30 Sep 2025

September 2025 – Vintage Guitar Gear Collections Within A Collection: Part I – CRAVE Guitars & CRAVE Basses

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: History, Introduction, Observations, Opinion | 0

Prelude

AHOY THERE MULTITUDINOUS MERRY MATIES! Welcome back to the wild world of CRAVE (Cool & Rare American Vintage Electric) Guitars. I trust that all is well with your part of the world. After a slight summer sabbatical from writing about vintage guitars, you may be pleased to know that we are suitably refreshed, refuelled, and redeployed on what matters this month. The trusty telescope of titular topics is fairly and squarely focused not just on vintage guitars but on CRAVE Vintage Guitars.

At this point, I often spout polemic on the sorry state of ‘humanity’ and the global Anthropocene tragedy entirely of our own making irrevocably unfolding in front of us. Well, I think I’ve made my point often enough for regular visitors. So this month, I will just point you towards the CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’ at the end of this article which, in my view, sums up the whole sorry mess in one short sentence (for a change).

Hopefully, not too many words and lots of images this month. If you are interested, the underlying theme of this month’s quotes is about perception. As always, no AI was used in the writing of this article.

“It all depends on how we look at things, and not how they are in themselves” – Carl Jung (1875‑1961)

Collecting and Collections Revisited

Going back to May 2025, CRAVE Guitars published an article about, ‘The Compulsion to Collect Vintage Guitars’. That article kicked off thoughts not solely about collecting but also about what constitutes a collection and how we might think about things slightly differently. If you wish to go back to the previous article on CRAVE Guitars’ collecting and collections, follow the link below (opens in a new tab).
May 2025 – The Compulsion to Collect Vintage Guitars

Like most other sources, whether retail, curatorial or showcase, CRAVE Guitars tends to group vintage guitars by brand (e.g. Fender, Gibson, etc.), then by model in (e.g. Stratocaster, Telecaster, Les Paul, SG, etc.) both in alphabetic order and by date (e.g. 1965, 1972, 1984, etc.). Fundamentally, brand, model and date tends to be the standard methodology for categorising vintage guitars, at least on a broad level. The same catalogue system also applies to basses, effects and amps. CRAVE Guitars is no different. Take a look at the feature or gallery pages on the web site and that is exactly how vintage gear is listed. It makes sense and is widely accepted. It is also how I search for vintage gear in which I might be interested. Take a look at other web sites or library resources and it’s the same. For instance, check out, ‘Gruhn’s Guide to Vintage Guitars’ (1999) or the annual, ‘The Official Vintage Guitar Magazine Price Guide’ and it is the primary method of presentation.

“All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream” – Edgar Allan Poe (1809‑1849)

Collections within a Collection

So far, so good. However, it isn’t the only way of looking at things. Back in June and July this year (2025), I posted a series of CRAVE Guitar (and CRAVE Basses) montages on social media, which I described at the time as ‘collections within a collection’. Some of these selections were very obvious, others less so. One approach was to look at variations in a particular model over the years. Another was to look at similar types of model (but different name). It became the entry point into alternative perspectives that formed the catalyst for this month’s article. As a quick reminder, here is the entire, small but perfectly formed, CRAVE Guitars’ ‘collection’ as of 2025.

The permutations shown in this article do include some repetition because models may appear in more than one grouping. Fair enough. Go with the flow and I hope it will make sense. I have stuck fairly and squarely to CRAVE Guitars – it would be more coherent to stray into non‑CRAVE Guitars but that approach attracts many other issues, such as copyright and a significant broadening of scope.

I could go on, pontificating about the whys and wherefores, but that almost seems redundant, as the best way of explaining it is with the images themselves. That’s also good for me in that I can spare some time for writing other things.

