Used Gear Apocalypse?
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- Опубликовано: 3 окт 2024
- #knowyourgear #podcast #guitarpodcast #geekystuff
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I just bought my first ever new guitar yesterday. 2023 Gibson Les Paul Standard!
Stop buyin it all together. Let that shit sit
I have a couple high end guitars but my real happy spot and what I think is the smart way to go is affordable quality guitars in that 500 to 1,000 range
I'd completely agree with this. I have 2 that I pushed up into the 1400 range but that was as high as I'd go. I thought about consolidating a few of my guitars into a purchase of a 60's Jag about 2 years ago. It was around 4/5k. After thinking about it, I realised I'd have no idea how to sell a guitar of that value in a pinch if something hit the fan, without taking a massive loss on it so I came to my senses. I probably own around 10k in guitars, but I could sell most of it in the morning for a price I'd be happy with.
I'm trying to sell some dang nice gear locally and getting nowhere. It's frustrating. My asking prices are legit good too.
Me, too
I'm in Florida, too. I see a Gibon SGJ that looked to be in perfect shape, listed at like 600 dollars or something, and it has been sitting for a month. It kind of blows my mind. I thought it would sell in a day or two.
If the price was good it would sell imo
Tried to sell a Taylor electric on Craigslist. Crickets. Except for a couple of bots. Took it off. Screw that.
@@annunacky4463 dang. Most of the guys here are trying to sell garage sale quality stuff on marketplace
I remember when new Am Std Strats in 1996 were about $575 because I bought one new in 1996 for that. Inflation is painful.
That means a new one should go for 1150 today. They're a few hundred more than that at the bottom end.
A bit of inflation and ai bit of greed by the new owners of Fender (that investment house)
@@howardblumenkopf7872 Good point because I am guessing you used the inflation calculator showing Fender USA Strat are more than adjusted for inflation.
If buying gear is the worst problem you these days Your doing great. At least its not drugs, Alcohol or clothing etc etc etc. Its something you can at least sell and get part of your money back from later on. The Key is make sure you get as much enjoyment as you can out of it before you sell trade
Always buy your drugs and alcohol first
If you buy smart you’ll never lose $$ in this hobby overall. You might lose a couple bucks on a piece of kit here and there, but you’ll make money on a few too.
Gear will be worth next to nothing after the coming economic collapse, you can't eat gear....*
@@pharmerdavid1432 no but I can sing for my supper ;)
@@pharmerdavid1432 Then WTF are you doing here NegaNancy?Just come to try and bring folks down to your level of unhappiness?
Yup new prices are definitely going up. In my area NE Kentucky used gear prices are still going up as well in the pawn shops and music shop, and individuals are just plain out crazy on their used prices. Some asking more than the price of a new one, and some think they own a vintage guitar if it's 10 years old. Lol. Great info again Phil, thanks.
I see some people posting on ebay ibanez tone lok pedals as "vintage" they are not specially good and a couple decades old stuff is not vintage.
I agree. The prices I see on Reverb are crazy high.
Funny enough I saw a really nice Epiphone LP in a pawn shop going for $850 and when I checked the retail price it's only $699.
Pawn shops either some of the best or worst places to find guitars.
@@Kaz999998Also on ebay you see used gear way more expensive that the same gear brand new in sweetwater or other known music stores.
Agreed, but you gotta watch out for great deals there. Best deals are either at big cities or tiny podunk towns where stuff gets marked down either because they need to clear inventory to make room or it's getting dusty and they want money now.
I have stopped selling my gear. I’ll trade pedals with friends knowing that we will just ship them back n forth. I’ll only buy an amp or guitar (anymore) if I’m positively going to keep it forever. I’m 54 now and have sold waaaay more gear than I’d like to have sold. That being said I have killer stuff now. I’ll keep everything from now on.
