All these companies raised prices and then never lowered them. Nobody is paying it. Then you got all these people that ran out and bought all this gear during Covid and then realized that it actually takes time and practice to learn and are dumping it all on the used market. There's shit tons of Strats, Les Paul's, and amps.

@larryherbert252

19 күн бұрын

I totally agree with your comment, specifically on time and practice, having all the best equipment, amp, effect etc is going to make you Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Nolan, Jimmy Hendrix, etc again like you said it takes time and practice, yeah you need something decent to start on etc, but don’t go out buy the most expensive instrument and then it ends up collecting dust. Your comment is great!!!!

@greenmanalishi6963

18 күн бұрын

Democrats are to blame . Who funded the lab in wuhan?

@JskinnyG

18 күн бұрын

I agree somewhat. Well sales have dropped significantly, guitar sales are def on the rise. Did they lose some customer base though? Absolutely. I work in sales for a retailer and yes, deals they are looking for but Gibson sales? Still happening. Will it be like pre-covid/covid again. Not for a LONG time.

@canyonproductions7683

15 күн бұрын

Bingo

@Rikalonius

13 күн бұрын

I agree with this.

I’ve hit a point in my life where I honestly have ZERO interest in getting a new guitar. I’ve gotten pretty much everything I need to play the music I want to and the desire to buy a new instrument is pretty much gone after 25 years of playing.

@MichaelH-ez7cy

19 күн бұрын

Same ...

@engelsjn

19 күн бұрын

but here you are still watching a gear channel 😆

@Joe-pb3lx

19 күн бұрын

im sorry to hear that for you.......i think its time to start making custom guitars and selling them for a grand or less

@Joe-mz6dc

19 күн бұрын

I'm actually glad to hear stories like this. Especially since the Advent of the internet all I see is people running around talking about buying new gear. Buying a new guitar. Buying a new amplifier. Buying a new pedal. Just play the damn things for God's sake. Spend your time playing them.

@worldsheaviestjamband93

19 күн бұрын

@@engelsjnI like the maintenance aspect and let’s be honest, Phil is just a chill guy that is enjoyable to listen to. I rarely watch the instrument review videos.

What I learned is that I do not need 30 guitars and ten amps.

@HarryBall-fw7pv

19 күн бұрын

Yes! You only need ten guitars. And 3 amps😊

@27retrodaze

19 күн бұрын

I dont either, but "want" is a strong word...

@garyrindt9863

19 күн бұрын

More amps than guitars is better

@stringsattached67

19 күн бұрын

Yes yes you do 🙌

@randomdude6136

19 күн бұрын

Shhhhhhhush

That’s riiiiiiight! Time for prices to come down on EVERYTHING.

@Jakexx01

19 күн бұрын

And everyone who has played along in ripping off the middle class needs to be held accountable by NOT being supported by the middle classes' HARD EARNED DOLLARS in the immediate future. Many will surely under. GOOD RIDDANCE! Greedy opportunists, the lot of them.

@miserychannel666

19 күн бұрын

PRICES NEVER GO DOWN

@tomy.1846

19 күн бұрын

@@miserychannel666 Ever hear of supply and demand?

@joesmith8398

19 күн бұрын

Inflation is the reason everything is so expensive because Western governments are printing money at an astronomical rate while producing relatively little product.

@tomy.1846

19 күн бұрын

@@joesmith8398 Guitars became a pandemic fad. Now it's over, and there are unwanted guitars.

God I wish I’d sold my gear off during the pandemic boom.

@henrikcarmel1

16 күн бұрын

Including boats and pets

@100DollarHeadache

11 күн бұрын

As someone trying to unload a guitar right now, I feel you.

another real bummer on reverb is sales tax on used gear that has already had sales tax paid on it, sometimes more than once

@dizzy7454

14 күн бұрын

Something I learned from dealing with reverb is call the actual company selling directly. You will get a better price, just go to reverb, see who's selling it, call them up and make a deal that's what I did I saved hundreds

@thebosicothe

13 күн бұрын

Pro tip, any Japanese products from Ishibashi are cheaper on their website. It's English and my bass arrived in 1 week

@BasedHyperborean

10 күн бұрын

That’s not Reverb’s issue, that’s just normal tax law.

@chrisclassical7

10 күн бұрын

@@BasedHyperborean i do realize that reverb are collecting the tax for the state, however if i buy/sell on a different platform like facebook or craigslist the state tax disappears, so from a point of lost revenue it is reverbs problem.

@creationinspired200

8 күн бұрын

@@dizzy7454Golden advice

My hot take, as a classical musician who's getting back into guitar, is that guitarists in general are too susceptible to the temptation to buy a shiny new guitar when most of the issues they're having with their current guitar could be addressed with a proper setup and a smart practice routine. Conventionally, it's been the assumption that you'll get an entry level instrument to start, buy or rent a step-up instrument when you get serious, invest in a professional instrument if you start to go pro, and maybe get your hands on a utility instrument to fill a different niche if you need that (i.e. I'm a tenor trombonist, but occasionally rent a bass trombone when an opportunity arises for that role). In the guitar world, I see a lot of people with a dozen or more guitars, seemingly all of which are lower-budget models that all happen to be imports from countries with abysmal labor practices (and to be fair, American guitar manufacturing isn't doing so great these days). It takes maturity to properly maintain what you have while you save your money for a serious instrument, and keep that as your primary workhorse, but our brains are wired to favor novelty, and the guitar industry realizes that, hence the disproportionate focus on budget models.