“There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception” – Aldous Huxley (1894‑1963)

Mini Collections

So, what constitutes a mini‑collection? More than one of something. Simple. There are probably innumerable permutations of mini collections within the overall total. CRAVE Guitars, at the time of writing, has a number of guitars, basses, effects and amps (don’t ask, I don’t keep track). Most of those are vintage (ditto), depending on how one might define ‘vintage’. However, that particular conundrum is not the subject of this article.

Social media is where this idea started and it will unfold here as a sequence of steps. It isn’t practical to wade back through hundreds/thousands of social media posts, so this makes all that previous effort more accessible and in one place. So, without further ado, time to get pictorial with twenty four ‘collections within a collection’. I hope you enjoy the show…

“No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit” – Ansel Adams (1902‑1984)

Fender Brand Mini Collections

Some of you might know my predilection for student guitars and also single pickup guitars. The relevant Fender model names don’t help with coherency, so I found a way of bringing them together. By the early 1980s, Fender had replaced its core ‘student’ guitars (first generation) with other budget models (second generation). Not a popular move with enthusiasts or collectors. These are sometimes labelled, the ‘forgotten Fenders’.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Student Guitars (First Generation) (4) – Top‑bottom: 1959 Fender Musicmaster, 1965 Fender Duo‑Sonic II, 1965 Fender Mustang, 1971 Fender Bronco

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Student Guitars (Second Generation) (3) – Top‑bottom: 1981 Fender Bullet, 1982 Fender Bullet H2, 1981 Fender Lead I

That initial notion led onto collating a brace of Fender’s wonderful high‑end offset guitars (currently oh‑so popular with indie and alternative guitarists) and then Fender’s often‑overlooked (criminally so, in my view), semi‑acoustic electrics. NB. Yes, I know that some Fender student guitars (see above) are also offsets but there is enough to differentiate them for this article.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Offset Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1966 Fender Electric XII, 1965 Fender Jaguar, 1965 Fender Jazzmaster

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Semi‑Acoustic Electric Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1966 Fender Coronado II, 1975 Fender Starcaster, 1972 Fender Telecaster Thinline

Going back to Fender’s student guitars, there are some more obvious model groupings that demonstrate evolution of the instruments over time.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Musicmaster Guitars and Bass (4) – Top‑bottom: 1959 Fender Musicmaster, 1965 Fender Musicmaster II, 1978 Fender Musicmaster, 1978 Fender Musicmaster Bass

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Mustang Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1965 Fender Mustang, 1972 Fender Mustang Competition, 1978 Fender Mustang

Then, I strayed into Fender’s core ‘pro‑level’ guitar models – Stratocasters and Telecasters, which also demonstrate evolution of the instruments over time.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Stratocaster Guitars (4) – Top‑bottom: 1977 Fender Stratocaster, 1979 Fender Stratocaster Anniversary, 1983 Fender Stratocaster ‘Dan Smith’, 1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Telecaster Guitars (5) – Top‑bottom: 1972 Fender Telecaster Thinline, 1973 Fender Telecaster Deluxe, 1974 Fender Telecaster Custom, 1983 Fender Telecaster Elite, 1988 Fender Telecaster American Standard

Not wishing to leave out CRAVE Basses, there is only one collection‑within‑a‑collection.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Fender Bass Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1989 Fender Jazz Bass American Standard Longhorn, 1978 Fender Musicmaster Bass, 1977 Fender Precision Fretless Bass

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth” – Marcus Aurelius (121‑180)

Gibson Brand Mini Collections

Having pretty much covered most of the Fender variations, I turned my sights onto Gibson guitars, starting off, again, with their underrated student guitars that, once more demonstrate evolution of the instruments over time.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson Melody Maker Guitars – Top‑bottom: 1961 Gibson Melody Maker D, 1964 Gibson Melody Maker, 1965 Gibson Melody Maker, 1967 Gibson Melody Maker SG

