New Guitars Are For The Rich... Not Really But Almost
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2024
- Baxter and Jonathan talk about the prices of new guitars and if we are heading the same way as vehicles to where new becomes an item for luxury buyers and the rest of us can only afford to buy used.
Even today's "affordable" budget guitar's are truly priced as mid tier at best anymore. Sign of the times for sure.
No, you’re just simple
Adjust past prices for inflation
Adjusted for inflation, Fender gets cheaper for consumers with almost every single price adjustment. I think the more accurate assessment is that a living wage is harder and harder to attain, making non-necessity consumer items harder to afford.
Glarry and Donner and all that chinese garbage are still relatively cheap, it's just stuff like squier and epiphone and cort carry noticably higher price tags now
@@jasondorsey7110 Also Companies like Rondo and Firefly , are great choices for those that want to try music without committing too much money. They make great instruments to learn maintenance and upgrading.
I hope to find a good guitar at $99.
At $300, I shouldn't hope to find one, I expect it!
People aren't buying the $70k trucks. They're just sitting on dealer lots. Same will happen on guitars. My fear is manufacturers will cut corners to keep prices in line and keep their margins. That would be bad for everyone.
Recently saw a Gibson Les Paul Standard 60's at Guitar Center for $3000. That blew my mind. Just a few years ago it was $2200 which seemed high then. Not a custom, collectors, or vintage model. The basic new model. Crazy.
You can honestly if you look around can get a vintage guitar cheaper than it's newer counterparts. Yeah you might find it and it might need some work but it'll be a better guitar overall than the new ones especially if it's an old Gibson compared to a new Gibson.
Was this guitar made in China or USA?
@flynnstone3580 no lol the one In my profile picture is a 1953 Gibson SJ200 and I got it for 2K... im pretty sure new ones of these go for double the amount.
@@Mason_N.Magic dust is expensive these days, but sometimes the gibson employees will still sprinkle a little extra on the new ones, recently picked up a les paul junior bass from a few years back that's fantastic for what I paid
Thats what a late 50s les paul would have cost new if you adjust for inflation..still crazy though
You're right. Guitars are not an investment. They can be an "accidental" investment, with circumstantial events and history the cause of price increase. But, hording and resale for profit is killing guitar prices for the average player.
Welcome to the bourbon market
I think it's mainly killing the American-made guitar market, meanwhile China and Indonesian makers are doing great.
What drives me crazy about selling guitars myself on Reverb or other sites is that people will haggle down no matter how low the price is. I was trying to see a decent LTD for $250 and I would get offers for $150, $175. I gave up and took it to Guitar Center and they have me $250 for it. They hung it on the wall for $399 and it sold in a few days. Insane.
Same thing happened to me with a 1x12 cab that I had on marketplace for close to a year
Always price your gear online for much higher than you’re actually trying to get for it.
Reverb is like a reverse auction. They want you to overprice your gear and then drop the price.
what model was the LTD?
Just bought a used telecaster from my local guitar store really happy with my purchase they worked with me on the price glad I did it.
Probably the best value one could get.
I appreciate your honesty, men. You just don’t see that in business anymore. Well done!
They really are for the rich in this day and age. I’m glad I bought most of my guitars years ago.
It’s called inflation… the economy structurally changed so that quality of life has been lowered. Prices go up and wages don’t.
@DS-nw4eq exactly. Prices are not going up. Money is going down. Once money is printed for student loan bailouts its gonna get worse.
@@mikec8815OMG, really? What about the 16 trillion in the bank bailouts from 2008? Research Modern Monetary Theory if you want to understand how the economy works.
I got lucky with a father that had a lot of great guitars already prior to dementia destroying his guitar playing. He gave them all to me.
@atspeed5077 you are exactly right. That contributed to the overall US inflation problem. And dont forget about the free covid money that was all for nothing.
Guitar prices are crazy ! High . I now only look at the used market
One problem that I run into is that I’m left handed. It’s nearly impossible to find a good used lefty which forces me to buy new when I want one
I got an email from my Sweetwater rep saying Fender and Gretsch products were about to get a pretty high price increase. I'm a Gibson guy anyway but I 99% of the time buy used and with the gear I currently have I'm set and happy. I'm not gonna overpay just to scratch a g.a.s itch
Thank you for being a voice of reason.
