When I was just out of high school I got a Mesa Boogie Mark 1, complete with a 5 band graphic EQ, blond tolex, and I don't remember what. I bought it used for $600.00 in mint condition. I wanted one because Santana played one. I ended up selling it because it was so loud I couldn't get decent tone out of it without waking up my housemates (and the neighbors, for that matter). There was no modeling available at that time. Though I did have a Gallien-Kreuger amp at one point that promised to emulate a tube amp with solid state circuitry. I also had a Lab Series L5 with built in compressor (it was one of the first amps that I remember with built in effects - well, if I am being accurate it should be effect). The L5 had a great clean tone. Dirt, nothing that sounded good. And then there's the Peavey Classic 50 that I had for a while. Tube power section and solid state preamp - or was it the other way around. Either way, dirt - not so good.
When I was in high school (this was the mid-70's) I remember a friend telling me about buying preCBS Fender strats for $300 bucks. Of course few people made a big deal out of it at that point.
And, in about 1980, I was accepted to GIT and went down to LA for a visit. One of the guys that hosted me had a 1959 Les Paul that he let me play (I don't remember his name now). He paid $2,500.00 for it. I remembering thinking two things.
1. This is an absolutely awesome sounding and playing guitar.
2. Wow - he paid a king's ransom for that guitar.
Of course, $2,500.00 (about $7,500.00 in today's dollars) has now turned into $250,000, plus he got to play an amazing guitar for 38 years. That's a pretty good investment, I'd say.
