So how much for a good old screw ?

guitars4you

https://reverb.com/news/why-are-some-vintage-guitar-parts-so-valuable?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=INTL_Sunday_Content_20211024_(UK)&utm_term=Variant%201

Just killing 10 and came across this on Reverb - Interesting to a degree and can't help thinking part of the article is just an aditorial for a few business within the article - Came across 2 sites I was not aware of - But frustrating in that one has no prices - everything appears to be POA - And the other had no stock on their listing 

BillDL

https://reverb.com/news/why-are-some-vintage-guitar-parts-so-valuable

That just wasted 10 minutes of my Sunday relaxation time.  Thank you

Actually, the article is quite well written, credits are given for the images, and the external links don't appear to contain tracking suffixes.  It didn't really tell me anything that I wasn't already aware of and didn't make me think any more deeply about any of the points it highlighted, but I'm sure there will be a lot of readers who were prompted to think in more depth about the issues the author is musing about.

As far as online stores that have POA against just about all of their items, that really does bug me.  I'm not sure whether that irritates me more or less than online stores that insist on filling their pages with stock that they no longer have and applying a "Sold" tag to the thumbnail.  A good example of this is a small bricks and mortar store within easy driving distance for me.  Even worse are the ones where you actually have to click on an item and go to its page to see that it is out of stock.  Online retailers have the technology at their fingertips to show the availability of an item on a "mouseover".

Philly_Q

Bonkers.

ThePrettyDamned

Mad. This line stood out.

"And of course most ABRs have been on guitars, so the saddles are always really badly notched, not centered—and there are no after-market saddles that are tonally the same or will fit a vintage bridge very well." 

They're... Just metal parts. They can be reproduced. It's not magic.

That said, I get why someone with a nearly-all-original guitar might want a final piece of that puzzle. However, another comment that stands out is that most customers for these pieces are not putting them on vintage guitars.

I'm so glad I think things *might* have improved since the 50s!

RaymondLin

Human engineering peaked in the 50's.  They were they egyptians of our time.  Those kind of workmanship cannot ever be reproduced today with our laser, micron accurate technology and understanding of materials.

It peaked, i tell you, we have peaked!

…….



It's an insult to intelligence.

Philly_Q

ThePrettyDamned said:

That said, I get why someone with a nearly-all-original guitar might want a final piece of that puzzle. However, another comment that stands out is that most customers for these pieces are not putting them on vintage guitars.

That stood out for me too, I really don't see the point of putting vintage parts on non-vintage guitars when there are loads of repro parts available, or equally-serviceable modern equivalents.  And that's "the majority" of his business?

About 25 years ago I bought a 1964 SG Special, as a birth-year guitar.  It was fitted with a non-period-correct '50s style aluminium wraparound bridge/tailpiece and wouldn't intonate properly.  I could have bought an adjustable replacement (probably a Badass, Schaller 455 or Wilkinson, no Faber or TonePros in those days) but I went on eBay and found a 1960s lightning-bar wraparound.  It seemed quite expensive at the time but wasn't by today's standards.  So yes, I can see why people want vintage parts for vintage guitars.

I still have that '50s wraparound, I wonder if it's worth a few quid?

MikeC

Yes it is and sadly I’m looking for one for my 57 lp special…

Mattharrier

@Philly_Q it might be that buying a vintage ABR and some vintage tuners is within reach, while buying a vintage guitar isn't. You can at least own a little bit of the old school magic.

BillDL

Philly_Q said:

About 25 years ago I bought a 1964 SG Special, as a birth-year guitar ....

Aha!  I thought you were an old codger, but you're two years younger than me ..... hmmm .... come to think of it ......

Philly_Q

Mattharrier said:

@Philly_Q it might be that buying a vintage ABR and some vintage tuners is within reach, while buying a vintage guitar isn't. You can at least own a little bit of the old school magic.

No, I still don't get it.

BillDL said:

Philly_Q said:

About 25 years ago I bought a 1964 SG Special, as a birth-year guitar ....

Aha!  I thought you were an old codger, but you're two years younger than me ..... hmmm .... come to think of it ......

I am an old codger.  And so are you.

ThePrettyDamned

Mattharrier said:

@Philly_Q it might be that buying a vintage ABR and some vintage tuners is within reach, while buying a vintage guitar isn't. You can at least own a little bit of the old school magic.

There is no magic, these are pieces that can be (and are) reproduced. If people out there think a 50s or 60s original bridge on their modern les paul will make them sound more like Jimmy Page they're sorely mistaken. 

Of course, it's good business for those that stumbled across a stash of old parts! 