You guys should do "the history of casino guitars" about Baxter starting the store.
Guitars are not getting more expensive. Our money is getting weaker.
"Fancification" is what Epiphone is doing with their 150th anniversary models, and others. Because they have a fancy "new" (old) Sheraton, GC is unloading the Sheraton Pro II for $470. Gonna pick one up at lunch!
I want one too, who's selling it for that price, Guitar Center?
@@flynnstone3580 Yes, but they're running out fast. Might not be on sale at every location, either.
Idk if it’s breen brought up, but Sweetwater sent an email a few weeks ago about Fender and Yamaha having price increases starting on August
The Bowler hat suits Jonathan well. The monocle is a nice touch.
Even better, a President Garfield hat (my term, anyway) - go ahead, go to Google Images to see it. Quite elegant and certainly a head-turner. Thinkin' of having one custom-made. Well, there goes my next guitar purchase, then ..!
As far as the used market is concerned, for guitars (or anything else), the worth of an item is what the buyer is willing to pay, not what the seller thinks it's worth. I understand the need for mfrs. to raise prices, but mfrs. are driving customers more & more to the "after market."
I have a nice lefty collection so if I don’t buy another guitar in my life I’m good. The one thing missing from my collection is a Fender Jazzmaster. If a MIJ or MIM crossed my path I might be tempted, but Fender are only currently producing the American Pro 2 RRP two grand. For a plain, bolt on neck guitar I think that’s way over the top.
The Fender American Pro 2 is a very nice version of the Jazzmaster. I have a lefty, but I traded in a Gibson Firebird that I rarely played.
The truth of this struck me a few weeks ago, when I bought a new Gretsch from Baxter at Casino Guitars. Baxter and I discussed the price of new electric guitars (among other things) for a good 45 minutes. He acknowledged that, as a comfortable but far from rich retired physician with no family money, I'm on the lower socio-economic end of the scale of people who buy new guitars from him. Fascinating and perhaps sad.
No, you just have a bad attitude
I bought a Kramer pacer deluxe in 1988, I paid £800 for it. The equivalent price now would be £2880. I think we have it much better now.
The thing that irks me with a lot of these price hikes is that the companies are trying to sell the same models at way higher prices. At least give me a better reason to spend more, like some more colour options or rewound pickups.
Record profits come from actual sales. The guitar manufacturer's are pricing themselves into a self made recession. The working musicians I know can't afford these price increases. The hobbyist bought big during Covid, but with everything else rising just as fast (like cars, energy, food, utilities, etc.) that market segment cannot continue with the same growth. The laws of economics say a market "correction" is on the way.
My first guitar was a Squier with plywood body. It cost $250 in 1990. That’s $580 adjusted for inflation. Get some perspective.
but you still paid $ 250
@@davedavid7061 that is what a brand new plywood guitar sold for in 1990. Point is: I could buy a much nicer guitar for $580 right now.
You need to calculate deprecation along with inflation.
@@StaticInfinity-ts3jk you can buy a Squier now for $230
@@daveduffy2823 the guitar still sells for around $250 used, so it has depreciated $330 since I bought it. I actually sold it long ago. It was a made in Korea Squier II in pearl white.
somebody has been going hard at the steampunk section of hobby lobby
Came for the monocles, stayed for Baxter & Jonathan doing… whatever it is they do 😅
this video was excellent btw.. stuff most places avoid talking about (at least publicly), you choose to address.. so refreshing
I’ve bought used & new, so no issues doing either
Pros & cons to both
It’s been several years since I bought new, but the last 2 times I bought new, prices went up about 30 days after I bought, and likely wouldn’t have bought them at the new price.
Last purchase was used and was the least I ever played for a guitar or bass, even without adjusting for inflation- and I love it
I saw this trending years ago for the top-of-the-line models. Tom Anderson, Suhr, Paul Reed Smith, James Tyler Guitars, Fender Custom Shop, Gibson Custom Shop, ESP, Ibanez Prestige, LsL, and others are nice but very expensive. I ended up buying a Kiesel custom-made electric guitar over an off-the-shelf, high-end, electric guitar.
