What's In Zach's Attic Today?
As of June 17th, 2019 we have the following used and vintage instruments in Zach's Attic:
- Guild D-55 more >>>
- Fender Blues Jr. more >>>
- Fender Standard Telecaster more >>>
- Warwick Corvette Std. 5-String more >>>
- Gibson SG Standard more >>>
- Vintage Tesco EP-8T more >>>
- G&L ASAT Junior II more >>>
- Vintage 1973 Gibson SJ Deluxe More >>>
- Martin OMCPA3 More >>>
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Vintage 1968 Fender Telecaster
with Bigsby more >>> - Greg Bennett AB-11ce/AM more >>>
- Rare Vintage 1978 Alembic BassMore >>>
- 1964 Guild Mark II Classical more >>>
- Peavey Foundation Fretless Bass more >>>
- Vintage Sunn 1X15 Bass Cabinet more >>>
Click on one of these instruments or just scroll down for photos and more information.
Zach's Archives
Want to peek at the extraordinary range of cool and interesting instruments that have passed through Zach's Attic? Just click HERE!
Contributing to Zach's Attic
We're always looking for interesting used and vintage guitars, basses and other fretted instruments that need new homes. (Sorry, we don't accept used band instruments.)
If you have a used or vintage instrument that you think Zach might be interested in, bring it in and show it to him. (Call ahead to make sure he'll be in the store when you come.) If he likes your instrument we can work out a trade or buy it outright.
You can contact Zach by phone at the number above or via our Ask Us! page.
Our Guarantee
Buying a used or vintage instrument can be a scary process. If you don't know what you're looking for, you can easily overpay or end up with an inferior (or even unplayable) instrument.
When you buy a used or vintage instrument from The Minor Chord we guarantee it to be as described. If there are flaws in the instrument that we know about, we'll tell you. If there are significant flaws we didn't notice and disclose, tell us within 30 days and we'll cheerfully give you your money back.
The Minor Chord is a music store you can trust!
Our Used and Vintage Instruments
Zach is our store manager and head instrument buyer. He hunts down the top quality used and vintage instruments that we feature here in "Zach's Attic".
Fender Blues Jr.We don't really need to say too much about this amp, it's already one of Fender's all-time best-selling models. Great middle of the road size where it can be turned down sweet and low, but can certainly crank when dimed. The fat switch is a nice feature in that it does what the title of the amp says...gives you a bluesy grit with some gain but not over-the-top wailing distortion. This particular one is an older version, one owner, in near mint original condition. Functions perfectly. $475.00 with amp cover included! |
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Fender Standard TelecasterJust arrived we have a nice Standard Tele from 2009 in the Arctic white finish. Classic look with the maple neck and fingerboard over the white body. All original and in very good condition. The six adjustable saddles make for easier intonation. Not too much to say, these are great guitars for the money. Offered at $399.00 in a hardbag-style case. |
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Warwick Corvette Std. 5-StringThe nice used basses just keep rolling in. Here's an interesting German-made Warwick, the Corvette Standard 5-String. The dual cutaway body has rounded style horns. Interesting woods they use in the Bubinga, Ovankol, and Wenge. The J-style passive pickups are slightly more punchy than your average J-Bass. The dark oil finish is really smooth to play. Nice action is a must on a 5-string bass, this Warwick shouldn't disappoint! $749.00 with gig bag included. |
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Gibson SG StandardIn on trade we have a very sharp looking Gibson SG Standard in the ebony finish. Just a few years old, there's not much wear at all. The lightweight body and easy access to the upper frets have made the SG a legendary electric guitar. These guitars thrive on the rock n' roll and heavy metal stage, but can be mellowed out nicely as well. Historically used American Gibson guitars tend to sell quickly, don't lose out on this one. $899.00 in Gibson gig bag. |
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Vintage Tesco EP-8TThere have been a few vintage Teisco guitars that have seen their way into the Attic so far, but this EP-8T is perhaps the coolest. Super light weight, it's barely noticeable you're holding it. Unplugged it is enjoyable to tinker around on, certainly loud enough to be heard. Plugged in the original pickups have a unique warm character to them. Not quite the output of a humbucker or P-90 but more bite and warmth than a typical single coil. The Bigsby-style vibrato is nicely worn in and smooth. Amazing original condition with the floral pickguard, tuners, and Teisco headstock logo. These old 60's Japan Teisco's have become more collectable as the years roll on...this one could look great in your collection! Offered at $549.00 with gig bag included. |