@audiophileman7047

13 күн бұрын

You're approaching this dilemma from strictly a utilitarian and budget point of view. I can't speak for other instruments, but guitar purchases apply to basically three groups: (1) players, (2) collectors, and (3) player-collectors. Some people have the money and storage space to buy whatever their heart desires. Collectors strictly go after the historical guitars, aesthetically pleasing guitars, and those that were owned by great guitarists. Players focus on the specific sound each guitar produces. Different guitars produce different sounds based on whether they're acoustic or electric and the specific materials and parts used in the construction of the guitar. Guitars sound very different based on the combination of these features. A Les Paul style guitar sounds fat and rich. A Stratocaster style guitar sounds more shrill and thin. Acoustic guitars made with different kinds of wood and seasoning will sound different as well. There can be many variations in guitar design ergonomics and layout of pick-ups on electric guitars. For any guitarist who plays a variety of different genres and is trying to achieve authentic sounds will need more than one guitar. I currently own three, and I'm looking to buy two more, a Stratocaster and a Resonator. With these five guitars, I can play almost everything I care to play. Inexpensive import guitars are largely very well made now, and they offer the budget player the opportunity to own the guitars needed to play music they care to play. The player-collectors are people who like the best of both the players and collectors' worlds.

"Boutique" effects pedal prices are stupid, too. Paying $400 for $25 worth of components and a metal box ain't gonna happen cap'n. I understand small builder margins aren't that great, but good lord with some of those prices.

@jackpijjin4088

18 күн бұрын

"Boutique" is supposed to imply high-end or even rare components or manufacturing. That's apparently not the case anymore and they're using the same cheapo parts as a company like Behringer.

@MicroSBs

17 күн бұрын

@@jackpijjin4088 no boutique pedal is made out of $25 worth of parts. I make custom electric guitars for a living. Two 500k pots, a 3 way switch , capacitor and the wire just to do that at wholesale cost is more than that.

@ronj9448

15 күн бұрын

Cute graphics aren't going to cut it and I'm tired of cartoons on my gear.

@conordyer2307

11 күн бұрын

Demonfx clones are cheap and as good if not identical to the originals.......thats where my money has went

@dragon7590

10 күн бұрын

That's one thing I've never understood is the "boutique" pedal craze. I guess in the end it's like all other things that are in search of tone.

Now do houses.

@stevenbryan7586

20 күн бұрын

😂 supply and demand.

@TheSammyreynolds

20 күн бұрын

Houses are supply and demand. There's too much demand a very little supply because we haven't really built houses in over a decade.

@AnAxetoGrind

20 күн бұрын

@@TheSammyreynolds it’s actually a combination of immigration and boomer selfishness.

@leftyo9589

20 күн бұрын

@@AnAxetoGrind yup, blame people for wanting to keep what they bought and paid for.

@AnAxetoGrind

20 күн бұрын

@@leftyo9589 boomers would rather their grandkids live in Detroit than sell them that 3rd home they own (in a state they don’t live in) at an affordable price.

I will NEVER pay more for a non-collectable guitar than its original retail price. Reverb just looks like Ebay sharks hawking beanie babies anymore.

My brother had a music store in the early '70s. When you walked in the door, you automatically got a 20% discount on Fender, Gibson, Guild, Yamaha, Ovation, Epiphone guitars and we were happy to give it. Nowadays, greedy Fender and greedy Gibson want full pop and that, directly from them so they get ALL the money! Guitars these days are good quality, no doubt. But give people a break on the costs, good grief.

Im speaking of gear in general, but ive noticed alot of people on both marketplace and craiglist posting USED gear for the price of what it costs brand new (and sometimes even more than what it costs new)... I dont think people are doing their homework on prices or some crap... (i.e.-a Boss Blues Driver (non-Waza) for $100. Its like $89 brand new, or a PRS MT-15 for $800, etc)... Its very strange.

@WilliamHaisch

19 күн бұрын

Almost every listing on Sweetwater’s Gear Exchange is like that, too! 😂

@megamania501

19 күн бұрын

I've got an EVH 5150III 50W head for $900 as well as a 2x12 EVH cab for $300 on marketplace, cheaper than what they are going for on Reverb. I bought the stuff new at about $1,900 in '18, now selling it in excellent condition for a total of $1,200. But no one is biting. Probably a few factors in play, such as the growing popularity of modelers, less interest in rock/metal than there used to be, live music/garage bands aren't as much of a thing as back in the rock heyday, etc... I think my price is fair for the rig.

@HellcatCustoms

19 күн бұрын

That's the problem with $1500 Epiphones is now everyone thinks their $400 Les Paul is worth $1200

@jacob_krause_official7286

18 күн бұрын

Absolutely. Especially the lower end models like Eart and Harley Benton, i've noticed people charge maybe $20 less than what it costs to buy it brand new. And with the Hb's they're selling are actually the b-stock ones, which they then try to sell off as being one of the "new" ones. So if you buy from Thomann instead of the random person on marketplace you'll actually save like $80-100 lol

@SlyRyFry

16 күн бұрын

It's a ton of people that started during covid finally realizing you can't just buy all the gear and be decent without putting in the practice. Besides that it's just people with "like new" gear thinking that's how the secondhand market works, even for stuff still in production. Modelers are a big deal too; many people are downsizing their rigs to one of the big competitors. I could sell almost all of my gear and still be able to play anything with 1 guitar and the quad cortex. I'm not and I won't, but I could lol

Looking at Music Man. Their prices are absolutely bullshit on the Majesties right now. I bought a 7 string when they first came out for $2200. They're now $4k and some of them are closer to $6k.

