Collecting vintage guitars is more than a mere hobby to serious guitar enthusiasts. Holding a vintage Fender or Gibson is akin to touching a part of rock and roll history, and some will pay thousands of dollars to own these rare items. Before one buys a vintage guitar, however, there are a few 'basics' one should be aware of.

The absolute most valuable and therefore collectible acoustic guitars are those made before World War II. The key manufacturers to look out for include Gibson, Martin, Lyon & Healy, and the Larson Brothers. In addition to acoustic guitars, hollow-bodies 'archtop' jazz guitars from this era are also likewise rare and valuable collector's items.

When you talk about vintage electric guitars, you are mainly going to be in the realm of guitars from the '50s and '60s. The electric guitar manufacturers to watch out for include Fender, Gibson, and Gretsch. The reason that collectors value these older instruments so much is because they were made before the widespread use of assembly line instrument construction.

These older instruments are therefore not valued for their beauty alone. Many of the most sought-after vintage guitars were hand made and exude high-quality craftsmanship. It is not surprising then to note that many collectors don't just want to hang these guitars on a wall, but they want to actually play them. There are a number of outlets for finding a quality vintage guitar including guitar vendors right here on the Internet.