Why Would Someone Pay More For A Reissue Than An Original?

[Lucid_Lunatic]

I understand guitars like LP's and Masterbuilt Fender RI's. $5 or $6K and an original going for $25k to God knows how much on LP's.

I got the new Musicians Friend and they have a Masterbuilt Gretsch Duo Jet for $6k. Really? I see the original late 50's through 60's on the net all the time in the $4k to $6k range.

This isn't the only model, but the first that came to mind.

What's you're thoughts on these RI's that cost more than buying an original.

[Sprinter]

I've always thought that was crazy too. I'm mostly into G&L's and they've had a few so called reissue models and they were higher than buying an original too. For the same or less money I'd definitely opt for an original.

Sprinter

[Bass_Medic_05]

Sounds dumb is dumb!

[Empty Pockets]

because vintage Gretsch guitars were built quickly and cheaply and are nowhere near the quality of current Gretsch guitars

[Pierre]

Most people don't check the second hand market nor want to... Simple.

[FuseG4]

not all vintage guitars are magic. I think with the RIs you can sometimes play a couple and really pick the one that fits you. In the used market, you're at the mercy of... the market, I guess!
If you want a mint guitar (you like the feeling or the look, or whatever) the "NOS" or "time machine" RIs are pretty awesome. You're (probably) never going to get to own a mint condition Nocaster unless you get an RI.

[Jessie's ghost]

If the RI -- as a guitar, not as a piece of history -- is all the good of the original without the bad, plus the benefits of better consistency and more modern this-or-that, it sounds like a win.

[BrockSamson]

A lot of times with vintage guitars, you are really at t the mercy of how well they've been taken care of to be honest. I will admit that "Vintage" or "road worn" guitars are sometimes a big shot of "WTF". Like the Gilmour Strat.

It can't honestly be any better than a Fender USA Strat, yet has a 4k pricetag.

[guitarkid4143]

because vintage Gretsch guitars were built quickly and cheaply and are nowhere near the quality of current Gretsch guitars

Exactly. Stability and playibility.

[Empty Pockets]

Exactly. Stability and playibility.

plus all 3 vintage Gretsches (and i mean vintage as in from the 60's) i've played have been ****ing terrible guitars that felt like they were gona fall apart in my hands.


every Fender or Gibson i've played from the same era has felt like an artfully-crafted weapon of mass rock-n-rollin

[BRHGM]

Many of the vintage Gretsches have serious problems with poor gluing, peeling paint and cheap wood that fell apart. Gretsch was known for quirky innovation, gimmicky sales and eventually poor construction. The new ones are definitely better built. At that time, Gibsons were much more expensively made and Fenders were well made despite being made from low cost parts and easier assembly. By the 1970's they all got sloppy and were run into the ground by bean counters. Guitars today are better built and built more uniformly with often low cost wood. All things considered, guitars today are cheaper, better made and more common than they were in the 1950s. No not all vintage guitars wee made from quality wood. Gibson used poorer quality mahogany and rosewood on its Juniors and Specials and lower output pickups on the 1960's Epiphones. Gretsch used drum shell plastic to decorate their guitars and this stuff peels off with age. Fender used cheap pine and then ash and alder wood. Who knew it could sound good back then. Before I would spend $6K, I would make sure that guitar sounded like a $6K guitar.

[Grandturk]

not all vintage guitars are magic.

I would add: "not all vintage guitars are vintage guitars."

And what I mean is that unless you are an expert, good luck buying that old guitar - because who the heck knows what it really is.