@stringsattached67

19 күн бұрын

I've got a Copper fire majesty 6 that I wouldn't take less than $2700 for . One of the best guitars in my collection. But yeah the prices are nuts

@beefnacos6258

18 күн бұрын

They've all lost their minds. ESP, Gibson etc.

@broncoxy

17 күн бұрын

this right here - for that money, I can easily go to any nice custom shop builder and get my very own signature guitar

@Heartkiller999

13 күн бұрын

Jackson too, out of their minds.

@480borat

7 күн бұрын

My first 7 string was a Schecter C-7 Blackjack that I paid 350 bucks for used. And it was an amazing guitar. Times sure have changed.

Taylor continues to raise prices. Last quarter, they raised hardshell case prices from 199 to 299. Ridiculous. I work for a mom and pop shop, and they're handcuffing the owner from expanding other lines - and he's been a Taylor dealer since the 80s. Something has to give.

Yeah. I'm done with buying guitars, enough is enough. On to basses... :)

@user-jq4fz6co8b

20 күн бұрын

basses are WORSE. A good bass is gonna run a grand, easy. With guitars, you at least have a lot of viable options under that. With basses, not really.

@Smart-Alex

20 күн бұрын

@@user-jq4fz6co8b Not true. I found a 1984 MIJ Ibanez bass for less than $700 as my starter bass to learn on. There are far cheaper basses like Squier, Harley Benton, Sire, etc too. Tired of spending a ton of money on gear...

@Typical.Anomaly

19 күн бұрын

@@Smart-Alex That's a pretty killer "starter bass," although if you were already swimming in guitars it's prolly easier to drop $700 on your first bass.

@Smart-Alex

19 күн бұрын

@@Typical.Anomaly yeah not selling my guitars, love them :)

@anthonyclegg1511

16 күн бұрын

Then piano's and Violins and banjos. ♥️🎸🎹.

I have just taken an opportunity this past week. Have been looking to get a LTD EC401 white for almost a year. Went to this small store in the city I live in Canada and it was marked down by $400, brand new! I spoke with the guy and I was saying how much I've been looking for that guitar and he literally said "if you take it now, I'll throw in the ESP TKL softcase for free" which is not actually a softcase, it's a very good bag with hard sides and back, like a mid-point between a softcase and a hardshell case. It was a no-brainer! And I ended up helping this small store instead of giving money to big music store chains. I'd advise everyone here to do that, go visit your local shops instead of big retail stores, they are all struggling in some way (some more than others) but the big guys can hold stock for longer. ✌️

@MayonnaiseOreo

18 күн бұрын

That's what's up. I bought my EC401 in 2018 for $300 used. I absolutely cannot believe they're $1000 new now. It's a nice guitar but nowhere near the quality of other $1000 guitars I have. The prices on just about everything are ridiculous now.

I’ve just started making partscasters tbh

It’s funny with guitars, I mean, if you tried to sell your 4 yr old bowling ball or sofa, you’d be happy to get 1/2 of what you paid, but selling a 4yr old Cort acoustic, people expect 90% of what they paid…

@jackpijjin4088

18 күн бұрын

All music equipment is like that. Synthesizers especially. It's gotten so bad that people already resell the Behringer PolyD (a synth that started sub-$900, around 600 when I got mine) as "RAREVINTAGE" *FOR $1600.*

@juventinos81

18 күн бұрын

Sofa is getting worse with age and its not as comfortable as it used to be when it was new.Whats the reason for a guitar price to go down at half after some years if it is in good condition and plays like a new one?

@jackpijjin4088

18 күн бұрын

@juventinos81 Unknown electronic condition, no manufacturer warranty, unknown if the truss rod has been messed up, potential fret wear, could need a neck reset or new bridge if it's an acoustic, "they're selling it so there has to be a reason".

@juventinos81

18 күн бұрын

@@jackpijjin4088 I am talking about guitars that are in good condition.You describe instrument that its better to throw away than try to fix it.Usually only fret wear is something that someone has to deal with when buys a guitar and it can be easily done with 150-200 euro/dollars. I have an electric guitar that i bought 20 years ago for 1400 euros.The only thing that i changed was the frets because they were in bad condition.From nickel i put stainless steel frets.If i am going to sell this guitar why should i sell lower than i got it?With the new frets its better than it was,the paint is still great without any dings and scars,that particular guitar is still in production and now it costs more than i bought it.

@beefnacos6258

18 күн бұрын

​@jackpijjin4088 nahhhhh..I used to score guitars for a fraction of what they cost new.

I work in a music shop and what I’ve noticed is high end guitars are selling three times faster than mid to low. Every second customer just wants strings.

@Sams911

19 күн бұрын

I'm proof of this... I picked up a $18K PRS, a $16K PRS a $6K PRS and a 10K Les Paul all this year... no desire to even look at the base line USA, or Import stuff.

@Joe-mz6dc

19 күн бұрын

The rich get richer. Bottom line.

@Echoes-

19 күн бұрын

@@Joe-mz6dc For sure, but I also don't think the market is as flooded on high end stuff and vintage, so it comes down to supply and demand as usual.

