[GH85Carrera]

I have what I think is a simple question. I did not want to hijack Slodave's guitar build thread so I started this.

I hear over and over how the old electric guitars are somehow better than a new guitar. I can see that with an acoustic guitar or fiddle the wood and varnish can make a big difference in the way it sounds. But a solid body guitar should (in my simple mind) sound pretty much the same using the same amp and strings.

With all the computer designs and CNC machining available today and learning from how it was done in the past why can't a guitar maker of 2011 make a guitar that sounds and plays better than anything old?

Look and bicycles, cars or computers. That all are vastly superior to something from the 40s or 50s.

I know a Ferrari GTO from the 60s is mega million dollars because many people want the few available cars. But put it on any track and a new Cayenne Turbo SUV would kick it's butt with the air conditioning running and with three passengers. Don't get me wrong I would prefer a GTO to any SUV as an object to own.

Is the value and the lust for the old guitars the rarity of them or are they a Stradivarius compared to everything else in sound?

I know nothing at all about playing any instrument. I can play my radio, CD player and iPod but I can't carry a tune in a bucket. What makes the old guitars so desirable? How can an old electric guitar be worth 300 grand?