I started collecting guitars and amplifiers a few years back. I tend to buy gear because its unusual or has a particular interest to me. Its not because I play in a band or anything, in fact I don’t even play very well. Its more the fact that I view these beautiful instruments as works of art, objects of desire, something to be looked at and admired. I like to seek out an old music shop on the back street of some town and have a dig around to see if I can find something which grabs my interest. I also like going to the odd car boot fair. In fact some of my best finds have come from car boot fairs. I've had many wonderful guitars and amps go through my hands over the years, some of which I wish I still had. I keep telling myself that that’s enough, and this is my final collection. Well you know how that goes!! Anyway click on each photo and enjoy.
Electric Guitars – Owned and Sold
I’ve had many fantastic guitars go through my hands over the years. I sometimes look at these and think how lucky I’ve been to acquire so many great guitars. I just wish I’d been able to keep them all. There are definitely some I wish I still had.
I have listed some of these below, so scroll down and enjoy these for yourself.
1989 Fender Squier Silver Series Stratocaster. I wasn’t impressed when I got this guitar, the notes choked all the way up the neck. The pickups sounded weak and it just didn’t feel good. I was going to flip-it on, but I decided to take to my local guitar tech. He done a full setup, dressed the frets and adjusted pickup height and intonation. When he handed it back he said to me that he thought that it was one “heck of a strat and played and felt like a more expensive instrument”. Anyway when I got it home and plugged it into an amp, it turns out its a really fantastic guitar and is probably one of the best Stratocasters I’ve owned. It also looks brilliant in its 3 colour sunburst. So a couple of lessons learnt here, don’t write-off a guitar on first impressions and don’t underestimate the difference that a good guitar tech can make to a guitar.
You know what they say about buses, you wait for one and two come along together. When I went to pick up the 1970’s style Fender Stratocaster on the right, I came away with a second one which is a fantastic sounding and playing 1989 Korean Fender Squier Stratocaster. I just love the large 70’s headstock on the Fender. It looks like it’s been used to hammer in fence posts, but I love the road warrior look. Nice!!!
This was a lovely 2011 Gibson SG standard in Heritage Cherry Red. I just love SG’s and this one was a cracker. A real ACDC sounding guitar
I owned this fantastic cherry red CMI ES335. It’s from the mid 1970’s and looks absolutely fantastic. Although it is a Gibson copy, It has to be up there with the best of them and is a real rock machine through and through. It played great with a lovely feel to the neck with a nice low action and is well set up and intonated. This guitar will grace any stage.
Just bought this gorgeous 2014 Gibson Memphis Custom Shop ES-339 in a lovely 3 tone sunburst. I already own an Epiphone ES-339 in cherry red (see below) and it is so good that I just had to have the Gibson version. An awesome guitar in every way.
Epiphone Les Paul Special. These are great guitars for the money. I have never had a guitar fitted with P90 pickups, but these things roar. I wouldn’t think twice about buying another guitar with these pickups.
A lovely 3 colour sunburst Fender Stratocaster. from 1991. Absolutely fantastic guitar but I just never used it much so it had to go.
This Epiphone ES339 which as most people will know is a slimmed down version of the ES-335. It was a fantastic guitar to play, and its sounds fantastic.
This was a lovely Tokai Goldstar Sound in olympic white which had mellowed to a lovely creamy colour. The tortoiseshell guard looked brilliant against the body colour. The pickups were the originals and they sounded great.
Another fantastic guitar sold. It was a 2008 Gibson Custom Shop ES-335, in a highly desirable cherry red finish. All original, lightly used, never gigged, very clean and highly treasured! Antoria ES-345 style guitar. I really can’t tell you just how good this guitar was. It was from the mid to late 1970’s and was crafted in homage to the famous Gibson ES-345.
CMI Flying V from the early 70’s. This was a total rock machine It played great with a lovely neck and nice low action. Both humbuckers sounded strong and delivered a fantastic gritty rock tone. Great guitars like this are very sought after and are becoming increasingly harder to find.