Gibson’s long history started off with acoustic and then semi‑acoustic guitars categorised by the company as Gibson’s ES (Electric Spanish) models. Over the years, the ES lines evolved.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson ES Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1947 Gibson ES‑150, 1963 Gibson ES‑330 TDC, 1985 Gibson ES‑335 Dot

Gibson’s entry into solid body electrics started with the Les Paul Model, so here are CRAVE Guitars’ Gibson Les Pauls. In addition, there were also several Gibson models that used the Les Paul outline but weren’t actual LPs.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson Les Paul Guitars (4) – Top‑bottom: 1975 Gibson Les Paul Standard, 1977 Gibson Les Paul Deluxe Gold Top, 1989 Gibson Les Paul Standard, 1989 Gibson Les Paul Custom

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson Les Paul‑shaped but non‑Les Paul Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1961 Gibson Melody Maker D, 1977 Gibson L6‑S Deluxe, 1981 Gibson Sonex‑180 Deluxe

In the early 1960s, Gibson replaced the Les Paul with the devilishly pointy‑horned SG (Solid Guitar).

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson SG Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1965 Gibson SG Junior, 1968 Gibson SG Standard, 1967 Gibson Melody Maker SG

From the late 1950s, Gibson went through a highly creative phase, including their innovative alternative ranges, including Flying Vs, Explorers and Firebirds…

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson Flying V Guitars (2) – Top‑bottom: 1980 Gibson Flying V2, 1984 Gibson Flying V Designer Series

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson Explorer Guitars (5) – Top‑bottom: 1979 Gibson Explorer E2, 1982 Gibson Explorer CMT, 1983 Gibson Explorer 83, 1984 Gibson Explorer Custom Shop, 1984 Gibson Explorer Designer Series ‘Union Jack’

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson Firebird Guitars (2) – Top‑bottom: 1966 Gibson Firebird III, 1976 Gibson Firebird Bicentennial

Through the years, Gibson also strayed into other creatively designed models, some more radical and aesthetically pleasing than others.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gibson ‘Oddity’ Guitars (4) – Top‑bottom: 1983 Gibson Corvus II, 1982 Gibson Moderne Korina Heritage, 1981 Gibson RD Artist, 1983 Gibson USA Map

“Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing” – Camille Pissarro (1830‑1903)

Other Brand Mini Collections

Having covered the main two major competitors, there are some of the other well‑known vintage guitar brands. For instance, during the 1950s and 1960s, Danelectro made guitars under their own name as well as for Sears, Roebuck & Co, under the Silvertone brand name.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Danelectro‑built Danelectro and Silvertone Guitars (3) – Top‑bottom: 1963 Danelectro Pro 1, 1959 Silvertone 1304, 1964 Silvertone 1449 ‘Amp In Case’

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Gretsch Guitars (2) – Top‑bottom: 1962 Gretsch 6120 Double Cutaway Chet Akins Hollowbody, 1965 Gretsch 6135 Corvette

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Music Man Stingrays: Guitar and Bass (2) – Top‑bottom: 1976 Music Man Stingray I, 1978 Music Man Stingray Bass

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage Paul Reed Smith (PRS) (2) – Top‑bottom: 1989 Paul Reed Smith Classic Electric (CE), 1988 Paul Reed Smith Standard

“What we see depends mainly on what we look for” – John Lubbock (1834‑1913)

Other – Best of the Rest Mini Collections

Finally, all CRAVE Guitars are Made‑in‑USA, it only makes sense that some manufacturers would want to promote their country of origin in guitar form. CRAVE Guitars is fortunate enough to have not just one but two vintage guitars made in the outline of the lower 48 United States (sorry Alaska and Hawaii).

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage USA‑shaped Guitars (2) ‑ Top‑bottom: 1983 Gibson USA Map, 1962 National Glenwood 95

That leaves some other CRAVE Guitars not easily grouped, e.g. Epiphone, Guild, Kramer, Ovation, Peavey and Rickenbacker. Kudos to these great vintage guitars. However, for the sake of completeness, here are what was left over from the initial concept. A non‑collection‑within‑a‑collection if you will.