I’m in the same boat as you right now, age and all. I have made a lot of mis steps on the way to trying to achieve my “perfect” gear. That means lots of things sold for half of what I paid. I still have a couple of guitars that I feel bad because I spent a lot of money to have custom ordered and then never clicked with them. I’ll never do that again. I will still probably just hang on to them unless I am desperate for money.
Not me. I never regretted selling anything.
I’ve sold/traded a lot of stuff and acquired some top shelf instruments that will be “keepers.”
I’m 71 and shouldn’t be spending on guitars but the GAS doesn’t decrease w age, it seems. What a wonderful addiction!!
My wife guilted me some 20 years ago to sell some 70's Era equipment because (a) I wasn't using it, (b) in her mind the storage space was better served by putting something else in it place, and (3) why not monetize the "sitting" equipment. Today, I regret selling all of it. However, I've never stopped loving my wife.
@@edc3093kind of weird you felt the need to put that qualifier in the end there... 🤔
the middle is down because that reflects how society is evolving into the super rich and the poor.
And the middle has been voting for it thinking it would only hurt the poor for 50+ years (back to Nixon).
it's like: my name is "rob", stay at home dad, aspiring billionaire... so i vote for them. 😅😅😅😅 so true.@@robcobi
I see it as the low end is good enough and the high end is a "fool and their money are soon parted", someone chasing after something that isn't there. The middle is too damn big. The high end is priced middle once it goes mint used on Reverb. So I don't think it reflects society. It reflects a liquid market.
@@ronj9448 ..too many mid priced for the number of people willing to buy?... yes that's right because the middle class who bought in the past are no longer a thing ..they are now poor . This wasn't always the case.
I don't think so. That middle price bracket is largely for hobbyists or beginners. The average hobbyists / beginners are now just choosing to buy the cheaper models while the professional artists or the richer hobbyists are going for high end models. Says a lot more about current economic conditions than the wealth gap.
'Sickness' for sure, I keep buying guitars even though I only play one or two of them......but I am glad I am not along, this addiction is a tough one.
Rich buyers can still afford high end gear, for the rest of us, we down grade our purchases. The knock on effect, the middle falls out the market.
True, although it has to be said, the bottom has come up quite considerably, today's bottom is 15 years' ago middle in many cases.
As a working/Session musician. Things are super tight for me right now. Am working but not like I was several years ago. I'm not buying much gear unless something breaks or is swiped.
@@axilleas The problem is most people, especially westerns, don't accept that. To them those are still trash. It doesn't matter what improvement they try. Perception and branding still wins.
I’m kinda tired of the whole “these guitars are only for rich people”. If that was the case they wouldn’t still be in businesses and selling tons of said guitars. Most guitar buyers aren’t “rich” people. Typically just a normal person with a job who saves for a bit or pays it off with a credit card. Keep complaining if you want. But normal people are still buying expensive guitars even if you aren’t
Yup, the ownership class suddenly has more money than ever, the rest of us not so much. I'm physically out of room anyway so I don't much mind.
I am enjoying seeing these snippets highlighted great way to get these topics out and up the channel outreach. For me the 'new' Reverb isn't at all what it used to be and I don't see nearly the variety of cool used gear in shops and on Craigslist or Facebook the way it was a few years ago. I am going to stay chill until mid to late summer before looking to swap or buy much
Good video Phil, and I agree completely with the used gear apocalypse theory. Manufacturers are always pricing in their rear view mirrors. Looking backwards 6-12 months to previous sales. The pandemic sales that aren't working out for the temporary guitar and gear buyer are being sold now. Demographics are seeing boomers selling of years of gear collecting as well. I think this is just the beginning of a trend that will last for a few years.
Got everything I need.
I just bought a barely used 2018 American Professional Telecaster for $700 with a hard case and extra set *of pickups. Couldn't believe the deal I got but they're there if you look hard enough and have some patience. Buying in person with cash will always be the best.
Great deal
Been playing since the late 80s and I have 3 guitars and 1 amp and maybe 10 pedals. I dont buy shit unless one of those needs to be replaced. The only things I buy are strings and picks. I never understood why players, especially nonprofessionals, want to have their own gear store in their homes, theres not enough time to play them all.
