to him for not going off his rocker as he had every right to do. Top chap.

[@owentuckett938]

Nice story and good on you for sharing it.

[@mattluscombe2071]

I collected my T486B black beauty personally and met both Richard and Jon In all the years I’ve been buying guitars 50+ I’ve never had service like I had from them! Richard is the same in person as he is on the videos, open,honest and passionate about his guitars. All I can say is thanks guys and I hope you weather the storm and come through the other side ok. Keep safe and well

[@moran68]

alan sturgess Thanks for sharing . His passion and love for what he does comes through on his video’s.👍🎸

[@RichardsGuitarshop]

@@mattluscombe2071 Bless you Matt. I am so lucky to have Jon around. Such a lovely guy and so glad you appreciated him too. Right now... I feel very lucky. (For NOW at least). There are a lot of bored guitarists out there using the time to play their guitars so we are actually (for now) ok! The oddest of working conditions with us working in different rooms and buildings!!! But like all great guitarists...... We are IMPROVISING!!!!!!!

[@gregaltenhofel7326]

It was in 1972 or 73 I was 14 or 15. I’ve been playing sense 65 or 66 maybe before but not quite a decade. I went into Watkins Music on Jefferson Ave in Dallas, TX ready to step up my game. That day I learned what I suppose was one of the most invaluable lessons I’d ever learn. Even after going on to get a degree in music. It’s something I rely to musicians new & seasoned. On that day I went in and I was going to buy a Les Paul. Yes it was ridiculously heavy. But the details, the finishes on this very expensive guitar. made this brand new guitar almost seem used. The knobs, the surrounds around the pick ups. Where the neck attached to the body. The tuning pegs bridge all pretty disappointing at that price point. So first the salesman thought it was out of my budget and showed me a SG. It look like it had been put together by A carpenter who built fences or wooden decks. Though I did like it better because it was lighter. By then we had been talking for a bit. And he understood correctly that I really wanted Gibson. Then he said something that change the way I Purchased every instrument ever sense. Close your eyes. How does it feel in your hands? How does it sound when you play it? He had handed me an Aria model 1932A I think it is. This was their SG copy. Heavier than a Gibson SG but lighter than a Les Paul a little bit. It felt great in my hands. And sounded amazing. And when I open my eyes and saw a clear finish opposed to a poorly stained SG or painted Les Paul. She was beautiful as well. By the time the 70s rolled around American Guitar manufactures we’re both having a hard time keeping up with demand. And worse trying to squeeze every nickel a profit they could out of the guitar. Japan took advantage. They had been trying to flood the market with better built better sounding better playing guitars for a lot less money. I no longer have that exact same guitar because someone stole it. But I have one just like it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

[@coffeerocker1429]

Great video. Thank you. I have only just discovered the Vintage brand and quality. Looking at the V100 GreenyMoore relic. Totally understood your view point. Again thanks for the insight. Cheers

[@mikaelsoppa]

I'd love, if Vintage could offer more bass options with more vintage colors, together with the old vintage finish lacquer - to truly represent their brand name.

[@robtylerblack2617]

Richard, I have an Epiphone Sherston that was £395 a few years ago and it plays and sounds better than the more expensive brands I've had. Reminds me of that Vintage. If you have/get one in stock maybe compare the Vintage to the Sheraton, be very interesting.

[@TEXMEXY]

Love this vid mate, and love your passion and honesty for the instrument,I have 5 vintage guitars and can't fault them.

[@TheDunateen77]

TEXMEXY I agree,I have five different vintage guitars and they all do their job extremely well,I just ordered a yamaha sa 500 but I nearly went with the vintage

[@kentfitzsimmons6872]

This comparison is great!! I just recently heard about Vintage Guitars. I'm not sure why I had never heard of them. The woody echo of the Gibson for single notes is slightly better. But, the differences are so small that I cannot go buy a 2 or 3 thousand dollar Gibson if I can get that sound from the Vintage for 4 or 500 dollars. I'm gonna search for someplace to buy a Vintage. This is from Illinois, USA.

[@DirtyDavesDirt]

I can’t help but wonder what a good set of low output PAF style pickups would do to the Vintage

[@carlelgerton5495]

Definitely worth the wait for this one! I thought the Gibson was tonally a little richer than the Vintage, but not by as much as I would have expected given the price difference. Really considered video too. Just got to decide between the VSA500 in Cherry Red or Walnut now... Just out of interest, what amp did you use for this one?

