Article: Why are guitars getting more expensive?

[Hiwatts-n-Gibsons]

Wow, that sounds like a sincere apology.

Like I said, maybe one day you'll have a similar experience and get to know just how it feels. The difference between us being I would show class and sympathize instead of making a joke about your loss.

And thanks for confirming my last statement above with such emphasis.

Lastly, I got your Francis right here. Feel free to grab on and see what kind of ride you get.

 

[SG Std]

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

Thanks...

 

[Busterfromseattle]

It's an interesting read from Guitar World.

Link: Why are guitars getting more expensive?

My take away from the article is that guitar makers are running businesses, so it is what it is and whatchagonnado?
My bottom line is that you don't need an expensive guitar to have fun and make music.

They’re on crack lol. I did the math the other day and a Fender Strat was comparatively more expensive back in the 50’s. The LP was a little more than the Strat even. Inflation, of course, changes the numbers . The 1954 Strat listed for $250, a new Oldsmobile cost around $2500. Today the American Performer which is the cheapest MIA Strat is about $1400, a new Toyota Camry lists for around $28,000 to $29,000. I guess why things hit harder is because homes were affordable. People were building their own homes and paying them off in matter of years, even.

Also, I’ve thought about the Fender Custom shop prices when I’ve compared the costs of options and special editions, etc. From what I’m reading, master Luthiers in the Fender CS might make around $70k a year. Thats only a few. Considering they’re working in Cali, an hour away from LA, they’re definitely not getting rich. Even if they were, as a guitarist not only would I love to play for a living, I’d love to also build guitars if it paid the bills.

But someone said it earlier in the thread, you can’t explain this to someone who doesn’t care that real, living and breathing people, are building instruments and they deserve to be able to put food on the table. I really don’t know what you get in a $500 Epiphone LP but I’ve never thought twice about that since I got a Gib LP Standard. One thing that everyone should keep in mind is that if they really think buying a quality US made guitar is Gibson and Fender exploiting thoughtful buyers, the largest amount of profit is coming from the sweatshop guitars made in Indonesia, which if you hadn’t heard, was still too expensive for some companies. Now Samsung and some guitar manufacturers are using Vietnam because that’s the bottom dollar.

So no one can tell me I’m paying too much and no one can tell me that I’m wrong for wanting to keep people with a passion for guitars employed here in the US. It’s ok to care about our community.

BTW: if people would stop buying $300 copies, that would put more Gibsons and Fenders, Martins, and Taylors, etc in the used market. Which, in turn, means that kids wanting to get in the door would find an affordable high quality instrument for around 1/4 of a new one. Nothing worse than a pos piece of plywood that is unplayable for someone excited about learning.

 

[AudioWonderland]

It's an interesting read from Guitar World.

Link: Why are guitars getting more expensive?

My take away from the article is that guitar makers are running businesses, so it is what it is and whatchagonnado?
My bottom line is that you don't need an expensive guitar to have fun and make music.

Because people keep paying more. Stop buying and they will come done.

 

[jb_abides]

Adjusted for CPI, a new Gibson Standard is in line with what a Burst originally sold for. So it's important to shape any discussion with: what subset of the market are we really discussing?

Also, global interest played a role: post-WW2, it was a rarity for US guitars to go overseas, then post-British Invasion/Rock-era they entered Europe; interest grew with the cultural exportation of the music scene. Then, around the world: Japanese fancy for them, coupled with Japan's rising economic fortunes really set hold the desire in Asia.

Try toggling between North America and Worldwide for vintage or even Custom Shop Gibsons on eBay/Reverb; it still amazes me how so many great Lefty guitars gravitated to Japan. I 'can't afford' to or more appropriately won't risk the effort repatriating them. I've passed on things I've yearned for, and seen no where else. So, there you go. I am not bitter, Fender Japan really was a torchbearer in dark times for Fender, and my 80s MIJ are among my best. Yes, the only place to find a somewhat affordable southpaw production Tele then was the Fender Japan Reissues.

Luckily, improved manufacing processes have offset global demand for US guitars, and you can get a better cheap guitar to complement more expensive US-made instruments; and they deliver a playable sonic experience within the same ballpark or enough to satisfy all but the most discriminating tases. Even 'next-step after starter' brands are being modified into professional 'players' across the brand spectrum.

I have many reasons why I remain a patron of US-made guitars, including Gibson; doesn't stop me from picking up an new Epiphone (the Noel Gallagher Riviera Reissue is a treat!), or an Indonesian Yamaha or PRS SE, or a MIJ Zemaitis by Greco, etc.