@EYOUTz1993

19 күн бұрын

@@Sams911 then I'm proof opposite, I picked up a $400 Schecter, a $180 Schecter, and a $80 project Harley Benton this year. No desire to even look at the asinine prices of custom shop USA etc.

@GlennJimenez

19 күн бұрын

Really? They’re not busy buying kempers?

All I know is Katana's should basically be free at this point. GC's online used section is packed with them. But, the prices for those are pretty much where they've been for two years. I can't imagine how many new in boxes Katana's are sitting in warehouses around the world.

@OldManDoom

18 күн бұрын

I have one sitting in my house. I bought the stupid thing as a cheap alternative to a JC but don’t even have the gumption to take it out of the box. So I can have to get another app on my phone and learn to tweak 75 different settings to get a JC sound out of it? What a waste

@msh6865

17 күн бұрын

@@OldManDoom totally understand. But, take it to a GC to trade on something else and you'll be lucky to get 40% of what you have in your new amp. I used the Katana amp as an example of prices being artificially high on a lot of gear. GC and retailers on Reverb are probably stuck with a bunch gear that no one really wants yet they're still asking way too much in a heavily saturated market. I'm thinking we're headed toward a bursting bubble at some point and a lot of retailers are gonna take a bath.

@nathankettle357

17 күн бұрын

Tell that to Nintendo. They like to rerelease 15 year old games for $60

@thatsamazin-

13 күн бұрын

@@OldManDoom I just plugged mine in and started jamming. Never even hooked it to the internet. It sounds just fine without downloading some app. I can’t imagine a bunch of people returning them unless they were dumb enough to think it would replace their tube amp for live performances. I bought mine for couch jamming. 🤷🏻‍♂️

@fgreen411

12 күн бұрын

Absolutely right...I counted one day on GC used gear page ...149 used Katanas between $149 and $199. They're everywhere.

Twenty years ago I bought a brand new American Telecaster from guitar center for $650. Same thing is two grand now. Back then a top end boutique instrument was 2k. My how times have changed. I miss those days

@user-qs7ph1uh5h

19 күн бұрын

20 years ago, a burger and fries at my favorite joint was 3.25, today it’s 9.95, so the ratio is about the same…

@BluesDeville

19 күн бұрын

Yup. I bought an American Strat for $650 back then, too. And I bought a Mexican Tele for $275. I also bought a new Mesa Dual Recto for $1300, and that amp is now $2900. Everything is 300% the price it was 20 years ago, and none of it is as good as it was back then.

@LogicalQ

17 күн бұрын

I bought my stuff 20 years ago for reasonable prices…. Has been true for just about every market…

@MicroSBs

17 күн бұрын

The cost of the materials has maybe more than quadrupled to make that guitar. And so has the labor. So its not really a wonder the base American stuff is $1500 20 years later.

@prd004.2

17 күн бұрын

@@MicroSBs has your pay quadrupled?

Overall inflation, groceries, gas, insurance, utilities etc are all up leading to very little discretionary income! (at least for low to middle income people)

@MachinedInWood

18 күн бұрын

6 years ago, I bought an American made Stratocaster Deluxe, brand new. It was the high-ish end guitar that I had always wanted after 30 odd years of playing. My 401K was through the roof and I had plenty of money to splurge on a dream item. I sold it last year because I had to. I lost my $125K/year job in the beginning of 2020 and started a business. Things were going GREAT in the beginning, but this has been a shit storm 4 year period, economically. My biggest customer’s sales have been reduced to 1/8 what they were in 2021, so my sales to them have been cut down from $50k/year to $6k so far this year. Trying to say anything more about that without getting into politics is impossible, so I’ll leave it at that………….

@mbrownie22

17 күн бұрын

@@danielduplantier3741you don’t know much about economics if you think one guy has that much influence over things. Also inflation is up everywhere in the world do some research.

@gracefromabove9057

16 күн бұрын

​@@mbrownie22 Inflation under Biden: 20.3%+ Inflation under Trump: 7.2% I think I know who I'm voting for.

@guyincognito320

16 күн бұрын

​@@mbrownie22relieve all student and CC debt, and inflation vaporizes overnight. It's historically normal to do this. It's weird that we don't.

@whulmef

15 күн бұрын

@@gracefromabove9057”inflation would be worse under Trump than Biden,” WSJ

In 1975 i bought a new les paul standard with case for $550.00.that was more than a months pay for a lot of people back then.

The problem some people are having in the used market is that they bought high and the market has crashed. It sucks to lose, but it will take a long time for value to rebound. For manufacturers, they are profit driven corporations. Sales shot up during a huge demand surge. Everyone was able to charge whatever they wanted and consumers would buy. Now, that inflation of prices is proving to be obvious and predatory gouging, consumers are speaking with their wallet and refusing to participate. No one is mad about a company making reasonable profit. You can't tell us prices are up because costs are up and take in record profits though.

I built a strat for under $200 Bought a neck from a Chinese factory that Forsure stole some fender blue prints. $90, bought a junked squire body $5, the pickups I stuck In it were $30. Sounds and plays better than both Fender Strats I own, Sad to say.

@audiophileman7047

13 күн бұрын

For real? Hard to believe that your home brew plays better than your Fender Strat's. What brand and model pick-ups did you use?

@shainmcgraham3459

13 күн бұрын

@@audiophileman7047 just random ceramic ones I found on Amazon lol. and yes it really does play better than both my Fenders; as crazy as that is to say, the neck I bought was a carbon copy of a fender neck.

