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  1. Guitars

12 fake 'vintage' guitars

News
By Guitarist ( Guitarist ) published 14 September 2014

Recommended new-old instruments

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Gretsch G6136CST White Falcon

Gretsch G6136CST White Falcon

The only guitar in Gretsch’s USA Collection.

This - as Grestch states - is “based on the earliest White Falcon guitars of the mid-50s... as close as you can get, short of having a time machine. The Dynasonic pickups are recreated faithfully by Seymour Duncan.”

A fine repro. Don’t even ask how much the original would be.

Page 1 of 12
Page 1 of 12
Guild Starfire V with Bigsby

Guild Starfire V with Bigsby

Guild electrics returned in 2013: some of the best vintage-accurate reissues we’ve seen in ages.

Guild was owned until the middle of this year by Fender, but the brand now has new owners and, at the time of writing, we don’t know if we’ll see these guitars again. There are some excellent deals in-store for those that remain.

Guild Starfire V with Bigsby review

Page 2 of 12
Page 2 of 12
Fender Road Worn '50s Telecaster

Fender Road Worn '50s Telecaster

The Mexican-made Road Worn range features a ’50s and ’60s Strat, ’50s P and ’60s J Bass, plus this Telecaster.

These might lack the anorak-like detail of the American Vintage or the Custom Shop’s more convincing ageing, but they are relatively affordable versions that are ideal for some extra DIY ageing and hot-rodding.

Fender Road Worn ’50s Telecaster review

Page 3 of 12
Page 3 of 12
Rickenbacker 330

Rickenbacker 330

The 330 has barely changed since it was introduced in 1958. This standard, more modern version has 24 frets, a feature from ’69, and the white two-tier scratchplate from ’63.

In reality, it’s very much a new ‘old’ guitar from a company that refuses to modernise or expand. If it ain’t broke...

Page 4 of 12
Page 4 of 12
Fano SP6

Fano SP6

Unlike brands that copy the classics with the wrong name on the headstock, Fano re-imagines the vintage guitar, mixing styles and features to create something original.

The SP6 takes a slab-bodied single-cut Les Paul Special and adds TV Jones or Telecaster-style pickups and controls. The guitars are nicely aged, too.

Page 5 of 12
Page 5 of 12
PRS McCarty Singlecut

PRS McCarty Singlecut

For those who hear with their eyes, this is plain wrong. But sonically it’s one of the most ’Burst-like modern guitars.

Classic mahogany maple construction with the latest tweaked 57/08 PAF-alike pickups, this ‘unofficial’ production Private Stock guitar is one for the tone connoisseur.

Page 6 of 12
Page 6 of 12
Fender Custom 60th Anniversary 1954 Heavy Relic Stratocaster

Fender Custom 60th Anniversary 1954 Heavy Relic Stratocaster

Fender’s Time Machine guitars are easily the closest to the real vintage deal that money can buy.

This special model was released to celebrate this year’s 60th Anniversary, along with non-Custom Shop American Vintage, American Standard and Classic Player celebrations.

The heavy relic’ing looks as if it has been on the road for decades - you can almost smell the toil, sweat and beer.

Page 7 of 12
Page 7 of 12
Fender American Vintage '65 Jazzmaster

Fender American Vintage '65 Jazzmaster

Slavish repros from Fender’s non-Custom Shop production range, American Vintage covers all the classics - Strat, Tele, Jazzmaster, Jaguar, and P and J Basses - in year-correct detail, but they are unaged.

Thin nitro finishes, old-style fingerboard radius and frets, original circuits and period-correct pickups and hardware. If you want an unplayed ‘vintage’ classic, this is as close as you’ll get.

Fender American Vintage ’65 Jazzmaster review

Page 8 of 12
Page 8 of 12
Gibson Historic Collection 'R9' 1959 Les Paul

Gibson Historic Collection 'R9' 1959 Les Paul

Gibson admits that replicating its classics is an ongoing task, and each time it releases new models they’re better than the ones before.

The latest crop appeared in 2013: ’56, ’57, ’58, ’59 and ’60 Les Pauls, an SG Standard and ’59 and ’63 ES-335s. We called this R9 “the most historically accurate Gibson Les Paul ’59 Reissue to date.” Nuff said.

Gibson Historic Collection ‘R9’ 1959 Les Paul review

Page 9 of 12
Page 9 of 12
Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Custom

Fender Classic Series '72 Telecaster Custom

These are the Mexican versions, if you like, of Fender’s American Vintage.

The long-running range includes the classic Strat and Tele models (including ‘Lacquer’ nitrocellulose models), plus more contemporary models such as the ’69 Tele Thinline, ’72 Tele Deluxe and ’72 Tele Thinline, not to mention the ’65 Mustang - one of the more affordable pre-CBS vintage guitars you can buy.

Page 10 of 12
Page 10 of 12
Gibson Custom The Collector's Choice

Gibson Custom The Collector's Choice

An ongoing series of replicas of famous vintage Les Pauls owned by collectors.

It began with a repro of the Pete Green/Gary Moore guitar owned by Melvyn Franks. Collector Vic DaPra’s ’Burst is replicated as the Collector’s Choice #9 1959 Les Paul ‘Believer Burst’.

There are plenty more, including the #8 Bernie Marsden 1959 Les Paul ‘The Beast’. Each is aged to replicate the original.

Page 11 of 12
Page 11 of 12
Gibson Memphis 50th Anniversary 1963 ES-335

Gibson Memphis 50th Anniversary 1963 ES-335

One of the absolute best new ES-335s we’ve encountered - play it at your peril.

Gibson’s Memphis division also produces the equally jaw-dropping Rusty Anderson, Rich Robinson and Luther Dickinson ES-335, a 1959 dot-inlaid version... we could go on.

How about the ultimate jazz box: a 1959 ES-175? Most feature Gibson’s highly evocative, lightly aged VOS finish. Stop!

Page 12 of 12
Page 12 of 12
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Epiphone goes high-end with its Inspired By Gibson Custom 2025 collection: [from left] the '63 Firebird in Polaris White is joined by a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a '64 SG Standard, a 1960 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow and a 1962 ES-335 reissue.
Epiphone expands and upgrades Inspired By Gibson Custom range with 8 stunning "reissue" electrics
Gretsch Limited Edition Jim Dandy Parlor Solid Top
Gretsch drops two limited edition Jim Dandy acoustics with solid spruce tops and off-the-charts mojo
Harley Benton HBJ-45E SBK
Harley Benton unveils dreadnought inspired by a classic workhorse – and it is crazy affordable
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
“A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Gretsch Limited Edition Paisley Penguin [left] and Honey Dipper Resonator: the Penguin dresses the famous singlecut in gold sparkle with a Paisley Pattern graphic, while the 99 per cent aluminium Honey Dipper makes a welcome return to the lineup.
Gretsch just unveiled one of the most decorative Penguins you'll see – and a super-cool resonator
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