
The price of a vintage or boutique instrument is not tied to the playing pleasure it can bring.
In 1961, Italian artist Piero Manzoni sold a batch of serial-numbered cans of his excrement, which he titled Merda d'Artista (translated as Artist's Shit). All 90 of the 30-gram cans were quickly scooped up by patrons and collectors of avant-garde artwork. The selling price for these limited-edition articles was tied (by weight) to the price of gold, which, on some psychological level, may have increased their legitimacy or at least their worth.
Most of the established art world saw the whole thing as a sick joke. In cutting-edge circles, Manzoni's collection was viewed as a critique of the art market and consumerism, yet he surely advanced the very forces that he was mocking. Although each example sold for about $34 at the time, over the years they have proved to be a decent investment, with single cans now fetching as much as $132,000. I'm not sure who the joke was on—especially considering that the authenticity of the cans' contents has been disputed.
Without being facetious, I often think of this example when I read about vintage and boutique equipment. So, what is it that makes a piece of gear collectible, and is that different than being an investment? I certainly think of guitars as art and craft, but not so much as financial instruments. When planning financial futures, we mere mortals rarely think of investing in art, let alone cans of shite. Still, a lot of guitarists I know view their gear collections that very way.
There are published price lists for vintage—as well as merely old—equipment, which perpetuate the idea that guitars are similar to stocks or bonds. That's good for collectors and vintage dealers who all have a vested interest in continuing to push values upward. Unfortunately, for most of us, it puts a lot of examples of beautiful instruments out of reach.
Now, I know that a lot of you will jump to the defense of affordable new instruments, many of which perform as well or better than coveted collectibles. But as Manzoni proved, utility isn't always the point. It used to be fairly clear what constitutes a collectible piece of gear. Rarity is obviously a big component for both vintage and boutique guitars. If the market is awash with something, it's difficult to defend it as collectible. This may work for a one-in-17-ever-made korina Explorer, but it does nothing to explain the price tag on the hundreds of thousands of 1960s Stratocasters.
The inferior instruments churned out to meet the "Beatles Boom" demand from 1965 into the 1970s helped propagate the myth that "they don't make 'em like they used to," which is now the mantra of guitar collectors and dealers.
So, obviously, there is some elasticity in that argument. The inferior instruments churned out to meet the "Beatles Boom" demand from 1965 into the 1970s helped propagate the myth that "they don't make 'em like they used to," which is now the mantra of guitar collectors and dealers. That bit of folklore has been pretty much exploited by the boutique market that is seemingly positioned to become the new vintage.
For those who actually lived through the era when Mike Bloomfield, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, and Jimmy Page were "discovering" the magic of the Les Paul Standards built circa the late 1950s, we understand the strong allure of those instruments based not only on their sound, but on the association with the musicians who used them. The same can be said of some other models and brands from the same era. There was the feeling of belonging to a small tribe of insiders who realized that a new 1968 Les Paul hanging on the guitar store wall was not what the cool kids played.
Those older guitars didn't look, play, sound, or even smell like the glossy new product being spit out by the big factories. The side hustle of pawing through pawn shops and scouring mom-and-pop music stores for the real deal was just part of the attraction. It was like mining for Bitcoin in the physical world—and when you found it, you could plug it in. And this was still several decades before most players heard the term "vintage guitar." These feelings and ideas coalesced to make old guitars and amps desirable, collectible, and increasingly more expensive, despite the fact that modern guitars are now just as amazing.
I must confess to having collected a small pile of new and vintage amplifiers and guitars over a lifetime of playing, but my main focus was on the joy that they brought to me when I plugged them in. My motivation was always to get things I really liked. Perhaps there was some delusion about not losing money when it was time to sell, but as the clock ticks I question even that.
The absurd notion that old, rare guitars or even well-made boutique instruments are investments is not going away because that's the way our economic model is structured. So, get what you truly love and stop worrying about resale. Invest in your enjoyment, but don't buy crap
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IK Multimedia is pleased to announce the release of new premium content for all TONEX users, available today through the IK Product Manager.
The latest TONEX Factory Content v2 expands the creative arsenal with a brand-new collection of Tone Models captured at the highest quality and presets optimized for live performance. TONEX Tone Models are unique captures of rigs dialed into a specific sweet spot. TONEX presets are used for performance and recording, combining Tone Models with added TONEX FX, EQ, and compression.
Who Gets What:
TONEX Pedal
- 150 crafted presets matched to 150 Premium Tone Models
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Well-designed pickups. Extremely comfortable contours. Smooth, playable neck.
Middle position could use a bit more mids. Price could scare off some.
$2,999
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II
A surprise 6-string collaboration with Cory Wong moves effortlessly between ’70s George Benson and Blink-182 tones.
Announced at the 2025 NAMM show, Cory Wong’s new collaboration with Ernie Ball Music Man scratched an itch—namely, the itch for a humbucker-loaded guitar that could appease Wong’s rock-and-R&B alter ego and serve as complement to his signature Fender Strat. Inspiration came from no further than a bandmate’s namesake instrument. Vulfpeck bassist Joe Dart has a line of signature model EBMM basses, one of which uses the classic StingRay bass body profile. So, when Wong went looking for something distinctive, he wondered if EBMM could create a 6-string guitar using the classic StingRay bass body and headstock profile.