[@underworldent4817]

i have a lovely 78 les paul standard , a cracker . however , i had a vintage lemon drop (now with my nephew) which is really lovely . the standard wins , but no disrespect to the vintage. i have a vintage mick abrahams signature sg which is fantastic. vintage make some great stuff at very good prices. my gibson is one of the best i have ever played ( bought in 86) , and i mean that as a compliment to vintage. i have two fret king guitars , esprit 3 and 5 blue label which are also trevor wilkinson jobs. both are beautiful. lesson for younger folk than i , use your ears , your touch , and do not be a snob. good video.

[@davemis40]

I paid £1800 for my ES335 ... I love it ...I’ve had a Vintage ... nice enough looking, but undoubtedly a cheap guitar, most notably in the electrics, the pickups were fine but sort of lifeless.. and the neck needed a lot of work on it to get it buzz free along the entire fretboard. You’re comparing a BMW and a KIA.

[@roberthadfield2839]

I kind of think that's the point of the video. Sure, they're both very good cars that will more or less get you from A to B every single time; but there's something indefinably 'special' about the BMW that the Kia will just never have. The question is, are you willing or able to buy the BMW or does the Kia tick enough boxes to say "no, the BMW isn't worth the effort". Who decides that difference? You? Me? Richard? Some other random youtuber or magazine hack?

[@aliengrey6052]

True, a bmw to a kia

[@Cody21041]

The Gibson being the kia, right I've got a 200 euro j&d 335 model and did a fret leveling and a full set up and it plays absolutely lovely, perhaps even nicer than my 89 usa strat (which got the same tune up). The binding is not as clean here and there but i have seen gibsons where the binding was not perfect as wel. The only thing it needs now is a better set of pickups. Obviously the resale value is non existant, but I don't care. Iḿ not buying a brand new guitar based on the resale value but on the sound quality and feel and if I would need to invest another 100-200 euros on hardware/pickups and have a guitar that is on par or better than (insert expensive brand) it's a no brainer.

[@davidburke2132]

Robert Hadfield Simple answer... the person spending their money to buy something decides if it’s worth it - no-one else matters. Personally I’d always buy the Gibson and have done many times, but I’d never criticise anyone for deciding that the Gibson isn’t worth the extra for them and buying and playing the Vintage instead (I might criticise them if they tried to argue that the Vintage is just as good though, just like I’d criticise someone for trying to argue a Kia is as good as a BMW! 😜).

[@greatwhite3676]

If you mean by getting a Gibson you are paying for a BMW and getting a Kia you are right. In fact i dont want to insult kia like that. I have owned 2 higher end Gibsons and sold them quickly. Give me a MIJ Greco and i'll keep the extra 1000+. Upgrade pots and pickups and you got a monster guitar. I would have had to do the same thing to the Gibson bad pots and bad pickups in a 2k+ guitar is sick. What is on the head stock does not matter put your money in to a good tube amp.

[@ignaciofelipe2826]

How would the vintage compare to the epiphone es 335? Would it be a similar conclusion? Is the vintage better than the epiphone? Both are worth almost the same, I believe the epiphone is only a bit more expensive

[@shaunw9270]

A fair video , no need to worry ! Personally I love my Gibson Les Paul and now I have GAS for that succulent 335 ! Wow 😍

[@studid55]

I wonder if you put Gibson pickups, would it sound the same?

[@paulmitchell5349]

Friend of mine busks jazz with a Vintage very like this one. Peachy tones he gets. I have just ordered one to take busking. Just occurred to me, did you use the same brand of string in this comparison ?

[@steveo44]

Gibson sounds ever so slightly sweeter. Vintage sound like it had a little more sustain which really surprised me!.both incredibly versatile. I'd love to see the difference at a higher volume. See if the vintage feeds back more. Great video though and really interesting. I'd love to see an epiphone pro 335 v the vintage.

[@domformula1]

If you search for the vintage lemon drop - ten times the tone? There’s a great comparison with a Vintage Lemon Drop and a custom shop blues master. Majority of viewers prefer the vintage. Once I found out which one was the lemon drop, I went out and got one, great guitar!

[@jamesguitar7384]

I watched that video and watching , without knowing which was which, I heard the difference . I had to admit you could tell the Gibson was better . I could hear the better tone . At the end I found out it was the Vintage that sounded better . I had just assumed the better sounding one was the Gibson ! We are preprogrammed about guitar snobbery.

[@mattluscombe2071]

I recently collected my Eastman T486B black beauty from Richards shop. I had the privilege of meeting both Richard and Jon, nothing was too much trouble and Richard is just like he is on the videos - open, honest, approachable and obviously passionate about his guitars! I have NEVER had service like he provides, NOTHING is too much trouble with the result that I’m going back for an acoustic to noodle on when I can’t be bothered to get out amp, peddles etc. I can’t go and try because of the current situation but will trust them to advise me on which is best for me. Keep up the fantastic work Richard, keep you and your family safe and well. I remember you did a ‘ meet my family’ a few months ago, how about an event once the crisis is over, meet you and your team, try guitars and a burger and a drink. I’d be more than happy to come and help as I only live 3/4 hour from you. God bless

[@RichardsGuitarshop]

Matt Luscombe oh man such kind words. All my best wishes to you my friend. Keep safe and well and see you on the other side !