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G&L ASAT Junior IIHere we have a unique instrument from our friends at G&L. This particular guitar has an interesting story behind it. It was built in 2012 as more of a prototype for the Autumn Burst color over the Korina wood body. Apparently the color never stuck in their catalog so this particular finish is certainly more rare. It was gigged with by a few G&L employees for a while because they liked it so much. Nice chunkier neck profile with the ebony board and 12 inch radius feels really good in the hand. The quartersawn neck is less prone to warping over time.The dual P-90 pickups really wail and we like the simplicity of the single volume and tone controls. The guitar at one point was dropped in the case so there is a repair by the input jack. With the black outer edges, it's not super noticeable. The graphite saddles were added as well at some point to prevent string breaking. All in all a unique instrument, $999.00 including U.S. hardshell case. |
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Vintage 1973 Gibson SJ DeluxeThis vintage Gibson SJ Deluxe dates to ca. 1973 and is a fine example. When the customer brought it in, it needed some work, so we gave it to Steve Morrill guitar repairs in Boxborough to fix it up. He replaced the bridge plate, did a full check over and setup, and it came out great! There is some small cracking in the top by the edge of the pickguard as well. Nice low action, setup for lights it plays easily. As this is being written, our Bluegrass teacher Jerry, is putting it through it's paces. The 1-11/16 inch nut width with the medium profile neck shape is comfortable. Sound-wise it really nails that throaty Gibson tone. These early 70's examples are a great value because 40's-60's models go for much more. $1,399.00 in the original Gibson hardshell case. |
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Martin OMCPA3Just traded in is another nice solid wood Martin, the OMCPA3. Part of Martin's Performing Artist line, it's a great all-around guitar. The OM body style is more comfortable than larger shapes, and the cutaway allows easy access up the fingerboard. Solid rosewood and spruce yields a full, balanced tone. Now that this instrument is a few years old and lovingly played, it's starting to season nicely. The Fishman F-1 Aura system has more than meets the eye and can dial in some fantastic plugged in sounds. The built in chromatic tuner is also a plus. $1,349.00 with the original Martin hardcase included. |
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Vintage 1968 Fender Telecaster with BigsbyJust in on consignment we have a fantastic vintage 1968 Fender Telecaster with the original factory installed Bigsby. Ash body in the popular blonde finish, it's got some honest play wear but looks and plays great! This seems to be one of the last with the original telecaster wiring scheme. The neck pickup has been replaced which drops the value a bit but the bridge pickup is original and cuts nicely. The middle selector switch position is full and beefy. The neck has a nice even C profile consistent up the neck. It fits beautifully in the hand and is very easy to play. The Bigsby is nicely worn in and is smooth to use. The original frets have plenty of life left, the guitar set up beautifully for .010-.046 strings. These Tele's with the factory Bigsby are not easy to find and do not come through often, let alone are offered up for sale. At $3,799.00 with the original Fender hardcase, we have priced it to move. Do not wait on this one, who knows if another will arrive anytime soon... |
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Greg Bennett AB-11ce/AMIt's amazing how many cool bass guitars have come through the shop recently. Most have gone away, but here's a sweet Greg Bennett design AB-11ce/AM. This is a one owner, excellent condition instrument that's been well cared for. Some acoustic basses are thick and difficult to get around, but with the 3 inch body depth, it's much more comfortable. Plugged in the Fishman system works great with separate sliders for volume, bass, middle, treble, and brilliance. The hardshell case is also in excellent condition. Nice low action it plays great. This is a hard bass to find and we expect it to move very quickly at $499.00. |
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Vintage 1964 Guild Mark IIHere's a wonderful 1964 Guild Mark II classical guitar from the 1960's folk era. Overall in very good to excellent condition, it's seen some playing time but it's structurally sound and nicely worn in. Open tone with a nice low end despite being a solid top instrument. The 3-piece neck provides added strength so the neck remained true despite all the years, and the medium carve is nice to wrap your hand around. The longer 25.5 inch scale is unique and interesting for a classical-style instrument - it does affect the sound and playability compared to shorter scale instruments. Beautifully figured Brazilian rosewood fretboard. The 'D'-string tuning machine is slightly bent but it works fine and doesn't need to be replaced. Check out the very cool case as well. This is a very good deal at $599.00 |
