Is $500-$1000 mid tier?

[russchapman]

Originally Posted by Rudy4

Average price of what's listed in the classifieds doesn't tell you whether they are all low, mid, or high tier listings.

You're so right. To rectify this oversight:
$1500 is the low
$4125 is the high
$2954 is mid

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by Shadowfox

I suppose for me anything under 1k would be beginner territory

So:

Beginner: $200-1k
Mid:1k-2k
Upper Mid: 2k-3k
High Tier: 3k+

I started with a Martin DX1 for like $500, then moved to a MMV for $1200, then sold that and got my current guitar for $3200, a Furch Gc Alpine/Cocobolo

For me this about right with a slight mod...3k to 6k high tier, 6k and above Ludacris ;-0

[russchapman]

Perhaps the numbers at Sweetwater will help.
939 guitars in stock, separated into price brackets. Do the fancy math with a mean, median and mode in a normal distribution, including standard deviation.

I'm sure someone here is a wiz at these things. Otherwise, it's just a bunch of opinions.

[wguitar]

The answer to the OP's question is very subjective and different for each individual. Also, there is not necessarily a direct correlation between a guitar's price and it's quality -- particularly when you reach that point of diminishing returns (IMHO that's around $3,000 give or take). All this being said, I believe that $1300-1500 could be considered entry level for higher end guitars (look at a new Larrivee for example) and a great guitar. $2,000 -3,000 will get you a superb Martin OO-28 or OOO-28 as another comparison point (these Larrivee and Martins are mass produced and widely available both new and used). Beyond that you're starting to get into some limited editions and even custom builds from the big companies, and then custom builds from individual guitar makers. What guitars feel and sound the best for any player is all over the map. Enjoy the search and continuous learning on AGF. Cheers!

[laughingskunk]

I would call it mid to high. Because in my reasoning you can buy a professional grade instrument. This is one that can last you for a lifetime, having a sound that will satisfy most. Think Seagulls, Simon and Patrick, some Eastman's, etc. You would never need to buy a better guitar, but might want to. Sure you may find a more expensive guitar that you prefer the sound of...

[russchapman]

Ok, doing some rough math, with the consideration that the mean occupies 68% of the total, while the low and high tails each occupy 16%:

The mid tier (638 guitars, or 68% of the total) would run from: $400-$3000.
The low tier (150 guitars) : $50-$400
The high tier (150 guitars): $3000+

Not perfect math because there are actually 190 guitars that are over $3000. In fact, 40% of the guitars at Sweetwater are $1500 and up.

Of course, if you wanted to do simple 1/3's (approximately 313 guitars in each bracket), then:

High is: $2000-$3000+
Low is: $50-$750
Mid is: $750-$2000

[zmf]

What I'm gleaning from this thread is that the "boutique" brands are going to be in the high tier if the lower cutoff is between $2-3K, except for a good deal on a used example, depending on where you set the cutoff.

That seems to mean that if you don't go beyond mid tier, you're buying from the large guitar companies. But with a good deal on a used "boutique", you can expand your available choices.

[TBman]

Upper tier is whatever you can't afford.....

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by dwasifar

You forgot one:

$96 = tiers

Careful, I'd say there is a question mark and mysterian involved in this somewhere.

Tony

[Bear Davis]

Originally Posted by russchapman

You're so right. To rectify this oversight:
$1500 is the low
$4125 is the high
$2954 is mid

That "feels" right to me. I've bought and sold a ton of guitars here.

When you start going over 4k a couple of things happen:

1. As a buyer you just opened the door to some guitars you rarely see at a big box store. (Bourgeois, Collings, Santa Cruz, Huss & Dalton, etc etc) Going up to 5-7k really opens the flood gates on used boutique instruments.

2. As a seller you shrank your buying audience. Every 500 dollars up from 4k you really start shrinking it. By the same token if a year goes by and no one bought your guitar then you overpriced it most likely.

[rwmct]

Originally Posted by jasbo49

Some of these tier structures would place a Martin D-28 in the midrange. To me that's absurd. This is the guitar that's been a yardstick for comparisons for decades. And it's just a fair to middling instrument?

The D-18 and D-28 are definitely Martin's "mid-tier" instruments. They have multiple Mahogany and Rosewood models that are more expensive than those. These are the "standard" guitars. Nothing fancy, all solid professional quality U.S. built guitars.

Nothing about any of that says they are merely fair to middling instruments. They are fair to middling on price (in comparison to higher end Martins).

[rwmct]

To me, mid tier is each companies basic, all solid, quality guitar. That results in in different price ranges depending upon where they are made. $1200 to $2,500 seems about right, IMO.

[J Patrick]

...is it possible to assign “tiers” to the individual guitar regardless of price or market value??...that’s the only way I can relate to them...money is weird...I’m just glad i’ve had enough of it to buy some guitars I really like...

[DenverSteve]

Originally Posted by Willrock

Fair enough, but for this price range, it would make D28 mid tier.. I always think of d28s on the higher level.

Your question can be answered two ways. One; price = price tier: Two; price= guitar-quality tier. Most people will never pay $3,000 or up for a guitar because they can't justify it. You are correct, you can get a GREAT D-28, D-18, 000-18... for under $3,000 so that can make it a price range for an upper-tier guitar. You can also do that at/below $1,000 and over $10,000. The key is finding a guitar that rocks your socks in the price point you want to/can/are willing to pay.

[stringjunky]

Originally Posted by rwmct

The D-18 and D-28 are definitely Martin's "mid-tier" instruments. They have multiple Mahogany and Rosewood models that are more expensive than those. These are the "standard" guitars. Nothing fancy, all solid professional quality U.S. built guitars.

Nothing about any of that says they are merely fair to middling instruments. They are fair to middling on price (in comparison to higher end Martins).

I think this is about right. The plain D18's, 28's and 35's are the workhorses.