Well. It's fun for one. I love all my guitars and amps and enjoy working on them as well. For me it is everything about the guitar, not just playing. Sure, I don't need them, but you only live once.
I have 40 + guitars and bases , no high end stuff , most modded to better quality and would choose to donate them to schools or less fortunate ,when I’m gone but , until then , I regularly swap them out weekly , depending on mood or needs. Everyone of them is a set up player , ready to go. I don’t shame myself because the most expensive one is an Epiphone . All the others are as good or a lot better (mods) in some cases. They all have personal story and customizations done by me ! They make me happy !
Do you play out? Gigs Jams? I have a few guitars (solid/hollow body) and amps (Fender, Vox) to get different tones when playing. I don't understand the guys with 20+ guitars.
@@ronj9448 I dont play out anymore but I do still jam with a couple bands.
After spending years trading up crap guitars for better crap guitars, I can now afford a few things.
I just picked up a nearly perfect 1966 bassman head and matching piggyback cab for 1700 shipped from guitar center used.
The only non original parts were the electrolytic caps and they were done as if I had done them myself.
Bargain score!
Buying used gear from GC is an under utilized resource. What's really great about is you can take it back to the store and get a full refund if you don't like it. It's a pain to do that with internet only retailers. Reverb's even worse.
@@victorstillwell9893 indeed and have been doing it for at least 15 years. :)
The bottom is going to fall out the market peoples money is going elsewhere an extra guitar is not needed, granted it’s nice to have but not as necessary as food and a roof over your head.
Dealers prices going up and 2nd hand going down means people will hold onto what they have. New guitar sales will fall.
😅 I have a Fender Strat. Probably one of the best production models, only 500 made and I can't sell it for $500 less than I paid.
My local shop had a new finish damaged Sterling Majesty 7 for just over half price so I couldn't resist.
I am a used gear snob! almost all of my gear was bought slightly used. $7K for a Gibson R9? Not a chance! The same guitar for a lot less but used and still in mint condition? I am looking at my R9 right now! 😁
My 2-cents. I don't shop the Guitar Centers or Sam Ash Stores anymore. The Privately Owned Shops is where I do most of my business. I see a lot of gear just sitting. Nothing is moving, nothing at all. That is a very bad sign. FYI
To me it means everybody already has what they need and then some. Regardless of the economy and market people have been overbuying since 2020. Now they have too much stuff and don't want or need more. I personally have sold at least 6 guitars. I'm guilty of it too
Sam Ash is privately owned.
I actually really like my local Sam ash. As of now they’re not closing down like so many others. Hopefully they stay open.
I just bought three high quality mic cables. Local didn’t have and Amazon can’t be trusted to deliver high quality. Thank you GC. $57 per
@@allstopblue5717 They're a cash only business. They never bought on credit which is good in a healthy economy. But after Covid hit, the stock was bought with stimulus money them there was nothing in the stores. Large manufactures couldn't make gear fast enough. With limited stock and a cash strapped SA, basically can't buy much because the manufactures are selling to the biggest orders they can get. It looks like they're getting ready to sell.
My experience has been that if I look at something whether it be a guitar or a pedal. No, if I go to reverb. And look for that same item. They want more for used on reverb, then buying it new. Most.
Of the time, not sure why that is but that's been my experience, and that's just here lately. And in latter part of 23 and this is March of 2024.
be careful - there's a TON of fake stuff going on Reverb
I'm not hearing great things about Reverb lately
Wow Phil never knew you were a certified Oracle DBA like myself! Great minds think alike!
Just bought a $3k+ Suhr (new). Never thought I’d spend that kind of money on a guitar, but was sick of the endless buy, return or sell or mod and sell cycle. The Amazon budget guitars always had a few major issues, and the brand-name mid range ones usually didn’t quite have the pickups I liked and the refrets would get expensive over time and the guitars would never play the same after. Decided to try to break the cycle. So far so good.