CRAVE Guitars’ Vintage ‘Best of the Rest’ Guitars (6) ‑ Top‑bottom: 1966 Epiphone Olympic, 1984 Guild X‑79 Skyhawk, 1974 Ovation Breadwinner 1251, 1979 Peavey T‑60, 1974 Rickenbacker 480, 1983 Kramer ‘The Duke’ Deluxe Bass

Wow! That is pretty much it for this article. I am certain that you may be able to think of other ways in which these great guitars can be viewed. I think you will agree that this perspective goes to demonstrate and showcase a wide range from the classic conventional and traditional to the freaky, weird and wonderful, celebrating the novel diversity of CRAVE Guitars.

“One moment the world is as it is. The next, it is something entirely different. Something it has never been before” – Anne Rice (1941‑2021)

Final Thoughts on Vintage Guitar Collections within A Collection

My main comment at this point is that CRAVE Guitars’ total collection probably isn’t large enough to make this a really interesting topic, for which I apologise. The capacity of The CRAVEcave is severely limited, so the collection has reached its maximum size for the time being (The CRAVEcap). This isn’t through lack of ambition on my part, simply the inevitable practical constraints of space and funds. Darn it.

Looking at things in this way, it confirms that I have a particular penchant for Fender Telecasters and Gibson Explorers, of which there are five each. These were followed by Fender Stratocasters, Gibson Les Pauls and Gibson Melody Makers of which there are four each. Unsurprisingly, that fits pretty well with my own feelings about favourite guitars. I would (obviously?) like a few more ‘obscure’ American guitars. Who wouldn’t? Every guitar addict needs that irresistible next fix. So many gaps to fill, so, so many! Sadly though, any expansion of brands and/or models is going to have to wait for a while.

As a reminder, there are full features on the web site for each of the CRAVE Guitars and CRAVE Basses featured here. Also on the web site are separate features on all the brands featured here. There are simply too many links to list in an article, so you’ll have to do a bit of work for yourself if you want to delve deeper into the brands and/or the models.

“There are no facts, only interpretations” – Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

The groupings featured in this article are just a few permutations of how collections can be viewed. There are many more ways of doing it. For instance, they could be grouped by:

Decade – 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, etc.
Model type – Custom, Standard, Junior, Special, Deluxe, etc.
Tone wood – Mahogany, maple, alder, ash, composite, etc.
Fingerboard type – rosewood, ebony, maple, composite, etc.
Pickup type – single coil, humbucker, other, etc.
Colour – sunburst, blue, red, gold, white, black, natural, etc.
Provenance – guitars with known owners

As far as CRAVE Guitars wider reach and influence goes, there are also themed image series based around photographic style, including:

Instagram vignettes (x2 series)
Floorboard guitars (1x series)
US flag guitars (x2 series)
Close up guitars (x2 series)

I tend to use these alternative image series on social media as a counterpoint to the web site images. They don’t appear on the web site (just to mix things up a bit). All these different perspectives supplement and complement the standard ‘signature’ purple background guitars used for consistency of presentation on the CRAVE Guitars’ web site. The collections within collections featured in this article also don’t appear on web site pages.

In conclusion, there many different ways of looking at the same instruments, way too many to cover without going full nerd. Given the small scale and scope of CRAVE Guitars, to do all that would become highly repetitive and dull, so I know when it’s time to stop.

The same approach can be taken for CRAVE Effects and that will form the basis of Part II of this mini‑series next month. As far as CRAVE Amps go, there are simply too few to make something from it (at the moment).

