Will modern era Strats ever become vintage?

[jcmark611]

I don't mean that by just age but, will any Stratocaster built since 1984 be as sought after as a '57 or '62? Will it take another Hendrix or Clapton to come along and make a 1992 Strat double in value? Will we have to wait for the youth of the 80s-90s to grow up and become nostaligic for the guitars of that era?

 

[TwoTubMan]

I bought a '73 Strat in '73. Over the years, I've replaced nearly every single part of that pos. After 35 years, I'm nearing the point where the thing is almost playable. People are paying $5K+ for models the same as mine. It was garbage when it was new, and now it's a collector's item. IF I had not attempted to make it playable, that is.

 

[XKnight]

If history repeats itself, then all the Strats, Teles, LPs, SGs etc., will become vintage and collectible eventually. I just think this time around it may take one hundred thousand years.

Not positive, but my guess is that the production levels of modern day Strats has gone up significantly, so until the supply withers, the demand for what is considered vintage may just take longer to occur.

 

[johnzias]

I don't think so. You'd have to go boutique to get the wood quality that was used on Strats from '54 to '65 and somewhat thereafter. Guitar quality hit a low point from the mid '70's to mid '80's IMO.

 

[buddastrat]

I think the high end CS and replicas may. Especially as certain wood supply keeps diminishing. For example the nice rosewood seems to be at such a premium because it's all but gone, or protected. Same with mahogany. The mahogany and rosewood used today often looks very different than the old stuff. The big companies sometimes dye the rosewood so it looks more like the old models. Who knows if really is Indian rosewood or whatever. That could make stuff collectable, or not.

 

[deoreo]

I think new Fender guitars today will be "collectable" 50 years from now, just because they will be "old" and not current - they will increase in value somewhat because of this, and have value as an instrument.

However, I think very few if any models will reach the values of original 54, 57, or 62 Strats for example - those are icons, literally the "origin of the species" that everything else is kinda based off of.

 

[Peppy]

Will anyone care about electric guitars much in the first place 40-50 years from now?

 

[johnzias]

They still care about Stradivarius don't they? The best guitars of the 50's and 60's are the Stradivari of electric guitars.

 

[61Ephramite]

I recently played a '66 Strat that was still pretty much original. It was cool to examine and play, but I was not impressed enough to spend the money it would bring in a sale.

Honestly, I prefer to play one of my "04 Strats for tone and playability. I see Fenders almost everyday and the newer models are built very well with more attention to exact details. In Leo's day, the margins on specs were much looser.

Hold on to your good quality Strats. The more you play them and the harder you break them in, the better they play. And don't throw away those pickups you replaced either. Over time the magnets "sweeten" up, losing their strength. Who knows if a Tex-Mex might be the next "59 PAF [ ok, maybe in 30 yrs plus]?

 

[johnzias]

I've owned about a dozen Strats over the years. None have compared favorably to my '61. (a different wood class than a '66 IMO) This includes 5 custom shops. Wood resonance and stability being the difference. Sure there are some mediocre guitars from that era, just as there are some excellent instruments being built today. On balance though, it's pretty much hands down from '54 to '65 IMO, unless you go DeTemple, D'Pergo, or Masterbuilt CS.

 

[buddastrat]

Funny, I've been through vintage and CS, as well as regular production strats. Nothing compares to my '66. It spoils every guitar because it's so beefy sounding. six early 60's strats couldn't touch it. I think this 66 is thickest biggest strat on the planet. And it chimes at the same time! I've literally lost thousands trying to find something to replace it, because I hate that old sunburst look. What's weird is that with that big sound, the pickups measure 4.9- 5.1K ohms. Fender produced some of the lowest output pickups ever from that era and they chime unbelieveably.

 

[GregoryL]

There are definitely some modern strats, which are becoming collectible. For example, the very early American Standard guitars from the 80's are gaining some attention as collectibles. Early Custom Shop instruments are also gaining some interest.

I'm curious to see how the boutique builder market that has expanded over the last ten years will be seen in the future - they're building better instruments, but will the market recognize it.

 

[KennethC]

when a senior masterbuilder leaves this earth, unfortunately of cos, his guitars may gain some attention...

 

[The Golden Boy]

No one would have ever figured that CBS stuff and Norlin stuff would ever have been considered "desirable."

 

[Rich T Fingers]

I recently played a '66 Strat that was still pretty much original. It was cool to examine and play, but I was not impressed enough to spend the money it would bring in a sale.

I had a '66 Strat back in the day. It was no good at all, no character, just a lump of wood. And the neck warped.
No doubt someone today spent $20,000 on it....


Now the 1984 - 87 Strats, now they're different, because they were built by a committed workforce, just after they had bought out the company. I have one of those American Standards and it's a better guitar than any other Strat I've played. (And I've played a few in the last 40 years..)

 

[61Ephramite]

So would anyone here buy a 15-20 year old Strat with a sweet feel and tone for the same kind of money that would buy a new Strat?

 

[Peppy]

They still care about Stradivarius don't they? The best guitars of the 50's and 60's are the Stradivari of electric guitars.

A small group, an exclusive one at that. Back to the Fenders: I think Strats mostly appeal to the more middle-aged player...my son and his friends (early-mid 20s) don't gravitate that much towards them. I may be wrong but I don't think they (today's average Strat) will be as in demand in 50 years as 50 year-old Strats are in demand today. Less younger peole play guitar now than say 30 years or so ago plus there are more modern Strats built than the vintage ones...by a huge margin. Thus exclusivity will be much less...if not general appreciation and experience as well. One thing though, I'll be dead in less than 50 years so you...or someone else...will have to vibe me to how it turned out.

 

[mslmg]

sure they will! Age has a mystique and allure to it. after 25+years (or less), they will be vintage and therefore desireable! All the future guitarists yet to be born, will want one (one that they can afford)!

 

[scottlr]

Collectibility is the proper term here. The 50s and 60s are "collectible" because they were produced in smaller numbers, so fewer great examples still exist today. With the thousands and thousands being produced today, it's not likely they'll be in short supply in the next 50 years imho. That doesn't mean folks won't be paying more for a 1990 Strat than they do for a 2057 Strat. But by then there will have been the 100th anniversary Strat sold exclusively by GC, the ONLY music shop left, and the price will be $1,000,000.

 

[Lucidology]

Can't get over that many guitar players go ga-ga nuts
over my beat up old '71 Tele ... nothing original except the Neck & Body..

Steve Miller is giving me **** here for putting a yin-yang sticker on the back of it..
but hell, he wanted it too ..
.