The "Vintage Machine"

F/S 1953 Fender Telecaster Blackguard, Ex Cond. $385.000.00

No I am not selling the above listed guitar. This listing is fantasy...but not that far from the truth
I have been putting off my rant about the vintage instrument market for some time now. Recently however, I received an email reply to an inquiry regarding the price of a piece of gear posted on my local Craig's List. I 'll quote the opening email and follow up with my usual long-winded response.

" I'm suprised I haven't bumped into u already if u r in Koloa & r into dealing electric guitars. I currently have 2 pre-CBS vintage Fender Jazz Basses for sale....the original sunburst '63 is currently for sale on Ebay, & the refurbished '65 ( faded robin's egg blue) I haven't listed yet. I'm not sure what I am willing to sell the '65 for yet, but it will soon be up for sale."

My Reply

I don't really deal guitars. Having come up in what the consumer-driven industry experts refer to as the Golden Days of Fender and Gibson I find the "vintage" market, its inflated prices and the obsessive phenomenon of enshrining pre-60s slab instruments in display cases as though they were religious relics thoroughly repugnant. As a composer and musician I believe instruments should be played not pinned to felt boards and encapsulated in glass like sad, rare butterflies.

If a client insists, I have and will locate and negotiate the purchase of a "vintage" piece but will first attempt to steer them in the direction of purchasing a contemporary instrument crafted by one of several small production luthiers I have the privilege of knowing and working with. There are many artisans building innovative and quite exquisite pieces right now that are playable and realistically priced. Mr. Fender was first and foremost a repair man and I do not intend to impinge on his genius by stating this. It is my guess that he would be appalled at the cult status, the hoarding and the skyrocketing prices of instruments he intended to be played by working class musicians not locked away and masturbated over by the cigar and cognac neo-con crowd.

I recently did a repair and appraisal on a 64 Strat. Due to the refin the piece was only worth 12,500.00. In my opinion this is an obscenity. This amount of money would put a lot of instruments into the hands of school kids, perhaps offering them an alternative to the self-destructive, violence-driven pathway to ignorance, enlistment and a potential military funeral. Music was my way out of depression and despair so I am adamant regarding the importance of its exposure to young people.

You have not bumped into me because we are on different roads my friend. I have a small business which I feel is fair and honest. I am shooting for what the Buddha called right livelihood. I don't work with any of the big boxes and all my products have a face, heart and soul behind them. Even GHS has no plans to take over the world and they are the largest company I rep. I just picked up Thomastik-Infeld which as a bass player, I am sure you are familiar with their Jazz Flats; outrageous old school jazz tone and they keep getting better.
I will have the lowest price in the islands on these.

Many mahalos for getting back to me and please forgive my opinionated long-windedness, but it's kind of who I am. If I can be of service to you in any way please feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,
Tyler J. Barnes

Update
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