“To change ourselves effectively, we first had to change our perceptions” – Stephen R. Covey (1932‑2012)

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Album of the Month’

Regular readers will know that over many years, I have become increasingly enamoured with reggae and, particularly dub and roots reggae. While these genres peaked in the mid‑1970s, they are still alive and well in the 21^st Century. I covered the musical history of reggae in my August 2023 article, ‘Dub Reggae Revelation’ for those who might be interested in exploring reggae and its context on the global stage. This month’s accolade is from the mainstream of reggae and remains readily available…

Johnny Clarke – ‘Rockers Time Now’ (1976): ‘Rockers Time Now’ was the 8^th studio album released in 1976 by the Jamaican singer and musician Johnny Clarke (1955‑). While a lot of Clarke’s material during the 1970s flirted dangerously close to the scourge of pop reggae, rather than deeper dread or conscious roots, ‘Rockers Time Now’ has an abundance of great reggae tracks that have stood the test of time. I am not going to apologise for appreciating this album and it gets regular repeat listening. Clarke often gets dismissed by reggae snobs, unjustifiably so in my opinion. I admit that there is some ‘easy listening’ filler amongst the great Rastafarian reggae tracks. I hope history re‑appraises Johnny Clarke at his best. Great music for summer chilling and worth tracking down.

It may not be the greatest reggae album of all time but it’s one that helped me get through the summer of 2025. Equally interesting is another Johnny Clarke studio album from the same year, ‘Authorized Version’ (1976). There are several reggae artists that I include in this particular domain, including the late, great Keith Hudson (1946‑1984) – a personal favourite. While Johnny Clarke will often be associated with other popular reggae artists such as Dennis Brown, Freddie McGregor and Gregory Isaacs (all three a lot better than their popular chart hits might suggest), he does stand out for his material.

I have found that reggae music in all its diverse forms is a great genre to have playing in the background while thinking and writing. This is probably the last reggae ‘album of the month’ for this year as we head into cooler, darker times, although I believe it can raise the spirits at any time.

BELIEVE IN MUSIC!

“Between the optimist and the pessimist, the difference is droll. The optimist sees the doughnut; the pessimist the hole!” – Oscar Wilde (1854‑1900) NB. Often incorrectly attributed to Florence McLandburgh.

Tailpiece

There you go, back to vintage guitars, at least for this month. I hope you enjoyed this particular cabinet of curious CRAVE Guitars, which you’ve seen before but not perhaps in this format. Next time, we’ll return to the overall theme of this article but with the focus on CRAVE Effects. I hope you’ll come back for the floor‑based sequel.

Without further ado, it is time to move onto other things, nothing more to see here. For now. Have a great October 2025 folks, as the autumn season sets in for this year (at least up here in the northern hemisphere).

Truth, peace, love, and guitar music be with you always. The CRAVEman, signing off for now. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars’ ‘Quote of the Month’: “The only obliteration justified by war is the obliteration of war itself”

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18 Dec 2016

December 2016 – A Year of Gains, Change, Losses and Optimism

by CRAVEGuitars | posted in: Observations, Opinion | 0

It’s that time of year again when it seems to be the ‘in’ thing to reflect on the departing year and look ahead to the future whatever it may hold (along with a few obligatory lists along the way). So, in the spirit of seasonal laziness, here is my take on the year just about to leave platform 2016 and to wait for the 20:17 train to who knows where.

A Retrospective

In the music world, the grief that ended 2015 (e.g. Lemmy) continued into 2016. Let’s begin by remembering some of those great artists and guitarists who sadly departed and left us mere mortals behind during the year. I hope they play eternally at the ‘great gig in the sky’…

David Bowie on 10^th January, aged 69
Glenn Frey on 18^th January, aged 67
Merle Haggard on 6^th April, aged 79
Prince on 21^st April, aged 57
Lonnie Mack on 21^st April, aged 74
Scotty Moore on 28^th June, aged 84
Leonard Cohen on 7^th November, aged 82
Greg Lake on 7^th December, aged 69
Rick Parfitt on 24^th December, aged 68
George Michael on 25^th December, aged 53

Farewell and Rest In Peace cool dudes, you will be forever remembered for your tremendous legacy… and will be greatly missed for potential works not completed. Kudos. I am not looking forward to 2017 and the inevitable demise of more stalwarts of the music industry. Who will be next? We can only conjecture at this stage.

