After spending many years in the guitar business, Dave Hinson trusted his instincts and opened his own shop, Killer Vintage, in the heart of St. Louis. Now, after 20-plus years, the shop has earned the deserving reputation as one of the world’s most famous "destination" vintage guitar shops. Killer Vintage has something for everyone; the shop is literally packed with all kinds of gear, offering just about anything a player could ask for. Not only does the shop buy, sell, trade and consign instruments, but they also repair and restore all guitars and amplifiers and have a pedal repair guy on hand.
NUMBER OF INSTRUMENTS CURRENTLY IN STOCK Dave Hinson (Owner) We usually have 120 to 160 at any time.
COOLEST INSTRUMENT CURRENTLY IN THE SHOP We have a 1931 Martin OM-28 sunburst.
FAVORITE INSTRUMENT YOU EVER SOLD In 2000 I found the “African Burst” in Johannesburg, South Africa. It now resides in a private collection in New York City.
MOST EXPENSIVE INSTRUMENT YOU EVER SOLD We’ve sold several six-digit sunburst Les Pauls in the $250,000 to $400,000 range.
MOST SOUGHT-AFTER INSTRUMENT BY CUSTOMERS Customers seek any late-Fifties Les Paul sunbursts and prewar Martins (especially sunbursts).
FAVORITE CELEBRITY ENCOUNTER We’ve dealt with many celebrities over the years. Vince Gill and I were doing a deal on a sunburst prewar D18. He asked what I was thinking in terms of price. I told him. He offered something different, and I said we could meet in the middle. He said, “Well, that’s a good deal—because neither one of us is happy!” Love that one!
ONE THING EVERYONE SHOUD KNOW ABOUT YOUR SHOP We are all players—every one of us. We always try to maintain the highest level of personnel. When we sell a guitar, it is vetted by a professional and represented correctly.
STRANGEST REQUEST FROM A CUSTOMER I always love the guys that want to hear amps over the phone.
THE ONE PIECE OF GEAR EVERY PLAYER SHOULD HAVE A tuner.
ADVICE FOR SOMEONE LOOKING TO BUY A GUITAR Try to buy from a shop that can set up the instrument. Many times we see instruments that folks purchase online or from a chain store that need a lot of work to make playable.
THE BEST PART OF OWNING A GUITAR SHOP Cool guitars are everywhere, and every day is like Christmas!
Killer Vintage, 3201 Ivanhoe Ave., St. Louis, Missouri 63139 | Established 1995 | killervintage.com
