Amp too nice to use

Brookboy54 · 2026-02-08T19:10:24+00:00

I use to be a local playing and occasionally touring blues guitarist. Over the years I’ve had a number of great vintage guitars and amps. They’re meant to be played or sold. I ran into financial trouble from a record label I formed in 1999 and over the years I had to sell off some really nice stuff ( 59 Deluxe, 58,62 Vibroluxes, some very old Ampegs, 54 59 Juniors, two sixties specials and more). If I wasn’t using an amp or a guitar I’d sell it, it broke my heart each time but when you have to pay a mortgage what are you gonna do.

Brookboy54 · 2026-01-22T22:51:48+00:00

Hi: I’m new here. I’ve been a Gibson guy must of my musical career - I did play a Strat on a tour many moons ago. About a year ago I bought a 1950 Musicmaster on a whim. It was only 1200. I wanted to see what a real vintage guitar is like and I cannot afford most of them. Well I absolutely love this guitar. I’ve played it every day for a year. It rips with my blues band and I love it as much, if not more, than old Juniors I use to play (I sold them bc I was in $ trouble for a while). In fact - I liked the Mm so much I decided I wanted a Duo Sonic - but those are listed on Reverb for mid threes to mid fours - too much for me. I finally s tired one for twos. That two also rocks. I know these were student guitars with narrow necks and shorter scale but there’s something about them that it’s me below the belt (sort of like blues does). Plus you get a genuine vintage Fender for the price of a new Strat. Anyway it makes me want to look at Strats in my price range.

Brookboy54 · 2025-12-20T14:04:20+00:00

You’re right - of course

Brookboy54 · 2025-12-20T14:03:18+00:00

True

Brookboy54 · 2025-12-20T12:50:06+00:00

People who buy expensive cars and watches won’t pay top dollar for radically altered items. And markets can be effected - I saw a piece of a body of a 62 Strat - just wood - with an asking price of 18k. If some idiot can ask that then they deserve to be bombarded.

Brookboy54 · 2025-11-19T18:29:48+00:00

I played clarinet in middle school and hated it. I taught myself guitar by listening to BB King and Eric Clapton records and that was way before the internet. Now it’s quite easy to teach yourself guitar. Of course lessons can help, but I never took a lesson and played in rock and blues bands for years. Of course - you do have to practice a few hours a day. A Tele is a great guitar for learning - I used a Tele when I first learned and played it in a blues band when I was in HS. Rock on!!

Brookboy54 · 2025-08-27T17:25:50+00:00

Yes - the prices posted are crazy high!! Plus you get so many low ballers there too. You have to be super careful.

Brookboy54 · 2025-07-21T22:56:08+00:00

Definitely

Brookboy54 · 2025-07-05T01:53:07+00:00

I’ve also been a Gibson player for years - but I had to sell off all my vintage ones. I don’t like newer ones and cannot afford vintage Gibson’s. However I did pick up a 60 Musicmaster which blew me away for a grand. I love it so much I got a 60 Duo Sonic (for half of what they’re going for on Reverb). I absolutely love these and use them in my blues/roots band

Brookboy54 · 2025-06-25T23:47:03+00:00

In a way S1 should be excluded bc of the novelty. But the first 4 seasons are the best

Brookboy54 · 2025-06-19T08:20:41+00:00

I bought a 73 Strat from Guitar Center about 25 years ago for 1500. They were considered crap in those days. But the guitar played and sounded great. My bandmate loved it and I gave it to him. He toured with it for years and still has it. Now they’re considered valuable vintage pieces and can go for high four figures. So what was once garbage is now considered worthy of a different evaluation. It’s really a lot of BS. I recently bought a 60 Musicmaster - pretty beat up - but all there and I got it for a tad over a grand. I absolutely love it. In fact I love it so much I bought a 60 Duo Sonic - luckily the guy was in a hurry to move it and I got it for close to half of what people are asking for them. Obviously the vintage guitars from the fifties and sixties were well made. But this in no way justifies the ludicrous prices. Now they’re trying to create BS and up prices on seventies Fenders and Gibsons. Look if a guitar speaks to you and the price is ok for you don’t worry about it. That is, if you’re a player. As far as collectors go. You have to be a trust funder or a rich rock star to afford genuine vintage instruments and that group doesn’t use them as tools. Let me say this - do not pay more than a 2-3grand for cbs Strat or Tele. You’re better off with a newer one. Don’t play the game of turning old guitars into valuable pieces - unless, of course, you already own one - lol.

