1981 Carlos Model No. 228 Classical Guitar

Beautiful vintage Korean nylon string guitar, still looks and sounds great

This is a vintage lower level nylon string guitar that is passable for gigging and a great banger for the beach or parties.

Not sure exactly what happened with the bars inside the tuning pegs, as four of the six have broken in half. They're all still fully functional though, even if the G was a bit difficult to replace.

But, there is no damage to the headstock or neck, the only thing I can think is that maybe there were steel strings on there at some point and they ate through the bars? Guitar still looks and sounds great though. There are some small signs of wear, the usual rubbing and light scratching on the surface.

That's to be expected for a 30-year old guitar and even though this one is a laminate, it gets a nice tone and really does play great. I have a solid mahogany 228 in my personal collection and this one isn't too far off.

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1987 Takamine G330 Acoustic/Electric Guitar

Classic vintage lawsuit model, Martin dreadnought copy, modified with a pickup for plug-and-play

This is the first of these Takamine lawsuit models that I've been able to take home. I'd really been looking forward to grabbing one and it's as advertised, super sweet. The only thing that it's lacking is a solid top, but I was told that one of the previous owners was a guitar tech and it is setup beautifully. The action is real low, which makes it easier to play, and what appears to be a bone saddle gives off a nice tone.

An under the saddle pickup was also installed at some point, so this one has the added acoustic/electric feature. On top of playing and sounding great, this one is still in real tip-top shape. The only blemishes are some real small, barely noticeable marks on the top of the headstock and there is minimal wear on the first three frets.

Now that I've been able to jam on one of these, I want to find an old F series Takamine lawsuit model even more. Those generally go for at least $400, I was able to get this one for a little less and it's definitely worth every penny.

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1970s Taka Model No. TA501 Acoustic Guitar

Vintage Japanese dreadnought, sweet natural dark stain and old-style plastic tuning pegs

Well, I was able to find another nice Taka acoustic, but still no information on them. This one is nearly identical to the TA500 that was featured a few weeks back, only that one has a natural blond finish. The darker finish on this one looks sweet and the plastic tuning pegs give it an older feel.

When I got my hands on this one, it had a set of electric guitar strings on it and was a little dirty. I cleaned her up and put a new set of D'Addario acoustic XLs on last night. The tone isn't as nice as the TA500, but I think if I put a bone saddle, this one will come closer to that sound.

It's a little beat up, with some small nicks along the body, but it's structurally sound. The neck and bridge don't show any signs of giving anytime soon, so at around 40 years old, this one looks like it still has lots of life left.

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2000s Fender GD-47S/12 Acoustic Guitar

Killer solid top 12-string acoustic, made in Korea and upgraded with Grover tuners

Today we showcase a beautiful 12-string that just come from the original owner and is still in like-new condition. This one was upgraded with gold Grover tuning keys when it was first purchased from Guitar Center and that just ups the quality.

The Fender logo on the headstock is inlaid with abalone, as are the fret markers and abalone also surrounds the soundhole.

A solid spruce top is the main feature of this beauty, giving it a full sound and a strange thing to note...there is no pickguard.

When I changed the strings, I noticed that the saddle was made of bone and not plastic, so when I put on that new set of D'Addario XLs, they really sang. These go for as much as $500 on eBay and despite Fender's so-so reputation in the acoustic market, this is a real nice one and will be taken in to the personal collection.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution pictures here.

1970s Taka Model No. TATG-300 Classical Guitar

Another nice Japanese import, this one in very good condition

This is the 3rd Taka guitar that I've found recently and the second of this particular model. In a strange series of events, I ended up finding one online and then another one locally before it arrived in the mail. What are the chances?

That local piece had a small crack and some discoloration to the chrome on the tuners, but this one here is in excellent condition. A few small scratches and even smaller nicks are sparsely scattered throughout and that has to be expected for a guitar of this age.

It was also set up with some new LaBella strings, but these were the flat clear strings. I prefer the Folk Singer strings, with the dark colored nylon on the higher strings. It's nice having both setups on the same model though.

I've never really been much of a classical player, but I'm always looking to pick up any old Japanese or Korean guitar that is reasonably priced, just to hear what they sound like. These Taka classicals don't seem to be as nice as the dreadnought that I've found recently, even though they look to be from the same period.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.

1980s Hondo H314 Student Classical Guitar

Vintage Early-80s classical, student-grade, made in Japan or Korea 

Not up to the same quality as the Hondo II guitars that were manufactured around the same time, but this little box is a good first guitar for a beginner, because the small size makes it easier to play.

It's definitely better than what you'd get in a big box store for the same amount of money. These were either made in Japan or Korea and even if it's the latter, you'll get a higher-quality than the Chinese guitars being put out today.

Sound nice enough for a student model, but it's built to last and can be had online for anywhere around $60-$120.

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2000s Crate GFX-15 Combo Practice Amp

Great little practice amp, with on-board effects, made in the USA

Kind of the little brother of the GFX-212T that was featured a little while back, this guy is a great amp for the aspiring metal guitar god and an above average chorus effect makes it a versatile piece for a practice amp.

These were manufactured in the early 2000s in the USA and they're fairly solid amps. This one did need to go in for service at one point, but I haven't had any issues with it myself.

This came with an electric guitar that I bought a few months back and I basically use it to demonstrate that electric guitars are in working order. It gets a decent distortion, Crates have always been known as having a tinny sound anyway, and the on-board effects really put it over the top. These generally go for around $50 online today.

Thanks for looking, more high-resolution photos here.