Guitar players and buyers are like drug addicts - we ALWAYS want more!!!
Markets rise and markets drop. Welcome to life!
the risk of buying used is barley half the price of new. Getting home with a used guitar and notice an issue with no recourse only needs happen a couple times. I almost threw up after spending my last on a Limited Edition Fender and finding a crack in the neck as soon as I got home.
did it change the tone? no. squirt some glue on it and call it fine.
If you bought it from Guitar Center they will take it back and refund your money, minus shipping (which is maybe 25 dollars.)
Thanks for sharing 🎸🎶 Always enjoy your RUclips Channel & Information!!!!!!!!!!!
I quit buying new gear over 2 years ago and happy. Love my guitars and amps and better to just use what I have to produce and develop.
I think it is wonderful that things are still selling new. I hope that what I want will be on the used market in the next six months so I can pick it up at 30-50% off.
1990 American Standard Stratocaster for 899 last week at guitar center. Very good condition. I guess folks don't like the N9 Stratocasters with their veneers and poplar bodies. I am loving it.
Yeah they’re awesome. Some swear they are more resonant with the laminate and swimming pool routs make them lighter. Don’t own one but played many and they will go up in vintage value.
TIME TO BUY
I owned 3 basses in 2019. Since then I have bought 15 more. I have plenty of money to buy more but lost interest because I think the prices are too high and also because I now know that I am not going to find another bass that is any better than ones I already own.
As of April 2024 used guitars basses over the $1500 are sitting.
Used gear is THE BEST. For high quality and great value, buy used Ibanez semi-hollow and hollow body guitars. Ibanez Super 58 pickups are great.
Absolutely 100%....Used stuff has been my secret for Decades.....I would rather buy a Used guitar for $600, that originally had an MSRP of $1500 back in 1995, plus factor in inflation, it would be a $2000+ guitar today if you bought new! The older stuff from the 90's and early 2000's was better quality pound for pound, than the shit they make today that can have QC issues, employees just don't give a shit today vs 20 years ago, people took pride in their builds of Even intermediate Tier stuff.
Agreed! Best bang for your buck with IBZ, especially SHB and FHB. I have never seen a reason to swap out my SPR 58 pickups. If I could only own one guitar, it would be an Ibanez. Fortunately, with their reasonable prices, especially on the used market, even on a fixed income I have been able to afford more IBZ guitars than I actually need. Each one I own has inspired different and varied songs and musical styles. Yamaha is another sleeper guitar brand with high quality control, clean builds, low prices as used instruments.
@94SexyStang I am so glad that I sought out and picked up quite a few clean used mid-range guitars (and amps) over the last 20 years that had been built during that era. The quality was SO much better then than it is now. Night and day.
Coincidence, but in 1996 I bought a used AS-180 at a large dealer outside Washington, DC. Great guitar! Play it through a Mesa Boogie, and it sounds like a great Les Paul. Play it through a Polytone Minibrute, and it sounds nice and woody like an ES-175. Play the neck pickup through a Princeton, and it sounds all twangy like a Telecaster. Enjoy!@@JohnJohn-fz6nt
body shape or hollow/solid has nothing to do with tone on an electric guitar. nothing. buy any guitar then put those pickups in, it will be the same sound.
Stopped by Guitar Center in Knoxville, TN on Friday…they are way overstocked! Looks to me like they need to sell some guitars badly!
Great video!
Thank You Phillip!
Wonderful, now I have a great excuse not to sell off any of my surplus gear. Gotta play the market!
The money is in the high end limited number models. They will always be sought after and will only be more desirable in future years
Hey in 2008/09 GC was selling new Strats (USA) Nitro's for $699 with hardshell case. Same for the entry level USA LPs
This must depend on the area you live in. I just sold a 6119 and it took over 6 months to move. Ended up shipping it across the country to find someone who had the cash
I hope there is a used gear apocalypse. I'm not a seller so I would rather see cheap prices.
