What is a Vintage Guitar? And How Much Can They Cost?
The term vintage guitar refers to models of acoustic and electric guitars produced in limited quantities between the 1920s and 1960s by companies such as Gibson, Fender and Martin.
“They were built right. Built by small companies that paid attention to the details and used handmade components,” says Ward Meeker, editor of Vintage Guitar Magazine.
These guitars can cost anywhere from $10,000 to $600,000. Tommy Byrne, owner of BJ & Byrne Guitars and founder of an upcoming fund that will invest in vintage guitars, estimates that “guitars such as the late 1950s Gibson Les Paul Standards will exchange hands for between $350,000 and $600,000. A 1958/59 Gibson Flying V is worth more than $200,000. A pre-war Martin acoustic, such as the D-45 model will yield over $400,000 and an early 1950s Fender Stratocasters will trade for more than $50,000.