Vintage Guitar Show Veenendaal

SHOW MARCH 2012

Time just flies by! The March edition of Vintage Veenendaal has passed. At 08.00 am the exhibition hall opened for the exhibitors and everybody was busy and running around to get their stuff and to build up their booths. Every now and then an exhibitor is late, due to traffic jams or just because they slept in, and are stressing around to get everyting ready in time. But at 10.00 am everybody was ready to go and that was very much needed, as quite some people had gathered at the entrance to get in as soon as the doors were opened!

Within no time the hall was full of people walking, talking, laughing or playing a guitar. A lot of guitar experience was exchanged, some good deals were made and it seemed like everybody was having a good time! Guitar dealers and private collectors exhibited their vintage guitars, amplifiers, pedals, parts, books, CDs and DVDs etc. A broad range of guitars were exhibited, among which both acoustic and electric guitars, steel guitars, Fado guitars and so on. Many of them vintage, but new(er) guitars were also available. Prices varied from really cheap up to extremely expensive. The most expensive guitar of the day you can read more about further down.

At the booth of Palm Guitars you could have your guitar valued, there were demo’s by the exhibitors themselves and during some fixed time slots you could try out amplifiers and play some guitars. Even though Vintage Veenendaal is a relatively ‘quiet’ show at which you should be able to talk to one another without having to raise your voice too much, there are a couple of time slots during which everyone is free to play and make music, and it was evident that these slots were very much used!

One of the highlights of the day was the Gibson Les Paul from Anders Anderson from Sweden. Really a legendary piece of guitar history! The Les Paul models made between 1958 and 1960 are considered to be the ‘Holy Grail’ among vintage guitars. Around 1500 Les Pauls have been produced between spring 1958 until the end of 1960. There are more or less 1500 Les Pauls available, or actually less, as some have vanished due to fires or theft, or they may have been modified or have been in a small accident. They might be refinished, or the neck has been off. Around 1000 truly original Les Pauls that are in good shape are expected to be among us today.

Anders has owned 10 Les Paul ‘Burst’s’ and bought his first one in 1970. At that time he bought one for 200 euro and got along a Vox AC-30 amplifier for free. Today, this guitar is worth about a 100 times more! At the March 2010 edition of Vintage Veenendaal, Anders brought along a ‘Burst’ from 1959 (see picture) which he later on sold in Sweden. Gibson Les Paul guitars are to be found in Sweden as Hagströms imported around a dozen of them around that time.

The 1958 ’Burst’ which Anders brought to the show this time and with which he won the Award for the ‘Most Authentic Vintage Guitar’, he bought last winter in New York. This ‘Burst’ has remarkably much color left. Usually these vintage guitars have a somewhat bleached finish, because of exposure to sunlight, stage light, salt and sweat and have a pale surface, ‘faded finish’.

Anders 1958 ‘Burst’ is the prettiest one he has ever had. The high price, 150.000 euro, is based on its perfect condition, but also on the amount of colour it has left after 50 years, as well as on the condition of the surface, meaning how patchy the maple on the top is. The topside of this Les Paul ‘Burst’ can be compared to the backside of a violin, like for example a Stradivarius from 1600. Exactly a year ago, a Stradivarius was sold in Japan for 10 million euros! Music instruments really can have a ‘divine’ sound and the Les Paul has that as well. Listen for example to ’Still got the Blues, Albatross, All right now, Eric Clapton/John Mayall ”Beano Album” etc, Anders says. The Gibson Les Paul’s made 1958-1960 maybe are the new Stradivarius…..

The 1958 Gibson Les Paul 'Sunburst' from Anders Anderson, Sweden

Another hot item at the show was another Les Paul. This one was to be found in van Es's booth. At the booth, Kees Luijendijk told us that this Les Paul was quite unique, also because it was still in its original case. The case was full of memories of its original owner. It concerns a Les Paul which was bought by Ted Oberg (Livin' Blues) in 1968. It was one of Holland's first Les Pauls. The case held pictures of Ted, as well as some stickers, banners and flags from the late sixties/early seventies.

As mentioned previously, Anders Anderson won the award for the ’Most Authentic Vintage Guitar’ with his Gibson Les Paul Sunburst from 1958. The award for the ‘Most Bizarre Guitar’ was won by Wolfgang Kramer with his Hoyer. “Most preferred by todays professionals“ this guitar was praised in a late fifties catalog of the German brand „Hoyer“. This obscure, sparkling beauty seems to characterize the motto “all for the looks but nothing for the tone”…but it is dangerous to think in stereotypes! No doubt it was the intention of Hoyer to create an ‘eyecatcher’, but the instrument also shows some qualities as a player item.

The 17 inch non-cutaway archtop features catseye soundholes like its Gretsch and Rickenbacker sisters. The whole body – top, sides and back – are covered in white perloid, the most rare one, as red and dark grey versions were produced as well. It sports a matching perloid fingerboard with white striped inlays and a long pickguard in a contrasting dark colour. The floating Ideal-pickuard was mounted later, to give the player a chance to compete with the brass section while strumming to the bar. A chrome, special Hoyer-made tailpiece symbolizing the “AH”initials and Hoyer roller bridge, round up the amazing impression of that ‘stringed lady' bringing back the glitter-flitter atmosphere of the fifties and early sixties ballrooms.

A few special guests were present at the show: Dany Lademacher, John Hayes and Jorre Marek. Jorre is known for his airbrush and pinstripe work and you could have your own guitar pinstriped during the show. Dany Lademacher and John Hayes each did a demo at Doodad Guitars' booth. Dany, known from Herman Brood's Wild Romance and Paris Dandies, showed the Lademacher Signature guitar. John Hayes, known from the legendary Funk band Mother's Finest, demoed the '34½ mean green machine'. More info about these guitars you will find at Doodad Guitars' website.

As usual, we gave away a Free Guitar Starter pack, consisting of among others an electric guitar, a small amplifier, a cover and cables. At 15.00 we draw the winner and it was Jack Cardol from Veenendaal who won the free starterpack! Jack had already left the show, but we gave him a call and he gladly came back to pick up his prize!

At 16.00 pm time was up and the doors were closed. We heard from many of you it had been a great day with among others a lot of interesting guitars. We therefore hope to see you again at our next show, which will be on September 29, 2012 again in The Veenendaalhal!!!

On behalf of the organization team,
Mirjam en Eline Nievers