I just bough a "used" $400 Jackson JS42 limted edtion from musician's friend for $242... Like that means you have a point it didn't sell at $400 it sold at $242.
I have been able to find some bargains on Reverb. I just look around and watch. People will occasionally drop the price and you can get a great deal. I acquired three different PRS Core guitars this year for very nice prices. Saved a ton of money. That being said, I have sold a few other guitars and pedals in the past year. I price them well so that I can sell them quickly.
I learned from a buddy to look for listings that say "send an offer" and I tried it and sent in an offer 30% off for kicks and they replied with 25% off and I bought. It was a nice surprise.
I consider up to $800 as low range price, $800 to $1,600 mid range and anything over that as high range. I own two Epiphone explorers, a Ghosthorse at $699 and a Prophecy at $799. Both play and sound great!
I’ve recently started playing 7 strings and went with Schecter, buying a Hellraiser FR-7 & an E-7 Apocalypse, both under $1,500.
I’ve owned many Gibsons throughout my life, but I think American made doesn’t justify high prices or better quality tbh.
I'm really glad that I make my own guitars!
While I don't really view my gear buying and selling as a "for profit" endeavor, I've never lost money overall. And I've been doing it for 40 years!
I'm priced out of the retail market. I like seeing all the new gear as it comes out but if I buy, it'll be used.
On Reverb I saw the price guide showed this model going for $1600 on completed sales for the last year. But everybody selling one is asking $1950.
Probably why they're still listed. Reverb is scummy for making it nearly impossible to find previously sold listings to see what's a fair price. They've gotten greedy for that percentage cut on every sale.
I too after many years of working in Purchasing , look through a different lens when evaluating how to maximize my money's potential. 😁 Happy St. Patty's day to all.🍀.
I miss my MIJ 12-string Strat. Ugh.
I recently bought a used 2019 Les Paul Tribute for $1000 CDN (about $740 USD). A new Gibson Les Paul Modern Lite is $1999 CDN. There's no comparison between these two guitars. The Tribute is far and away a more substantial guitar than the Modern Lite but the used prices on Tributes are very affordable thanks in part to the perception that they they are not a "real" Les Paul.
The tributes are a great value, got the lp jr bass for $700 and it slays
The double cut one right !?
I've got the 6 string double cut 2019 and it's awesome !@jasondorsey7110
@@auntjenifer7774 Yea that's right, glad you like yours too...all the hate gibson gets, I wonder if so much of it isn't just some wanna-be elitists who never even owned a gibson parroting what they read on a forum
Phil, do the affiliate links tie direct to guitars/gear or to random purchases these days? Amazon affiliate links a decade ago would funnel someone to Amazon say from your book link they don't buy but they did buy a hammer or diamond ring your book link would get credited with that sale.
the big problem right now is that people are so dependent on every single dime they have that they cant afford to sell their used gear for cheap bucks, meaning theres no good deals ou there, at least here in germany. guitars that used to be 500 bucks new back in the day are now being sold for 800 bucks used (nowhere near minte condition mind you) but new guitars are even more so moving out of the affordable range.
and people still buy into it.
at least here in germany.
Any ol' apocalypse is just fine with me... lol
Perceived Value. The way the prices are going right now, people are lumping the $500 - $800 guitars as Junk. The prices are not LOW enough for entry level so they are still going for the less expensive guitars. So since the "Collectors" dont want the "Junk" and the entry levels cannot afford it, this is the end result.
Whats going to happen is the mid tier prices will disappear so the perceived value goes UP and you will have a split market, Collectors and Entry Level. Those of us who dont WANT to spend $2000 on a Mexican Fender or an Epiphone and dont feel the Squires are high quality enough, will hit the Used market.
What will kill it ALL is when the collectors discover the less expensive models are as good as the $2000 ones, start buying THOSE, drive up the prices and kill the Entry level. Then you will have the REAL split.
The new guitar market will become 100% Collectors and everyone else will be buying used. One or two things will happen. The collectors will all die off forcing the companies to LOWER their prices back down....or the USED market will start charging Collectors prices and they will kill the market.
