Article: Why are guitars getting more expensive?

[Dave P]

That's fair enough. I can understand that..
..I own CS Gibsons and some expensive vintage pieces and they're nice of course.
My enjoyment with the Chinese stuff is modifying them... Changing this or that and the excitement of where that goes..
Exactly the same approach as Brian Mays (cheap originally $20 ) but now priceless Red Special guitar or Eddie Van Halens cheapo parts Frankenstein guitar.
Ive just put some $15 P90 Pickups in a cheap Chinese Alder Strat, OffSet the pickups unconventionally and thing sounds off the charts amazing.It has a great neck with low action..
It's a great deviation from my purist approach and something I clearly can't do on my expensive guitars.

I've been doing the same thing. I picked up a recent Epiphone Coronet and Wilshire used that were MIC. I've done some mods on them and they turned into really great guitars. It used to be hot rodding a cheap guitar was like polishing a turd, but that isn't the case anymore.

 

[Xpensive Wino]

carry the torch forward.

 

[MarcB]

I believe Grace Bowers is doing marvellous work inspiring the younger generations, especially girls.

 

[Xpensive Wino]

I believe Grace Bowers is doing marvellous work inspiring the younger generations, especially girls.

That's her holding the torch, right out front.

 

[MarcB]

That's her holding the torch, right out front.

 

[Bryansamui]

I've been doing the same thing. I picked up a recent Epiphone Coronet and Wilshire used that were MIC. I've done some mods on them and they turned into really great guitars. It used to be hot rodding a cheap guitar was like polishing a turd, but that isn't the case anymore.

Well, Eddie Van Halens guitar early on was just a cheapo parts caster..The most collectable Vintage Telecasters were made of 'cheapo ' pine...And Brian Mays famous Red Special guitar was made by a non luthier ( his father)..Hardly a refined instrument....The common denominator with EVH and Brian May is they're great players..Its not really about the tools

 

[NickiC]

I believe Grace Bowers is doing marvellous work inspiring the younger generations, especially girls.

She is marketable. She has a lot of growing up to do, in the position she has now worked for.
Didn’t Grace used to be a ginger?lol Joke aside, I bid her good luck

 

[MarcB]

She is marketable. Didn’t Grace used to be a ginger?lol

That a very industry way of putting it.. and I agree.
I think she’s doing it right.. well her mom is, who I believe is her manager. As she made it onto national US TV shows in a relatively short space of time.. I just hope she doesn’t get disheartened at the major leagues.. but given she refuses to sign to a corporate label, she may just do ok..

 

[NickiC]

That a very industry way of putting it.. and I agree.
I think she’s doing it right.. well her mom is, who I believe is her manager. As she made it onto national US TV shows in a relatively short space of time.. I just hope she doesn’t get disheartened at the major leagues.. but given she refuses to sign to a corporate label, she may just do ok..

She’ll be ok when her skin grows thicker, and she becomes mentally, more mature.

 

[NickiC]

There is an overwhelming amount of guitars for sale now, new and secondhand markets. Used listings, “ this was more of an impulse buy that I never bonded with.” “Lightly played case queen.” “I have to go back to the office.” On a 2019-2021 mostly. Norlin prices are starting to drop.

 

[Xpensive Wino]

Norlin prices are starting to drop.

I can't believe people still buy Norlins, TBH.

 

[SG Std]

I can't believe people still buy Norlins, TBH.

There were some good things that Gibson put together back in the 70s...

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

While it cannot be argued that guitars are more expensive I feel it is also fair to say that within the budget to intermediate range the $ to value/quality ratio is much better than it has been in a very long time.

When I started playing the days of getting a quality but cheaper student level/budget new guitar such as the '60s made in the USA Epiphones, and Gibson LP/SG Juniors and Specials had diappeared. Otoh the used sections and bargain bins were full of vintage gems most players of the day were uninterested in. Hell, I pulled my '71 LP Standard out of a plywood box full of cheap guitars, and paid all of $450 for it.

During the late '70s-'90s buying a brand new inexpensive guitar meant 8 out of 10 times buying a cheaply made and poorly constructed guitar with low quality hardware and electronics. From the late '90s to today that has changed to an incredible degree for the better as far as begining or money strapped players are concerned.

For under $1000 dollars today you can find a broad variety of well made and outfitted guitars that play spectacularly well and sound great when compared to an '80s to early '90s Squire or Epiphone. Companies like Washburn, Fernandes, Yamaha, Schecter, LTD (ESP), Ibenez, Tokai, Greco, Burns, and others forced Epiphone, Squire, and even Fender and Gibson to up their game on budget to intermediate cost guitar quality and features.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I can't believe people still buy Norlins, TBH.

My '71 Norlin Standard was hands down the best sounding and playing LP I ever played. Rang like a churchbell, sustain that was just insane, and amplified tones that could go from absolutely brutal to sublimely beautiful. That includes a Made to Measure LP Custom, and two Adam Jones USA LP Standards I owned as well as shitloads of LP Standards, Deluxes, and Customs I played in stores or elsewhere over almost four decades of playing guitar.

Unfortunately it was stolen almost two years ago.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

There were some good things that Gibson put together back in the 70s...here's 2 Bicentennials that I thought were very nice [plus the 'Medallion' Flying V & Firebird models]

Those look to be fine fiddles no matter what era they came from.

 

[NickiC]

I can't believe people still buy Norlins, TBH.

Hmm…

 

[Xpensive Wino]

My '71 Norlin Standard was hands down the best sounding and playing LP I ever played. Rang like a churchbell, sustain that was just insane, and amplified tones that could go from absolutely brutal to sublimely beautiful. That includes a Made to Measure LP Custom, and two Adam Jones USA LP Standards I owned as well as shitloads of LP Standards, Deluxes, and Customs I played in stores or elsewhere over almost four decades of playing guitar.

Unfortunately it was stolen almost two years ago.

I can't believe people still steal Norlins, TBH.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I can't believe people still steal Norlins, TBH.

I tend to appreciate your posts, but this is an exception. This guitar had been with me for 33 years. Was my very first Les Paul, and about 6 months away from being my birth year Les Paul. It was an exceedingly rare '71 Factory Order Standard of which there are very few in the world. Had the same old growth Mahogany neck as the Les Pauls made in the late '60s instead of maple. It was the best Les Paul I ever played and yes without sentimental value I would pick it over any VOS or Cuatom Shop LP ever produced, and it was my favorite guitar I ever owned with custom pickups made for me by Steven Kersting. Finally it had years and years worth of music I played through it and songs I came up with on it. There is nothing fucking funny about that post in any way. While I am not overly attached to any of the other guitars that were stolen from me except for my SG which I did get back, I cannot say that if I ever saw someone with this LP in their hands I would not leave with it covered in their blood in my hand.

Maybe one day someone will steal something from you that meant that much to you, and then you'll understand.

Your post was in exceedingly bad taste, and rude as fuck.

 

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

I can't believe people still steal Norlins, TBH.

Last point on this. The day that was stolen so were my puppy who was under a year old and who I love very much that was found a week later wandering loose and luckily didn't end up roadkill, as was my truck and about $30,000 worth of musical gear that was in my truck at the time.

If you find humor in someone else's loss or the actions of POS theives that says a hell of a lot about you as a person.

 

[Xpensive Wino]

Last point on this. The day that was stolen so were my puppy who was under a year old and who I love very much that was found a week later wandering loose and luckily didn't end up roadkill, as was my truck and about $30,000 worth of musical gear that was in my truck at the time.

If you find humor in someone else's loss or the actions of POS theives that says a hell of a lot about you as a person.