I can remember a time when it was unthinkable, and not just because there wasn't any Internet. We just didn't buy guitars we couldn't play first. So what has changed?
I think that part of it is economics. The best deals are on the Internet. Then too there's the fact that many guitars are available only in a few stores, and if none of them are nearby, there's no way to lay hands on them before you buy. In fact, some guitars aren't available in stores at all. That seems true of many of the better Mosrite clones...at least here in the U.S.A.
Another factor: Guitar technology has come a long way in the last few decades, and there are lots of boutique or small-shop luthiers making some great instruments, and they only sell their wares direct.
Perhaps another part of it is that, despite the mystique and allure of "vintage" instruments, in many cases the quality of manufacturing is probably higher in general today than it was in days of yore. Even some of the el cheapo guitars that come from Asia are surprisingly good.
Case in point: The first guitar I ever bought sight unseen was a "Fullerton" spider bridge resonator. I call it my "Beijing Special" onna counta it was made in China. Six years ago it cost me under $200 brand new from an online vendor, including a hard shell case and shipping. The workmanship (well, with one exception) is incredible, and the thing sounds amazing. The exception is that the guitar would NOT play in tune fretted above the 5th fret, but I bought it for slide, so that didn't matter. (Actually, it did matter eventually, so I had to invent a tunable bridge for it...but that's another story.)
I've only bought two other whole guitars (plus one I assembled from parts) without playing them:
- Halo Clarus Baritone – A very nice guitar, but the humbucking pickups were way too hot for super-clean twang, so I sent it back. The guys at Halo Guitars are great, and their instruments are super...if you want thick, fat, hot, high-output tone. But if you want crisp and sparkling twang, those hot humbuckers aren't for you.
- Gold Tone Paul Beard Signature Resonator Cutaway – Actually, I wasn't taking much of a risk here. I played one of them many years ago in Paul Beard's booth at the NAMM show in Anaheim. When I finally bought one of my own last year, I wasn't disappointed. It was a great player right out of the box...brilliant, loud, chiming sound, and close to perfect intonation.
After my experience with the Halo baritone, I learned my lesson. Evidently, the recent renaissance in baritone guitars is aimed at shredmeisters, as evidenced by the hot humbuckers they all carry. Even Fender's Blacktop Telecaster has a humbucker in the bridge position. So, the obvious solution was to build my own from parts (...but that's another story too).
Anyhow, I was just thinking about this today...how it seems that the idea of buying a guitar sight unseen—which was unthinkable years ago—seems to be relatively commonplace today. In fact, I'll probably end up doing it again. When I can afford it, that's probably how I'll get whatever Mosrite clone I end up buying.
