• Discover Vintage Acoustic Guitars

• Explore Vintage Acoustic Guitar Features

• Pick a Vintage Acoustic Guitar

• Value Vintage Acoustic Guitars

• Find Vintage Acoustic Guitars on eBay

• Buy Vintage Acoustic Guitars With Confidence

Discover Vintage Acoustic Guitars

Discover Vintage Acoustic Guitars

Vintage acoustic guitars can be generally classified as wooden steel-stringed guitars made from the 1920s to the 1970s. The most sought-after guitars however, come from the 1920s and 1930s, the so-called “golden era” that produced some of the finest acoustic guitars ever made. Collectors and musicians covet vintage acoustic guitars for several reasons.

• Vintage acoustic guitar sound: A vintage acoustic guitar produces deeper, more resonant tones. As the wood (or woods) of a vintage acoustic guitar ages, the sound will mature and improve. Some say that mahogany guitars peak at 25 to 30 years of age, while maple and rosewood sound their best after 35 to 50 years.

• Character and history of vintage acoustic guitars: Players like to talk about the palpable vibe emanating from vintage acoustic guitars—they have a distinct character and personality, as well as historical importance and a link to the past.

• Craftsmanship: Older vintage acoustic guitars were handmade, one-of-a-kind items, created with great care and craftsmanship. Some collectible vintage acoustic guitars, in fact, were constructed of wood that’s of limited availability or no longer available today, such as Brazilian rosewood.

• Collectibility and value: Vintage acoustic guitars can be highly collectible and, therefore, may make a good investment. Some models are worth thousands of dollars.

Explore Vintage Acoustic Guitar Features

Explore Vintage Acoustic Guitar Features

Vintage acoustic guitars are further distinguished by other factors. As you go about your search, consider a guitar’s body shape, size, and wood, all of which will affect how the instrument sounds and plays.

Vintage acoustic guitar body shape

Steel-stringed vintage acoustic guitars come in two general body shapes.

• Flat-top vintage acoustic guitars: As the name suggests, flat-top vintage acoustic guitars feature a flat-top body. If you play blues, folk, bluegrass, or rock, flat-tops, which were pioneered by Martin, will suit you best.

• Archtop vintage acoustic guitars: In contrast, archtop vintage acoustic guitars have a curved top and a hollow body. If you’re a jazz or country player, then look for archtops, which were invented by Gibson. (The most sought-after Gibson archtops are the larger models dating from the early 1930s to 1959.)

Vintage acoustic guitar sizes

When it comes to sound, size also matters.

• Dreadnought vintage acoustic guitars: By far the most common size for a vintage acoustic guitar, dreadnoughts are medium-bodied and versatile vintage acoustic guitars. If you’re after lots of bass and projection (for bluegrass, for example), dreadnoughts can’t be beat. They’re especially good for flatpicking.

• Auditorium and grand concert vintage acoustic guitars: These are larger-bodied vintage acoustic guitars. Both auditorium and grand concert vintage acoustic guitars work best for fingerpicking, and offer a bigger sound if you play in larger venues.

• Parlor vintage acoustic guitars: Smaller than dreadnoughts, parlor vintage acoustic guitars will give you a nice balance of bass and treble, plus great projection. If you have a small body or small hands, parlor guitars will be much easier to play.

• Classical vintage acoustic guitars: Classical vintage acoustic guitars can also fall under the category of vintage acoustic guitars. Played with nylon instead of steel strings, these flat-top guitars have deep, smaller bodies, and are the guitars of choice if classical music is your playing preference.

Woods

Wood affects the overall tone of a vintage acoustic guitar. Moreover, different woods are used for different parts of the vintage acoustic guitar.

• Vintage acoustic guitar tops: A vintage acoustic guitar’s top has the most impact on its sound. Most steel-string vintage acoustic guitar tops are constructed of a type of spruce (Adirondack, Appalachian, Sitka).

• Vintage acoustic guitar sides and backs: Mahogany, rosewood, and maple are most commonly used in vintage acoustic guitar sides and backs.

• Vintage acoustic guitar necks and fingerboards: Expect necks of rosewood or mahogany, and fingerboards of ebony or rosewood on vintage acoustic guitars.

