Vintage Guitars: Acoustics and Electrics for the Working Musician.




Since its inception in 1995, Vintage guitars has been making superb quality instruments, at an entirely reasonable price, for guitarists all over the world. From its beginnings in Leeds as part of the JHS umbrella to its globe spanning collection of high quality instruments, Vintage guitars continues to innovate and impress, while keeping one foot firmly rooted in the classics.

Because the classics are classics for a reason.

Vintage guitars are designed in the UK and built to exacting standards using only the best quality hardware, pickups and tone woods. The Vintage design team’s relentless quest for innovation, authentic tone, outstanding playability and great looking instruments delivers true working musicians tool’s. Vintage instruments are the first choice for everyone from the first time player, all the way to the seasoned pro.


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Let's get to know the man behind the magic, and then check out some guitars....


The legendary designer, Trev Wilkinson

The central idea behind Vintage is to offer accessibly priced, vintage-looking guitars with great finishes, quality parts, and features that are typically found on guitars costing upward of a thousand dollars. So, to design an industry-leading line of professional but affordable guitars, Trev Wilkinson joined forces with JHS over a decade ago. These instruments now include class-leading Wilkinson®-designed hardware.

Certain features make Vintage guitars a “bigger bang for the buck.” Subtle changes to traditional guitar designs have been made so they perform much better. For instance, on the spring block, the holes are staggered in a way that allows the strings to leave the block and pass over the saddles at a consistent angle that helps keep those strings in tune. Trev also developed tuning keys called EZ-LOK™ that work like a locking tuner, but actually don’t require any mechanical manufacturing. There’s nothing to unwind when you’re slacking the strings using the vibrato, and they always come back to pitch. The same goes for our pickups. Trev doesn’t have a high-dollar pickup range to protect, so he can produce pickups that will sound as good as any company can wind anywhere in the world.

Trev has been described as “Britain’s one-man think tank.” Asserting that there’s always more work to be done when it comes to improving guitar playability! We’re here to attest to the fact that’s just who Trev is.

Today, Trev remains connected to his “fretted offspring” and continues to cooperate with JHS on a project basis in respect of product design and in an advisory capacity relation to incorporating and designing Wilkinson branded electronics and hardware for JHS guitar brands.




The Acoustics

Well, let's look at a few of them anyway. Vintage Acoustic Guitars combine the very best in the way of  traditional aesthetics and time-honoured production techniques  with state-of-the-art materials and components. As a result, the expansive range of Vintage acoustic and electro-acoustic instruments enjoys an enviable reputation, chosen and endorsed by professional players and amateur enthusiasts the world over. 

  • Statesboro Series: Designed by English classic rock guitarist and blues historian Paul Brett, the thesis is 1930’s blues. All models in the series share the same ‘bluesman on a budget’ theme, looking authentically cool in a satin matt Whisky Sour finish, highlighting the  natural grain pattern of the all-mahogany construction and subtle soundhole rosette. The Statesboro’ Series models, are not merely an emotionally inspiring thrill for blues players, there’s also a modern approach within playability and the warm, crisp resonant tone that students, amateur and professional players of all styles will appreciate.  The electro-acoustic models have a Vintage preamp with controls for volume, bass, middle and treble, phase switch, tuner display and low battery indicator.

Vintage Statesboro' 'Dreadnought' Acoustic Guitar ~ Whisky Sour:  Here it is, very much the 1930's blues ideals,  embodied in the Vintage Statesboro' Whisky Sour Series, designed by English guitarist and blues historian Paul Brett. These cool acoustic and electro-acoustic guitars, not only have that authentic ‘feel it in your bones’ innate blues emotion, there’s also a modern approach within playability and sound that amateur and professional players will appreciate.




  • Historic Series: Evoking the traditional aesthetics of the earliest acoustic guitars, the Historic Series feature contemporary design features and  innovations, ensuring each model sounds and plays like  a modern instrument. The Vintage Historic Series is the crossroads where the  rich past and the exciting future of the acoustic guitar meet. Pick one up yourself and begin making your own piece  of musical history

Vintage Historic Series 'Folk' Electro-Acoustic Guitar ~ Vintage Sunburst: With a beautiful satin top coat over a gorgeous Vintage Sunburst finish, the Vintage Historic Series Parlour electro-acoustic guitar, radiates class in every sense of the word. Stunning cosmetic features for this beautiful model also include contrasting black/white/black body binding and soundhole rosette design, classic 3-aside headstock with gold Vintage logo, and attractive split-block, white inlaid fingerboard position markers. With a lightweight mahogany-spruce construction, and an exceptionally smooth 20 fret fingerboard, the small bodied Vintage Historic Series Parlour electro-acoustic excels as a ‘player’, with a size-defying long-throw output and exceptional tone.