Tannin

Of course, it's good business for those that stumbled across a stash of old parts! 

Or, of course, those who are busily manufacturing them. 

stickyfiddle

Mattharrier said:

@Philly_Q it might be that buying a vintage ABR and some vintage tuners is within reach, while buying a vintage guitar isn't. You can at least own a little bit of the old school magic.

Nah, I don't buy that. 

I do have an old 60's celluloid guard on my Jazzmaster because it looked cool and was already a bit warped so was cheaper than a Spitfire one. Old pickups I can understand (though not necessarily buy myself) - particularly for something like WRHBs which were completely unavailable for a long time. But bridges and tuners? 

ThePrettyDamned

stickyfiddle said:

Mattharrier said:

@Philly_Q it might be that buying a vintage ABR and some vintage tuners is within reach, while buying a vintage guitar isn't. You can at least own a little bit of the old school magic.

Nah, I don't buy that. 

I do have an old 60's celluloid guard on my Jazzmaster because it looked cool and was already a bit warped so was cheaper than a Spitfire one. Old pickups I can understand (though not necessarily buy myself) - particularly for something like WRHBs which were completely unavailable for a long time. But bridges and tuners? 

Tuners is especially mad, as even bottom-of-the-barrel tuners nowadays are probably at least as good as old ones. I've yet to find a modern guitar with tuners that don't work properly, even the cheap squier bullet and yammy pacificas work perfectly. 

Sassafras

I fitted some '59 Strat scratchplate screws to my Yamaha Pacifica. The difference was night & day.
Turned a mediocre guitar into a very mediocre guitar.

Mattharrier

@Philly_Q @ThePrettyDamned @stickyfiddle I hasten to point out that I, personally, don't think that vintage parts on a guitar will make it sound any better, nor that vintage parts contain any "magic," but this may be what other people think, leading to a booming industry in supplying said parts.

I'm of the opinion that vintage parts are likely to be worse or no better than good quality modern ones.

Philly_Q

Mattharrier said:

@Philly_Q @ThePrettyDamned @stickyfiddle I hasten to point out that I, personally, don't think that vintage parts on a guitar will make it sound any better, nor that vintage parts contain any "magic," but this may be what other people think, leading to a booming industry in supplying said parts.

I'm of the opinion that vintage parts are likely to be worse or no better than good quality modern ones.

No worries, I wasn't suspecting you of a vintage parts habit.

It seems to me that if there is any "magic" or "mojo" in a guitar it's principally in the body, neck and maybe the originality of the finish.  Old wood, and all that stuff.

As I said before, I can understand someone wanting a genuine vintage part for their genuine vintage guitar.  But I'm utterly baffled by the idea that fitting an old ABR-1 on your 2018 Les Paul Traditional - or whatever - is going to result in some sort of sonic miracle.  It's just the Emperor's new clothes... or old clothes in this situation. 

Seziertisch

Philly_Q said:

Mattharrier said:

@Philly_Q @ThePrettyDamned @stickyfiddle I hasten to point out that I, personally, don't think that vintage parts on a guitar will make it sound any better, nor that vintage parts contain any "magic," but this may be what other people think, leading to a booming industry in supplying said parts.

I'm of the opinion that vintage parts are likely to be worse or no better than good quality modern ones.

No worries, I wasn't suspecting you of a vintage parts habit.

It seems to me that if there is any "magic" or "mojo" in a guitar it's principally in the body, neck and maybe the originality of the finish.  Old wood, and all that stuff.

As I said before, I can understand someone wanting a genuine vintage part for their genuine vintage guitar.  But I'm utterly baffled by the idea that fitting an old ABR-1 on your 2018 Les Paul Traditional - or whatever - is going to result in some sort of sonic miracle.  It's just the Emperor's new clothes... or old clothes in this situation. 

https://youtu.be/d8NWQSjHQHs

https://youtu.be/85IWlkPdO8A

I haven’t any experience with vintage hardware but I have tried steel and brass ABR-1s and there is a difference between them and stock, which you may or may not prefer

rossi

The only experience of different bridges  etc was on an Epi Dot .I changed all the parts on the guitar a bit at a time starting with a Gotoh  stop tail and new strings  so I could see what happened .I changed the stock bridge for a heavier Gotoh and there was a goodly difference more depth .Same for tuners after fitting pukkah Grovers  ,same strings ,amp settings ,pot settings .I then put in (cut n shut )Tonerider Rocksongs and noticed the difference in tone even while tuning up .After that I rewired all the electrics with CTS pots etc .No noticable difference .Thats my only experience of  changing stuff on Gibson type guitars.My actual Gibson Midtown needs no mods