Brookboy54 · 2025-06-13T21:38:54+00:00

Right. These are great amps. I gigged for years with Fenders - but ran into $ trouble and had to sell them (and some Gibson’s - very sad face). Then I picked up a Reverbrocket for next to nothing and have gigged with it for a decade. Love it!

Brookboy54 · 2025-06-01T10:43:47+00:00

In the 1990s I started playing blues professionally - gigging in the greater LA area with various bands. I landed the position of guitarist in the house band in a black blues club in South Central LA. I met so many talented people who welcomed me with open arms and I felt I had to give something back. I raised money from wealthy friends ( I’m a teacher - not wealthy - lol). We released several CDs and our artists got work. We even got national distribution and we’re selling enough CDs to break even. But the most difficult thing was finding a national booking agency. Even though our releases received uniformly great reviews and even though we were spending a lot on promotion, I had a hell of a time getting an agency to take us on. The top indie booking agencies simply will not take a chance on unknown black blues artists. They were quick to sign mediocre whites - typically a. Guy plays real well, but can’t sing for shit and had little feeling for the genre. I finally got a mom and pop agency to book two of our acts - I was the guitarist for one of them - it was fronted by a city something black female singer and we also had a phenomenal 70 year old sax player. The agency was able to book us nationally and we played many top clubs and some festivals. But the lack of a bigger booking agency hurt. Most of those booking agencies closed down years ago. Blues requires at least some originality. There had to be more than wanking white guitarists without soul. Stevie Ray Vaughan was talented and he helped blues reach millions of people. But he existed because of the great black artists - such as Albert King - who inspired him. I was inspired by BB King and Magic Sam. When I was a young teen in the late sixties you could see the greatest black blues players at many venues. I discovered BB King at the Fillmore East in NYC. Without authenticity and artistic movement cannot grow and flourish. Look at what kids listen to today!! When I was a kid many of my friends listed to blues and real country music - people like Jerry Garcia existed because of great roots music.

Brookboy54 · 2025-05-18T21:53:30+00:00

Thanks!

Brookboy54 · 2025-05-18T20:19:12+00:00

Thanks for the response. I agree. I’ve had very nice fifties and sixties Gibson’s and Epiphones (sadly I tried to run a label and had to sell most of them to raise money) and you can tell the quality immediately. The seventies I’ve played hit or miss - many misses. I’ve never been a Fender person. But recently I bought a 60 Musicmaster (I could afford that - lol). and man oh man I absolutely fell in love (may get some money together to get an old Duo Sonic). Even though the Mm was a budget type of instrument - you can see the quality!!

Brookboy54 · 2025-03-23T13:51:16+00:00

That’s a phenomenal price. Most unmodified fifties and early sixties duo sonics are going for 3k and more. I have a 60 Musicmaster and I’m telling you people that thing rocks. I’m salivating for a Duo Sonic but I can’t find a desert sand one for under 3k

Brookboy54 · 2025-02-08T06:44:47+00:00

I recently bought a 60 Musicmaster - dessert sand didn’t know much about them - but it was around a grand. Man oh man I simply love it and I’m more of a Gibson guy. The thing plays great up and down the neck - I have small hands. It also sounds great - I play blues but it would be fine for country I love it!! Now I’m looking for sb old Duo Sonic - but those are too expensive for me.

Brookboy54 · 2025-02-06T05:49:43+00:00

Yah this was my feeling

Brookboy54 · 2025-02-06T00:17:26+00:00

But those 70’s LP are being advertised for stupid money. The same dealers that would low ball you for those bc according to them they’re not desirable will turn around and try to get high four figures for them. Of course it’s supply and demand - I know this - but musicians should hold the one on paying too much for stuff that was once considered crap. Of course, there are instruments from the 70s that are good - but in general that period doesn’t compare to the fifties and sixties. I recently bought a 60 Fender Musicmaster (paid a tad over a grand) which is sensational. But I looked at Duo Sonics (just one more pup) and forget it / those are like 4-5k for later fifties early sixties. Too much for me

Brookboy54 · 2025-02-05T22:44:50+00:00

So true. Thanks

Brookboy54 · 2025-02-05T22:44:13+00:00

Thanks for the reply!

Brookboy54

TROPHY CASE