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#91
05-20-2023, 11:12 AM
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NO!!! DD!!! Access Stage 3 Gig Bag for YOU!!! And you'll LIKE it {;-) Well...it'd be about right for your Greven maybe eh... duff Be A Player...Not A Polisher 
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#92
05-21-2023, 07:32 AM
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I own a 2019 TJ OM-45 & a vintage 1930 OM-28. They’re both great guitars. To my ears nothing new approaches a great prewar Martin, but in the same breath no vintage Martin I’ve owned sounds like a great new guitar. I guess it depends on what you like and the day of the week. TJ builds some incredible instruments and the other 2 that I’ve owned from him over the years were no exception. I’ve owned guitars from some of the big name builders (Walker, Somogyi, Olson, etc) and for me builders like TJ, Slobod and Traugott have a tone and feel that I find captivating. The only thing better for me (or should I simply say alluring & different) are prewar Martins.
__________________
We can share the woman, we can share the wine... _____________________ Suggestions 1:1 Slackers 1:51-52 FSM
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#93
05-21-2023, 08:18 AM
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This thread has got me realizing, once again, how lucky I am in my guitar journey. I'm almost 66. If I want to buy a $6,000 guitar, I can do it. My wife and I are retired, have decent pensions, kids are out and on their own; we own our home. I have lots of really nice guitars. I'm blessed, and I hope I never take my blessings for granted. Conversely, I teach guitar to a few students, one of whom has been working lots of extra hours just so he can upgrade his guitar to a bit better instrument. We're looking at a Yamaha or an Alvarez in the $600 range. For him, this is a huge investment. He's such a cool guy and really keen. We have a lot of fun learning together. But for him, $600 is a lot of money. Let's just be honest and say it, he's never had the luck in life that I've had. Sure, I made the most of my luck, but life has taught me that "there before the grace of God go you or I." The older I get, the more life has taught me that the path of humility and kindness and gratitude is the right path for me to walk.
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#94
05-21-2023, 12:32 PM
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__________________
Multiple guitars including a 1979 Fender that needs a neck re-set
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#95
05-21-2023, 04:01 PM
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Hi, JMAT--Thanks for that. It's a funny thing. I had emergency open-heart surgery on March 29 and obviously still in the recovery phase. Yesterday was the first day I've felt well enough to have a student over for a lesson. The gentleman I mentioned in my previous post came and we just had a great time, just re-connected and visited and learned a few things. It was so good for me! Guitar has been such a big part of my life, brought so many wonderful people into my orbit. I'm blessed, for sure.
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#96
05-22-2023, 10:17 PM
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A few years ago a well known festival promoter and forum owner approached me and a number of other luthiers with a plan to create a rift in the guitar community, elevating a few of us to super star status and pricing as he had seen done with watches, among other things. I was unwilling to go along with his plan as I truly love and value the community I am a member of, and have little willingness to trade my position for more money, of which I do have enough to live comfortably. It appears that I was not the only one to be resistant as he has faded back, and I have seen little evidence of his further success . . . Except for the several guitar resellers who are indeed promoting a few builders beyond any reasonable value, as far as their work is concerned.
Greed is one of the major banes of human existence, and I do my best to recognize it and avoid supporting it wherever possible.
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#97
05-22-2023, 11:09 PM
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There are plenty of builders who charge well over $10k for their guitars.
Some of them have waitlists for the waitlists for the waitlists. Others, you can just call them up and get a guitar in a few months. Some of them, you can't find one of their used ones if you searched all year. Others, the internet is filled with people trying to sell them. Ultimately, the market decides, and (outside of a sucker here and there) you can't fool it.
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#98
05-23-2023, 08:34 AM
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__________________
My latest double CD: Massimo Santantonio Ensemble with Gevorg Dabaghyan, duduk "Rome to Yerevan, and back" (amazon.co.uk)
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#99
05-23-2023, 09:34 AM
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Some insane prices being asked for people who have barely built 10 guitars, let alone a reputation etc. Cheers, Steve
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#100
05-23-2023, 02:16 PM
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You guys might find this book interesting: The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
Last edited by Johnny_Boy; 05-23-2023 at 02:27 PM.
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#101
05-23-2023, 07:59 PM
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Perhaps it is true in other places (and I suspect it is), but here in Maine some items on a returaunt menu have stated prices, with an unstated "market" price for others (notably shellfish). Sometimes I feel that guitar prices are similarly affected depending on the brand. That the price you pay is influenced not simply by the "value" of the instrument as determined by the luthier (assuming it is a new guitar), but by "the market" for their pre-owned guitars. And markets can be "made" by those in postions of control, as Bruce reveals above. But even if other builders decline to actively participate in that influencing, those of us with money in our pocket can make the market by our elevation of some names above others. It has been reported widely that some luthiers (notably Jim Olson, apparently) end up boosting prices to avoid the situation where his new guitars have cost less than the contemporaneous "market price" for used ones. I am not complaining about this dynamic. It happens in nearly every market. That is what "market" means. But, the consequence is to put out of reach, for many enthusiasts who would play and love them, guitars which end up in glass cases and vaults - next to investment grade watches, fine art and precious metals. That, I am not so crazy about, and is a loss to the luthier and the world.
David
__________________
I took up the guitar at 62 as penance for a youth well-spent. Last edited by Deliberate1; 05-24-2023 at 06:22 AM.
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#102
05-24-2023, 11:46 AM
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Generally, the people buying $10k+ modern guitars aren't idiots. They generally expect the guitars to have endless amounts of tonal depth and clarity, and for the aesthetics to be perfect and stylishly innovative. They also expect the marketing to be commensurate with the price and qualities of the brand. What they don't want are home-made aesthetics with home-made marketing/websites. I don't have a problem with home-made, as long as the asking price correlates to what's being offered. Discount in, discount out.
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#103
05-24-2023, 03:02 PM
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__________________
"One small heart, and a great big soul that's driving"
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#104
05-24-2023, 03:36 PM
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Every luthier has their own fans, and it is difficult for the reader (yes, here in the forum) to have a clear idea of whose opinions are fully qualified or would be similar to their own. You certainly can't fully trust the resellers as they have money on the table. Theoretically, the shows are a great place to make comparisons, but in reality they are ridiculously noisy and put most people into overwhelm after just a few tables. It is a challenging market place! I mostly continue to count on word of mouth, and what marketing I do is to keep my name current and to make sure people can find me. And it doesn't hurt to smile. TJ has a great smile.
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#105
05-25-2023, 01:26 AM
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It is difficult to define buyers in this section of the market by a single set of characteristics; for some the image (including website!) is important, while for others it’s the guitar that does the selling.
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