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Peavey Foundation Fretless BassAttention bass players: Have you thought about going fretless? Here is your chance with this Peavey Foundation fretless bass dating to 1991. Made in the U.S.A. it is a solidly built instrument with plenty of life left. More like a jazz bass, the neck is slim and easy to wrap around. Ultra smooth playability with the fretless fingerboard. The line fret markers are a nice visual aid. This is a great deal on a U.S.-made instrument at $350.00. Gig bag included. |
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Vintage Sunn 1X15 Bass CabinetJust arrived in the Attic - this early 70's 1X15 inch Sunn bass cabinet. Back in the 60's and 70's, Sunn was one of the top bass amp and cabinet manufacturers. Sturdy pine cabinet, very good condition with minimal wear, and it's not a huge cabinet compared to other 15-inchers. The speaker is located on the left side of the cabinet so when you tilt it onto its side feet, the speaker is right off the floor to dispense the sound. Very nice full and clear tone. We have our G/K MB200 head set up to power the cab and it sounds great! The speaker only has an 80 watt rating, but it's mounted in an efficient open-vented cabinet so it still makes lots of noise. You won't need (or want) to put tons of power through it. Bassists out there...if you're lacking a 15 inch speaker in your rig and appreciate things vintage, this is a great deal at $349.00. |
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Common problems with used instruments
We see a lot of used instruments at The Minor Chord and a few common issues seem to show up in many of them. If you are thinking of buying an instrument on the private market, make sure you can spot these common flaws.
Lifting bridges
Most bridges on acoustic guitars are simply glued to the guitar top. If the glue joint starts to separate you are looking at a dangerous guitar. Six steel strings exert a huge tension on the bridge, and if it suddenly comes loose it can seriously injure anyone nearby. The staff at The Minor Chord has seen this happen - so we always inspect the bridge of an acoustic guitar before restringing it.
Piece of paper under a lifting bridge
If you can slip a sheet of paper under the bridge of your guitar (see picture) you should relax the string tension immediately and bring the instrument to us for inspection.
An experienced luthier can remove a bridge and reglue it, but the time and labor involved makes the process too expensive for beginner and intermediate guitars.
High action
The distance between the strings and the fingerboard is called the action height. If the action is too high the guitar becomes hard (or even impossible) to play because it takes too much effort to press a string against the fingerboard. In addition, the guitar will probably not play in tune because each string has to be stretched so much (which raises its pitch) as it is pressed down.
Proper action height depends on two factors: The alignment of the neck and the height of the saddle (the point at which the strings rest on the bridge).
Electric and steel-string acoustic guitars usually have a truss rod running down the neck that can be used to adjust neck alignment. Classical-style guitars with nylon strings typically do not have a truss rod, and the only way to realign the neck is for a luthier to remove, shim and reinstall the neck - a major operation. The same operation is required on electrics or steel-string acoustics if the truss rod doesn't have enough available play to achieve the needed adjustment.
Saddle height is easily adjusted on electric guitars using a very small allen-head wrench. The saddles on acoustics and classical nylon strings may simply lift out of the bridge and can be shaved or shimmed to achieve the correct height. If these adjustments cannot bring the action height to a playable level, an expensive neck reset is required.
A low action height is desirable for easy playing but the action cannot be lowered so much that the strings start buzzing against the frets. Inexpensive guitars tend to have uneven frets, which means that the action height cannot be brought very low at all. Resetting or dressing the frets can even them up but it is a time consuming and expensive process, worthwhile only for valuable guitars.
All of these adjustments related to action height are fussy and interrelated. It's best to leave them to an experienced luthier, which means it is usually not economical to rescue an inexpensive guitar having these problems.