@shainmcgraham3459

13 күн бұрын

@@audiophileman7047 just random ceramic ones I found on Amazon lol. And yes it really does play better than both my Fenders; as crazy as that is to say. The neck I bought is a carbon copy of a fender neck.

@didamnesia3575

13 күн бұрын

What models are your fender strats?

@shainmcgraham3459

13 күн бұрын

@@didamnesia3575 I have an American Performer 2018 and a MIM Player series 2023. Both sound different but feel exactly the same. When compared to the Chinese neck; the radius of the neck was spot on, and The headstocks fit like puzzle pieces.

Got a $200 Ibanez Gax70 back in 2001, has lasted longer than all my other, more "prestigious" expensive guitars.

This year, I've picked up: 1. ESP LTD BW-1 (lists: $1999, paid: $1450) 2. Fernandes Burny RLC95-S (lists: $1299, paid: $795) 3. Fernandes Burny RLC-85 (lists: $1299, also paid $795) Also picked up a rare and unique Copley for under $500. I good year...

I can only play one guitar at a time, so I only own one at a time.

@stringsattached67

19 күн бұрын

That's just crazy talk bro

@user-qs7ph1uh5h

19 күн бұрын

It’s that your philosophy with a pair of underwear too?

@MayonnaiseOreo

18 күн бұрын

You sell your electric every time you want to play an acoustic guitar, which you now have to go buy? And vice versa?

@beefnacos6258

18 күн бұрын

Loook at the over consumers justifying their 60 guitars 😂

@danielduplantier3741

17 күн бұрын

@@user-qs7ph1uh5h I doubt it. Why are you conflating two unlike items?

In a market, the correct price is that price at which the buyer is willing to pay and the seller is willing to take. There is nothing else. If the seller has no buyers and refuses to accept a lower offer, then the product won't sell and will be a drag on the business.

The quality of the low end Chinese guitars have greatly improved and for prices $225 - $375 that knocks the snot out of most $500 branded options. These are solid backup guitars or a great starter.

I paid 1500 for a BRAND NEW Fender American Vintage II 57 Stratocaster when regular price is 2200. Came with the case and everything. Got it about a month ago.

@jameslonglove

20 күн бұрын

How do you like the Vintage ii?

@misterknightowlandco

20 күн бұрын

@@jameslonglove it’s a great guitar but if you don’t like the big 50’s V neck don’t bother.

@DK-nq9wv

20 күн бұрын

Where did you buy it for that price ?

@johnsmith-ug5tp

20 күн бұрын

@@DK-nq9wv Exactly. No way in hell did he get it brand new from a dealer for 1500. Maybe what they were when that came out at 2099.

@misterknightowlandco

20 күн бұрын

@@DK-nq9wv found it on reverb from a mom/pop shop. It’s a 2022 model, but it never left the box. They had a floor demo model and 3 in the back sitting in boxes that they never sold. When I got it, everything was in the original box and all the case candy was still in its plastic so I believed their story. If you look you can find things.

This is one of the reasons I felt compelled, along with my partners, to create our own brand of instruments. We can offer semi-customizable instruments with all the bells and whistles for under $1k and still make a living. There are too many people with their hands out in some of these big companies, and we wanted to challenge that. Our mission is to provide our colleagues with high-quality, affordable instruments while maintaining the integrity of true craftsmanship.

I'll sit on my guitar collection until the market becomes stable. I've got mostly higher end guitars and I bought them before the prices went insane.

The market is finally falling back to earth I’m so sick of seeing nice guitars that nobody can afford.

Gibson and Fender have put their prices up way to high making their core guitars unattainable for most people.

I noticed the PRS 'switch' a while back - I think they have made very smart decisions and will reap the rewards from bringing prices down (where they can) and quality up with the S2 line! Much as I like the SE line I think a little more attention to the wiring / electronics side of things in Indonesia would be a big help - of the 4 I have played 2 have been a problem, a 245 brand new in the shop (bridge did not engage at all) and my own Custom 24-08 (bridge cutting out after less than 2 years). The 2 SE Tremontis both seemed fine - I like the 'Gibsonish' scale and the trem so may grab one to mod. I live in HK, which is a duty free port and the 2 main suppliers handling Fender, Gibson, PRS, Gretsch, Ibanez, Yamaha, Epiphone, Squier etc. enjoy very high turnover, particularly from overseas visitors picking up instruments at a considerably lower price than at home in 'the west'. In the last 2 years I got lucky: a 2019 Japanese made Gretsch solid-body reduced from USD 2.5K to 1.2K (they had just taken delivery of all the new China made Electromatics and were clearing stock) and a 2009 Gibson LP Special that had been literally sitting 'under glass' in the floor of the showroom untouched for years - as new quality @ USD 620. I worked as a guitar salesman back in the '70s and still enjoy visiting these 2 bricks and mortar shops every few weeks and checking out sales of 'old stock' going for a steal - highly recommend it! 😅

This only seems applicable to the lowest end of the market. The most expensive newer guitars don't seem to have this same issue...

I sold my guitar last week, but it sat for at least a month. It was an artist guitar, and I bought during COVID, but I did realize I'd take a haircut - but not that much of one...I didn't NEED to sell it. I refused to go below a certain point (two price drops from $1150 down to $980). I got some low offers, but declined, and had one offer that was worse (after the free shipping and reverb fees) than simply putting it out on the street for the racoons to enjoy. Glad I just let it sit.

