Return of the Rapier 33

guitars4you

WezV said:

Offset said:

WezV said:

Presumably they have none of the issues of the original, so  hopefully you get quirky vintage looks with modern construction and playability.... seems like an idea that could be popular.

Sorry @WezV, I just can't see 'em selling...

You are probably right.

Personally, i think that is a shame.

I would  rather there was money in modern improved versions of old guitars, better than making yet another clone of the big 3.  But you are right, there probably isn't.

Problem is the cost/time required to 'update/modernise' - Coupled with the cost of buying some form of an original model - Coupled with what you can then sell one for - It might be fine as a labour of love project for anyone with such talent as yourself, but ain't commercial as a business activity 

You look at cars and be it a 70's rebuild of a Ford Capri or a 60's rebuild of an MG/VW and a market exists for such rebuilt/concourse/modern upgrades etc - But a) change anything on a guitar and the price comes down and b) naff original examples or player grade examples are already at top dollar prices - I was chatting to a luthier/repairer about this some while ago after watching 'Gas Monkey' or something similar - And we talked about 70's Strats and how good could we make one after a serious re-build/upgrade - But we could not buy one cheaper enough, plus time/cost on upgrade, then add a profit to come up with a potential selling/asking price - Yet the skill level is there, as required, to rebuild/upgrade, to turn a 45 year old Strat , with character, in to a serious guitar

Nitefly

Offset said:

Jeez.  I remember hankering after the 4-pickup model from pictures in a catalog in the early 1970s - was it Boosey & Hawkes?  

Bells of Surbiton.

For all the negativity, they were better than the Futurama guitars that were the only real alternative in 1963...

Teflon

ICBM said:

I don’t think anyone cool ever played one. Kevin Rowland is the only one I can even think of, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t count as cool.............

My mates older brother Mick "The Lip" played one, and we all thought he was pretty cool. Had loads of girlfriends, rode a motorbike and everything 

Offset

Teflon said:

ICBM said:

I don’t think anyone cool ever played one. Kevin Rowland is the only one I can even think of, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t count as cool.............

My mates older brother Mick "The Lip" played one, and we all thought he was pretty cool. Had loads of girlfriends, rode a motorbike and everything 

I suspect it had nowt to do with his, errm, Rapier.

MartinBush

@ICBM said:

I don’t think anyone cool ever played one. Kevin Rowland is the only one I can even think of, and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t count as cool.

Wrong. Kevin Rowland is incredibly cool.

LastMantra

Offset said:

WezV said:

Presumably they have none of the issues of the original, so  hopefully you get quirky vintage looks with modern construction and playability.... seems like an idea that could be popular.

Sorry @WezV, I just can't see 'em selling...

Some people will buy them. Bit like the old car thing people will pay big money for mint looking cortina (or whatever). Bit niche right enough though.


Pabcrane said:

Looks like I'm pretty lonely in the opinion that they look kinda cool 

I quite like them in a kind of so naff they're cool kinda way. They look quite well put together too, from a quick look.
I like the white one.

HarrySeven

Having owned numerous Rapiers, I have to say that I really like them...

However, there is a caveat - the set-neck models with body-colour necks never felt quite "right" to me. I much prefer the bolt-on neck models (generally slimmer/slicker feel all round). I also liked the ultra-sensitive vibrato too.

I'm still slightly puzzled as to why they've been reissued, though...

guitars4you

HarrySeven said:

Having owned numerous Rapiers, I have to say that I really like them...

However, there is a caveat - the set-neck models with body-colour necks never felt quite "right" to me. I much prefer the bolt-on neck models (generally slimmer/slicker feel all round). I also liked the ultra-sensitive vibrato too.

I'm still slightly puzzled as to why they've been reissued, though...

You probably see more for sale than I do - But what are the asking prices now for a clean original Rapier 33

HarrySeven

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

Having owned numerous Rapiers, I have to say that I really like them...

However, there is a caveat - the set-neck models with body-colour necks never felt quite "right" to me. I much prefer the bolt-on neck models (generally slimmer/slicker feel all round). I also liked the ultra-sensitive vibrato too.

I'm still slightly puzzled as to why they've been reissued, though...