I don't own any premium gear and I buy a lot of it used. Buying used can be a hedge against devaluing if you buy the right gear 😉A few of my guitars have increased in value due to their short original availability. I haven't tried to sell any but I've seen the asking prices.
NOS and any low end Gibsons bought new or used are a good bet to increase in value. 2019 Junior Tribute DCs, 2014 LP Melody Makers, Reissue '59 Melody Makers 2007-2013-ish. Not necessarily huge jumps, but you shouldn't lose.
Any premium guitars I had was long ago and I didn't keep them long enough to be aware of their value.
Love the content and diverse subjects you guys have been covering! The topic about custom orders coming early spoke directly to me as I had a recent purchase with an unsaid larger company arriving 6 months early 😅! Lesson learned haha!
So glad I bought most of my guitars before the financial crisis and price hikes. I can't understand how anyone could buy a made in Mexico for over a thousand dollars. They aren't bad guitars, but my American standard strat was 1100 bucks in 2015, which I regretfully sold in 2019 for 850 or 900. Now the MiM are at that new price.
There are so many cheap but good guitars available these days. All you need is a good setup and the sky’s the limit. Honestly it’s never been better.
LOL Re - Jonathans Silverado and costs - Here's my story - Craigslist Mechanics Special
This truck is located in Lake City Florida. It is in great shape other than the repairs needed. I bought this truck
about 6 weeks ago and paid $8K for it. I had it gone through by a local shop. I had the valve cover gaskets (and
one valve cover) replaced. I had the rear main seal replaced (because there was a small leak). The oil was changed
1000 miles ago. It has a new AC compressor and blows very cold. I put in a K&N air filter. It has new tires.
Interior is immaculate and comfortable with vinyl seating. It has a new serpentine belt. I put on a new roll up
tonneau cover and a replacement LCD cargo light. The truck has the V6 4.2 engine that is fuel efficient. It has the
rear doors for access to the larger “contractor storage” behind the seat space. The truck is in great condition as
you can see by the photos. It runs great, shifts great, has good brakes. It was running hot on Hwy 75 and when I
got to Hwy 10 I pulled off and got it to a repair place in Lake City. The guy checked it for a bad thermostat and
used his pressure tool to check for a head gasket leak. Nothing showed up but a code reader said it was a top end
overheat. He said its likely it needs head gaskets and should have the valve seats replaced. It is really nice but
obviously needs work. I couldn’t wait for the work to be done because I am moving so I bought a new truck - but
I will keep this one if I don’t get what I need from it and have it repaired later. I have $10K in it and I am only
looking for $2K and if someone can fix it for a few grand they will have an amazing truck. Let me know what you
are interested in and I will get back to you quickly. Thanks for looking.
Feel you on the price of pick up trucks. A new Silverado actually costs almost as much as I paid for my first house. There is NO way I will part with that much cash for one.
Unless there’s a specific grain,weight, flame that HAS to be there, then I can see paying the new price tag. I’ve done it before. Otherwise, going used is the most ideal especially for big brands like Gibson. There are so many used Gibson guitars, especially custom shop out there. There’s no shortage and Leaves little to no reason to buy new unless you have a specific criteria.
Great video! I think this is the right time to start looking for alternative brands that offer same or better quality than big brands. Bought 4 masterbuilts years ago and it seems someday I will sell them and to buy a new house.
Shijie S and T models ("classic" versions) are ~$900 including the beautiful soft case they come in. They seem like much better guitars to me than Fender versions costing twice as much or more (Vintage II models). That's why Shijie has a cult following, and some of us cult members have many.
You guys nailed the title for this one. I really wanted to purchase a Fender Ultra Luxe, but over the past 3 yrs Fender just kept increasing prices. I had to look for something else, I could not justify $2600+tax for a strat with S/S frets. I looked hard for alternatives with similar specs. Found it, a really great guitar line, the Ibanez AZ Prestige line. You can find these new for $1600 (just wait for holiday discounts), or used for $1400, and they are strat killers. As a longtime Fender Strat player I can't justify paying their prices any longer, they lost a customer after 50 yrs of playing. Remember, most guitars are made from wood, and wood is still cheap! And don't get me started on the MIM Fender or offshored Gibson prices... disgusting!
