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-   -   Martin pricing? (https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=569120)

RP 01-13-2020 09:30 AM

I've never purchased a guitar from Jon @ My Favorite Guitars https://www.myfavoriteguitars.com, a longtime AGF Sponsor; but I wonder if he'll be sharpening his pencil even more given that he's announced that he's retiring from the business...

PapaBearJr 01-13-2020 09:31 AM

Thanks for the replies guys.

PapaBearJr 01-13-2020 09:38 AM

Speaking of Maury’s, since they were one of the dealers I was considering anyway, is there any benefit to ordering from them, being that they are so close to the factory? Do they get to “hand pick” their guitars or are they getting the same as all the other online dealers?

Mbroady 01-13-2020 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haasome (Post 6263796)
I find Martin’s pricing culture to be unduly complicated and undesirable. Most consumers are not interested in becoming skilled purchasing agents. They just want to know what the price of a guitar is. But, like buying cars, it’s survival of the fittest when it comes to buying a new Martin. The very slim minority of players who know there is room to negotiate and also have the will to negotiate on a new guitar have an opportunity to land a better deal than most people looking for a Martin guitar. Nothing wrong with that, just not what I like. Tell someone who received 25% off a new D28 that you bought one the same day for 40% off and see how they feel.

I understand the sentiment but it really is not that hard to do a little research. a simple Google search asking "how to get the best price on a Martin guitar" reveals some possible savings, including a link to a thread on this forum.

wheather it is a guitar, a car, or an appliance, or even a home it pays to become an educated consumer.

PAPADON 01-13-2020 09:47 AM

I never did get the supposed benefit of getting 40% off MSRP on an item that the manufacturer has inflated over its actual worth by 200%.:rolleyes:

JayBee1404 01-13-2020 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haasome (Post 6263891)
However, since I’m a geek that visits AGF I know a new OM 21 is only worth $2039 if I get a 40% discount with the secret handshake.

Repeat after me - “There. Is. No. Secret. Handshake”.

With the dealers we’re talking about, there is just one simple question - “What is your best online price?”. They will give you the fully discounted price straight off the bat. Honestly!

The downside of course is that you don’t get to play the guitar first. That might freak some buyers out but, if you choose your dealer wisely, they will do right by you.

BTW - many (though not all) of these dealers ship outside the US so, when the X-Rate is right, there are some great bargains to be had by ‘aliens’ like me! Gotta time it right though!

The usual disclaimers apply......IMHO, YMMV etc.

ChrisE 01-13-2020 10:11 AM

FYI--I bought my new D-18 from a mom and pop store a couple of years ago.

They beat even the "secret handshake" price. Actually, they discounted it so when they added sales tax the price was equal to the "best price" discussed here. And i didn't even have to ask. I played it for a while and he said, "Do you like it? Take it home! Here's what I can do..."

Either way--great price, got to play it before I bought it, and didn't have to wait for it to be shipped. He even threw in a new set of strings.

JayBee1404 01-13-2020 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisE (Post 6263957)
FYI--I bought my new D-18 from a mom and pop store a couple of years ago.

They beat even the "secret handshake" price. Actually, they discounted it so when they added sales tax the price was equal to the "best price" discussed here. And i didn't even have to ask. I played it for a while and he said, "Do you like? Take it home! Here's what I can do..."

Either way--great price, got to play it before I bought it, and didn't have to wait for it to be shipped.

Even better - win/win! :up:

cdkrugjr 01-13-2020 10:31 AM

See . . many of us are fundamentally introverts, and DESPISE dealing with commissioned salesmen . . .

You put your stuff online and tell me the honest price I'm buying from YOU, and not from ANYONE that I have to talk to.

Sweetwater has in my file "Never call him, 'cuz if you do, he'll ream you about how he's told you a BUNCH of times not to call him."

UncleJesse 01-13-2020 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisE (Post 6263957)
FYI--I bought my new D-18 from a mom and pop store a couple of years ago.