Guitars are becoming ridiculously expensive, especially Gibsons. In 2019, I bought a Gibson Les Paul Standard 60’s for $3,200 (Australian dollars), the current price is around $4,700 to $5,500 (Australian dollars).

@lumberlikwidator8863

15 күн бұрын

Gibson reportedly spent over $3 Million in legal fees suing Dean, and they just had their verdict overturned by an appeals court. I bet they think the guitar buying public should pick up the tab for their frivolous lawsuit. And if Gibson uses their option to retry the case they will try to pass on the additional legal bills to their customers. The lawsuit and initial verdict were stupid in the first place. Nobody with half a brain could look at a Dean V and mistake it for a Gibson Flying V.

The only way I can afford a new instrument is to buy parts on eBay and put it together myself. I can’t afford it $1500 guitar $$2000 guitar. It’s hard enough putting the food on the table and paying housing expenses

Guitars have been overpriced for a long time. As the quality of Asia-built guitars improve, it’s hard to justify the high cost of an American-made instrument. Moreover, with companies like Fender having so many different flavors of their guitars, you need an algorithm to figure out which guitar might be right for you. It’s ridiculous.

@lumberlikwidator8863

15 күн бұрын

I was in the local GC this morning for some strings. Was killing time between two doctors appointments and took a little look around. When I saw a $1000 Epiphone I thought that the Apocalypse must be right around the corner.

Any guitar new or used is only worth what a potential buyer is prepared to pay. Here in the UK one of the largerst sellers have sales on both new and used guitars with large reductions on the daily deals and this has been continuing for several months,. The harsh reality is that sales have slumped, a lot of previous buyers don't have any spare funds so they are selling and flooding the used market hence values are down. Great for buyers with deep pockets, but not great if you are trying to sell.

Even though I am attempting to sell a couple guitars I did buy a Fender Japan Aerodyne Telecaster because one of those insanely to good to pass by deals. It's a really great guitar though so no regrets.

I have the money for a new PRS, but I am no way spending that kind of money. I am still waiting for the deal.

I just ordered a new Kiesel the other day during their 4th of July sale for $2300, $250 off the normal price. That said, I have a 2018 screenshot from Kiesel's old configurator for a nearly identical guitar, and the normal non-sale price was around $500 less than the current sale price. That's getting to be a lot of money for a guitar, but I'm left-handed and the selection is generally terrible. If I were right-handed I probably would have bought an SE DGT and called it a day.

Last year was when PRS had 20% off most SE models, and Fender has had 10% off in a number of places for months now.

@kerbyfab

19 күн бұрын

But they still had recent price increases!! 🙄🙄

Ain't paying $1k for a Chinese guitar

Recent run of Abasi EMI 7s didn't sell out immediately and their B-Stocks hung around for several days. Agreed on deals - only things I sold were things I just won't play and things I felt I needed but offered like 20% under asking.

Fender hasnt lowered their guitar prices 30%. Maybe some sh!t MIM ones, but that is it. The MIA Fenders are still inflated from $200 to $400 since 2022.

@bonkers6214

20 күн бұрын

yeah, what happened to the American special strat that retailed for $999 in 2019? got one new for 15% off at sam ash back then.

@misterknightowlandco

19 күн бұрын

@@johnsmith-ug5tp I think dealers on reverb that aren’t box stores may have dropped their prices just to get the old stock out the door cuz they have to buy the new stuff or they lose their dealership status but as a whole fenders dropped nothing.

@ckatheman

18 күн бұрын

Nothing wrong with the MiM Player series at all. Played several and they feel every bit as good as the double priced American counterparts. The Player Plus is even better.

@johnsmith-ug5tp

17 күн бұрын

@@ckatheman Not my experience. Total junk! To compare the MIM to MIA is laughable, Night and day.

@ckatheman

17 күн бұрын

@@johnsmith-ug5tp There were subtle differences, but nothing that affected my playing or the sound compared to one another - both the player and player plus were just fine - the plus especially with the rolled fingerboard - I literally could not have distinguished the necks apart if I were blindfolded. I also have an Indonesian Squire that (with the exception of the junk tuners and saddles) - also plays and sounds just fine - for a lousy 150 bucks.

I bought an EVH 1979 Eruption relic new last year from Sweetwater. $1899 and a month later they were $1599. Awesome guitar though.

@07blackdog

17 күн бұрын

I hate when that happens. Ammo and precious metals can be the same way.

I did buy one guitar without a deal.. the prs se nf 3... which was really hard to do :D

Also, for those of us who’ve made a living playing gigs for many years, most gigs are paying less, are less frequent, or are taken over by “open-mics” where amateurs play for free and the club makes money with little regard for quality… hence, who can afford a new guitar? I’m just keeping what I’ve got!

Drums prices are still over the top. To have a high end kit with cymbals you are easily at £10k. And this is without stands, microphones and other things. Hi-hats are at £550. It's insane... I am really expecting a crash sooner or later, because the market is way overpriced. As for guitar, it seems to be like clothing, where you can see the perpetual sale/deal and where the original price has never been intended to be the sale price.

I have a 1981 Guild Starfire IV that I have been trying to sell for over a year now. But the good part is I picked up a 1973 SG standard for $1899. I guess I will just wait until the prices go back up again to sell the Guild.