I still remember when Fender Player guitars were $700. Wish I could've gotten one then before the prices jacked up.
I got my first Ultra Strat for $1,700 new, and I got my Ultra Luxe for $1,900 new. I got the Luxe a few weeks ago.
Hi, you should try buying a guitar in the UK. Martin ceo7 £3,300,om28 £3,700+,its ridiculous!
Just when I thought you guys couldn't get cooler, you went and got monocles! 😎🎸
So glad I have everything I need. I have no more money 😅 but I already have every piece of gear I need.
If you waited ... it's getting good in the used. Be patient
The primary market for gear is middle aged middle class folks with a little disposable income. The market reflects its aging demographic. (Even accounting for recent pandemic and supply constraints) Young players are moving to modelers and are less obsessed chasing vintage instruments. There will be a hollowing of the market to both extremes in price brackets.
I have these conversations all the time with other guitar players. I just got a Mod Shop Strat and while certainly not cheap, not unreasonable for the market in 2023 and really in line with what I've been paying for guitars in the last decade. The Gibson prices. It hurts me to say this because I've been a Gibson guy the entire time I've been a player, but those guys are out of their minds with the pricing on even the cheaper models. A Les Paul Studio is going to cost someone $1500 these days. That's nuts. Forget Murphy Lab stuff or these ridiculous remakes of celebrity guitars. The Noel Gallagher 355 is GORGEOUS. WAY out of my price range (not that I'd buy that if I had the money...I'm not Noel, I'm never going to sound like Noel...why bother with those?).
Before you know it guitars will be like NBA and MLB uniforms with ads to get the cost down. At that point I 100% quit.
You might be right about the price hikes for new guitars, but I have noticed the prices for premium used guitars is higher now too. Across the board. For example, old 1960s Guilds are now quite pricey, which is great if I decide to sell my’66 Starfire lll. But common Gibson used SGs( recent models) and LPs are also climbing in prices.
I recently bought a used basically mint Martin Custom Shop D-28 for 2500. Was probably well over 5000 to order new from the factory. I don’t see myself buying anything new. You can get great value on the used market.
I personally enjoy buying a decent used guitar with good bones and modding it with used parts. I can always get it exactly the way I want for a fraction of cost of a new guitar with the same specs.
Sometimes you can find amazing guitars in a pawn shop, but if you don't know how to haggle with them you're gonna get screwed. Start out offering them half.
You can still get a Gretsch Electromatic at decent prices and get a lot of guitar for the money. I just added the 140th anniversery model. My luthier set it up and put on a roller bridge I wanted. He said, "You've got a really well made guitar there.' I bought it on sale for $200 less than retail
The Gretsch guitars can be underrated many times.
@@RMS12.2 I quite agree. And the Electromatic series is reasonably priced. Mine was 899.99, but it was on sale for 699. They also upgraded the pups, (not that there's anything wrong with the blacktops) so all-in-all they're a great deal!
Similar comment from the earlier video: So much depends on credit. I've tracked Jazzmasters and Firebirds for decades, and NEVER have I seen prices of new custom shop guitars clock in over 1960s vintage models. In some cases new custom shop models are selling for $10k - $14k, while excellent mid-late 60s models are $5k-$7k. That suggests to me a split rate on high quality products - people are buying new because they have no clue as to what they're doing, and have no end of credit. This is a bubble, and it will pop. Or maybe deflate. Either way, I'm looking forward to it.
I like the concept of "premiumification". It makes intuitive sense. The most obvious "basic economics, duh", point is custom shop models can always expand in supply. Vintage cannot. And it makes no sense at all that a Fender custom shop model costs twice what my Trussart Steelmaster did.
There are plenty of good guitars in the $500 - $`1000 range (Epiphones, Squiers, PRS SE, etc.), but that's real money for a lot of people, especially younger players. Nice, USA-made stuff is in the $3K - $6K range any more which is a LOT of money for something that technically isn't significantly better at playing a gig than the affordable stuff (once it's set up to your liking). Shop for deals on used guitars to find that nice stuff at a discount. There's always some well off player with a bunch of nice guitars that wants to "thin the herd" or just unload something to buy something new. TBH, my $400 Epi SG Special with new pups is just as good a gigging machine as my PRS core that cost 10X as much.