[@Malcolm701]

I bought a VSA500 from yourselves last year and was very pleased with it- as good as a Gibson for sure (having owned a few) and yes Gibson aren't perfect by any means, not always well finished. It's true there is something very subtle in the sound of a Gibson

[@amarununez8739]

How good it sound if you connected line direct to a mixer or a inferface

[@glennstamm5047]

Love the video and comparison. I did find myself wishing you had strummed that Vintage just one time without it being plugged in or at least the volume turned off on the guitar. I’m left wondering how resonant it is by itself. If I missed that, my apologies.

[@joelazzara703]

I was fortunate enough to buy a Vintage Wilkinson ES335 cherry red second hand from a gentlemen that pretty much never touched it. The only thing he knew about it was that he bought it at the time Gibson was taking Vintage to court and thought it might increase in value! Well all I can say is this guitar is absolutely amazing I’m not only craftsmanship but tone and feel I could not believe he sold it to me for $200 AUD. I thought at the very least it would look nice on the wall if it didn’t play or sound nice but I always pick it up and don’t put it down.

[@norriswillis2523]

Love these guitars i have the z V100 & a V6 reissued there awesome to me I don't know how long they have been out but since no one else has done a review on KZbin can tiu please review the new vsa500 with block inlays vs the dot Fretboard version I'm seriously considering buying this guitar and this video would help me to make my decision on which one to buy

[@nikitamesmaeker4577]

I don't know how they're doing right now quality control wise but I had 4 Vintage in my possession. The first one was a 2014 V100, I was impressed with the quality overall, very nice guitar, stayed in tune quite well, pickups were a bit muddy but nothing that couldn't be changed, I loved it and played it for hundreds of hours. Then I bought another V100, in 2016, the guitar was terrible, didn't stay in tune, the jack was broken after a month, pots were crackling, ... I sold it, got a V6 in 2017, same thing, all the electronics were failing me, nothing worked as it should after 6 months! I tried to get it repaired then I finally sold it and got another V6, same story there... I have no idea if I just didn't have any luck or if the quality control went downhill by vintage in the recent years. Anyway, I saved some money and I got my first "high end guitar": an Eastman SB59 2018, which I'm deeply in love with, the sound is astonishing and the quality of the instrument is something I didn't experience before, I don't think I could go back ! :) But in 2014, vintage gave me a good time, I played hours on this workhorse guitar and it certainly helped me get better!

[@Kevin.Hearty]

Been waiting on this video. The Vintage sounds a touch thinner, but what would stop you replacing the pickups with Seymour Duncan or DiMarzios. Personally it sounds good enough to me.

[@TheDunateen77]

Fenderkev yeah that's what I was thinking,I've just ordered a yamaha sa 500 and if I have that problem then il switch the pups to Seymours or some other brand,if need be il do some research,.

[@lionscircle4700]

I went down the rabbit hole with the vintage vsa500. Picked one up used and I agree the husk of the guitar is punching above its price point. Is the epiphone 335 husk better than the vsa500? Not that I've seen and it cost much more as well. The electronics and hardware is where the cheap creeps in on the factory build. Updated the cheap variables out of the guitar. luthier setup. It really is a players guitar for much less cost than a 335. My guitar will never approach 335 market values and I knew that going into this project. It shines when I plug it into the princeton reverb. Thanks for the video and the encouragement that this project would be a winner.

[@deanmccaskill5495]

I’m a total Gibson nerd. Got a bunch of em. Mostly Les Pauls. I DONT have a 335 but picked up the Vintage version years ago when I had like 500 to spend and I wasn’t leaving without a guitar. I mean I really like it. Put it this way every time I’ve bought an epiphony all it did was piss me off I didn’t have the Gibson version. With the Vintage I don’t feel that way. It’s a .... lemme see... huh. No model number I can see but it’s a 335 with gold hardware. Wilkinson everything Perfect intonation. I really like it. I blasphemed it a bit by putting a bunch of Halloween and exploitation horror stickers on it and I call it my “ Psycobilly Machine” for all you people gasping if I get a better hollow body I’ll restore the Vintage

[@steviebarr7353]

I think alot would depend on whether you are looking for an investment or a workhorse.

