I go with Vic - The sheer numbers in which modern reissue, signature, modern relic, custom relic & VOS guitars are churned out to satisfy demand will ultimately be the reason why they will never be as collectible as the genuine originals. It's also the reason why Les Paul Customs will never be as collectible as their "cheaper" Standard versions of similar age. There were simply thousands upon thousands made all through the years. The same goes for PRS.
Indeed, like Vic says, South Africans are no longer blind as to what's going on and many have re-opened old guitar cases to inspect and evaluate the contents.
To quote
Vintage Gear - Remember if you have to "splash out the cash" then you're probably not going to be making an investment. Ask yourself whether you've not just bought expensive vintage guitars!
By contrast - THIS could have been an investment. Below is a pic of me (having just completed National Service) playing a 1962 L-series Fender Stratocaster in pristine condition in 1979. (pardon the quality) To think that I sold this old "second-hand" guitar in 1980 for R240.00, still in pristine condition with matching case, makes me wanna weep! Then again in 1980 it WAS a second-hand guitar. This was before vintage madness reached our shores, and everyone just wanted to play a Les Paul like Jimmy Page. (at least in my circle)