I am seeing this already. TELL me that Epiphone priced that Dave Grohl so ENTRY level guitar players could afford it?!? Nope...its priced for COLLECTORS. Gibson is on a path where at some point you will NEVER see anyone playing Gibsons live. Their going to become the Dumbles of Guitars. Fender is following their lead. So I wont be shocked at some point to read how a new album was made "With all Squires or all Harley Bentons"
Used prices are coming down? Good.
Just bought a $3k+ Taylor - hope you see some of that
Bye chase bliss, back to boss!! Still the best bang for your buck. Ahhh, the pedal market is crazy right now
I had no idea you were a data head. I was an Oracle/VB guy in 1999. Still slinging code 25 years later
The same this is happening with Harley's
Thank you.
I hope so!
The motorcycle market is similar... new prices too high and most don't sell, ...and used, they are not selling at all because nobody has money for them.
Pawnshop guitars are the only way to shop
"Guipocalypse"
Less new guitar players, aging boomers, new guitars produced every day vs ALL the existing guitars already out there. I've been calling this scenario for twenty years. Now every 'tuber is figuring out the situation.
Not strange to us that low priced stuff is moving because it’s cheap and high priced stuff because it is being bought by the few with disposable income. The mid priced stuff stopped selling because all of us who could afford mid priced guitars now can’t.
Where's these purple starts you speak of?
It's entirely on the companies for not providing enough options in the mid price range. These days there's amazing options both affordable and expensive but not much in the middle. For the most part at least, like Gibson, there's no mid range Gibsons. If you want a mid range Gibson you have to get an Epiphone, not a lot of people want to make that compromise. Luckily not every brand is as pompous as Gibson/Epiphone so you have brands like Fender, Ibanez, etc. That give you realistic options between affordable and breaking the bank. It's mostly guitars though tbh, amps and pedals have never been better price and sound wise
Wife goes to casino 2 to 3 times a month for maybe 800 to 1000 as her fun 💰 so I damn sure don’t care about what guitars or pedals I’m buying after I save my money for it. At least I have something tangible to show for the expense
I buy to keep!
Numbers showing sales are misleading. Yes, sales are still on but less products at very high prices. That is why it may look sales are good but in reality is less people buying expensive gear.
? Phil, maybe people are taking advantage of good deals while they can …but I think when the layoffs really set in …and prices continue up . Everything will really stop moving . “ Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!”
Been playing guitar over 20 years, in bands and recording.. still can't understand why people buy new guitars. Most of them feel awful, used ones are half the price and feel "played" and alot nicer
Guitar center had a Fender performer Precision bass for $799... I mean Cmon thats a fantastic deal.
Harley Benton FTW !
Can't buy used guitars on credit, most of the time... I feel like everyone is taking a loan for everything. Not me.
We are in used guitar Armageddon!!!
Im really not surprised that its the mid priced stuff that's suffering since the vast majority of lower and middle income people save up to buy a 1000 dollar guitar or amp ot whatever it may be. But due to the growing financial squeeze on peoples lives in these demographics that money is going elsewhere or people are forced to buy cheaper. Im in the UK and food prices for example are sky high right now and that 200-300 i would be saving towards a new guitar or gear has to go to justify living. I'm sure it's the same for every other blue collar workers out there.
But but you had all that money from COVID that drove inflation by 10 percent per year but your pay only went up 1.6 percent....yeah jack inflation of 20 plus percent and wages of 5 percent mean I am wanting 15 percent less now than I was 3 years ago. Or in other word I have sfa for disposable income anymore. When all your nessessities cost so much more, fixing what you have, making due longer, and selling off stuff is more important than buying a trinket that catches your attention for a few months at best. Then gets put on the rack or in a box that you more or less forget about.
Nothing will stop me from buying the guitars I want. I hate excuses! Make shit happen in your life and get that guitar you want!