Not all vintage acoustic guitars are made of wood, however. Resonator guitars (from makers such as Dobro and National) are constructed of both metal and wood. As you’d expect, these vintage acoustic guitars yield a more tinny or metallic sound. If you like the blues and play with a slide, resonator guitars add great character and bite.

Pick a Vintage Acoustic Guitar

Pick a Vintage Acoustic Guitar

When shopping for a vintage acoustic guitar, you’ll want to focus on a few key criteria: originality, condition, brand, music style, and demand.

Original vintage acoustic guitars

Vintage acoustic guitars that have been repaired and worked on hold less value than those preserved in their original condition. Even something seemingly minor, like refretting or replacing the original case, can decrease the instrument’s value.

A vintage acoustic guitar that looks weathered but has its original finish will always be worth more than a guitar that looks great but has been refinished. Once a guitar gets refinished, it can never be returned to its true original—and more valuable—condition.

Condition critical

The better the condition, the better the vintage guitar—and the more it will be worth. But because vintage acoustic guitars have been around awhile, they inevitably show signs of wear and use. Scratches, dings, cracks, and finish checking are fairly common.

Look for vintage acoustic guitars that are described thoroughly and are displayed in multiple photos so you can get a good idea of their condition. Pay special attention to a guitar’s neck. Over time, necks can become bowed or develop a bad angle to the bridge (in which case the guitar might require a neck reset).

Before you buy, you’ll also want to know about repairs previously done to the instrument, as well as repairs that may be needed in the future.

The power of a name

Collectors often seek out guitars that carry the Martin and Gibson name. Many other guitar makers produced collectible vintage acoustic guitars, however, including Gretsch, Guild, Epiphone, D’Angelico, D’Aguisto, and Stromberg. Also keep an eye out for high-end brands like Taylor, Larrivee, Santa Cruz, Collings, and Bourgeois.

Musical style

The type of music you play can also dictate the make of guitar that’s most appropriate for you. Vintage Taylor acoustic guitars and vintage Larrivee acoustic guitars, for example, function well as good all-purpose instruments. Vintage Gibson acoustic guitars are great for blues. Vintage Martin acoustic guitars, vintage Gallagher acoustic guitars, or vintage Collings acoustic guitars, work well for bluegrass.

In demand

Demand for a specific model ranks as another important buying consideration. To be sure, a vintage acoustic guitar’s rarity can create demand, but it isn’t the only way. Sometimes a particular model will be valuable even though many instruments were made.

It’s difficult to predict demand. Essentially, strong demand exists for a model once it has stood the test of time, and collectors and musicians generally acknowledge a guitar’s collectibility (such as a pre-World War II Martin D–28).

Value Vintage Acoustic Guitars

Value Vintage Acoustic Guitars

What makes a vintage acoustic guitar worthy of the vintage label? It’s important to assess a vintage acoustic guitar’s worth before you buy.

Research

You can learn about specific vintage acoustic guitar makers and models from a variety of sources, including:

• magazines (such as Vintage Guitar)

• books

• buying guides

• websites

• other collectors

• luthiers (guitar makers)

Instrument dealers and repair shops can serve as great sources of information, too. Oftentimes, they’ll offer rough estimates of an instrument’s worth.

Serial numbers

Many vintage acoustic guitars have serial numbers, which are a great help in determining a guitar’s value. Look for listings that include a guitar’s serial number, and then reference it with a buying guide, website, etc.

Appraisals

Once you purchase a vintage acoustic guitar, you may want to have it appraised. Dealers often provide formal written appraisals for a fee. Some will also do appraisals by mail or through the Internet. Be prepared to submit a serial number, multiple photos, and any information about repairs and modifications.

Find Vintage Acoustic Guitars on eBay

Find Vintage Acoustic Guitars on eBay

Once you know what type of vintage acoustic guitar you want, go to the Musical Instruments portal, click Guitar, then Acoustic, and start searching for item listings on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by brand.

• Keyword search: Search eBay title listings for specific words. For example, if you want to find a vintage Martin guitar, type “vintage Martin guitar” (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click “Search title and description” to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Vintage Acoustic Guitars With Confidence

Buy Vintage Acoustic Guitars With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to $1,000.

• eBay Security & Resolution Center: Visit the Security & Resolution Center to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.