It has certainly been a year of change. I won’t delve into the controversial world of global politics, even though it affects our lives fundamentally every day. As English guitarist Eric Clapton said, “One of the most beneficial things I’ve ever learned is how to keep my mouth shut”. At a personal level, it has been a complete change of employment, if not lifestyle (yet). I am still working for ‘the man’ but in a different way. After 30 years as a paid employee, I was made redundant and am now self-employed. The massive drop in disposable income has affected CRAVE Guitars by forcing a, hopefully temporary, hiatus in its mission to accumulate more vintage guitars. In fact, only 3 guitars were purchased all year, but what terrific guitars they were in their different ways…

1962 Gretsch 6120 Double Cutaway Chet Atkins Hollowbody (March)
1964 Silvertone 1449 ‘Amp-in-Case’ (October)
1981 Gibson RD Artist (January)

Bizarrely, there was not a Fender amongst them. Note to self… must try harder!

Out of curiosity, I had a look back at my ‘most wanted list’ of guitars from this time last year and I’ve only been able to knock one off the ‘plan’ during the last 12 months (and probably not the one you’d think!). Oh well.

The change, however, was an opening to refocus a bit, without straying too far from the chosen path. Rather than just stop altogether, it enabled me to look at things in a fresh way. As it turned out, a more affordable and modest vintage guitar-related ‘hobby’ filled the sizeable gap. The result was that I was able to build up a modest collection of classic vintage guitar effect pedals, starting with a ‘small box’ Pro Co Rat and ending 5 months and 16 pedals later with a Made in Japan’ Boss PH-1 Phaser. I also resurrected a number of my classic owned-from-new pedals from the ‘70s. These classic pedals can still hold their own in terms of tone and, while not necessarily ergonomic, are well worth the effort.

This cool diversion had its pitfalls, including transit damage, missing bits and difficulty finding vintage parts to refurbish a couple of cool but ‘adapted’ player-grade effects. What I learned is that, while I’m OK at buying guitars, my knowledge of vintage stomp boxes just wasn’t as strong. At least my focus was on the lower end of the vintage market, rather than the overpriced collector end (original Ibanez TS-808s anyone? Gasp!). It will take a while to build up reliable experience and make better‑informed purchases. In total, there were 17 vintage effect pedals purchased during 2016, including (by brand)…

Boss (x5) – CS-1, DS-1, OC-2, OD-1, PH-1
Electro Harmonix (x2) – Little Big Muff pi, Doctor Q
Ibanez (x5) – AD9, CS9, FL301-DX, FL9, TS9
Jen (x1) – Cry Baby Super
MXR (x3) – Blue Box, Distortion +, Phase 90
Pro Co (x1) – RAT

While looking into effect pedals, I also started looking at vintage valve guitar amps again, although I only bought one very cool little loud box during 2016 (not including the Silvertone’s ’amp in case’ above)…

1978 Fender Vibro Champ

What has CRAVE sold during 2016? B*gger all of any significance! I just don’t have the ‘killer instinct to sell effectively, which is why I’m not a dealer. So, the ‘collection’ continues to grow, which isn’t good news, either financially or space-wise.