The new Epiphone Firebird is a testament to this. $1700 for an Asian made Epiphone is stupid. Why anyone would pay that is a mystery to me.
Not so strange, people that have the money buy what they want (the higher priced stuff) people who would have bought the middle are feeling stretched so they move to lower priced items or don't buy at all. Lots of people feeling financial pressure right now even though overall things are good.
Some of the cheap stuff is badass. I bought a Squier paranormal Jazz Bass for super cheap in sale.. Like $179 or something ridiculous and the bass just totally smokes and should be worth $1000.. Except for maybe the electronics. It's hanging ING with basses that cost me more than 10x as much. It even kills my Dingwall. 😂
I also got Subzero 30" scale guitar for peanuts....
In the middle? There isn't much that interests me. The Mexican Fender stuff just isn't doing it for me.. And it seems like too much $ for what I've tried... I'm fine with cheap bad-assery or going for something primo. I feel more comfortable taking a grinder and welder to the cheap stuff if I wanna... And that one bass... Hmm... I'm actually treating it like an expensive one! Now I just need to switch out the electronics.
Now.. I did almost buy a Jackson that was normally $1300 or so but being blown out for Black Friday... That was pretty sweet and I did finally start to like Fishman Classics... Took me a while to warm up to actives, but now they're part of the tool box forever.
It's selling like crazy! You can't find guitars, all sold out.
Selling new or used?
@@Johnny_Dregs New. There's great deals and people are rushing into!
He's talking about new..Anyway that's nothing new, new gear has been blowing out for the past 3 years. Be patient and wait. I doubt that most of us even need these items we're looking at anyway.
@beefnacos6258 "I doubt we need these items." Truth. I love to browse, but then when it's time to pull the trigger, I remind myself 90% of the things will not make me play any better.
A used Ibanez Prestige for like $800 will be the best money you ever spend
New Epiphone upper tier = Gibson using old school Soviet-style incrementalism to nudge up prices and nudge in Gibson-esque price points, but doing a lousy job at hoping you won't notice.
I bought the '59 RI, which was the first Custom Shop collab. It is a wonderful guitar - and I say that as the current/former owner of MANY USA Gibsons. But it was ultimately the beginning of the end for Epiphone being a bargain brand, as more Custom Shop collabs are being released with price tags that keep climbing.
Phil: You guys are still buying like crazy.
Me: I'm not admitting anything, Phil!
Phil: I know Oracle and I have data
Me: NOT ADMITTING TO ANYTHING
I’ve got 15 guitars. Definitely will support my wife for a year after I die.
When a MIC Dave Grohl Epi is considered reasonable at 1,300, yeah seems like we're in backwards land (not knocking it, it's Dave Grohl after all). In contrast, I bought a gorgeous MIJ 1984 Strat for $800 - that seemed pretty reasonable to me.
What if one day used guitars are like used bowling balls or golf clubs, meaning non collectible, everyday guitars will be worth pennies on the dollar?
Shouldn’t the used gear prices go up if all the big brands go to direct sales in the future
Doesn't always work that way. Too many guitars are in circulation. When there's too many, values drop.
I am not getting purple. I am never getting purple. Even if it is free ... well I will get it but I would sell it. But yeah. insane pricing going on.
2400 for a new Gibson Les Paul? Epiphones for 1000+?! BEGGING to take a loss when you sell them on. Especially the Epis. I have seen a funny consequence of these insanely priced special run Epis (on the Irish 2nd hand market at least) that guys are trying to sell 2nd hand guitars in line with these price hikes. Old Korean Sheratons are on buy and sell sites for 850 up to a K. They never commanded that kind of money, and honestly probably never will.
The middle = professional musicians 😢
This is why I no longer buy new guitars that are $1000+. No matter what they say, they don't hold their value, especially Fender and Gibson. Unless it's a weird collector guitar, but you still have to find someone willing to pay the price that you want.
Good time to buy used.there all used first time you touch one ..and play it .
Everyone boom eventually bust.
Call me a Middler