I play mainly PRS and the SEs are great! I just bought my first Charvel and I’m loving it, and only for $1299! A lot but not bad at the same time.
Glad I got the bulk of my Custom Shop stuff before the boom and shit went absolutely nuts
Cost aside, I prefer buying used off Reverb, Ebay, or whatever, because then I can get upgraded instruments at a lower price. It seems illogical that upgraded guitars (improved pickups etc.) sell for less, and usually they are good guitars otherwise the owner wouldn't have upgraded them. I've gotten some great guitars at low prices shopping for them that way.
Been buying Guitars/Amps for 51 yrs. These days purchasing GREAT Guitars & Amps at affordable prices for us players is gone. Sadly the off switch has flipped for good, the music making experience for every player besides the rich is dead and there will be no saving that amazing feeling human beings used to get from playing Guitar driven music. The end will be complete within the next decade or two. The high quality suburb sounding Guitars and Amps will become a long distant memory and kept under lock and key to be enjoyed by those who couldn't care less for the true value of the instruments but just how much money they will be worth. Everything turns classic and then disappears from sight...the rich have to find things to buy to prove their own worth. It's like a cancer...nothing left but death.
About 3 years ago I was going to buy myself a Gretsch Sparkle Jet, and the price for the model I wanted went way up before I pulled the trigger. It took until a few weeks ago to find one used for what I originally wanted to pay
Great episode, nice monacles, but I really dig the laurel and hardy hat. Thanks guys
The real issue here is not the price of guitars, it's the belief that you can buy something that will complete you.
A guitar shop told me that they pay 40% of the original price and sell for 60%.
This agrees with my own; anecdotal, not evidential; observations.
As best I can tell, you can’t take a guitar off a wall at your Friendly Local Guitar Store, with a price tag under $3K, and get a piece assembled correctly, out of quality components, that’s a set up away from being a legit player.
There are always “for the money…” guitars at different price points, but to get a player off the wall or out of the box? It’s not cheap out there.
Jonathon cracked me up with his tie you can't see----LOL!
Great video guys! My biggest bust right now is the Brad paisley Esquire. I’m not sure if I can even give it away 😅
Really? Lightweight paulownia and black sparkle? I thought those were so cool!
@@ItsVictoriaG right! I have it listed right at 1k and no takers yet!
Not trying to be a wise guy, but, is it REALLY priced right if there are no takers??
I guarantee you when Springsteen is playing ifo 15,000 people in a mix with 7 other musicians, no one can hear the difference whether he’s playing an 1100.00 , 2400 or 3800 dollar Tele…
Then Taylor released the GS-Mini Sapele with Spruce top for $500. I bought one yesterday to complement my GS Mini Mahogany. Everybody needs at least two Minis. Right? For the guitar that sits by my desk and I can pick up anytime inspiration strikes it doesn't get better than a Mini. I paid $600 for a Mahogany one 3 years ago. I've ordered the Taylor EZ-Go pickup to trick my new one out. You can get deals but on the other hand Feder increased the price of a pedal I wanted to buy by $50 before it could be shipped so I canceled that.
I used to be more of a have a couple really nice guitars. Like a nice Taylor and a PRS.
The foreign guitar market is insane right now though. The past year or 2 I’ve been picking up whatever goes on close out sale at Sweetwater. It’s typically a color no one wanted or an anniversary type guitar that didn’t sell. They are pretty great guitars with some tweaks and maybe a replacement bridge or tuners but those are mostly personal preference. The guitar market will need to crash for me to buy a new high end American made guitar again. I feel the used market will be back to 50-60% of retail by the end of the year.
The manufacturers are going to price themselves out of business. I can't wait for the clearance sales that will happen in about a year or so. ✌️❤️🎸
No, inflation is going to lower your living standards and you’ll point your finger in the wrong direction.
@DS-nw4eq living standards only get lowered if you're poor. Thankfully I'm not.
@@surinderpunia2804 must be pretty rich if you aren’t eating less or notice the food prices / day to day expenses hitting the wallet
@surinderpunia2804 it's adorable that you think that. Tripe fully digested.
