When it comes to vintage electric guitars, Silvertone is renowned for both quality and value. The brand name for Sears’ musical instruments division for almost 60 years, Silvertone was extremely popular back in the day, especially with bands that were just starting out, because they produced great guitars for low prices. Now, with the Silvertone name retired, those same models are very popular with collectors of vintage electric guitars because of their increasing rarity.
Guitars from the Fender Musical Instruments Company or the Gibson Guitar Corporation might be more popular and, certainly if you’re a purist, better quality than the guitars from Silvertone, but the Silvertone name was always known for producing both quality and value. Even as good as Silvertone guitars were, they were not priced as atrociously as some Fender or Gibson guitars, which are mostly expensive because they’re named after a rocker. If that’s your thing, that’s fine, but Silvertones are still powerful and reliable guitars. Silvertone had guitars in a price range that was reasonable for guitarists or bands that were just starting out, back in the day, and they helped send a lot of bands to fame.
Silvertone has been producing electric guitars since the 1950′s, and many of them have become very attractive to collectors and musical purists who prefer more classic styles than you can find today. Perhaps the most popular group of vintage electric guitars under the Silvertone name are those produced by the Harmony Company, such as the Silvertone 1446.
Even today, vintage electric guitars from Silvertone are less expensive than their Gibson and Fender counterparts. If you want a piece of musical history, or you want an awesome guitar to play yourself, then a Silvertone could be perfect for you, especially if you’re not interested in spending a lot of money on one of the other big names.
