Fender Guitars - '70s Prices?

[Brian C]

Hey all -

 

I am curious about this Fender thing. I've had Gibsons for years, and was looking at some really nice Fenders from the '70s recently, and it seems the years 75-76 are way more expensive than later years - even, say, '79. These are all the 3 bolt models - I can see why the earlier FOUR bolt model is different, but why these years so much pricier than the following few years?

Thanks!

BC

[SEHpicker]

Bought a beautiful new white Strat off the rack in 74'for $175.00!!! perfect neck, great tone. Then sold it several years later to a buddy when cash was low...for $225.00!!! Jeeeeez wish I could have that baby back. Oh well! I'm sure this will spark a few sad memories from others who didn't know any better. People talk about if only they had bought IBM stock way back when...how bout if only I had bought a truckload of Strats way back when. Life's a beach.

[lrbreez]

Fenders from the 70s (and most Gibsons too) are junk. I had to try out 15 Strats before finding a good one (and it really wasn't very good). When 70s Fenders started going up I unloaded my 74 Strat. The main reason 50s and early 60s guitars became desirable was because of the junk Fender and Gibson were putting. Fender and Gibson started turning around in the 80s when they started putting out reissues and learned why people liked the older guitars.

Buddy

[baronedo]

I think that the Vintage thing is way over blown. I also bought and sold Fender and Gibson guitars in the 70's for a few hundred bucks and have no regrets because that's all they were worth then. I would also argue that many of these older so called "Vintage" guitars really shouldn't be worth that much more today.

 

If you think back to the way guitars were made in the 50's, 60's and 70's much hand labor was involved (not by choice) and NOT NECESSARILY BY GREAT CRAFTSMAN. Because of this, there was a lot of unit to unit quality variation. Yes you could find a really nice guitar but also some real clunkers. Back then they would have killed to have the improved woodworking and machining processes we have today. We have guitar necks and bodies carved to unbelieveably close tolerances due to computerized (CNC) cutting machines using good and in many cases better woods.

 

The result is much more consistent and GOOD quality. I've yet to find a bad playing American made Strat and many of the Mexican Strats are also very playable. The one area where Fender needs to improve is its pickups.

 

I have an extremely good off the shelf American Strat Plus with Kinman FV-HMS pups retrofitted. I would put this guitar up against any "Vintage" Strat in the area of both the tone and playablity.

 

I get a real kick out of stores trying to sell a beat up and worn out piece of old junk that looks like hell and often times plays just as bad for thousands of $ under the guise of "Vintage".

 

As guitar players I think we need to make a statement and reject paying large sums for this stuff and instead relish in today's good quality guitars which are sold at affordable prices.