Huss & Dalton

[JerryM]

Just curious as I have never owned one but wonder why they are such a slow mover on the market? I have been looking at small guitars for some time and whenever a H&D comes up it's been on the market for ions! They are not cheap and look like good guitars but just seem to stay on the market forever. Been tempted by a few, specs sounded good but figure if I buy one ,I will if I decide to sell it, be in a terrible position to resell.

[Dryfly]

You just answered your own questions.

[RP]

I don't know the answer to your question except that they are a small boutique builder that is not that popular for some reason. They make outstanding guitars, and they are located in Staunton about a 20-minute drive from me. Perhaps they would move more quickly if some big name performers used them and flashed them on stage. I also think they have a pretty limited dealer network even in Virginia where they're made. I had a Huss & Dalton period with a TOM-R and a CM non-cutaway. When I decided to sell them, the TOM-R sold pretty quickly, but the CM took quite a while to sell despite being an outstanding guitar...

[Kerbie]

I didn't experience this problem. I've owned two... both terrific guitars. I ended up selling one because I needed a narrower nut, but it wasn't a disappointment at all. And I had no trouble selling it. The one I still own was a custom for me and it'll never go anywhere.

[jpd]

Originally Posted by JerryM

Just curious as I have never owned one but wonder why they are such a slow mover on the market? I have been looking at small guitars for some time and whenever a H&D comes up it's been on the market for ions! They are not cheap and look like good guitars but just seem to stay on the market forever. Been tempted by a few, specs sounded good but figure if I buy one ,I will if I decide to sell it, be in a terrible position to resell.

IMO, very few can find an outlet that stocks the brand. Beautifully built and voiced ...just not easy to find in bricks and mortar shops...unless you live by RP

[gr81dorn]

I think they make some incredible instruments. I think their more unique-to-them models aren't everyone's cup of tea, which could be why the move slower. Their dreads and OMs are competing against a LOT of great stuff in similar price points, some (Collings, SCGC and Bourgeois) seem to carry a little greater acclaim with most folks.

I have heard from more than one shop who has decided to discontinue selling that they had some QC issues that were consistent and they didn't want to carry something that a customer could have trouble with.

I have had a few and they were all exceptional quality, so my personal experience is that they are fantastic and no concerns whatsoever about the quality. The one custom-order I had them do was as nice as anything I've ever had. I probably shoulda kept it but my pickiness on neck profiles got the best of me and they weren't very flexible in their offering in that regard, but most of their competitors aren't either because whether they have their own CNC or they farm out their neck carving, these companies don't wanna have to make a one-off neck for everyone...I get it and if they did, it would have priced it out of range anyway. Oh well.

[Matts67]

1) they're a smaller boutique brand that most people don't know about, so that greatly reduces the customer market

and

2) they're a smaller boutique brand that people pay a lot of money for, and therefore when they sell them used, they think they should price them high, and they end up sitting on them for months.

They're outstanding guitars and when they're priced right, they don't last long. People don't realize that most guitars will sell for 50-60% of what they cost new, and they don't want to accept that with a boutique guitar that they paid $6-7k for.

[dhockenbury]

H&D builds superb instruments. They are a small boutique builder that produces around 250 guitars each year and with 25 years in business there are roughly 5,000 in circulation. Not many at all.

They compete in a very competitive segment against builders like Goodall, Preston Thompson, Collings, Santa Cruz, Bourgeois to name a few. For me they produce outstanding instruments at very competitive prices within their peer group.

At any given time there seem to be around 40 or so on the market, both new and used. Like others here I think that many of the used H&D's are overpriced thus leading to some longer listing times. Folks don't seem to get that very few guitars command a premium as the market is saturated with units.

They have a smallish dealer network but all are great dealers. With only 250 units produced per year, they can only support a small number of dealers.

[Rosewood99]

I don't think they are any harder to sell than similar branded guitars. All guitars on the classifieds seem to be lingering longer than usual. Covid might be a reason.

[Br1ck]

Say you are a casual player with a little money, maybe a dentist or something. You want something nice. Now say you take 100 of these folks. Close to all of them have heard of Martin, Collings,Taylor and Gibson. You've seen some of your favorites playing them. Maybe 25% have heard of Huss and Daulton, and have never played one. Are you going to take a chance, or are you going to buy a Martin Authentic.

[Rosewood99]

So there have been nine listed since June and four have sold. One is a 20 year-old guitar so not sure I would count that.


And 20 Taylors listed in July and only two sold.

[j3ffr0]

I've played close to 10 of them and never played a bad one. I love both of mine. I think Huss and Dalton offer exceptional value both new and used compared to their boutique peers as well and the big 3 brands.

I do agree that quite a few of the used ask prices are way too high -- not much different than a discounted new price. Not an issue for me -- I won't be selling either of mine.... Although sometimes I have talk myself out of buying a third one (which is why I check the used offerings on occasion).

[boombox]

In the UK, they are pretty much unknown, which is good news for me as when the right used one comes along - a slope in my case - I'll be all over it to accompany my maple CM Custom 12. I will likely pay a lot less than a comparable Martin or Gibson or one of the smaller shops like Collings or Santa Cruz, which is where the level of H&D workmanship is.

[Scotso]

Ya no one plays em . unless you look at Molly and Sully Tuttle. As well as others. Love em. Looking for an OM.

[gr81dorn]

Originally Posted by Scotso

Ya no one plays em . unless you look at Molly and Sully Tuttle. As well as others. Love em. Looking for an OM.

Albert Lee ain’t no slouch, either.