Guitars are a bargain!

[whvick]

Forgive me if I have posted this before but I don’t see it here.
In the last 50 years I have spent $4500 on 7 guitars for me and probably another $1500 on junk and inexpensive guitars for my kids and other kids. Let’s throw in another $1000 for strings and inflation so we are at $7000 for 50 years of fun. About $140 per year. Wow, what a bargain!
Probably should add more for inflation, but would still be less than $200 per year. ( a $300 guitar 50 years ago is $1644 in 2021)
And we won’t throw in the resale value of my guitars, because I will pass them on to the grandkids. I hope more than One gets serious about them.
I know these numbers are small compared to many of you, but the yearly cost is probably not too bad.

[RalphH]

I agree. And gets even better when you put resale value in.

I always suggest people look at the cost of ownership with guitars when pondering if they can justify a sticker price. Brands like Gibson hold their value so well (at least in the UK) that the cost of ownership is close to nothing.

[DukeX]

I agree. I keep my guitars and amortize the cost over 10-20 years.

Example: Webber OM. Paid $1,500 in 1998. Over 20 years = $75 per year.

I pay more than $75 for Cable/Satellite TV per month.

[Mbroady]

I would totally agree with you if......it were not for the year of covid. I spent more on gear/guitars this years then I spent in the last 30 years. But if I live another 30 years then it will work out to be a bargain

[donlyn]

Guitars are a bargain!

They sure are. Have had over 50 years of joy from them. And that includes some I've only listened to.

Don
.

[Lillis]

Yes. Compared to my old 25 yr passion of motorcycling it really is a bargain. When i shake my head at myself for buying another guitar i just have to remember all of them together don’t add up to a nice bike. Not to mention all the gear,maintenance,insurance etc. It’s also nice having a hobby i can participate in at a moments notice. A bit safer too.

[Dryfly]

and almost all hobbies require a financial investment. When I think of the others I've been invested in, mountain biking, skiing, flyfishing my musical instrument of choice is a bargain indeed. Plus, none of the tools of my other hobbies got better with age. I love the acoustic guitar!

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by whvick

About $140 per year. Wow, what a bargain!
Probably should add more for inflation, but would still be less than $200 per year.

Gotcha beat. I purchased a brand-new Guild D-25 in 1973 for $240, and it was my exclusive guitar until I purchased my first Martin in 2009. Gigged it hundreds of times, and in the end traded it straight across for a Washburn Rover, which new cost the same amount as the D-25 had.

Not counting what I got in trade at the end, the D-25 cost comes to about $6.66 per year, not counting strings. (Over the course of its lifespan I invested more in strings for that guitar than I did in the guitar itself. Maybe $50 per year, which would come to $1,800.)

[gibpicker]

Originally Posted by Lillis

Yes. Compared to my old 25 yr passion of motorcycling it really is a bargain. When i shake my head at myself for buying another guitar i just have to remember all of them together don’t add up to a nice bike. Not to mention all the gear,maintenance,insurance etc. It’s also nice having a hobby i can participate in at a moments notice. A bit safer too.

Especially when you're talking HD. I only had 2, a Sportster, then much later a FXRS low rider for 9 years that I sank a bunch in, but broke even on both. The other Japanese bikes (a bunch) I lost on every one. Lots of fun though!

[Gee Man]

Even compared to other instruments. Have you seen the prices of professional quality orchestral stringed instruments? Or a harp? We have it good.

[jschmitz54]

Do we include any amount for lessons, forum fees, insurance and travel to guitar stores, gigs, lessons etc?
In the three years since I’ve started playing I’ve got over $6000 in guitars, $3000 or more in lessons, $500 in some very modest studio equipment plus picks, strings and other stuff I’m not including.
Still, compared to a boat, RV or UTV it’s much less expensive and it brings me peace.

[29er]

Absolutely. My other passion is mountain biking. A high end mountain bike these days is at least 5k and bikes costing 10k or more are common. And they wear out and/or break fairly quickly if you ride them as intended. Resale value is horrible for even top shelf stuff. Guitars are bargains and I wonder why I don't buy more.

[woodbox]

Yes, we have a good thing going.

My good buddy has had three hobbies-
Snow skiing, Snow mobiles, Scuba diving-
and has spent more on any ONE of those than I’ve spent on guitars.

To clarify, that’s taking into account travel expenses.. lodging, food, fuel and maintenance.. when he’s off adventuring.

Sure, I’ve bought capos, straps, microphones, stands, strings.
But then we must consider the money I’ve recouped when guitars were sold to offset expenditures.
Net cost?
Not that much.

Overall, I’ve spent WAY LESS money on guitars than he on his toys.
Not even close.

(as an aside, I sure miss my motorcycles)

[cmac]

My Lowden O25 has cost around £230 per year if I include strings.

That's about 0.005% of the average UK annual salary.

Life is too short not to have a nice guitar.

[s2y]

I've said it before and I'll say it again. We're all just renting.