The Vintage Electric Guitar Blog

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…

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!!

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. …

Technorati Tags: vintage electric guitar, vintage guitar

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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Technorati Tags: 4x10, 59, Amp, Bassman, Boss, BossME5, Brownface, Fender, Guitar, hardtail, ME5, narrow-panel, Stratocaster, Tweed

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

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Technorati Tags: Blues, Brown, Dokie, Duo-sonic, Fender, Fujita, Gatemouth, jump, Okie, Reverb, Stomp, Tomo, Vibrolux

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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Technorati Tags: Amp, Amplifier, Antique, Bass, Bassman, Blond, Collection, Cowboy, Explorer, Fender, Flying, GIBSON, Harmony, Korina, Lap, Steel, UV, V

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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Technorati Tags: Amp, Amplifier, Bass, Blues, Falcon, GIBSON, Guitar, Jazz, Lotus, Qbidmusicandmore, Strat, Tube

Angelo Boston teaches and play the bass guitar.

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Technorati Tags: Bass, Guitar

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.

Technorati Tags: vintage electric guitar, vintage gibson electric guitar, vintage gibson guitar

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.

Technorati Tags: antique guitar

Technorati Tags: vintage electric guitar