1971 Gibson Les Paul ‘Deluxe’
These old 70’s Antoria guitars are exceptional. This old jazzer was no exception
Late 60’s early 70’s Egmond guitar. This was a car boot find
EKO guitar from the 1970’s with a fantastic retro ‘pearloid’ finish
A nice Epiphone Les Paul in ‘Ruby’ red
1994 Epiphone Les Paul Goldtop
Another Epiphone Les Paul. This one had one of the best tops I have ever seen on a Epiphone
Fender Telecaster 52 re-issue
1982 Fender ‘Dan Smith’ Stratocaster This one was in absolutely mint condition
Fender ‘Lonestar’ Stratocaster The photo doesn’t do this guitar justice, but if there was one guitar I wish I’d kept then this is it
1989 Fender Telecaster in 3 tone sunburst
1977 Fender Telecaster. I have had a few telecasters go through my hands and never really got on with some of them But there is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the best telecasters out there. I really wish I had kept this one
1966 Gibson ES-335 in 3 tone sunburst What an absolutely fabulous guitar this was. Another guitar I wish I still owned
1999 Gibson ES-335 in Cherry Red. I sold this to a good friend and its been used on loads of recordings since. Another really great playing and sounding guitar which is now in good hands
2004 Gibson ES-335 again in Cherry Red
2000 Gibson ES-335 with tons of flame
This was a great Flying V. These are great rock machines. I can’t remember the year
1998 Gibson Les Paul in honeyburst
Gibson Les Paul Junior. Again I can’t remember the year
2001 Gibson Les Paul Classic. If if remember correctly this was the first Les Paul I purchased
1971 Gibson Les Paul Custom ‘Black Beauty’. What a guitar. Why oh why did I sell this guitar
Another Gibson Les Paul Custom ‘Black Beauty’. This one is a 1973. I just love the ‘Gibson’ embossed pickup covers. A awesome guitar. Another one I regret selling
2000 Gibson Les Paul ‘Pre Historic’ Les Paul Custom ‘Black Beauty’
1993 Gibson Les Paul Custom. Look at the flames top on this beauty
1988 Gibson Les Paul Standard ‘Goldtop’
1995 Gibson ‘Jimmy Page’ Les Paul
This 95 JPLP had a fantastic top
Another Gibson ‘Jimmy Page’ Les Paul – this time its a 1996
And another Gibson ‘Jimmy Page’ Les Paul – a 1997 this time. I had a real love for these Jimmy Page’s
1990 Gibson Les Paul Standard
2002 Gibson Les Paul Standard with a nice flamed top
Early 60’s Gibson Melody Maker. Probably the worst guitar I’ve ever owned. I couldn’t wait to get rid of it
CMI SG from the mid 1970’s
1996 Gibson SG 1961 Re-issue
1972 Gibson SG
1993 Gibson SG Standard
1972 Gibson SG with embossed pickups
This is a 1970′ Shaftesbury (I think) copy of a Gibson SG. Believe me when I tell you that this was the very best SG I have ever owned or played. It literally blew away all of the original Gibsons SG’s above
Gretsch Electromatic in Burgundy
Gretsch Electromatic in Red
Hofner Verithin – A lovely looking guitar
Igson – I brought this back from a holiday in Majorca I never really found out much about it
Lovely old Rapier 44. These were the British version of the Fender Stratocaster.
Satellite / Teisco Strat style guitar from the 1970’s
Shaftesbury ‘Barney Kassel guitar. this was a 1970’s copy of the Gibson Barney Kessel and what a good job they done
1980’s Tokai Stratocaster copy – another great guitar
Fender ‘Starcaster’ only made by Fender between 2000 to 2007 and marketed as a cheap budget guitar, which it was. It plays fine and feels good, and this one has a wonderful 3 tone sunburst and a big 70’s head-stock. I do love these oddball guitars
Two Kay / Teisco ‘Tulip’ guitars. I found these lurking in the back of a junk shop and bought them for nothing. I had to buy a few parts from the internet, but they turned out great, especially the one with the Gibson humbucker in it
Another junk shop find. This is a Kay and I believe its the ‘Speed Dragon’ model. Again probably from the 1970’s
1970’s Arbiter ES-335 Replica – This is my favourite 3 tone sunburst colour
Arbiter Les Paul Copy from the 1970’s
Squier by Fender Stratocaster Replica
And another, a 1995 Squier by Fender Stratocaster Replica
This was a really nice ‘No Name’ Stratocaster Replica. Probably a Tokai
Squier by Fender Telecaster Replica
Union Jack Stratocaster Replica I have no idea why I bought this
Jedson Les Paul Replica
CMI Melody Maker, Sunburst – 1970’s
This cherry sunburst Melody Maker as from the mid 1970’s and looks absolutely fantastic. It has to be up there with the best of them and is a real rock machine through and through. It plays great with a lovely feel to the neck with a nice low action. This rock machine will grace any stage. When I got this guitar I couldn’t believe just how strong and articulate these pickups would sound. They really deliver a fantastic tone. These older CMI guitars are very sought after nowadays and are becoming increasingly harder to find and are now very highly prized among collectors. A few minutes spent with this guitar and you’ll understand why. This is an affordable collectible and player guitar in every sense of the word.
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