0353203 Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Hi All, Can anyone recommend a good vintage guitar shop (anywhere in the country) - my simple definition of good is that their noses grow very long when they tell fibs and they assume that negotiation is all part of the fun If you want to add to that simple criteria, please do ! Many thanks in advance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Have you tried Vintage and Rare Guitars in London? Not sure how good they are, and of course their instruments are very expensive, but maybe someone can chime in who's had an experience buying or negotiating with them! I think there's also somewhere in Bath that sells vintage basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 That'll be the Bath store of Vintage and Rare. There's also Angel Music on Denmark Street too. It's upstairs, above where the old Music Ground was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 There's a vintage instrument shop in the New Kings Road. I believe it's near the Putney end. I think vintage prices are stupidly high and most of the old gear wasn't that good in the first place! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 (edited) I can't think of any retailer - guitar or otherwise - where one is guaranteed of satisfaction. But in the field of vintage guitars / basses, the phrase 'Caveat Emptor' is highly applicable. A swift search of the site will reveal a host of retailer threads, many of which name the guilty. I've had reasonable results with Guitar Village, V&R and Angel, but others on BC have not. By the same token, there are some stores I'd never visit again that get good reports here. So results can be variable. Same as with car dealers. Whoever the retailer, it's always a battle of wits with someone who'll do almost anything to get your money. If the buyer does some [i]deep[/i] research, sets a price limit in their mind and applies simple rules of negotiation - open sensibly, haggle back up in small increments - then they won't go far wrong. And patience is a virtue. If doubtful, it's always better to walk away and wait for the next one. Now if I could only listen to my own advice... Edited January 18, 2010 by skankdelvar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 What Skank said. If you're planning to buy a vintage instrument, then chances are you're spending some serious money. Walk into one of those places saying "I want to buy a genuine, all-original, early-70's Doobry Ferkin and I have loadsamoney" and you will be astonished at some of the stuff that materialises in front of you. If you haven't troubled to do the obvious research on early-70's Doobry Ferkins, their well-documented electrical problems, the Masonic codes to be found etched on the back of the truss-rod cover, and of course that cute thing you can do with the pickguard and a leather bootlace, and you WILL get well and truly shafted. Every single time I ride my bike (KTM SM690) I work on the assumption that every single other road user is actively trying to kill me. They're not, of course. Well, most of them, anyway. But that approach keeps me alive. Every time you walk into a vintage bass shop ... you get the picture? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 The dude that runs Electric Ladyland in Bristol seems to be totally uninterested in getting your money. Don't think he fibs, but he might just not want to sell you stuff when he could be telling you the stuff you want is overrated rubbish and he has 50 of them out back instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Antones Guitars in Hull,East Yorkshire. - owner Tony is extremely knowledgeable regarding vintage basses,amps and guitars. He has a lot of trade connections if you are after anything specific, along with good friendly advice. ( www.antonesguitars.com ) Cheers Pete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Vintage & Rare Guitars in Bath blew it for me a few years ago when I was asking about 51 P-basses and the guy was really snooty saying they didn't exist. I've seen some good stock since but that left a bad taste in my mouth. They are not the cheapest but they do have a good reputation. Equally not cheap but prone to 100% genuine stuff is [url="http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/basses.htm"]http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/basses.htm[/url] - but not a "shop" as such. You can go and try stuff if you are serious though. All by appointment. I've bought from him a couple of times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Both V&R and New Kings Road Vintage Guitars have good stock, are knowledgable and reasonable, and like all businesses, are open to discussing terms. If you're after 50s/60s, NKR have some amazing stock, V&R have some very nice basses from the 60s and 70s but fewer of 'em. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcrow Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 [url="http://www.musicground.com/"]is this any good[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 [quote name='mrcrow' post='716781' date='Jan 18 2010, 04:56 PM'][url="http://www.musicground.com/"]is this any good[/url][/quote] Word on the street here is "no". Also the same for the German guy on EBay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 [quote name='skankdelvar' post='716513' date='Jan 18 2010, 12:58 PM']I can't think of any retailer - guitar or otherwise - where one is guaranteed of satisfaction. But in the field of vintage guitars / basses, the phrase 'Caveat Emptor' is highly applicable.[/quote] +10000 You REALLY need to know your stuff if you plan to buy a vintage instrument, especially if you're looking at Fenders & Gibsons - it's an absolute minefield & as there are large sums of money involved there are some real crooks out there. Add to that the increasing emergence of very good fakes that fool many of the so-called "experts" & it's something I personally would never bother with even if I had the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thor Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='716605' date='Jan 18 2010, 02:07 PM']The dude that runs Electric Ladyland in Bristol seems to be totally uninterested in getting your money. Don't think he fibs, but he might just not want to sell you stuff when he could be telling you the stuff you want is overrated rubbish and he has 50 of them out back instead.[/quote] I can relate to that - he's certainly a character, lord knows how he makes a living? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 [quote name='BurritoBass' post='716786' date='Jan 18 2010, 04:57 PM']Word on the street here is "no". Also the same for the German guy on EBay.[/quote] +1 on Music Ground (they're the guys who own most of Denmark Street, including the Bass Cellar) for "vintage" instruments. Wasn't going to mention eBay but if you're prepared to do that then bambibau ( [url="http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/bambibau&ssPageName=STRK:MEFSX:SELLERID"]http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/bambibau&ssP...:MEFSX:SELLERID[/url] ) has been straight with me on more than one transaction, and gets some really good stock. His prices are high because (i) he gets really good stock, and (ii) the £ is crap against the € at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 [quote name='BurritoBass' post='716766' date='Jan 18 2010, 04:50 PM']Equally not cheap but prone to 100% genuine stuff is [url="http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/basses.htm"]http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/basses.htm[/url][/quote] Nice! [url="http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/basses/cbprecision.htm"]http://www.classicandcoolguitars.co.uk/bas...cbprecision.htm[/url] That's what mine looked like when I paid £260 for it new in 1982. Its still in pretty good nick, but not as good as this £1900 one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Oh look! They forgot the black paint ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='716605' date='Jan 18 2010, 02:07 PM']The dude that runs Electric Ladyland in Bristol seems to be totally uninterested in getting your money. Don't think he fibs, but he might just not want to sell you stuff when he could be telling you the stuff you want is overrated rubbish and he has 50 of them out back instead.[/quote] Is that Ray Baker you're talking about? Is he still running that shop in Bristol? Haven't been in there for nearly 20 years. He was indeed a very good guy & they used to have a great selection of stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0353203 Posted January 18, 2010 Author Share Posted January 18, 2010 Thanks so far for all the tips / hints & advice ! All very gratefully received. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.