They beat even the "secret handshake" price. Actually, they discounted it so when they added sales tax the price was equal to the "best price" discussed here. And i didn't even have to ask. I played it for a while and he said, "Do you like it? Take it home! Here's what I can do..."

Either way--great price, got to play it before I bought it, and didn't have to wait for it to be shipped. He even threw in a new set of strings.

That's nice. Two local mom and pops basically told me MAP was the lowest price.

ChrisE 01-13-2020 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleJesse (Post 6263994)
That's nice. Two local mom and pops basically told me MAP was the lowest price.

My local mom and pop actually told me that the IRS would close them down if they offered discounts on Martins since prices were set by law.

Did I mention I never will buy anything from my local shop?

UncleJesse 01-13-2020 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisE (Post 6264008)
My local mom and pop actually told me that the IRS would close them down if they offered discounts on Martins since prices were set by law.

Did I mention I never will buy anything from my local shop?

They'll kick the door open to the business and Chris Martin will be there in Kevlar putting his shades on like David Caruso.

YEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!

brencat 01-13-2020 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haasome (Post 6263891)
I think you’re right. It impacts the value of the brand. For example: look at the big boxes that move many guitars. Martin has an MSRP of $3399 for an OM 21. Sweetwater and Guitar Center list the OM 21 on line at 20% off at $2699 (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...-om-21-natural) and (https://www.guitarcenter.com/Martin/...stic-Guitar.gc). However, since I’m a geek that visits AGF I know a new OM 21 is only worth $2039 if I get a 40% discount with the secret handshake. There are people trying to sell like-new used OM 21 guitars for more than that, probably because they bought a new OM 21 at GC at 20% off and thought they got a great deal. I’m not a marketing expert, but it just seems crazy to me.

I think it's harder to worry about 'value of the brand' like a boutique that sells 300 - 700 guitars a year, when Martin needs to move 100k guitars annually. Just my opinion, but because of their heavy investment in global brand name recognition, Martin will happily sacrifice a few dealers who can't make their minimums when they know new would be dealers are lined up doublestack around the block for a shot at selling the Martin brand.

A cold way of saying 'they don't care whether their dealers sell at MAP or at wholesale, as long as the product keeps moving.' And the 40% off MSRP thing has been status quo for decades now.

Neil K Walk 01-13-2020 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mbroady (Post 6263930)
I understand the sentiment but it really is not that hard to do a little research. a simple Google search asking "how to get the best price on a Martin guitar" reveals some possible savings, including a link to a thread on this forum.

wheather it is a guitar, a car, or an appliance, or even a home it pays to become an educated consumer.

Exactly. I consider a guitar to be a "big ticket purchase" so I expect that the manufacturer is going to want each of its dealers to be competitive.

Do music store salespeople get commissions though?

BrunoBlack 01-13-2020 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brencat (Post 6264128)
I think it's harder to worry about 'value of the brand' like a boutique that sells 300 - 700 guitars a year, when Martin needs to move 100k guitars annually. Just my opinion, but because of their heavy investment in global brand name recognition, Martin will happily sacrifice a few dealers who can't make their minimums when they know new would be dealers are lined up doublestack around the block for a shot at selling the Martin brand.

A cold way of saying 'they don't care whether their dealers sell at MAP or at wholesale, as long as the product keeps moving.' And the 40% off MSRP thing has been status quo for decades now.

I agree completely Brendan. You did a great job of summarizing the culture. But my comments about impact on the brand are from the (mine at least) consumer’s perspective. As a consumer, I automatically suspect a guitar is worth less when companies play this phony pricing game. For over 30 years I bought a new car (alternating with my wife) every year because of the crazy miles my wife and I put on our cars. I learned fast how much room there was on the MSRP, the dealer cost, my buying price and trade-in value. All I’m saying is, as a consumer I don’t like the game. Brands that play that game become commodities (like cars) and I get that. I’m a realist and live comfortably knowing this is how it works.


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