[@robluciani2374]

Excellent video. Many guitar aficionados wrestle with finding the perfect sound, and justifying the money we spend. It’s so elusive, but it’s the search for perfection that keeps us hungry and interested... and in trouble with our significant others who , justifiably, can’t understand our obsession. Loved the video and honesty!

[@84crich]

Very honest and interesting comparison. Both sounded great, I think the Gibson had a smoother creamy bluesy tone especially on the lead sections however you'd expect that. A guitar is about the feeling you get when you look at it want to pick it up and play it. To be inspired and enjoyed, Gibson do that for me personally.

[@FRST2012]

The Gibson does sound that little bit more sweeter, but would that be worth the extra £2600 🤔. I did find it interesting that the Gibson body seems to be a little bit thinner. Both very nice though. The figured finish of the Gibson is 😍, again but worth the price difference?

[@trillrifaxegrindor4411]

the Gibson in 10-20-50 years will be worth what you paid and quite possibly a great deal more.i agree its far too much but the guitar is FUCKING GORGEOUS.i bought a 1969 les paul custom for $600 back in 88,its now worth close to $10,000..........the other guitar is lovely but will always be worth $300-$400

[@goldtop362]

You could buy the Vintage and just stick the same pickups in that the Gibson has. You've spent under £600 quid and you've got a fantastic quality guitar that sounds like the Gibson. Then you've got a great sounding guitar and £2,400 still in your sky rocket! Obviously the Gibson is beautiful and iconic...but is it worth another nearly £2 1/2k? I think not!

[@johnnorth9355]

Money no object the Gibbo every time. As it is in my impoverished state I will stick to my Samick artist series bought for £90 S/H :). I do have a Vintage V100 Black (£100 S/H) which is amazing. Affordable guitars - like the LAG the other day - are amazing these days compared to what was available in the 1970's when I first started playing.

[@shawnbbbross9439]

Wood tone difference due to solid wood body and laminated wood body?

[@jimjim506]

Was really looking forward to this video when you posted about it the other day and then it didn't show up. I think it was worth the wait though, very good video :)

[@umbertoyltp]

I see a desperate man, it comes with the love for the both brands ;-). I know the feelings that tear you apart. I think it is fair to say to potential buyers of the Vintage that they should include a budget for upgrading or improvements. Vintage is what I consider a savings account. You start cheap with the intention to spend money on it, possibly over some years. I'm a big fan of Vintage, in 2004 I bought a new cherry red VS6 for €230,- . That was dirt cheap, I actually felt a bit embarraced for paying so little on such a great guitar. After only a few months I had the pots, switch and jack replaced because they were falling apart. Last year I replaced the pickups (should have done that much earlier) and recently chose for new stainless steel frets. Now, over the years I have spent the amount of money equalling a cheap Gibson in value, but in the past 15 years I had so much fun with it. So, if you educate customers to be willing to spend a bit more to lift the guitar to your shop quality standard, it still will be relatively cheap.

[@Trebor1172]

Having used a Vintage guitar for about 6 years, I have not experienced any problems with pots, switches, machine heads or pickups and so have felt no desire to upgrade them. They are Wilkinson and so are of good quality. The only thing I have noticed about the Vintage guitar that I have is that the frets appear to wear far more rapidly than the Fender Stratocaster and the Hofner that I own and it will probably need refretting in the next two years.

[@duke7777777]

Really enjoyed the video. Vintage seems a no brainer to me, especially on a budget.

[@sl.is.google]

I like your honest appraisal of the equipment man, it's productive and refreshing. It appears that Vintage are playing a blinder. 👍🔥🎸🎼🙏

[@sundar5537]

hello Richard. truly ,honestly a justified review.thanks, best wishes

[@chrispackwood2668]

Have just discovered Richard through his online Blues lessons, which promote an approach to improvisation I really identify with. I am looking forward to making a visit to your shop in Stratford, when the epidemic is over. Great review, keep up the good work.

[@thomastucker5686]

The strings are traveling farther in motion over the neck pickup with may give it a bit more energy.

[@Urizen777]

I've got a Vintage VS6 (Gibson SG copy), made in 2003 while it was still a 1:1 copy when it comes to the bodyshape and it has blown away any Epiphone SG I've played before. Strangely, it actually sounds closer to Gibson than the newer "Inspired by Gibson" Epiphones. It has Wilkinson PAF-like pickups, a very comfortable and smooth neck, and is all in all a remarkable instrument, especially considering that I paid it around 300e. Actually, I find myself playing it more often than some of my much more expensive guitars. It just sounds great and is very fun to play.

[@Kenzabukuro]

The Vintage Teles are better than the Squiers.

[@Urizen777]

@@Kenzabukuro They are? I might try to find one for myself. I do like teles.

