Are You A Fan Of A Specific Guitar Player? Try Adding These Instruments To Your Collection

If you're into collecting guitars, there's a good chance that you're into listening to guitar music — and that you likely have a favorite player. There are multiple ways to approach building a collection, but one option is to focus your collection around the player who inspires you the most. Depending on the popularity of this player, there may be a number of different guitars that you can focus on adding to your vintage guitar collection. Here are some examples of instruments to add to your must-have list.

Signature Model

The most celebrated guitarists often have signature editions of their guitars that are available to consumers. When a guitarist reaches a certain level of noteworthiness, the manufacturer of the guitar that he or she uses will often collaborate with the player to build and sell a signature model that is based off one of the musician's instruments. If your primary interest is vintage guitars, you'll obviously want to avoid the newer signature models and concentrate on those from several years ago. They're often difficult to find, as many signature models are produced in limited editions, but this can only serve to make it more fun to track one down.

Autographed Model

You may also want to look for a guitar that your favorite player has autographed. There are many different ways that you can pursue this idea. One option is to buy a vintage guitar that is consistent with the brand and model of instrument that the guitarist typically plays, and then look to have it signed at a concert or at a public signing event. Another option is to look at vendors that sell autographed instruments, ideally while including certificates of authenticity. Some instruments are even signed — often on the back of the headstock — before being released to the public.

Player-Owned Model

Occasionally, you'll read about celebrated guitar players who sell a number of their personal instruments through a notable auction house. This is common as a player gets older, for example, and may want to turn the value of some of his or her instruments into money to give to an important charity. Many famous players have lots of vintage instruments, so this can be a good opportunity to find an older guitar. You'll need lots of money to add this type of guitar to your collection, but it can be exciting to look for such an auction and hopefully have a chance to buy a guitar that your favorite player owned.