Chris Martin IV noted in Martin's history from CMF I until he took over in 1986, 700,000 Martins guitars had been made [not including ukeleles or other pre-Dreadnaught instruments]. Under IV tenure, Martin went from 700k to 2.5 Million by 2022. Mart has since gone from 2.5 to 3 Million in the next 3 years! He wondered, earnestly, 'Where do all those guitars go?!' then muses, he's happy many customers can afford to have more than one. This despite all the Martin copycats and boutique builders that compete with them.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Probably because People like me keep paying !

 

[jb_abides]

Probably because People like me keep paying !

Guilty!

I drew the line at Murphy Lab; it was never my thing so an easy discipline. I like VOS.

 

[AA00475Bassman]

Guilty! No Murphy lab for me period .

I drew the line at Murphy Lab; it was never my thing so an easy discipline. I like VOS.

 

[MrNubs]

Just my rant but,

once upon a time there was a guitar builder that would not sell to you without you playing for him, you couldn't play you couldn't buy.

i suspect there're many 5k+ dollar guitar buyers that can't play worth a chit or string 5 notes in a row at volume without sounding like i stepped on there cat

thus, demand = price increase

 

[bern1]

I have to agree with the above statement..
I was schooled in the old school way.. being taught the basics of the music scene and guitar world by older musicians and store owners.. which had been the way since it all started back in the 50s.. it was a right of passage.. it gave us the foundations on which all other guitar players were based on.. this was the foundation on which we discussed our art and instruments upon.. in music stores, gigs, rehearsal rooms.. wherever we bumped into other musicians..
I feel this route has now been lost due to the modern collectors market and subsequent changes in the guitar market.. we now have swathes of uneducated, profit hungry private sellers and stores, whose only remit is to make money..
The “work horse/tools of the trade” aspect of instruments has now gone to usher in this new wave of instruments being “luxury goods” to make the owner have bragging rights on ownership, while they attempt to learn the lick to “sweet child of mine” for a decade .. and all the while we are still trying to conduct ourselves in the same manner as was taught to us 30/40 years ago.. with guitar playing and the art thereof.. being why we do it and are still doing it after all these years..

The cool thing is……nowadays it don’t cost a fortune to buy an an excellent playing and sounding guitar.

I just went to a week long blues guitar workshop. Most of the time I played my modern 59’ AV Strat. One day I brought in my 1960 original. Nobody asked me about it and only a couple of people (friends of mine) knew what it was. The others probably wouldn’t have cared even if they knew.

I think things might be going in the right direction……. I hope.

 

[bern1]

Social Media changed the guitar world maybe not for the better or the worse but just changed it. you can even see it right here on the LPF, the Old guard who I came here to read when i was 13/14 they knew things and would post things I didnt know and couldn't find but was curious about this was a fantastic place to learn. NOW you just go on instagam type in "Les Paul Burst" into the search and you find thousands of posts with Pics and Videos and comments giving opinions, facts, doubts all manner of information from anyone smart enough to come up with a half clever screen name. same for fenders, martins Etc.

why has this effected guitar pricing? I think the guitar community has reacted like the rest of the world really, we see large expensive collections of really cool stuff and go hey I want that in my Jam room, basement,garage ect. The Market is being driven by free advertising on social media thats telling us all "you aint cool till you have 10 of these things" where before in "The Day" you might see a picture of Jimmy Page in a guitar magazine or a picture of Mike Bloomfield on an album cover and you and your buddies would try and figure out " ohh man whats he got i gotta get me one of those" and you went tried to find it settled on what could get ur hands on and off you went. now its a 24/7 bombardment of U NEED THIS SPECIAL THING TO FINALLY SOUND GREAT. and these companies are all to aware of that. Demand for "luxury goods" is up across the board (try and buy a rolex) Guitars are not immune and as demand grows they are gonna see how far they can push it and push it and push it with pricing.

when i was in 8th grade a Standard Fender Mexican Strat was 299$ this was 2002/3 that same guitar is now 799. thats not JUST politics and inflation. thats a brand capitalizing on what we are now willing to spend.

It’s simply the fact that the currency is now worth less than it used to be.

 

[bern1]

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.

Might be the beginning of something…..

 

[Doctor Mantis Toboggon MD]

It's an interesting read from Guitar World.

Link: Why are guitars getting more expensive?

My take away from the article is that guitar makers are running businesses, so it is what it is and whatchagonnado?
My bottom line is that you don't need an expensive guitar to have fun and make music.

The Gibson Les Paul Standard just dropped $200 at Sweetwater

 

[Blind Lemon Chicken]

If the price of new VOS is roughly the same as used heavy aged ML . Which it sort of is now. Which one would you buy? Let's assume they are both great to avoid the all guitars are different scenario. Also expensive equated to so called pandemic related stock shortage and now it's just greed. 2 Les Pauls 2013 and 2014 I traded to a dealer he is asking twice what I paid for them.