I bought a Collings for $1550, and both an R6 and an R8 for $1800 some years ago. Imagine if I hold on to them and sold them now 😂
Living in Japan, I have never needed to spend more than $15,000 on a new car.
If it has to have certain brand names on the headstock this is probably true.
There are many guitars being made in other countries that are very good, including their QC. Many of these guitars are around $1K, some from Japan are around $3K.
It's your money, buy what you want. Some of the traditional American guitar makers are counting on you to keep buying like you always have without question.
A new Strat in the 60s would cost about as much as a American professional Strat does now, when unadjusted for inflation. Back then, you could not have dreamed of getting a guitar as well built as a Classic Vibe Squire for the price. Honestly, I don't think it's ever been this good for a starting guitar player; if anything, it's hard to justify the price of the expensive guitars when the cheap guitars are so dang good right now.
Glad to be in this premiere 👍🏻
You can still get a Squier for $200
You can still get a Harley or other Chinese guitar for even less.
No one needs a fancy Mexican Fender for almost/over a grand
Vintera's at or above old American standard proces
Martin can resist the price increases now because they were already charging too much for their entry- and mid-level guitars
Yeah just look at the price to a D18 and above- cost more than my 1993 Toyota Pickup
People posting used guitars for the same price as new or higher blew my mind, I honestly want to send them a message on reverb laughing at their hubris, when I can link them 17 examples new from dealers that were willing to discount a bit even. Price hikes on everything seems absurd, especially the high end stuff. ESP USA went up $1700 overnight and cut their options in half and removed a few models for instance. I don't think that all of this is based on reality, people are just not letting a good crisis go to waste, and making as much as they can off it.
Pick ups are 150.000.00 in Australia so 75.000.00 is not expensive look at the bright side
All the guitar i like cost $1.5k and up, just to have a fretboard that isn't rosewood with dot markers, and pickups that aren't made by the manufacturer in china. I want to try an Ibanez but the specs I want they charge $2.5k and as a hobby there is no way.
It sounds like US shops give a better deal on part ex - in the UK you typically get 1/3 of what you paid for it regardless of condition so does feel a bit excessive!
Has stopped me buying a lot of new gear as a result but I gather they make more on the used px than the new guitar?
I’m glad I got my gear way back when it was cheap.
I paid $1300 for a '85 Fender fat strat in 2003. During the Pandemic, I discovered Harley Benton, and Grote, Glarry, and others. I'll never buy another Fender or Gibson.
I as a non home owner wish housing and food prices would drop
Looking for a house myself and waiting for the market to cool. Gonna move somewhere between Sweetwater and Casino Guitars!
A new Strat in 1959 was about 2 weeks pay for a blue collar worker, a new American Strat today is also about 2 weeks pay…
I’m in the UK. In 1993 I bought a US Standard Stratocaster for £650. This year I bought a Strat Pro 2 for £1479. Admitted a shop demo but it’s mint. Anderton’s sell new at £1599. With 30 years inflation I don’t think that’s bad
If you’re getting paid 20 an hour yeah lol
@@masterchef3019 Minimum wage in 1999 was £3.60 ph. Would have been less in ‘93. So finding £650 was a chunk like £1599 is now. However, wages haven’t kept up with inflation. I’ve spent retirement money on a treat. Otherwise no chance.
@@masterchef3019
Doing a web search, the median income of Americans is 44,000 annually, which divided by 40hr week is 22.90 an hour, so yea being the median means half of everyone else makes less than THAT…
These insane price increases have made me just stop wanting to buy things. I don't have a desire for new guitars anymore. Not much of a desire to eat out. No desire to travel at all. I've really learned to just enjoy my every day things and activities a lot more and I've been partially cured from the toxic American consumerism culture. I didn't even intend to do it. I just don't want to pay so much more for what I got so much cheaper just a couple of years ago.
I feel attacked with those monocles 🤣
Johnathan looks very dapper in the hat & tie. Lol
It's only money. I'm keeping everything I buy (4 guitars in the last 3 years) after years of selling off guitars after the excitement wore off. My kids will inherit a buttload of guitars I promise you.
You’re supposed to say “it’s a 2008….. but I keep it clean”
Buying a guitar as an investment is a Ralph Kramden move. Unless it's a burst ,or 50's Fender. You're probably already well invested if you have that kind of coin to burn anyway.