You can see this in the UK. Loads of used high end Covid guitars going for almost half the retail price. PRS, Fender Custom Shop etc. Amazing deals.

some guitars seem expensive in the UK and it doesn't really make sense about where they were made, some gibsons that are made in USA are fairly cheap but Fenders and Charvels that are made in the USA are expensive, also some MIJ are really expensive and some aren't. The problem i have is that the stores don't get the stock in, they are mainly concerned with online purchases now so it's difficult to actually try out a guitar that i want locally.

The # of existing guitars+ guitars manufactured daily will ultimately cross a threshold that is just unsustainable.

I am on a roll... I have purchased a new guitar every month this year so far (except July).🎸

I've been watching the used guitar market on Facebook Marketplace and used guitars/amps aren't moving. Even I'm not buying guitars like I used to.

JIgsaw puzzles boomed during covid as well but that market cooled too. One of the oldest lessons in business is busts almost always follow booms and that is true in collector markets as well...oh well, darn the bad luck...

I think you correctly addressed the new guitar market. I'm always watching The used guitars. This is a great time to get a used PRS. This is a great time to step up and get an awesome Eastman. It's actually a pretty good time to get used if that is what you want. I see near-mint condition of all of these guitars going for half price sometimes less. I saw a PRS core McCarty with case mint condition asking $1,200 on my local FB marketplace. That's originally a $4,000 guitar and yes it's in mint condition

The balance of any business is to price your product where you get the most profit, but low enough to get enough people to buy it. I have a collection of guitars of all types I could possibly want and am pretty satisfied with my collection. Looking at the prices now (Les Paul’s that used to be £1800 five years ago now being £2700 for example), I feel like things are more than I am willing to pay for again. Inflation is an issue, but if the product doesn’t sell it doesn’t matter either way.

What do you say about used market, I have been notice that on marketplace the guitars are getting more expensive

This has been pretty much my exact view for a while. A lot of buyer entitlement. A lot of seller delusion Buyers would rather not part with their money, and sellers would rather not sell. I’ve been on both sides recently and the interactions with some people is just mind boggling. I think people still want things but it’s more difficult to part with their money nowadays, a lot of people need the validation that they’ve got more than just a little deal to justify the spend when life costs are high atm as well. Hard to justify a $2k purchase when you’ve gotta eat, but if that guitar is reduced to $1k from $2k it gets the brain working. On the other side, a lot of sellers think they’ve got something super rare and priceless, and treat the sale like their easy opportunity to cash in. It gets to a point where it’s completely absurd, for example, I’ve been looking for used kids guitars recently, 60-70% have a list price equal to or more than new, new guitars that are in stock, not backorder, collectable, rare, or unique, just stock standard in stock guitars. It’s a crazy world.

Yeah a lot of the "deals" across all markets is a face-saving move of dropping prices w/o really dropping them. I see it across several luxury areas and not just guitars.

Yup this is why I have switched from actual fender to squier. Upgrade a little bit so a little bit of set up and bam got myself a great “fender”. Granted I have had my fair share of custom shop strats in the past. Still have one but forget even used in today’s market.

Fender has been ripping consumers off for a LONG time. Charging hugely inflated prices, just because they hit the guitar body with some chains, and chipped off some paint. Gibson while generally higher than Fender, saw that, and now they are asking $5k for SG's.....that is really no different than any other SG. So, they made their bed, and they can lay in it. I have made my last 10 guitars, for less money, and way more tailored to what I want.

i would like to switch up some things with my holdings, but that would mean i have to sell low and buy high. people listing on reverb are smoking some wacky stuff. and its not just guitars, i bought a used drum shell kit in 2016 for $2k and most new and existing listings are $3k (not getting sold) so there is a huge gap if you want to move something now and jump into something different.

Lower guitar prices will start when the big manufacturers lower their dealer fees.

I had to sell some gear and it was a little rough, always got way less than I wanted - but then again, I bought used too, so I profited from that whole thing and it came out quite balanced in the end I think.

What is the blue semi hollow surfcaster over his right shoulder?

I was very happy with my Guild Surfliner HH at $269 on Reverb. Though it was a great guitar at that price point.

Good video. I’ve noticed Fender made some BIG upgrades to the Player series (Player II’s) and the pricing is finally decent. Backstock players are like $679? So thats cool. I returned TWO for crappy fretwork over the last 2 yrs. LOVE my Classic Vibe tele though. Might get a Warmoth neck with Jumbo’s though. Fender , Gibson and PRS never seem to have models with Jumbo frets wth?

If the manufacturers are shortening their timeline because orders have come down do you think the quality control at these places will go up?

@fettuccinealraver

17 күн бұрын

Maybe, depends on the factory. If they have less work to do they’ll likely lay people off to reflect the demand.

I am a "Main Axe" kinda guy. I get very comfortable with a guitar and hardly touch another one. I play worship music at my church. My guitar, "Amber" is a Schecter Blood Burst C-1 S-1 Elite. Beautiful guitar with a Floyd Rose 1500, Fishman Fluence bridge pickup and a Sustainiac neck pickup. The Push-Pull tone knob adds even more tone options. The single coil pickup that comes with the Sustainiac is a great sounding pickup.

I was looking at the Wolfgang guitars a couple years ago for about $600. Now they are $1000

@Lfunk1983

16 күн бұрын

Keep an eye on Reverb - I got the Tahitian sunset model for $450 last year.

Sales have slowed, but are they CONTINUING to slow? Are we on a slope or was there just a discontinuity in prices?