[@nunoandradebluesdrive]

Nice video. I understand you, I feel the same as the years go bye. The big brands just have a great resale value- and that is an issue to look into- but as tools all we need is something that sounds great, feels nice, handles the road and withstand some abuse. And that, in the end, is all that matters in the real life. Also if it got stolen its less bad right.? I use an 80's old Maison 335 copy with some mods and I love it. (Now you got me curious about that vintage) . Cheers and great job.

[@williamwarlick3497]

Absolutely mind blowing! I've got one in cherry burst! Fantastic! Beautiful sweet guitar is the Vintage 500! Now I'll say this! The Gibson 335 actually has a very slight, better tone

[@williamwarlick3497]

Just slightly better. Love my Vintage for sure!

[@williamwarlick3497]

I swear, not precisely the same texture but my God the Vintage is an amazing find for a a true young musician on a budget . Super, fine guitars and I don't need a 335 at all anymore. My sweet Vintage is fantastic, sounds super and that is all this country boy In NC needs!. God Bless Vintage Guitars!!!!

[@jeffroq]

Good review Richard. I have the same sharp nut thing on my 2019 Gibson Les Paul classic LH. So much for them upping their game under new ownership. Apart from that it is fine however I won't buy another Gibson as I didn't expect to have to get it "fixed" given the price of it.

[@Chimp_Handzee]

That is exactly why I like to buy the more inexpensive guitars and turn them into exactly what I want. If I'm going to spend $3k+ on a guitar, I better not have anything to complain about. That's just ridiculous.

[@mrbigdaveyb]

Great video again Richard 👍 One thing I've often wondered is if it's even possible how much it cost to make a Gibson/Fender/Martin etc guitar in the Far East ? Is it all about materials and craftsmanship that can only be found in the USA ?

[@MrAntpre]

Dear Richard I ll be very interested to have your taugths on the dangelico premier DC and mini DC. How do they compare to each other and to the vintage for example? Tks

[@markfahey3921]

If more dealers were critical, suppliers and manufacturers might send out their products as they should.

[@garyshepherd9226]

Good video - the Gibson sounds great - and better. But not by much - but it has something sweet about the overtones. But the Vintage is really good. You are right - its about the budget. I bought a Les Paul many years ago - it sounds sweet acoustically, but it needed a good setup - never regretted the cost of it. I have a Gibson now - and I wanted one and got a good one (chosen from about 10 or 12 in 3 different shops). But people slag them off of course. But I bought into the brand. The Vintage is really good in this comparison. Is the Gibson worth the extra £2600? Yes - it looks and sounds beautiful and will retain it's value or even increase. And you will have to justify the cost by playing it a lot! But its also no - the Vintage looks and sounds great - but it will lose value, and something is missing from the sound in comparison. The moral is, if you can't afford the Gibson, don't try it in a comparison as it will gnaw away at you. Buy the Vintage and enjoy it for what it is.

[@andrewpaul4282]

Does the Vintage come in a left handed?

[@moboei]

I really need to see your vid over the tokai

[@antonios.1597]

There's something that I hardly ever hear anyone talk about when it comes to budget guitars and that's wages and working conditions. Being on a small budget myself I feel a great attraction to guitars from Vintage, Revelation or Harley Benton etc. I just wonder if it's ethically okay to buy them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not mocking or complaining. It's just something I as a customer would like to know about.

[@PJ-ff5jy]

Where did the Gibson come from? Did the owner trade it for something comparable in style? If that’s the case it’ll be interesting to know their thinking. I think Gibson have done a lot recently re QC but there isn’t £2,600 difference, it’s mostly brand value. BTW loving my E20SS.

[@davidburke2132]

PJ It’s mostly where they’re made and the cost of labour, energy, regulatory/environmental costs, etc. None of that makes a US made guitar inherently better per se, but it is the biggest explanation for the price differential, more so than the “brand value”.

[@christianjohnsen5974]

after this i really want a Vintage VSA500 :) thanks for uploading

[@db5837]

Unplugged Vintage comparison?

[@paulclare6589]

how old is the vintage?

[@RichardsGuitarshop]

It was new at the time

[@neilstallworthy9611]

I've been looking at this style of guitar for a while now, checking out many reviews for a number of brands. I keep coming back to the Vintage VSA500 for less than most other brands are secondhand. I need to clear some space before I decide on which finish I want and then place my order😁

[@gusdogbrownlab435]

Hi Richard great videos by the way. I have 2 Vintage V6 guitars. One is the relic V6 with the humbucker in the neck and the other is 3 single coils with a gloss finish. The single coil guitar plays brilliantly but the other one didn't. Needed fret level and had to shield it because of the interference. It's much better now but I think it shows that sometimes with the affordable guitars, you may need to do some work on them. (I quite like doing guitar work, so it's ok for me.) But at a fraction of the cost of a Fender, the Vintage is still an excellent buy.

