These are such great guitars but man, I wish they came up with a different name, they must of had some idea how hard it would be for people searching "vintage guitars" all you get is websites for vintage gibsons and fenders, even on ebay!
I bought the Lemon drop Peter Green model. It sounds unbelievable and better than the Les Paul std's I tried against it. The neck is extremely comfortable and stays in tune. I highly recommend the guitar and would like to thank Mr Trev Wilkinson for producing a quality instrument which is better than most Gibsons four times its price. I was thinking of changing the pick-ups before buying the guitar but after hearing them, no need whatsoever.
Vintage are about solid, gigworthy guitars that don't need any mods to be workhorses - but for low-end Squier/Epi money! I got a Blug Sig Strat for £180 to 'tide me over' as I'd had to sell my US Strat to help pay for a house move but it's so good I just don't need anything better.
Interesting. I am on the look out for a cheap strat to start a friend off playing guitar. I was thinking of getting a Japanese strat '57 reissue. Found a good one on ebay but it went for nearly £500. Looking for a good strat sub £400. Will check out the Blug Signature - is that from Vintage? Thanks
STRATMAN firdaus Some of the higher end MIM Fenders are lovely guitars but the MIM Standard just seems such poor value compared to a Vintage, which has better everything for 1/3-1/2 the price. The Wilkinson alnico pickups sound decent, the hardware is the Wilkinson stuff which is as good as anything. Only thing to consider is factor in a full set-up with fret dress - may not be necessary but you only get the basic cheap factory set-up with Vintage.
STRATMAN firdaus The Lemon Drop is an absolutely stellar guitar, both for the price and full stop! Trev has worked some really magic, especially with the pickups. You won't want to replace them - ever!
I just joined a Metallica cover band cause the 1 guitarist didn't show up for gigs, I'm thinking about getting that Lemon Drop just cause Kirk now has the original and I have literally never heard 1 bad thing about these guitars, I'm going to do it as soon as I get the $.
I visited the Vintage Guitars booth at the NAMM Show in Anaheim about 10 years ago and ended up buying a V100 Icon shortly after. I still use that guitar all the time.
Yeah that said the guitar itself doesnt look to great, the horn. upper bout around the selector switch and headstock on their Vintage LP style guitars are a travesty, the design changes forced on them to avoid being sued by Gibson especially as JHS Vintage began expanding into the US.
I've found vintage to be an extremely reliable and classy musical brand of guitar. I've recorded and gigged both the lemon drop and the junior inspired v120 and they never let me down or go out of tune more than their famous American counterpart. If one allows themselves to forget label snobbery, I'd heartily suggest spending less money and getting an amazing sounding/playing instrument from them.
+SHEMAMAN They look like really nice guitars. I'm not sure where they're made, Korea, World Musical Instruments Co. Ltd., maybe?... In any case, they look solid and well built from what I can see and not to mention, genuine Wilkinson hardware and pick-ups. I'm really liking the Lemon Drop and the Midge Ure model. Stacked P-90s. Very nice.
A wiser idea is to find used two piece back tokai guitars (and look around until you find one for about $600). They're a far better guitar, and generally tighter quality control than Gibson. All of the chinese les paul copies are going to drop in value as time goes on. The tokai will hold or increase, just because it's got "made in japan" written on the back of the peghead. Doesn't mean that it's always a better guitar, but it sounds better in a listing.
I doubt they're made in korea. Wilkinson hardware and pickups have been pushed, but they're sort of low fare stuff - about a quarter or a fifth of original hardware. Better than the cheapest of the cheap, but something to replace (and replacing hardware on a cheap guitar is a good way to waste money, because nobody wants a $400 guitar with $500 of hardware in it - you end up having to take it back out so that you can get something for the guitar and the hardware separately.
These are really DECENT copies. Probably the BEST out there. Esp the Gibson copies. I know 1 player who had LP's, sold them, got a MM Axis, as WELL as a Vintage Lemon Drop LP style. His words were, ' it KILLS both my Gibson LP & SGs!' (The Vintage Lemon drop) My shop can sell them if needed. We don't stock them, but can order them for any customer.
+DMSProduktions That's right. I bought one and it sounds and plays better than Gibson Les Paul Stds and a 59 reissue I tried in store. Unbelievable amount of guitar for the money. It goes to show that one can produce a quality instrument without ripping people off.
Man, I like the relic because it has a thinner body coat. Makes it more resonant and not plastic-like. It would be cool to just also have a satin without the relics, so it is truly personalized. I'll be getting my v6 (non relic) today, and I am excited!
These are such amazing guitars and for the money, you will not find a better one or better sounding one. There are always some on eBay for the regular prices or more. You need to play one but once you do you'll buy it.
