Bassworm 8 Posted June 14, 2020 I still own a 1960-ish Hofner Congress acoustic that was the first guitar I ever played. It was originally bought for my younger sister but she quickly lost interest so it came to me. Still plays nicely, and every so often I wonder if I should do some sort of sympathetic restoration on it. Maybe when I retire... 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacko 352 Posted June 14, 2020 I still have my first dolmetsch descant recorder from primary school and play it regularly. I'll be 59 this summer. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Happy Jack 4,515 Posted June 14, 2020 The longest instrument I own is my double bass. 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
casapete 1,732 Posted June 14, 2020 35 minutes ago, Bassworm said: I still own a 1960-ish Hofner Congress acoustic that was the first guitar I ever played. It was originally bought for my younger sister but she quickly lost interest so it came to me. Still plays nicely, and every so often I wonder if I should do some sort of sympathetic restoration on it. Maybe when I retire... I had exactly the same model, even down to the missing scratchplate! Sold it a couple of years ago for a good profit on the £30 it cost me in the early 80's. ☺️ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
casapete 1,732 Posted June 14, 2020 Here's my first ever instrument, brought back for me from Spain by my Grandma. Pictured with my mandolin and uke bass so you can get the scale. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baxlin 942 Posted June 14, 2020 3 hours ago, casapete said: Cough....😉 Ok, but you did say c. 1965 ie approx.......😇 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bassassin 2,054 Posted June 14, 2020 Longest-owned instrument is a Columbus SG copy which I bought used in 1980 - my first guitar. I'd been playing bass for two years when I got this: Nice, playable slightly better than budget quality Japanese guitar which I learned a lot with. That one's not mine - These are guitars with very slender necks & no volute, and bad things can happen when headstocks hit walls. This is mine... Spoiler It went through a few stages to reach this point, my Dad re-glued the headstock, which broke again after a month or two, he then made a discreet aluminium brace to reinforce it, which worked better but after a few years, the glue gave way meaning it had a thin soft-metal plate keeping the head on - not exactly stable. It languished for a year or two and in about 1985 I was inspired by the popularity of headless instruments to try out my woodworking skills. Considering it was all hand-cut & hand-shaped by some yoof with no formal training, I think it turned out OK. The output's recessed into the side of the body under the bottom point of the scratchplate, tuners are mounted on two "steps" carved into the body and an offcut from the scratchplate part-covers them, stopping them being knocked. Dispensing with volume & tone controls (never used 'em!) meant I could keep the body compact & fairly symmetrical. The string retainer's crafted from 1mm aluminium plate, formed & folded to shape, and the elongated top box section reinforced with a block of wood. The typically restrained 80s paintjob is gloss black, with Halfords dayglo rattlecan on the front and a matching stripe down the side of the neck below the binding. It's lacquered over the front paint (as it was a matt finish) which unfortunately cracked while curing, so, undeterred, I wiped some thinned black paint over it, to give it a trendy-at-the time crackle finish! It's a fiddle to tune & even worse to change strings, but plays as well as it ever did. Sounds OK too, the pickups are single-coil fakebuckers and it's very bright & Tele-ish sounding. Even got used on an album my band at the time did in the 90s, where none of the Strats or LPs we had in the studio could quite give us the ringing, clean harmonic sound we were after. I should probably clean it up & take some better pics. And I'll be leaving the holographic dolphin sticker on! 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
casapete 1,732 Posted June 14, 2020 6 minutes ago, Baxlin said: Ok, but you did say c. 1965 ie approx.......😇 Unfortunately grand-mama popped her clogs a while back now so I can't verify with her, but I can safely say either 1964 or 1965. She was the first person we knew to go abroad for her holidays, hard to imagine now. I was mad on the Stones and Beatles so she thought it would be suitable, bless her. Carried it as hand luggage on the plane home, without a case for it! Made by Roca in Valencia, it still plays okay despite only being 1/2 size. When I took it to school I was amazed how big everyone else's guitars were! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baxlin 942 Posted June 14, 2020 1 hour ago, casapete said: Unfortunately grand-mama popped her clogs a while back now so I can't verify with her, but I can safely say either 1964 or 1965. She was the first person we knew to go abroad for her holidays, hard to imagine now. I was mad on the Stones and Beatles so she thought it would be suitable, bless her. Carried it as hand luggage on the plane home, without a case for it! Made by Roca in Valencia, it still plays okay despite only being 1/2 size. When I took it to school I was amazed how big everyone else's guitars were! 👍👍 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stub Mandrel 9,618 Posted June 14, 2020 My long-suffering and amended Kay K-2T bought around the time Running Free was in the charts 🙂 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bassbiscuits 1,192 Posted June 14, 2020 I have a Hohner acoustic guitar I bought in 1988, along with a metal guitar stand and Arion tuner I got for Christmas 1986, all of which still work fine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
