Honest question about guitar prices

[Shaneh]

Now I own a number of nice acoustics and up to a point I see “value” in expensive acoustics. I am not a much of an electric payer but own a Strat elite which sounds good to me. However I was browsing a sponsor site and there some electric guitars by I guess boutique builders because I never heard of them for $16k and more. I really don’t understand with an electric what makes it worth that much. I vintage les Paul or something I can kind of understand but a new electric?

I thought the pickups are the thing that mostly impacts how they sound and little bit wood type so I don’t get why one electric would be worth $2k and one worth 16k. Besides ‘you can ask any price for something” is there really a significant difference? Like I said I am not a seasoned player so maybe there is a difference which is why I am asking

[Sugar Bear]

Originally Posted by Shaneh

Now I own a number of nice acoustics and up to a point I see “value” in expensive acoustics. I am not a much of an electric payer but own a Strat elite which sounds good to me. However I was browsing a sponsor site and there some electric guitars by I guess boutique builders because I never heard of them for $16k and more. I really don’t understand with an electric what makes it worth that much. I vintage les Paul or something I can kind of understand but a new electric?

I thought the pickups are the thing that mostly impacts how they sound and little bit wood type so I don’t get why one electric would be worth $2k and one worth 16k. Besides ‘you can ask any price for something” is there really a significant difference? Like I said I am not a seasoned player so maybe there is a difference which is why I am asking

I'd be hard pressed to explain it. I know what the outlay is for materials to build one is. Once your shop is set up (which you can use for all sorts of purposes) it's not that much even if you use premium everything.

About the only reason is because people are willing to pay that much.

In 1936, a new Gibson J-35 cost $35. That's around $660 in today money. Go price a new J-35. Costs have certainly gone up over the years, but that much?

[Brent Hutto]

There will probably always be very expensive guitars and people wanting to buy them.

But right now is the best time in history if you're looking for a very inexpensive guitar (say under $400 or so) that's playable and sounds decent. Even a couple decades ago the options were dreadful for a newbie shopper looking to spend a couple hundred bucks on a beginner guitar. Now there are very reasonable quality instruments in that price bracket.

[EZYPIKINS]

If I ever won the lotto. I might pay that big money. But only then.

I have always wanted a Koa Flying V. I doubt I'd ever play it. Maybe some studio time. I just think they look cool.

I don't think I ever spent more than $2000 on an electric. That's about the top of the mark for me.

Acoustics are another story. I have played some Acoustics that are priced out of reach for me. And can see, hear, and feel the difference in tone and quality.

My advice is. If you can't afford them. Don't play them.

Still trying to figure a way to get that $6500 Collings.

[musicman1951]

I just read this: Top 3 Cheap Stratocaster Guitars & Strat Copies Under $400.

I promise you that someone is enjoying one of these and wondering what is wrong with you for being silly enough to pay 5 times as much for a guitar that "really isn't any better."

Sure, yours is better - but 5 times better? And there's the rub, the law of diminishing returns. The higher you go on the quality scale the smaller your return for the buck becomes.

At some point you have to decide if the amount of better justifies the extra dollars. It seems you've already decided. Good for you.

[srbell]

I've wondered the same thing. I understand why a nice acoustic guitar costs more to build, but I just don't get it with a solid body electric (hollow and semi-hollow body would be a different story). I can't see myself ever paying even half as much for a new solid body electric as I paid for my most expensive acoustic. I'd build it myself first.

[fitness1]

If I were an electric player, I can't ever see myself paying much more than 1000 bucks for a guitar.

Sure, you want good electronics "sources" (pickups/wiring) and great fit, finish and fretwork, but the rest is some serious diminishing returns.

Only exception may be a high quality arch top or jazz box.

