4 Vintage Electric Guitars Used by Professional Musicians

The thought behind the picks for the 4 vintage guitars used by musicians has to do with which instruments are the most commonly used for different types of music. The picks also consider instruments that have stood the test of time. These guitars helped create our music and play an important role in our culture.

Les Paul's invention of the electric guitar forever changed the role of the guitarist in a band. Not surprising, Gibson has been a major player in the professional guitarist market for many years. With the genius of Leo Fender the Fender Corporation is a viable competitor.

Fender Stratocaster

The Fender Stratocaster is the guitar of choice for most blues musicians. Rock musicians find the Strat performs equally well. The many famous Strat players include Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton. The American made version is the serious choice although some imports have been modified that perform admiringly well.

The pre 1965 models are the pre-CBS models and demand a premium. These vintage instruments are in high demand by professional musicians for their playability, tone, and as a collectible.

Gibson Les Paul

The Gibson Les Paul is a heavy instrument. It has a solid, beautiful tone and is very diverse. The Paul is used plenty in the studio and is quite often seen on stage. A lower cost version of the Gibson Les Paul is made by Epiphone. The quality of the Epiphone has improved over the years. Epiphone was a major competitor to Gibson until they were bought by Gibson.

Irish blues musician, Gary Moore, uses a Les Paul. Other famous players are Jimmy Page, Pete Townshend, and Duane Allman. The older model years of the Les Paul are in highly sought after and demand a steep premium.

Gibson SG

The Gibson SG is what gives Angus Young of AC/DC his powerful sound. Lighter in weight than the Les Paul, this Gibson is a fine instrument made to rock. The SG is the best selling guitar in the Gibson product line. Robby Krieger, guitarist for The Doors, used a Gibson SG. Carlos Santana played a red Gibson SG Special equipped with P-90 pickups at Woodstock. Earlier made SG guitars keep their value and have risen in price.

Gibson ES150 & ES250

The Gibson ES150 guitar is legendary among jazz musicians. The legend starts with Charlie Christian who swore by the ES150. Considered the best jazz guitar ever made. Many of the older ES150s have been modified/upgraded to an ES250. The Gibson ES150 (especially the 1939 model) was used by many famous jazz artists and the old ones are highly sought after as a collectible.

Conclusion

The value of these vintage instruments can vary depending on condition. Assume a vintage guitar worth $4000 in average condition, without modifications and major repairs. The same guitar in mint condition could go for $20,000 or more.

The one in average condition is more suitable to a working musician. It may be possible to save money by buying vintage parts and building your own "Frankenstein" instrument. These vintage guitars will continue to be used by professional musicians for many years to come.

Sources: Personal experience