inthedoghouse 241 Posted June 14, 2020 (edited) The instrument I've had longest is my early '73 4001 I bought in 1985 Amp I've had longest I bought new in 1980, Marshall JMP 100w 2203 head Cab I've had the longest: Circa '71 Marshall 4x12 I bought in the mid/late 70s for £90. It still has three pre-Rolas. I've still got the (nice) neck of a Kasuga Strat I had in the mid 70s. Edited June 14, 2020 by inthedoghouse Typo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stewblack 5,519 Posted June 15, 2020 Until a few years back I still had my first bass, a Kay ⚓. Unfortunately all my old guitars and basses, at some point became props for some insanity or other and got destroyed. I had the head of an acoustic mounted by a friend on a block like a trophy. He'd retrieved the smouldering remnant after a beach party where I had decided it would entertain those present if I was to strip naked and play the guitar having first set it on fire. Luckily we always took a bottle of petrol to facilitate a quicker start to the fire, so I had the necessary accelerant. And people still ask me why I stopped drinking. Anyway thanks to all this and other shameful tales, my longest owned is my Aria Pro ll. 1983, bought from Guitar Workshop up St Michael's Hill in Bristol. Still a fine instrument, if somewhat ravaged by the passing of time. 1 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ubit 2,323 Posted June 15, 2020 54 minutes ago, stewblack said: I had the head of an acoustic mounted by a friend on a block like a trophy. He'd retrieved the smouldering remnant after a beach party where I had decided it would entertain those present if I was to strip naked and play the guitar having first set it on fire. Luckily we always took a bottle of petrol to facilitate a quicker start to the fire, so I had the necessary accelerant. And people still ask me why I stopped drinking. I dunno, that sounds like a great party! 😎 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
akabane 150 Posted June 15, 2020 My 4/4 upright has been with me for 20 years now - very battered but it still sings! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fryer 138 Posted June 15, 2020 I still have my Framus Star bass, given to me by my double bass playing Dad in September 1963 for my 13th birthday. It was secondhand when he bought it. Taught myself to play, and played in a few groups in the 60's. Still sounds nice, although the varnish is cracking a bit on the back of the neck. 3 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knirirr 180 Posted June 15, 2020 I've had an old Flying V since the 90s, but this instrument just beats it: For anyone who's interested it's a Grainger & Campbell army regulation pattern set which I got new in 1988, IIRC. Not much chance to play these days, unfortunately. 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Baxlin 942 Posted June 15, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, knirirr said: I've had an old Flying V since the 90s, but this instrument just beats it: For anyone who's interested it's a Grainger & Campbell army regulation pattern set which I got new in 1988, IIRC. Not much chance to play these days, unfortunately. No offence, but UNfortunately?? 😎 Edited June 15, 2020 by Baxlin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
knirirr 180 Posted June 15, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Baxlin said: No offence, but UNfortunately?? 😎 Correct. It's not just cheese - there's endless fun to be had with the highland bagpipe! Classical: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8H2HHs6Iqg Jazz: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mFeMMXhTua-ZXjiy9qcwuzLDCPlIam80E Edited June 15, 2020 by knirirr 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fretmeister 2,459 Posted June 16, 2020 2003 Fender American Strat. Now with a black plate and a set of fantastic Lollar Black Face single coils. I bought it new in 2003 to commemorate the birth of my first child. I'm usually a Gibson scale fan for guitars, but this strat is fantastic. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pineweasel 204 Posted June 16, 2020 I have the first three instruments I bought: a £30 Kay classical guitar in 1979, an Aria steel-string acoustic in 1980 and my Westone Thunder 1-A bass in 1983. Still play them all from time to time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jacko 352 Posted June 16, 2020 22 hours ago, knirirr said: I've had an old Flying V since the 90s, but this instrument just beats it: For anyone who's interested it's a Grainger & Campbell army regulation pattern set which I got new in 1988, IIRC. Not much chance to play these days, unfortunately. Oh God, not the highland bagpipe please!! Give me Kathryn Tickell on the Northumbrian pipes any day. In fact just give me Kathryn Tickell and I'll be happy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Bassworm 8 Posted June 16, 2020 On 14/06/2020 at 17:28, casapete said: I had exactly the same model, even down to the missing scratchplate! Sold it a couple of years ago for a good profit on the £30 it cost me in the early 80's. ☺️ THis one had the scratchplate originally but gawd knows where it went between getting it in about 1970 and now. Still plays really nicely, despite it's 'distressed' condition. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites