Gabriel V18 Amplifier - Fantastic Amp!

12th October

I have now had the Gabriel V18 Amplifier for 2 months now and I can’t really say enough good things about it.  The Gabriel Amplifier website is great at showing you how many sounds you can get out of this AMP…Gabriel V18 Amplifier

BUT

No internet mp3 can really show you the almost three dimensional harmonics that make the chime and clean on this amp to another level. The build quality and attention to detail is brilliant (and what you would expect for a rare boutique amp like this) and I have to say the design is just beautiful. Gabi was/is a graphic designer and the combination of Amp Builder and Artisit is one that really, really works!

Of course one of the key reasons to go the v18 is great crunch at levels that would not cause the neighbours/wife/kids to go crazy. The v18 has really got you covered there.

That does not mean that this AMP can not handle the small medium sized gig!! It’s very loud when you need it to be and of course all that air moving makes for a wonderful guitar playing experience (if you need stadium/large venue - then step-up to the V33

It is hard to get hold of one of these AMPs. Gabriel hand builds them and there is a wait.

But when you get one - you will not regret it!!

Vintage Guitar Post Review

28th August

This week in review:

We’ve found some great blog posts on vintage guitar you might like to take a look at:

  • Vintage Guitar Reviews Epiphone’s Valve Special & Valve Junior - If you’re in the market for a low-cost guitar amp with reasonable amounts of real tube-mojo you might want to check out Vintage Guitar Magazine’s review of the Epiphone Valve Special and Valve Junior. Granted, these are decidedly cheap …

  • Vintage Guitar Effects - Free Posting for Vintage Guitar Effects equipment buyers, as well as Vintage Guitar Effects equipment for sale. Any information you would like to share would be welcome for Vintage Guitar Effects electronics. …

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59 Bassman and ‘73 vintage Fender Stratocaster

26th August

Playing my ‘73 vintage Fender hardtail Stratocaster through a 59 Bassman ltd. Specifically programmed Boss ME5 adds to brown tone break-up at vol 2+ only!
Chimes and Rhymes!

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Vintage Fender Duo Sonic guitar….jump blues

26th August

Clarence Gatemouth Brown ’s Okie Dokie Stomp ….
Jump Blues ,Vintage Fender 1963 Duo Sonic guitar.

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Vintage Guitar Collecting Trivia

20th August

See how years of exposure to light has faded the finish of a Les Paul Junior. The same thing has happened to older Les Paul Standards - where the red fades away and “cherry” sunburst becomes “ice tea” sunburst.

Guitar collector info by Steve Evans of Jacksonville Guitar Center in Jacksonville, Arkansas.

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Vintage Gibson Falcon Tube Guitar amp for sale

20th August

Up for sale is this vintage Gibson Tube guitar amp. The listing is here http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120223598523&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=002 I am playing my Lotus strat copy through it. I am using a noise gate to try to quiet down the single coils, but as you can see that didn’t work out too good.

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How To Play Vintage Bass Guitar - Part 2

20th August

Angelo Boston teaches and play the bass guitar.

Duration : 0:3:48

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Vintage Gibson Electric Guitar Identification

18th August

Identifying Vintage Gibson Electic Guitars can be a little tricky at times. Relying on the serial number is not always the best way so using a combination of serial numbers, factory order numbers and design features gives the best result.

Factory order Numbers (FON’s) were used by Gibson to track batches of instruments in the early days when they made guitars normally in batches of forty. Therefore early Gibson Vintage Guitars may have both a FON and a serial number. The FON will even provide what number in the batch of forty guitars your instrument was. The FON is the only identification number on Gibson’s lower grade models like the ES-125, ES-140 etc.) which do not feature a paper label. High grade models (such as the Super 400, L-5 etc.) have both a serial number and a FON.

When both numbers are present on a high grade model, please remember that the FON was assigned at the beginning of the production run, while the serial number was recorded later (before shipping).

The serial number would be the best indication of the actual date of your Vintage Gibson electric guitar.

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Antique Guitar or Vintage Guitar?

14th August

A Vintage Electric Guitar or Vintage Acoustic Guitar are not a true Antique Guitar. Though commonly it may be called that.

As a true antique must be over 100 years old. A true vintage guitar is made between the 1920’s and 1970 - of course there were guitars produced before then. So if you want to buy/sell a Vintage Guitar - then it has to have been made between that time period.

It is important to understand this distinction when looking to buy or sell a vintage electric guitar or vintage acoustic guitar. As you would question the credibility of a vendor that suggested that it was an Antique Guitar when it was made post the 1920’s.

Interestingly too - for those that are true Antique Guitar Collectors, in that the guitar is over 100 years old, there is the confusion between what the terms: “Parlor Guitar” and a ‘Romantic Guitar” really mean.

I wont go into too much detail, as my focus is very much on Vintage Guitars, and particularly the Vintage Electric Guitar.

Suffice to say many settle on the term “Early Romantic Guitar” to describe a guitar and style of music from 1770-1860.

And guitars made prior to the 1920’s are known as Parlor Guitars. Again I have read a few contrary opinions to this, and overall this does seem to be the consensus .

OK back to the Vintage Electric Guitar. The purpose of this post is to just offer a word of caution, so when you are searching for your next acquisition, by all means type in “Antique Guitar” into Ebay or the like - just PLEASE check it out thoroughly, as true Vintage Guitars are not Antiques, and a reputable Vendor would know this.

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Vintage Electric Guitar

6th August

Those of us that share a passion for collecting Vintage Guitars, tend to have a preference for either Vintage Electric Guitars or Acoustic Vintage Guitars.

And then of course there are people that like to collect both.

The term Vintage in the guitar category, applies to guitars from the mid 1920’s to 1970. Guitar’s made before the mid 1920’s are judged as being too primitive in their design and therefore are not valued by collectors. At the other end of the spectrum, guitars made after 1970 - even though they are nearly 40 years old in some cases, do not have collectible appeal, mainly because of the state of the US guitar manufacturing industry during the 1970’s which saw a drop in the quality of finished products.

The materials used to make guitars pre 1970 were of a higher quality, for example Brazilian Rosewood which was often used, can no longer be legally imported into the US. And 30 years ago guitars were more of a hand made item, whereas today most guitar manufacturing is done through computer controlled routers and cutters.

Many people also think, that because they purchased a 1970’s guitar that was stopped being made after a small number of units is automatically valuable. Which is not the case at all. As for collectors of Vintage Electric Guitars or Acoustic Electric Guitars need to know that any guitar made since 1970 can easily be replicated with currently available materials.

And that if they are not currently being produced, it’s simply because there is no significant demand for them.

So you can see that there are quite a few things to know about Vintage Guitars, and my focus tends to be on Vintage Electric Guitars (though I have a few Vintage Acoustic Guitars in my collection as well).

One guide that I think every serious collector must have, is the 2008 Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide. As it is excellent in giving you a guide on what’s also out there, and also what other dealers are saying their vintage guitars are worth (remember that an item is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it).

It covers guitars, amplifiers and related equipment – and has more than 1,400 brands and 1,000 photos, plus the “hows” and “whys” of the collectible instrumental market.

I think this is an absolute must have for someone who really is serious about building their Vintage Electric Guitar and/or Vintage Acoustic Guitar Collection.

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