Bought a like new gibson lp trad V transparent ebony for 1800, retail is 3200.. Bought brand new, one of the Andertons FSR charcoal frost metallic player plus stratocaster, roasted neck, American pickups for 830 bucks on a fender 30% off + fender play 10% discount. Retail is 1350ish

Consumers suck. They want gloss finish, high quality, flame tops, and all at import prices. Gibson has a great deal on the Les Paul modern lite but it’s not as flashy as import guitars of lower quality. No one wants plain and simple, they want something that resembles something expensive for less than a week’s wage.

People that have money have more money than ever, while people in the middle are forced down to the cheaper guitars and people at the bottom have pretty much zero disposable income in this economy. Mo debinitely a buyer's market. Just picked up a beautiful PRS SE NF3 by watching a dozen or so. Got two 10% off offers, one of which was from a legitimate music store in my state with which I'm familiar so I jumped on that. Hadn't even watched one from them, which means they're paying Reverb extra for push notifications. Also, Guitar Center's big sale was offering MIM Strats for $599. If I hadn't decided to pick up the PRS I'd definitely have jumped at that as my only real Strat is a MIM Noventa with P90 pickups. I can wait longer though - the deals will last longer than my money. Still want to pick up a CMG double cut this fall (man, I wish he'd do an SG style) as Chris makes beautiful, great playing instruments and so far he's held the price at $899 throughout COVID.

I think the smart play for some makers would be to add some "enhancements" but keep the price the same, so folks can rationalize spending the same amount on a new model when the market softens. Upgrading pickups or pots, electronics, paint options etc cost a manufacturer very little relatively but that way they can say the '24 model is better than the '23 so it's still a good deal at the same price.

I have a Martin (midrange) for bluegrass and a G&L (very cheap) for country. I currently play through a Fender Rumble with a Boss IR2. I have no need to buy much else, other than a few pedals. I see cheaper brands doing more with less too.

Ibanez prestige guitars are way too high as well. I bought a brand new one for 2500 that had two hairline cracks by the neck joint. Maybe shipping or the heat have done it, but returned it. I see them used for under 1500 now.

It's crazy what used prices are. I have been looking for a used Gibson Standard. Locally, One guy is asking list and another is $300 under list. I know Gibson's hold their value, but that seem ridiculous. Not in a hurry, got way more guitars than I need anyway

I have seen a 18 month old Masterbuilt Strat which was bought for £11,000, sell for £6,500 last week. The shop must have paid £5,700 or maybe less for it. That is not a deal, it’s exposure of reality!

I bought a firefly guitar and upgraded it and it's pretty good I just can't see paying as much for a guitar that I did for my car.

Wonder what prices going to be for this years Black Friday….🤔

I gig with a HB i got for 130$ swapped the pickups and bone nut for tusq. Total 275$ stainless steel frets it feels and plays perfect. Soon picking up a used acoustic for under 600

Totally agree that guitar prices are insane right now. I just bought a Schecter C-1 Platinum Blackout through Musican's Friend because it was on sale for $499.00. Which is what it is worth in my book. Not worth the $749.00 regular retail price. It's backordered because they sold out. So hoping to get it in October!

Love your channel(s), been watching for years. You should put a sign near your camera facing you that says "Take a Breath". :)

Lately, I see a lot of greed in regards to the big brands. The prices have gone up and the quality has either gone down or there's nothing tangible to justify why the prices have risen so much. This has paved the way for a lot of smaller companies making instruments at more reasonable pricing. For new players, they need reliable and affordable instruments. For more experienced players, they need the same thing but would be willing to pay more in certain areas for premium features that directly benefit them without ripping them off.

I own an LTD Alexi-600 and in the last 3 years I've seen the prices skyrocket since Allu's passing and the fact that these guitars are going to stop being produced eventually.

This is why I’ve always bought low end Squiers, mostly second hand. I will not pay big name prices when I can have nearly identical sound and setup for a fraction of the price. These guys use to have a bigger cut of the pie, but now with the market being super competitive, and Asian factories churning out awesome guitars for 1/10 of the price or cheaper…..why tf would anyone want to pay more for a logo or headstock design 😂 Been playing for since the 90’s. I got over the hype years ago. Most of us are at home players and really no one gives a shit what guitar you play or how you sound.

Just spent over $1,600 on a new Charvel Super Stock Silver Bengal with a single humbuker. At least it comes with a deluxe gig bag... Everything is just way too expensive now...

I have the long and McQuade catalogue from 2018. Godin session. Is 579 cdn. Same guitar 6 years is 1149...that's much higher than inflation.

@TheLockdownKidNYC

10 күн бұрын

Fender FSR Candy Apple Red HSS - $499 when it came out in 2014/2015. Used around $300-350. New in 2024: $729.99. Used for $550-600. Same mid guitar it always was.

PRS SE standard 24 was $499 brand new 5 years ago. People selling them used for that today

@thorinbane

13 күн бұрын

Not here. People are still asking more than retail for se from 4 years ago. They are asking 15 percent less than current prices. Often better prices at retailers reselling the same thing.

Times have changed!! Very few kids where I am play music and very few play guitar. Garage bands have become far and few between. If kids are not involved it stands no chance!

I'm seeing alot of discontinued models out there with a number of companies producing little more than their best sellers. Looks like people aren't buying.

I quit looking for a new guitar when the ones that used to cost 1000 usd bumped up to 1700-2000 usd for no good reason.

I hope people heard more often to smaller builders who don’t change an added premium for the name. Economics have changed and the availability of the premium brands to younger generations is decreasing because of lower SES in that group relative to boomers.