[@silentrabbit247]

Got a V6 3 single Coils VW, but didn't like the original Soft C 10" radius neck. Replaced it with a Modern C 9.5" radius neck from NorthWest Guitars. (made by them and good value, plus fitted perfectly, 21 frets instead of original 22 ) Now enjoy playing it.

[@lucsarre8450]

Great comparison , appreciate the delicacy in your approach ! As for the guitars : the Gibson even sounds mellow from its bridge pick-up , nothing compares it , but price-quality wise ... well , it's a no-brainer, isn't it ?

[@Trebor1172]

They both sound good and with a bit of tweaking of the amplifier could probably produce virtually identical tonal characteristics so it really comes down to, do you want to pay £3000 or £400 to produce those tonal characteristics?

[@paulmight8847]

A very balanced review. As an owner of both makes, Gibson sound to be mispositioning their nuts for height and distance from fret 1. My Vintage ‘Fool' SG and Fret King Country Squire have the best intonation near the nut, so tuning and playing is much simplified. The Gibson 335 you demo’d sounds like the pickups were put in the wrong position to be equal in volume, but what a beauty! I hope Gibson can employ more luthiers than carpenters in future, because they are so revered.

[@dago00]

Hard to hear that through yt but I get what you mean. Its a huge difference for a trained ear, but its only apparent irl

[@stephanguisseppi]

I bought a Vintage brand SG copy and was amazed at how great the neck felt. Although the pick ups were too muddy for me. I put better electrics in and some tonerider pick ups...what a difference! I thought it was amazing...until I bought a 2017 Gibson SG standard with 57 classic pick ups in, now this is beautiful quality and a sound to die for. I've since put the same Gibson pick ups in the Vintage to see how close they could get, but still a fair difference in sound, the Vintage doesn't have the bottom end and the Gibson just seems to sound a little more articulate, just like the two guitars in this video. But for the money, the Vintage is bloody awesome.

[@tolvajakos]

i have a vintage sg. put irongear pickups in them. everybody that hears that guitar can't not get excited about it. and it feels great to the hand.

[@qazzell]

Good review..I paid 150 for my vintage and it sounds great.

[@ManfredElsingBielefeld]

I thought the Gibson was tonally a little richer than the Vintage, but not by as much as I would have expected given the price difference.I got an old Sheraton 2 from 2004,i got it for 250 bugs and it sound great;fantastiq;exactly what i want and what i be able to do!!!!btw;at least,after looking the whole video,i want to say thank you!!For your work,thoughts and so!

[@d.whitman7455]

Yup! Same sorts of issues with a Gibson purchased back in the late 1980s. Fortunately, the store's in-house luthier fixed it all.

[@fongy200]

You ever played a Stranberg? Their a must if you haven't.

[@mikec6733]

Would upgrading the pickups in the Vintage make it sound as sweet as the Gibson ??? It'd still be way less expensive 😊

[@philleedham3863]

Interesting discussion. My 2c worth is that it’s nothing to do with quality, or even value for money. I used to have an Aria ProII Les Paul copy I bought in about 1980, which was, I think, a really good guitar. Subsequently, when I was older, more affluent, but not necessarily wiser, I bought a Gibson Les Paul. The Aria was at least as good, finishing probably better. However, that’s what happens in life. You get a bigger budget and look at a different part of the market. If a person is willing to spend a lot of money on a car, regardless of anything else I think the badge is probably most important. Arguments about the quality or otherwise of the competition, there’s probably < 10 brands that such a buyer would consider. Are they right or wrong? Who knows? I’ve owned 3 Fender Strats in my life, and 2 of them (including the most expensive) were average. But it didn’t stop me buying them. I seem to have an ability not to learn from mistakes😊 Last comment. I have played acoustic for some years and a got rid of all my solid body electrics. Still have a Taylor T5 which I thinks is excellent. However I recently needed a wheat solid body, and went to my local shop, eXpecting to come away with a Vintage or similar, and ended up buying a Revelation, sort of a 2xP90 telecaster shape guitar for about £250, which I think is a really good guitar for the money.

[@cerijohn8990]

What amp are you using?

