About us

WHY WE?

We are the only dealer of German vintage guitars worldwide who completely overhauls or, if necessary, fully restores every single instrument before offering it. No one but us has such a large stock of original parts from the fifties to the eighties. All our guitars and basses are restored to a perfect condition as far as it is possible. This concerns the appearance, the technical condition, the functionality of all details, the playability, the originality and thus the overall value.

Because only 100% original instruments in perfect condition are real collector's items with potential to increase in value. And only instruments that operate 100% and are immediately ready for use are really enjoyable for players.

Remember: the anger about poor quality lasts much longer than the joy about a low price!


MISSION STATEMENT:

We at German Vintage Guitar believe that a unique guitar industry existed in Germany in the nineteen hundred forties to seventies, growing from the roots of the Bohemian-Saxonian violin making industry around centers like Schönbach or Graslitz.

We believe that a 1965 travelling guitar sounds just as bluesy as a US pre-war parlor. That Artur Lang and John d'Angelico were on the same level. That nobody built premium guitars as efficiently as Wenzel Rossmeisl. That the Framus series production was the world leader in the sixties. That some of the most important and, to this day, most groundbreaking developments in guitar building come from Germany. That the independent design competence of the Bubenreuth or Nauheim manufacturers is beyond compare. That countless extraordinary instruments were created at that time. No matter whether it's a beginner's model or a top of the range instrument - we love German guitars!

We believe that we must do everything possible to preserve these instruments for the future generations. To make sure that they can still be played and that we do not forget who Franz Hirsch, Gustav Glassl, Arnold Hoyer, Artur Lang, Wenzel Rossmeisl, Heinz Seifert, Walter Höfner, Willi Lorenz Stich and Fred Wilfer were.

That is why we are not simply dealers! Buying cheap and then only reselling more expensive? Throw away a simple instrument because the margin is not right? No thanks. Never a guitar leaves our workshop in the condition we got it. All instruments are always restored to an unrestrictedly playable, but complete original condition according to today's standards. Their history will always be respected and existing patina and playing marks will be preserved, as far as this is possible and reasonable. We leave modern optimizations and over restorations to others.

Our job is fundamentally different from that of a "normal" guitar maker. Our focus is on restoring in the old style. To replace defective or missing parts, a worldwide network is needed. And there is no training for dealing with the construction details and materials of that time, only experience, experience, experience.

The old instruments are only borrowed. Our responsibility is to preserve them and pass them on. The benchmark is the condition as at first delivery. An instrument has not survived 60 years, so that we can then modify it!

 

 

WHAT WE DO:
We repair, restore and sell old stringed instruments from the 1950s to 1980s, with a focus on German jazz guitars, acoustic guitars and electric guitars.


WHERE OUR INSTRUMENTS COME FROM:
We buy mainly from private individuals and are now offered most instruments directly. We are also happy to take over complete collections and estates, instruments from household liquidations, inheritances and attic finds. Individually or by the dozen. Always at fair prices. And of course we still have a few "secret" sources... ;-)

WHICH REPAIRS WE DO ON CLIENTS BEHALF:
It's simple: Anyone.
Is the string action not correct anymore? Does the varnish need a touch-up? Are the fingerboard and frets worn out? Neck and body cracks? Ripped off the bridge? The electrical system a total disaster? Pickup not working? Original parts missing? We do everything. Of course, our greatest pleasure is a complete overhaul and restoration.

OUR HISTORY:
It all began about 30 years ago when the two of us started buying rare and high-quality but broken German guitars and restoring them for our own purposes. Because at that time we simply didn't have the money to buy a Lang, Roger or Seifert in very good condition. In order to be able to play these guitars anyway, we had to repair them first. Twenty years we gathered experience in this way, the guitars ended up only in our own collection or were passed on to friends.

In the meantime, we have restored or overhauled countless amounts of German guitars with ever renewed enthusiasm and have built up a wealth of experience in the field. Today, we have access to a comprehensive range of tools and machines to carry out even complicated repairs professionally and expertly. And over the years, an extensive stock of old instruments and countless original spare parts has accumulated in our guitar warehouse.


WHICH BRANDS WE WORK ON:

For example Alosa / Aschado / Buchsteiner / Dynacord / Eroma / Esco / Este / Fasan / Framus / Gläsel / Glassl / Goldklang / Hanika / Hau / Herrnsdorf / Herweton / Hirsch / Höfner / Hopf / Hoyer / Hüttl / Isana / Klira / Lakewood / Lang / Lindberg / Meinel & Herald / Marma / Migma / Musima / Neubauer / Osbama / Otwin / Penzel / Perlgold / Rodebald Hoyer / Roger / Rossmeisl / Schaufuß / Schönbach / Shadow / Seifert / Solos / Strohmer / Taco / Tellson / Todt / Voss / Voigt / Wurlitzer and many more.


Simply all kinds of jazz guitars, travelling guitars, parlor guitars, blues guitars, slide guitars, classical guitars, concert guitars, archtop guitars, Viennese guitars, junior guitars, electric basses, banjos, mandolins, thinline guitars, solid body guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, etc.


Finally, you will always find contemporary accessories, for example from: ABM Müller / Echolette / Dynacord / Fuma / Ideal / Rellogg / Schaller / Shadow / Winter etc.

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