Turning to recorded music, picking something special out from the ubiquitous, formulaic dross was a bit of a challenge. Here are some of the varied albums (whatever happened to singles?!) released and added to CRAVE Guitars’ playlists in 2016:

Jeff Beck – Loud Hailer
Blossoms – Blossoms
David Bowie – Blackstar
The Coral – Distance Inbetween
Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds – Skeleton Tree
Leonard Cohen – You Want It Darker
Daughter – Not To Disappear
Dinosaur Jr – Give A Glimpse Of What Yer Not
Garbage – Strange Little Birds
The Heavy – Hurt & The Merciless
Iggy Pop – Post Pop Depression
The Kills – Ash & Ice
Megadeth – Dystopia
Metallica – Hardwired… To Self-Destruct
Radiohead – A Moon Shaped Pool
Rolling Stones – Blue & Lonesome
Savages – Adore Life
Seasick Steve – Keepin’ The Horse Between Me And The Ground
Warpaint – Heads Up

One good point towards the end of 2016 was that I was able to see one of my all-time favourite bands and one that has kept me just about sane over many years. I saw The Cure at Wembley Arena, London on 1^st December. It is 8 years since I last saw them live in London and New York. They were, as I’d hoped, awesome and still able to perform at the top of their game. They were supported by Scottish indie band, The Twilight Sad, who I’d also been looking forward to seeing for some time; impressive. As I was unable to make the pilgrimage to Glastonbury Festival this year, this one major gig made up for it. Long may Robert Smith and The Cure continue to inspire – thanks Bob. I can only hope that this tour may herald a new album in the near future (hint, hint!).

While on the topic of live bands, it occurred to me that it is a very ephemeral experience. On quiet reflection, if there is one band that I would have liked to have seen but didn’t and now it’s too late… The Clash. The one band that I haven’t seen yet that I would like to see before it’s too late… Rage Against the Machine. Of course there are many, many mainstream artists that could go on those particular lists. These were just ones that came to mind when I asked the rhetorical question.

A Prospective

Trivia fact: In English etymology, ‘prospective’ is a valid antonym for ‘retrospective’. So, I took the indulgence of looking forward through the looking glass and speculating a little on what may lie ahead.

Firstly, CRAVE Guitars will hopefully be relocating soon. I was hoping it was going to be before Christmas but it will now be in early 2017. Major problems and escalating costs with the new place, including somewhere to store the guitars dry, warm, safe and secure, means that even pedal purchasing has now been put on hold until further notice while some massively expensive but essential rebuilding takes place and (sadly) uses all my remaining (guitar) capital.

Furthermore, my self-employed work ends at Christmas, so unemployment (tactically, I prefer to call it early retirement) looms on the immediate horizon. Ironically, after years of having no time and a little cash has been turned around such that I may soon have a little time and no cash. Hey-ho, story of my life; one can’t have it all, eh?

If there is a way that CRAVE Guitars could be put on a different basis and become a full‑time occupation, I’d like to do it. I need to learn how to sell though (see above). It would be terrific if I could realise my long-held ambition and put all my hard work over the last few years to good use. Harsh life experiences over many years suggest that this won’t happen so, perhaps, it is about time for a meagre sprinkling of ‘good luck’ to come my way for once.

Unfortunately, the prevailing economic climate is not conducive to starting up a professional niche business with next to zero capital, no access to finance, sparse experience, and little reliable entrepreneurial advice, all within the context of political, economic and social turmoil. In the UK, we’ve had a General Election, political meltdown, crippling national debt and the insanity of ‘Brexit’ (what a stupid ‘word’ that is!). In the US we’ve had Clinton being well and truly Trumped (amid much conspiracy theory), which is a scary proposition for the whole world. Mad! Since the EU Referendum, the $USD to £GBP exchange rate has fallen through the floor, so one of CRAVE’s strengths – importing vintage guitars from homeland U.S.A. – is now next to impossible as the costs have simply become prohibitive (at least on the modest funds at my disposal). As 2017 looks to provide more surprises and yet more change, there is little point in further speculation about exactly what might transpire. I wonder what CRAVE’s December 2017 article will have to say (all other things being equal).

Ever the eternal optimist, or more probably just tragically deluded, 2017 HAS to be better than 2016. I suspect I may be bitterly disappointed… again. As you might imagine, I have no evidence to support this hypothesis, just a desperate but probably forlorn hope that things, both macro and micro, improve in the months to come. I also have to trust that the irrevocable life-changing events of 2016 lead to constructive and positive outcomes in 2017. Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961), the Swiss psychiatrist and psychotherapist that founded analytical psychology summed it up, “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” Perhaps the old dude knew a thing or two about people’s ability to influence their own destiny.