[@paulcowart3174]

Well I had a fantastic 97R9 but had to sell during the money crunch of 08 So replaced it w a Vintage Lemon Drop that I did a total electronics upgrade So 4400 vs 500 plus upgrade I'm very happy with the PGLP

[@paulcowart3174]

Well I did put Classic 57s in it and top shelf tronics in it

[@katoooq1]

Bottom Line, when MONEY is the motivating factor in anything human made, you get the best, the worst and all in between. You get predatory competition, more, better , faster, and on time. You get garbage. With competing markets this is entirely understandable. We cannot as a species, realize our true potential until we take money out of the equation. Then you will see us blossom. I know this is idealistic, but we must be his way if we really want to shine.The efforts going into inexpensive guitars appear to be increasing and in some cases stellar. I bought a Wolf Les Paul copy for 350.00 new and was blown off my chair. The setup was incredible. The playability better than all my 30 guitars. Why? My Gibson Les Paul Deluxe 2018 is nice, and has all this wonderful paperwork of authenticity but I'd rather have the time and money put into the certificates put into the guitar. Gibson need not convince anyone of their product. Its so well known they don't need authenticating. The US is responsible for the inequality in pricing. Gibson and other companies are pawns in a game that is driving everyone out of business. It's sad.

[@jerryhollis3968]

If I become a solvent entity when this ChiCom Disease abates, you have a variety of guitars I'd like to have. I went through all the stages of Grief regarding Gibson, but not a Gordon Smith, a Vintage LP, and that lovely offset D'angelico I would take home to Greece with me.. Now if I could kick my devotion to Apple then I'd be complete.

[@matthewblack7206]

I have found that the Vintage 335 style guitar has much better upper fret access than the Gibson or Epiphone versions.

[@Thomannfamily.]

Thanks , I'm sold....getting one m8. Hello from the Philippines

[@bobbillnolan7644]

I just got a vsa500 honeyburst, best £320 (new) I ever spent... great guitar, who cares about the offset body...

[@Edward1312]

I do so I've scoured the secondhand market and found the earlier JHS Vintage models that didn't have the offsets and extended lower bouts.

[@whalewaytraxgaryregnier4899]

In today's world of CNC machines it isn't hard to produce great guitars at relatively budget prices. Gibson has always had a sound from their electronics, love it or hate. Take any playable guitar and add suitable pickups and you have an equal to whatever your chosen dream guitar may be. The tone comes from the fingers. Moral of the tale is the price doesnt matter, cheap isnt bad and expensive isnt gonna be bettter

[@mjallenuk]

Stunning ending ... I didn't see it coming but then neither did you it seems! This one really interests me. After never wanting the 355 style guitar I fettled a friends repro Casino and realised I needed something to add to the collection. Not a big build fella so I avoid the 355 size. Do we have anything 339 sized or am I barking up the wrong tree here?

[@DavidMorisset]

ES Les Paul. 🤔

[@mjallenuk]

@@DavidMorisset I was thinking something a bit more hollow bodied. Edit - Sorry I misread that the first time as I completely missed the ES bit! Not considered these... Not tried one even... thanks for the thought I'll look into that 👍🏻

[@DavidMorisset]

Matt Allen there is a ES LP Special that is highly underrated. It’s a flat top with dotted inlays but has black bindings.I have a Tea Burst and the Build Quality was great. I watched the price drop 50% over 3 years before I purchased it. Now that the Memphis Factory is closed prices might start going up. It’s a real sleeper with a brighter tone over the 335.

[@mjallenuk]

@@DavidMorisset Smashing insights thank you... I'll certainly take a look.

[@jamesguitar7384]

Having directly compared Gibson guitars with these Vintage guitars I have found that the Vintage is not inferior , not even 5% inferior to the Gibson . There's a post on KZbin called 10 Times the Tone where you can find this out for yourself with a blind test . I listened to it myself and had to admit I could hear the better sound of the Gibson until I found out it was actually the Vintage .

[@UKPete]

Great Video, nice blues playing!. The Gibson does sound better. Unless your are rich or are a good and experienced player I could not justify extra £2600. If you put the Gibson's pickups in the Vintage would that work give you the same tone or does the wood and construction make the difference?.

[@stuartbruce4826]

The Gibson without a doubt sounds the best between the two but look at the price difference, what would the Vintage sound like if you changed the pickups to Gibson spec units, very similar I bet. But for anyone buying Vintage guitars which I think are amazing value for money go look on the Thomann web site at their Harley Benton brand guitars, they are the same guitars that Vintage are selling but for about £100 to £150 cheaper , stunning guitars for very little money

[@MikeAndersonvinyloldies]

I just bought a Vintage LP Jr copy and it has quickly become may favorite guitar to play. I did swap out the pickup and wiring, but it was $300 and then another $150 for the upgrades...so $450. I have owned about three Gibsons so far and it competes with any of them in terms of playability and sound (not saying it’s better, but in the ballpark...and at like

[@chrisseger6420]

Hi Mike What about the neck and builquality in general on the junior? I am in doubt between the Vintage and a Harley Benton junior.