  • Mahogany Series: Renowned for its stability, sound velocity and immense tone, mahogany has always been one of the most popular tonewoods for backs, sides, necks and, with an added high-grade mahogany soundboard offset with an intricate abalone rosette, the popular Vintage Mahogany Series guitars, deliver a truly impressive, balanced sound.

Vintage Mahogany Series 'Dreadnought' Electro-Acoustic Guitar ~ Satin Mahogany:  Offered with a gorgeous clear satin finish highlighting the natural open-grain and deep, reddish brown all-mahogany build, the Vintage Mahogany Series electro-acoustic Dreadnought, is stylish to say the least. Named after the huge 1906 Naval gunship, the Dreadnought is bigger and louder with a larger, broader body and often regarded as the ‘big daddy’ of acoustic guitars and, one of the most sought after models in the Vintage acoustic and electro-acoustic series. Whilst medium to heavily strummed chords are indeed loud, with all the depth and warmth you’d expect from a high quality all mahogany acoustic guitar, this exquisite model also excels as a delicate fingerpicker, with excellent sustain, inspiring midrange and outstanding bass and treble response that’s unprecedented within this price range.



The Electrics

Again, just a wee selection of the many beautiful guitars made by Vintage. Vintage electrics are trusted by players all over the world, in every imaginable musical scenario. From million-selling artists, to national touring acts, all the way to beginners taking their first steps towards guitar stardom, Vintage provides the perfect platform for musicians  to perform, express and create.

The Vintage® ICON™ Series combines traditional and time-worn aesthetics with contemporary design features and revolutionary  innovations. Vintage ICON electrics are designed to slip into your hand like your favourite 'old faithful', an instrument imbued with years of practice, playing and tales to tell. Exhibiting enormous versatility, unparalleled playability and an expansive tonal palate, the Vintage ICON Series provides you with the freedom to play, express and create.

Vintage® ReIssued™ Series electrics place a professional  instrument in the hands of each and every player. Featuring top  of the line pickups and electronics, hand-selected hardware, and a broad palette of elegant colourways, the Vintage ReIssued Series  is designed to equip guitarists at all levels with a high-spec, multi-faceted instrument, rich with musical possibilities.


Vintage V52 ICON Electric Guitar ~ Distressed Butterscotch : The V52MRBS is the archetypal workhorse electric guitar, capable of providing a multitude of musical tones from its simple array of pickups and controls. However, in keeping with the Vintage ethos, the ICON Series features some deceptively future-proof design tweaks. Fixed bridges with three saddles are notoriously prone to intonation problems; the inclusion of the Wilkinson WTB bridge remedies this, allowing your leadwork and chordplay to ring true all over the neck. Likewise, a 'soft C' profile allows unparalleled playability up and down the fretboard.


Vintage ReIssued Violin Bass ~ Antique Sunburst: The Vintage ReIssued Violin Bass in Antique Sunburst pays homage to the iconic bass guitar that became a staple of the '60s British invasion sound. This meticulously crafted instrument captures the essence of the original design with its hollow body, distinctive violin-shaped profile, and antique sunburst finish. The bass features a spruce top and flame maple back and sides, delivering a warm and resonant tone with excellent clarity and sustain. The set maple neck offers smooth playability, while the rosewood fingerboard provides a comfortable feel and classic look. With its dual humbucking pickups, the Vintage ReIssued Violin Bass produces a wide range of tones from deep, thumping lows to articulate highs, making it an ideal choice for rock, blues, and beyond. Whether you're a fan of the '60s sound or seeking a unique and versatile bass guitar, the Vintage ReIssued Violin Bass in Antique Sunburst is sure to inspire your playing and capture the spirit of the golden era of music.


Vintage V100 ICON Lemon Drop Electric Guitar:  The 'Lemon Drop' is a one-of-a-kind classic. A reverse fitted neck pickup combines with out-of-phase centre position wiring to produce a throaty, singing and instantly-identifiable lead tone, ideal for slow blues. Mismatched tone and volume knobs and an iconised finish ensure the Lemon Drop keeps the mojo working. Good things come to those who wait – but who has the time for that? The Vintage ICON Series replicates the beautiful, worn-in look and feel of an instrument that has paid its dues, without investing the lifetime's worth of woodshedding, rehearsing, performing and travel. This is a guitar that already looks like your lifetime companion; the best part is your journey is just beginning. Play on.




Vintage guitars are just amazing guitars at extremely accessible prices.  If you have any questions about the above guitars, feel free to get in touch. We are always happy to help.


Better yet, call in to Musicmaker headquarters, and try these beautiful guitars out for yourself.