I know that one shouldn’t gauge any sort of success by social media activity but CRAVE Guitars is gradually building a solid presence on the hinterweb. A huge “THANK YOU” to everyone who showed some interest in goings on at CRAVE Guitars over the last 12 months. At the time of writing, CRAVE’s Twitter followers (my favoured platform – @CRAVE_Guitars) were standing at over 1,330, which is amazing to me – a massive increase in a year. The majority of CRAVE’s Twitter followers are in the U.S.A., so much appreciation goes out to my transatlantic brethren. Equally, my gratitude extends to everyone inside and outside the UK, across the continents of our increasingly shrinking ‘global village’ for your time and consideration.

If CRAVE could buy any vintage guitar in 2017, what would it be? Actually, although unlikely to achieve either, I’m picking one from each of Fender and Gibson to keep things neutral. A 1970s Fender Starcaster has appealed for a long time but they are few and far between and prices are scarily high. As for the ‘big G’, a 1950s non‑cutaway Gibson ES‑150 has also been a longstanding aim, also rapidly increasing in price. So if Santa is listening, I have tried SO hard to be a good boy.

As frequently mentioned in my articles, guitars have only one purpose, as a tool to make music. Music can bring us together and help to heal the often seemingly irreconcilable schisms that inhibit mutual co‑operation and benefit. This brings me neatly onto…

A Hope

For what it is worth, a short Christmas message of redemption for 2017…

I feel that there are even greater seismic shifts ahead in every facet of our small planet. All I can hope is that for every backward step, there are many more steps in the right direction towards the panacea of world peace, ecological sustainability and, let’s face it, survival. We need to magnify the things that we all share and value, and we must strive to diminish the things that cause irreconcilable division and conflict. Ultimately, there is no choice but to work together for the sake of our enduring common humanity. We all have an obligation and a moral duty, individually and collectively, to build a better, fairer world for everyone now and for succeeding generations. As equal citizens, we must demand more from our governments if we are to achieve a viable future for life on Earth. We must respect our diversity, reject greed, protect our environment, have compassion for all living things, and rise above prejudice and hatred, if we are to stand any chance of achieving great things as a species. Strive for utopia and we may just get far enough down the road to justify the effort. It is just common sense after all and the struggle must prevail if it’s worth struggling for. We shall see. Buddha put it far more succinctly, “Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace”. Quite right!

I fear that the rise of ignorant extremism under the guise of ‘populist anti‑institutionalism’ will trigger further anarchic, nihilistic and blindly destructive tendencies when, what the world really needs right now is more ‘peace and love’. Beneath the superficiality of the naïve desperation of the ‘60s hippy movement, the counter‑culture ‘uprising’ of the time had it right all along and we should seek to realise the latent potential of their philosophical idealism and belief for good and fairness. As John Lennon sang, “Imagine all the people living life in peace.” One can hope beyond hope, however unrealistic it may seem. Concerted action, though, is needed.

May you play guitars, or at least listen to the magical music that all guitarists – great and meek alike – create on our beloved instruments. People need the therapeutic qualities of music now, more than ever before. It is a cathartic way to deal with the harsh vagaries of our capricious, chaotic, dysfunctional world. As the German philosopher and scholar, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) wisely said, “And those who were seen dancing, were thought to be insane, by those who could not hear the music.” On that final contemplative note, it is goodbye to a weird 2016 and I hope to be back in 2017. In the meantime, I’m off to ‘plink my plank(s)’. Until next time…

CRAVE Guitars ‘Music Quote of the Month’: “If I had a pound for every perfect guitar solo I’ve ever played, I’d still be stone broke.”

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