[@JSL177]

There will undoubtedly be a difference...... but not £2600 worth of difference. I witnessed this years ago when shopping for a Fender Stratocaster. I tried a few Mexican models in the £400 mark, all of which were perfectly decent, however the American standard was just slightly better in every department. I ended up buying a 2008 American model for around £850 (back then). It may have cost twice as much as the Mexican model but I openly admit that it wasn’t two times better. I don’t regret my decision though, as I love the guitar and it’s still my main electric today. The experience made me want to promote the quality of lower priced modern guitars and debunk the myth that more expensive is ‘better value’, so I wrote a letter on the subject to a guitar gear magazine (who happened to be very big on the vintage brand). They published my article in one of the issues.

[@davidburke2132]

J L But who decides if the difference is “£2600 of a difference”? For a professional recording artist who needs the best possible sound and playability £2600 would be nothing and I’m sure that they’d say that there was easily “£2600 of a difference”. The point here is that the perception of value and worth is an incredibly individual thing massively dependent upon your own circumstances, intended use and your own mentality. It’s why I’d never criticise anyone for a (guitar purchase) decision they have made... it’s their money... it’s their decision on value for money... it’s their choice. I would just also add that any attempt to talk about a concept of “twice as good” or any similar attempts at empirical comparison when it comes to something like a guitar is totally worthless or meaningless. Guitars are one of those totally subjective things... you can’t “measure” the quality of a guitar or how it sounds. You can’t calculate it’s quality as a score using data (like you could for other things such as a computer by simply reviewing its specs). One person’s “twice as good” would therefore be another person’s “not much difference” because it’s simply a personal opinion. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@JSL177]

David Burke well clearly the ‘person who decides’ is the individual who is comparing the guitars to aid their decision of whether to purchase. I was just giving my opinion and didn’t say anyone else was wrong or that they had to agree with me so I am not sure what the problem is. You said yourself that it is “simply a personal opinion’. Am I not entitled to one? My opinion is that the difference in quality is very unlikely to be worth the difference in cost. If someone else thinks the difference is worth the cost and want to buy the Gibson guitar, that is fine and I am not going to judge them or get upset about it as I really don’t care either way.

[@davidburke2132]

J L Of course you’re entitled to an opinion. Personally I think that statements like the one you made are better prefaced by “in my opinion” otherwise it comes across as if you’re trying to state a fact, which is what my argument is all about... far too many people express this kind of thing as a matter of fact rather than opinion and don’t open themselves up to the possibility that it’s a subjective thing not a fact. Maybe I unfairly attributed that viewpoint to you (especially in light of your response) and for that I apologise, but it is a pretty widely expressed viewpoint on KZbin and I’m sure you can see why I came to that conclusion. PS. There was no “problem”... I posted a comment in response to yours in a perfectly polite way. I think that’s still allowed on KZbin, right? 😜

[@JSL177]

David Burke yes I was meaning to state an opinion rather than a fact. As I very rarely comment (or read comments) on KZbin I was unaware of how things tend to come across on this platform. it’s all good guitar based discussion and I agree with your viewpoint about personal preference.

[@andrewreynolds2647]

@@davidburke2132 You sound very defensive and more than a little butt hurt about the previous comments, if you have the money then pay thru the nose for the label guitar and you will look cool with all the other sheep, Doesn't make you play any better though does it, it is all in the fingers you know.

[@1947davide]

Loved the video. Would like a comparison of the Vintage with the Tokai hidden away!

[@cardboard316]

I was looking at the vintage v100 compared to the LP studio but was a little disappointed with both. I was really expecting the vintage to hold up sound wise but it didn't.. the studio sounded way better but the tuning knobs felt jerky when tuning which for me was a turn off. I'm going to try lots before I make my next purchase

[@Edward1312]

The Vintage sounds great but looks awful. JHS introduced the offsets and extended lower bouts to their Vintage line to head off legal action and cease and desist letters. The design changes were introduced fundamentally to avoid legal challenges not to improve access to frets etc. Be assured JHS Vintage would still be producing straight copies (which they produced during the period 2006-13) of the Gibson 335 if they thought they could still get away with it!

[@tcterry1300]

I get what you're saying, good video. I've owned 4 Gibsons and never had an issue, still own a Gibson Midtown Custom. I also own a Vintage V62 Telecaster which is fantastic and regularly use this guitar. Looking at getting the Vintage Vsa500 in the Walnut and also the Thomas Blug Strat. Vintage guitars are fantastic value for money, but for me I do like the "warmer" sound of the Gibson. Is it worth the extra £2600, I think not.