You probably see more for sale than I do - But what are the asking prices now for a clean original Rapier 33

Despite OTT prices on eBay/Reverb, etc (quelle surprise!), I don't think I've ever paid more than £150 for one. In fact, the last one I bought was a tenner!  

Offset

HarrySeven said:

guitars4you said:

HarrySeven said:

Having owned numerous Rapiers, I have to say that I really like them...

However, there is a caveat - the set-neck models with body-colour necks never felt quite "right" to me. I much prefer the bolt-on neck models (generally slimmer/slicker feel all round). I also liked the ultra-sensitive vibrato too.

I'm still slightly puzzled as to why they've been reissued, though...

You probably see more for sale than I do - But what are the asking prices now for a clean original Rapier 33

Despite OTT prices on eBay/Reverb, etc (quelle surprise!), I don't think I've ever paid more than £150 for one. In fact, the last one I bought was a tenner!  

In line with other bonkers used guitar prices:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/43628362-watkins-rapier-33-circa-early-60s?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1726164661&utm_content=campaignid=1726164661_adgroupid=70264195649_productpartitionid=1257556540694=merchantid=133859952_productid=43628362_keyword=_device=c_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=391637461803&gclid=CjwKCAjw7--KBhAMEiwAxfpkWLQsfET9kfuv0nSOtaM8wV4z5vAdWxUhlBIFy2uSyIRcWwaik9BA2hoCezgQAvD_BwE

Offset

And to take things to an illogical conclusion:

https://reverb.com/uk/item/15703618-1961-watkins-rapier-22-use-by-the-band-the-la-s-and-cast?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=1726164661&utm_content=campaignid=1726164661_adgroupid=70264195649_productpartitionid=1257556540494=merchantid=236754397_productid=15703618_keyword=_device=c_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=391637461803&gclid=CjwKCAjw7--KBhAMEiwAxfpkWKBNyGajPNPAJu75SfefPouVcMQhZm9Cv7uqnUSi3DFA6JhR1XgiiRoCty4QAvD_BwE

Voxman

Purely from a nostalgia perspective, it's nice to see these re-surface in a more updated format and even for those too young to remember the Rapier, these are very 'retro' and 'quirky' and that has a lot of appeal for certain folk who might want something just a tad different.  It will be interesting to see how commercially successful (or not) these prove to be. Although this isn't something that appeals to me personally, they do have a certain 'je ne-sais quoi' and I therefore genuinely hope they can achieve some success. 

tanihhiavlt

Maybe it'll go down with the beanie hat wearing tattooed bearded dudes eating artisanal avocado on toast, it's not from a big corporation, it's an ironic visual nod to pop culture before rock and it's kind are quite likely never to have witnessed the exploitation of a groupie...

guitars4you

@Offset and @HarrySeven - I prefer the £10 that Harry mentioned - I can see £399 as acceptable for a good example in today's market - I see £995 as way over what many say is OTT

Sassafras

I had one, I was hoping to never see it again.

Offset

guitars4you said:

@Offset and @HarrySeven - I prefer the £10 that Harry mentioned - I can see £399 as acceptable for a good example in today's market - I see £995 as way over what many say is OTT

So do I.  By about £985.

PhilKing

I never had one when I started playing, but our other guitarist had a white 22 with the bolt on neck.  I seem to remember that the neck felt really good (mind you I was comparing it to my Rosetti Airstream 2!).  The new ones don't do much for me.  I think I might be more interested if they had Burns pickups (though really I guess I would prefer a Burns Trisonic with the split sound pickups, if anyone wants to reissue that!).

thecolourbox

Offset said:
 I suspect the answer is 'no-one' (with the possible exception of Jack White).

Is that the Jack White who largely plays custom modified Fenders, Gretsches and Gibson's?

As somebody who likes modern reliable versions of retro stuff, I can honestly say this does not interest me on the slightest though I'm sure it sounds ok

Offset

Mildly similar vibe on his Eastwood - just far more cool :-)

...but I could see him with one...

thecolourbox

Offset said:

Mildly similar vibe on his Eastwood - just far more cool :-)

...but I could see him with one...

That's not an Eastwood