[rollypolly]

Agreed. I don't understand the whole boutique electric builder thing, especially if it's just a telecaster copy and they're asking way more than anything from Fender. I'd personally rather have the real deal like a vintage tele and it'd probably cost less than the boutique guitar. But to each his own and I'm still glad that there is a market for something like that , it helps make the world go round.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

I am an electric player, though not as deep into it as I am acoustics, and I have a much lower price ceiling on electrics. In fact, it's generally what I can get a good non-custom, non-signature Les Paul for (right around 2K-2.5K). So much of my electric playing relies on pedals, effects and tube amp distortion that much of the nuance between a good off-the-shelf (and yeah, there's a bit of hunting to be done to get that) LP and one of the $10K Gibson Custom Historic Just Like Jimmy Page Played Les Pauls is largely lost on me. Not on others, apparently, as there is obviously a market for those, but to me once I plug an electric through my pedal board signal chain, the main differences are going to be solid vs hollow body and single coil vs. humbucker pickups.

But again, that's just me and my play style. It's real easy to find folks out there who can absolutely spell out for you why those five figure Gibsons/PRS/etc are worth it. I'm just not one of them.

[YeOldRocker]

Honestly, I can't understand why there are acoustics that cost way more than 5K, either. Other than this being an acoustic forum, I'm not sure why there's a double standard for electrics, most likely hand made with the same care as a fine boutique acoustic.

That many here, including some electric players, diminish the value of electrics because it's "just the electronics" is more on point than a discussion of the often astronomical cost of either instrument.

I play both electric guitar and acoustic; like acoustics, a high quality electric has myriad reasons why it can outperform a cheaper, factory made electric. Thousands of dollars different? Probably not, but then, again, I'm not sure why there are acoustics, hand made and custom ordered as they may be (as are pricey electrics), which cost upward of 10K or more. Because they can?

To me, there's a diminishing return on very expensive instruments, particularly now as many factory made and non-custom handmade guitars, acoustic and electric, are easily competitive in terms of tone, playability, finish, etc. So it really comes down to having the money in the first place, paying top dollar for nuanced differences that may or may not exist, and not having to worry (as much) about scratching a guitar that costs as much as a car.

[merlin666]

There's a huge difference in building an acoustic and an electric. The acoustic body takes many steps including glueing the braces and parts together, and assembling one takes at least several days. For an electric you need a bandsaw and a router and you can put a basic one together in a matter of hours.

[ssstewart]

personally with solid body electrics ( all electronic components aside including pots/wiring etc) the only factor i must have on mine are maple neck and fret board, which is also how eric clapton felt after he seen buddy guy use one on stage and he was blown away on how the maple neck and board facilitated slides/bends and overall playing (blackie)

i only own 2 pure electric guitars: a 2020 fender telecaster and and 80s frankenstrat but both have maple neck and boards and i think it makes a world of difference

[gfspencer]

Originally Posted by fitness1

If I were an electric player, I can't ever see myself paying much more than 1000 bucks for a guitar.

I listened to Bruce Springsteen talking about the beater electric that he has been playing for years. He would agree with you . . . and I do too.

[vanpatten]

Yea, I don't think I've ever paid over 1K for an electric. I just don't see the point I guess especially when you run it through a million pedals/compressors/eqs/whatnot.

I mainly play Epiphone Les Pauls, never made the leap to Gibson. I've swapped out pickups and whatnot, but Gibson has turned themselves into a lifestyle brand and less of a guitar manufacturer in my opinion. It's all about those instagram clicks now, Fender is getting there if they haven't already.

[619TF]

Originally Posted by Sugar Bear

I'd be hard pressed to explain it. I know what the outlay is for materials to build one is. Once your shop is set up (which you can use for all sorts of purposes) it's not that much even if you use premium everything.

About the only reason is because people are willing to pay that much.

In 1936, a new Gibson J-35 cost $35. That's around $660 in today money. Go price a new J-35. Costs have certainly gone up over the years, but that much?

Not so much manufacturing "costs" but prices in general.

How Much things cost in 1936

Average Cost of new house $3,925.00

Average wages per year $1,713.00

Cost of a gallon of Gas 10 cents

Average Cost for house rent $24.00 per month

A loaf of Bread 8 cents

A LB of Hamburger Meat 12 cents

Studebaker Car $665.00

Ladies Swimming Costume $6.95

Below are some Prices for UK guides in Pounds Sterling

Average House Price 550

http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1936.html