Article on Guitar Sales

[ADK]

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ameri...140256910.html

I don't really keep up on these things, but I thought maybe some of you would find this interesting.

[AllanAnd]

Very interesting this is!

[B. Adams]

Well, if the 3 nice Taylors I've purchased in the last year is any indication, I'd say that article is accurate.

Next year might be rough for them though, I'm starting to run out of things I need. I can't single-handedly support the entire American guitar industry forever.

Interesting article though. It kinda casts doubt on that whole "the guitar is dead" thing I've been hearing for a while. Gibson has been shooting themselves in the foot for years, but everyone else seems to be keeping up.

[Bob Womack]

No need to rush out and buy a guitar before they are all gone, young squire.



Bob

[Rev Roy]

Hmmmm...looks like acoustic sales have been pretty flat (at best) for the past ten years or so while acoustic retail values (prices) have risen sharply.

[cotten]

Originally Posted by B. Adams

...I can't single-handedly support the entire American guitar industry forever. ...

I know we still have half a month to go, but I nominate this for Post of the Month!

cotten

[devellis]

Looks to me like there's been a steady increase, except for a bubble between 2003 and 2009. Wonder what caused that?

[Bob Womack]

Originally Posted by devellis

Wonder what caused that?

That was a big period of growth for Internet forums.


Bob

[ataylor]

Originally Posted by devellis

Looks to me like there's been a steady increase, except for a bubble between 2003 and 2009. Wonder what caused that?

I would guess that would largely be due to the resurgence of guitar-driven alternative music in pop culture, including increased exposure to indie rock. Other related factors like the birth of the iPod, Guitar Hero, YouTube, etc would also contribute greatly to that surge.

[Shoreline Music]

I remember reading in the past year that acoustic guitar sales had officially outpaced electric sales. But these numbers show that electric sales, both in unit volume and total revenue, far outpace acoustic, and have for some time.

To my way of thinking, the steep upward climb from 1997 to 2004 also matches the timeline during which internet commerce came to full maturity. In 1997, very few guitar retailers—or, really, any retailers—had decent websites. But by 2004, nearly everyone was in the game to some degree or another, and the guitar manufacturers had almost all lifted their online selling bans by then. In other words, the internet has been a boon to the guitar business, as it has to most businesses.

[BrunoBlack]

Originally Posted by Rev Roy

Hmmmm...looks like acoustic sales have been pretty flat (at best) for the past ten years or so while acoustic retail values (prices) have risen sharply.

If you look closely at the 2 graphs it looks like there are 3 times more acoustic guitars sold in 2017 compared to 1997 (1.5 million vs 0.5 million). And the retail value has increased less than 3 times (~2.5 times)the value during the same 20 year period ($0.3 billion vs $0.75 billion.) The scale of the graph is a little deceiving. If you look at the last 10 years, it looks like the number of acoustic guitars has increased from about 1 million units to about 1.5 million (hard to tell, but certainly from 2009). The value looks like it increased from $0.5 billion to $0.75 billion during the same decade.

[tadol]

The graph seems to line up with general economic conditions. I wonder how the classifications are defined - is an acoustic with active pickup system considered an acoustic or electric, or is it at the discretion of the builder? And I have to assume this has no input from the many solo luthiers and possibly small shops, either acoustic or electric, and only represents factory numbers -

[Ed66]

Originally Posted by Shoreline Music

I remember reading in the past year that acoustic guitar sales had officially outpaced electric sales. But these numbers show that electric sales, both in unit volume and total revenue, far outpace acoustic, and have for some time.

I think the graph is supposed to represent 100% sales of both units and dollars so the fact that the electric #'s are "above" acoustic is just the sequence of the two and does not imply that electric sales are more than acoustics. You would just have to look at the relative split on the graph to determine which had more unit or dollar sales.

This view would be consistent with what I've heard re: acoustic sales outpacing electric.

[personatech]

Originally Posted by Ed66

I think the graph is supposed to represent 100% sales of both units and dollars so the fact that the electric #'s are "above" acoustic is just the sequence of the two and does not imply that electric sales are more than acoustics. You would just have to look at the relative split on the graph to determine which had more unit or dollar sales.

This view would be consistent with what I've heard re: acoustic sales outpacing electric.

Agreed. That is how the chart should be interpreted IMHO.