This company is amazing and the price is amazing also everyone ive seen and talked to love the guitwrs and there wuality and tone you cant beat them for the price just amazing
I have a Icon V6 start ,the black strat on the video. And this is the best strat i ever played for the value of the money. This strat is with the quality of Real Fender Strat but the money is much less. I love it !
Amps for Buddha Our first shipment of Vintage guitars from the UK will arrive at the end of August 2015. We are in the process of setting up Dealers all across the US. Feel free to email us at: info@fretking-vintage.com We can notify you when a dealer in your area has the guitar your looking for in stock. We also have Dealers already set up that can sell you a Vintage guitar online. Thank you for your interest in Vintage! Rick Taylor Product Manager RBI Music
Very nice demo. I am deciding between this Lemon Drop Les Paul and a Gretsch Electromatic Goldtop. Both must be ordered and are roughly the same price. What should I get? Have you been super happy with this guitar? Any help would be appreciated. I don't know anything about Vintage.
I've got a Vintage VRS100 (PRS copy) that came out some years back. Lousy fret work and finish overall... Apparently that model was very bad and they stopped producing it. Pickups and hardware are phenomenal though! I'm looking forward to try out other Vintage guitars.
played an epiphone '56 gold top p90s in the studio and it is the tone ive been searching for. unfortunately I can't find one on eBay, so ended up grabbing a vintage for 275 because of great reviews. honestly, the name doesn't matter as I own a '68 strat and owned a Gibson Les Paul and its the epiphone that sounds better than them all (for the music I make anyway!)
If I live in the US where can I buy these guitars? Or is there a official site I can order from? Someone please help? Or can an Guitar Center or Alto music order one for me? Someone please respond!
Great guitars and the reason I've sold Gibsons' and replaced them with Vintage. I have the Gordon Giltrap and Paul Brett acoustics too and sold the Martin - no shit and no regrets.
In this case the company's name is "Vintage" and everything is a remake of a vintage guitar. Most are not insanely relic'ed, just a lot of what you might find from a guitar that might be 60-70 years old.
Sam Matthews Nearly every model offered as a Relic'd guitar, is also offered with a clean finish. The online USA catalog for Vintage can be found here: www.fretking-vintage.com Both the Lemon Drop and many V6 models are available in a shiny finish.
Firstly, Trevor Wilkinson seems to be quite well known and respected in the industry. Why the hell do so few places stock Vintage, and why are they relatively unknown despite the bang for the buck? Ive played a few and aside from minor stuff like a poorly cut string slot on one of them, the quality seems very good. Secondly, Trevor. If you ever read this, do a maple fretboard version of the black Reissued V60 or a white pick guard on the sunburst version with the maple fretboard.
+napalmhardcore Vintage guitars are very well known and easy to get hold of in the UK and they also cost less here than you pay in the US. It makes a change as we usually have to pay the same in pounds as you pay in dollars for imported guitars. This is the problem, the price, in the US its less competitive than say a Mexican Strat, so few dealers stock them.
+Tony smith FYI I'm British (Guernsey) :) It just surprises me how few places stock them (Andertons don't for example) and some of the places that do only stock a very limited range.
+Tony smith In the US they're not in the "cheap" category, but they're still in the "value priced" category - similar to, say, a G&L Tribute line. I live in Ithaca (upstate) NY and a dealer in town carried them for a while. The problem was they didn't move. Nobody heard of Vintage so the word was they couldn't be resold. Personally, the first Vintage I played sold me. IMHO, they're much better that a Mexican Fender or Epiphone.
I have the JBM 100 gold top, distressed, its a chunky beast, not really a LP man, but it looks like Joe's guitar with the same unmatched control knobs, its a noisy bluesy beast, it would be better if i was better guitarist, i'm just a noodler to be honest, guitars are my addiction...........
I'll tell you why. I have had a few Epiphones----including their top of the range Les Paul---and the Vintage beats it hands down. I have bought 3 Lemon Drops(the non relic'd version) and they are phenomenal. And in the UK they are nowhere near 5-600--either pounds or dollars. I also have 3 Gibsons and the Vintage is in no way inferior.
God, I hate chinese guitars that have the finish rubbed off of them. They're already copies (fakes), they don't need to have fake wear on them, too. Vintage has been raising their prices, and a lot of these guitars are getting into the range of a used Tokai.
They are only fake if they are fraudulently branding them. And if you don't like relic'd guitars(I don't either) Vintage make non-relic'd versions too.
Premier you disappoint me...there are a thousand reviews on this lame copy of a great guitar...(I don't mean it being a so-called signature guitar..whatta joke, I just mean the Les Paul). Maybe these guitarists aren't smart, but the lot of us are....you're not selling us on the fact we are stupid. Phony fake wear...relic guitars are for losers who can't play so they suck so their guitar never gets worn.
