What was the best deal that you ever got on a guitar?

[dave42]

1944 Gibson J-45 out of the back of a guy's van for $500 in 2016. Of course I put resources into it, but best money I've ever spent on a guitar.

[drive-south]

Early 60's ES330 for $100. Guitar was in great shape and had a Bigsby. I could easily get $100 for the Bigsby now and the ES330 is pretty hot right now.

[Scott of the Sa]

My definition of a good deal is when the buyer and seller are satisfied with the price. That being said in 1986 I went on a quest to buy a new Martin guitar. I went to many music stores in the seattle area and played quite a few Martins. I tended to like what I was hearing from the D-18's but I wanted a D-35 like my friend had. I went to a small shop in the U district and found "THE" guitar. I was a HD-28. I put my name on it and had the store hold it for a week. I sold my Ovation, a small PA System and added the rest from money I had. The reason it is a good deal, is because I got what I wanted and I STILL have it. I think it was $1,500.00 or 1,550.00 + tax in 1987, right after my daughter was born.

[troutmiester]

When I was learning to play, a good friend of the family sold me a 1960double cut Les Paul TV special and a Gibson Explorer tube amp, both of which were in new condition for $100.00. That of course was a l-o-n-g time ago….

[joeld]

I bought my Santa Cruz 000 with Brazilian B/S and German Top and 42 style inlay for $4K. A fantastic deal both in light of the current price of such an instrument, but more importantly how much I love that guitar.

[gerhardp]

Yairi CE-1 for about 100US, case included.

Way back in the 80's, when i was living in Berlin, Germany.
I had called a number on a posted sticker on a tree in front of my house.
30 minutes later some drug addict shows up at my door and asked for 220 D-Mark (app. 100US at that time) for the brand new guitar. I never asked him where he had it from.

It is still my favorite guitar today.

[PinkLine]

The blowout of Chinese made Bedells a few years back, ranging between $299 and $699. I bought 5 of them, still have 4. I've since sold my Lowden and Huss & Dalton (and bought and returned a Martin custom shop 000). I'm not saying the Bedells are better, but I enjoy playing them more.

[egordon99]

Back in 2016, I went to Sam Ash to buy either a D-28 or HD-28. I decided on the HD and was all prepared to haggle to get the price down a bit from the $3000 on the sticker.

The sales guy (whom I already had a nice relationship with) does some typing on the computer and before I even had a chance to negotiate, said "since we've had this guitar here for awhile, we can sell it to you for $1800".

I never whipped out my Amex that quickly. It ended up being a 2013 (from the serial number) but it was still new with warranty/etc.

Unfortunately my next two Martins (from the same Sam Ash) I pretty much just paid the sticker price (hey, I like to support my local guitar shop).

[TwinandTwang]

Originally Posted by Pdubs76

I was at one of my local music shops recently when I got to talking guitars with one of the young employee’s there. He was telling me about how he finds great deals on some nice guitars, and showed me his D-42 that he had in the store. He was able to score this guitar for something like $200 or $300. I was shocked! I guess if you’re tenacious and persistent, you can dig up some really nice guitars on the cheap. So how about you guys? Have you ever stumbled upon a really nice guitar that ended up costing you far less than what it was worth? Or maybe you’re like this young fella and are good at sniffing out great deals regularly. Either way, I’d love to hear about it.

It’s possible it was a fake. There are known Chinese copies of D-42s that sell for way less than an genuine Martin,

[AlreadyStrechin]

Originally Posted by Jimi2

I’ve mentioned this here before, but in 2019 I fell in love with a Martin Omc-28e at Manchester Music Mill. The price was reasonable at $2500, but I just couldn’t afford it. I went back to the store on Black Friday six months later, and they had decided they really wanted it gone at that point. It was on clearance for $1300. I snapped it up and it is still my favorite guitar.

Ohhhhhhh the joy!!!!!

[Tube Sound]

'68 Kay Country II - $60

[boombox]

A 1978 Fylde Oberon with an Eko bouzouki thrown in with it for £150 about 15 years ago. Someone was emigrating and desperate to move it on. A few scars from cigarette burns, but beautiful tone. Neck needed a reset, but at the time I knew next to nothing about acoustics and how relatively cheap a reset would be. I stupidly decided to move it on and having done some research declared all the faults and got £750 for it and £80 for the bouzouki. Best deal I ever got, but one I regret now, even though after ebay fees, I made £650 on the deal. However, it did part finance my first Collings, so not all bad.

[Laynej37]

I feel like I’ve gotten some pretty great deals at least in my opinion. I just purchased a brand new Eastman ac308ce-ltd sunburst model today for $699 after tax and shipping which I think is pretty good. Not as crazy as some of the deals mentioned in this thread but I’m happy with it haha!

[Paoli]

The best deal I ever got was on my William Rees Aberdeen meadows Harp.The seller paid almost 7000 euro for that and sold it to me for 500...He perfectly knew what he was doing,probably the best 36 strings celtic harp that money can buy

[negriljerry]

Originally Posted by Pdubs76

I was at one of my local music shops recently when I got to talking guitars with one of the young employee’s there. He was telling me about how he finds great deals on some nice guitars, and showed me his D-42 that he had in the store. He was able to score this guitar for something like $200 or $300. I was shocked! I guess if you’re tenacious and persistent, you can dig up some really nice guitars on the cheap. So how about you guys? Have you ever stumbled upon a really nice guitar that ended up costing you far less than what it was worth? Or maybe you’re like this young fella and are good at sniffing out great deals regularly. Either way, I’d love to hear about it.

55 years ago I bought an original Danelectro Longhorn (6, not bass) at a pawn shop for $25. Painted the top up all psychedelic with dayglo. Sold it to a friend's GF for his b'day for...$25. Decades later after he died his wife sent it to me. I had it restored and later sold it like a complete idiot, it looked immaculate and playing up on those 31 frets freaked out the guys.
(Back in late 60's) I could win bar bets - I'd slur "My guitar has 31 frets" and bet a pitcher of
draft on it. Then share it with the loser of course.

I bought my 1964 Gibson ES-355 and my '71 Martin D-28 from the music store I worked at. $300 each, with case. Sold the Martin just a year or two later because I really wasn't an acoustic picker back then, and traded the Gibby for a real dog of a Gibson jazzbox which I never used.

Same era, had a Tele (maple neck) which wasn't my style, when a guy traded in his '61 Strat (on a Tele, it was during a Tele craze) I bought it off the store for $125. Still have it, will have it until this ol' heart gives out.

Since I moved out of metro Atlanta and up here in the hills I've made a few good scores - I have an excellent Martin D-16GT, $600. Bought a Blueridge BR-160CE for $650 - perfect stage guitar with full control Fishman electronics. Sold it last year when I bought my Gibson J-45AG, been kicking myself since...a neighboring music store has one, $1250.

My 2nd guitar was a Harmony 2-pickup solid body. Floating bridge, really cheap but good sounding foil type pickups. 15 years later I guy walked into a bar and offered me the same guitar for a beer - deal!

Still hunting for more guitars, I love 'em all...