Double the Fun
Wong is, by his own admission, a single-coil devotee. That’s where the core of his sound lives and it feels like home to him. However, Wong is as inspired by classic Earth, Wind & Fire tones and the pop-punk of the early ’90s as he is by Prince and the Minneapolis funk that he grew up with. The StingRay II is a guitar that can cover all those bases.
Ernie Ball has a history of designing fast-feeling, comfortable necks. And I can’t remember ever struggling to move around an EBMM fretboard. The roasted maple C-shaped neck here is slightly thicker in profile than I expected, but still very comfortable. (I must also mention that the back of the neck has a dazzling, almost holographic look to the grain that morphs in the light). By any measure, the StingRay II’s curves seemed designed for comfort and speed. Now, let’s talk about those pickups.Hot or Not?
A few years ago EBMM introduced a line of HT (heat-treated) pickups. The pickups are built with technology the company used to develop their Cobalt and M-Series strings. A fair amount of the process is shrouded in secrecy and must be taken on faith, but EBMM says treating elements of the pickup with heat increases clarity and dynamic response.
To find out for myself, I plugged the StingRay II into a Fender Vibroverb, Mesa/Boogie Mark VII, and a Neural DSP Quad Cortex (Wong’s preferred live rig). Right away, it was easy to hear the tight low end and warm highs. Often, I feel like the low end from neck humbuckers can feel too loose or lack definition. Neither was the case here. The HT pickup is beautifully balanced with a bounce that’s rich with ES-335 vibes. Clean tones are punchy and bright—especially with the Vibroverb—and dirty tones have more room for air. Individual notes were clear and articulate, too.
Any guitar associated with Wong needs a strong middle-position or combined pickup tone, and the StingRay II delivers. I never felt any significant signal loss in the blended signal from the two humbuckers, even if I could use a bit more midrange presence in the voicing. The midrange gap is nothing an EQ or Tube Screamer couldn’t fix, though. And not surprisingly, very Strat-like sounds were easy to achieve for having less midrange bump.
Knowing Wong’s love for ’90s alt-rock, I expected the bridge pickup to have real bite, and it does, demonstrating exceptional dynamic range and exceptional high-end response that never approached shrill. Nearly every type of distortion and overdrive I threw at it sounded great, but especially anything with a scooped-mid flavor and plenty of low end.
The Verdict
By any measure, the StingRay II is a top-notch, professional instrument. The fit and finish are immaculate and the feel of the neck makes me wonder if EBMM stashes some kind of secret sandpaper, because I don’t think I’ve ever felt a smoother, more playable neck. Kudos are also due to EBMM and Wong for finding an instrument that can move between ’70s George Benson tones and the hammering power chords of ’90s Blink-182. Admittedly, the nearly $3K price could give some players pause, but considering the overall quality of the instrument, it’s not out of line. Wong’s involvement and search for distinct sounds makes the StingRay II more than a tired redux of a classic model—an admirable accomplishment considering EBMM’s long and storied history.
Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II Cory Wong Signature Electric Guitar - Charcoal Blue with Rosewood Fingerboard
StingRay II Cory Wong - Charcoal BlueThe Melvins' Buzz Osborne joins the party to talk about how he helped Kurt Cobain find the right sounds.
Growing up in the small town of Montesano, Washington, Kurt Cobain turned to his older pal Buzz Osborne for musical direction. So on this episode, we’re talking with the Melvins leader about their friendship, from taking Cobain to see Black Flag in ’84 to their shared guitar journey and how they both thought about gear. And in case you’ve heard otherwise, Kurt was never a Melvins roadie!
Osborne’s latest project is Thunderball from Melvins 1983, something of a side trajectory for the band, which harkens back to this time in Osborne’s life. We dig into that and how it all relates and much more.
Adding to the company’s line of premium guitar strapsand accessories, Fairfield Guitar Co. has introduced a new deluxe leather strapdesigned in collaboration with Angela Petrilli.
Based in Los Angeles, Petrilli is well-known to guitar enthusiasts around the world for her online videos. She is one of the video hosts at Norman’s Rare Guitars and has her own YouTube lesson series, the Riff Rundown. She also writes, records and performs with her original band, Angela Petrilli & The Players, and has worked with Gibson, Fender, Martin Guitars, Universal Audio, Guitar Center and Fishman Transducers.
Angela Petrilli's eye-grabbing signature strap is fully hand cut, four inches wide and lightly padded, so it evenly distributes the weight of the instrument on the shoulder and offers superb comfort during extended play. The front side features black "cracked" leather with turquoise triple stitching. The "cracked" treatment on the leather highlights the beautiful natural marks and grain pattern – and it only gets better with age and use.The strap’s back side is black suede for adhesion and added comfort, with the Fairfield Guitar Co. logo and Angela's name stamped in silver foil.
Features include:
- 100% made in the USA
- Hand cut 4” wide leather strap with light padding -- offering extra comfort for longgigs and rehearsals.
- Black suede back side avoids slipping, maintains guitar’s ideal playing position.
- Length is fully adjustable from 45” - 54” and the strap has two holes on thetailpiece for added versatility.
The Fairfield Guitar Co. Angela Petrilli signature strap is available for $150 online at fairfieldguitarco.com.