Premiumfication -> Wall Street calls it 'pricing power'. This is where they think they have you by the short hairs and can empty your wallet because they have a product that a lot of people want/need. It's not even about a fair profit in that case. It's about what that supplier can stick to you which puts that supplier off my list of companies I will not do business with, no matter how great the product is. If you don't have any respect for my net worth, you can go to hell. I quit/cancelled a lot of suppliers that tried to raise prices on me this year and replaced them with lower cost suppliers (with great results). I suggest the rest of you do the same. Teach them a lesson and make them go broke! I call it a 'price point revolt'. If you keep paying them, they will think they can continue screwing you and everyone else. RISE UP!!
In todays economy, these companies are going to price themselves out of the market. They think they can sell on just name. I looked at Gibson’s site yesterday and saw the new charges. There is nothing there that is worth the price now.
The glut of used gear will keep their costs low. As for buying a guitar as an investment, that isn’t a good idea. Only certain ones from a certain era will retain value.
The best to do now is check stores from time to time to see what used stuff they have.
Guitargeddon is coming soon. they have overproduced and over priced Guitars and guess what? They are not selling. With the Covid induced boom sales gone they are going to be sitting on piles of unsold guitars.
Imagine if it goes digital currency and social scores determine if you get to buy a Guitar or loaf of bread, better to Buy Today while you are still Allowed before Government outlaws buying anything they dont approve first if Honest, that is another Elephant in the Room not anyone else is talking about, What if Government forces Digital Only Currency they control and determine what you get to Buy or Own by your Social Score and Gov't decides No One deserves another Guitar So BUY Now from places like Casino while its Your Choice and you dont have to ask Permission from Government
I have a friend who is a doctor and head of sports medicine for three major teams in an eastern city. He owns eleven guitars between 10 thousand and 25 thousand dollars. Most of his guitars are by boutique makers (Ryan, Manzer, Petros). He plays in his music room at home about four hours a week. That’s all. Hey, he works hard. He is a top orthopedic surgeon. He is a really good guy. I know many professional musicians two of whom are famous. They’re guitars (acoustic) are generally great guitars they’ve had a long time. One of them has only three guitars and all three are mid price instruments if bought today. High price guitars are mostly owned by people with s**t loads of money. Just the way it is. Not complaining though. I own a Sheeran W04, a Tacoma Chief C1C that I have had for twenty years, and couple more modestly priced guitars. I am happy with what I’ve got. I am a good guitar player but music is not my profession.
I not a great guitarist or rich but have some beautiful guitars, I am investing in me not the guitar. I am buying guitars for the guitarist I will be not the one I am now … Additionally if you look at inflation ten years ago a Martin 000-42 cost two grand less than today. Inflation and products will always go up so I am getting the expensive guitars now I want to play for next twenty plus years…saving myself money on long run. That’s my theory lol
There are millions and millions of guitars now, not thousands.... just like there is now trillions and trillions of debt notes when there used to be gold back mediums of exchange.
Yeah, the prices are out of whack generally these days. When Squier Bullets are $200.00 guitars there's a problem.
Nowadays about the only true difference between a $200 and a $10,000 guitar is the set up, finish, and if exotic wood top. Most if not all brand name guitars are CNC'd with hand finishing. If you take a $200 Harley Benton and pay a couple hundred for a great setup, it will play as good as a $10,000 custom shop gibson. But it wont give you the "look what I can afford that you cant" bragging rights.
I am so glad I sell used stuff : the higher the prices get, the more I sell. Thank God for the exchange rate from USD to CAD.
Great conversation.
When does the price of anything ever come down?
Bedroom players who insist on having custom shop guitars, have shown the manufacturers that people will pay any price for any reason.
On the other end of the price spectrum, we are in the golden age of budget gear.
Sadly none of the stuff I’m into seems to be dropping in the used market.
Totally cool look
In 1976 an f150 bare bones truck sold for 1995.00 😢
The prices are high because so many people decided they needed a pickup to feed their insecurities. They’ve moved on to some other ego boost so the expensive and highly profitable trucks aren’t selling so much anymore except to urban trendies