At what Guitar price point do you begin to shake your head?

[BrunoBlack]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I view head shaking, much like hand wringing (an exercise in futility ).
And leave it to cult trance state, gyrating .

I know what I deem appropriate for me to spend or not,,, but have no interest in attempting to judge, determine, assess , or analyze for others what is appropriate, viable, reasonable etc. ---or not .... Life is too short.

………………

[619TF]

Originally Posted by KevWind

I view head shaking, much like hand wringing (an exercise in futility ).
And leave it to cult trance state, gyrating .

I know what I deem appropriate for me to spend or not,,, but have no interest in attempting to judge, determine, assess , or analyze for others what is appropriate, viable, reasonable etc. ---or not .... Life is too short.

That was exactly what the OP asked for though. What YOU deem appropriate for yourself and at what price point above that makes your head shake. No assessment of others required.

[GoPappy]

I had to swallow hard when I bought a Martin CEO-7 and again when I bought a Taylor 522e because I was accustomed to sub-$1,000 guitars. But in retrospect, both of them are worth every penny I spent on them. They bring me immense pleasure and, if cared for, will last for my lifetime and my kids' and grandkids' lifetimes.

I shake my head at what some people spend on cars, phones, houses, watches, etc. I've worked hard and lived below my means for my entire life. Now in my golden years if I want to splurge a little on a guitar, I think I've earned the right.

In reality, I think a careful buyer could buy guitars on the buy/sell forum here on AGF and never lose money on any of them (again, assuming they are properly cared for).

[Oldguy64]

I paid $1300 for a running car. Of course that was in the late eighties.
A few years ago I paid $4000 for a nice, running truck.
I can’t get near there for a guitar.

My limit is probably around $1500.

This is also influenced by the fact we were po’ when I picked up the guitar.
It was a while before we could afford the other O and R.
So, I’ve played good, but inexpensive guitars from the start.
Show me a $3000 Gibson, I’ll show you a $300 Alvarez that is very close in tone, feel, and the “growl”.
Show me a $5,000 Martin, I’ll pull out a <$1000 Takamine that will hang with it on stage all day.

I’m not “Pro enough” or Doctor/lawyer enough to put down the entry fee for a true “High End” guitar.
That fact has me smiling that Gibson is introducing the Generation line of guitars.
I may have to save up my pennies for a G200.

[89bruin]

My limit is driven by my appraisal of my ability (or lack thereof) and I see no point in breaching the $2500 mark. As far as head-shaking prices, there are a lot of them but people spend money on all manner of strange things. If it makes you happy who am I to criticize?

[DebbieE]

The most I've paid is $4000 for a Martin OM-18 authentic, so I guess that was my limit. I did pay a little more for a really nice mandolin. But I feel as though my instrument buying days are over. I really have settled down with a few guitars and mandolins that really work very well for me. That feels good given the fact that for the past 23 years I've been chasing some kind of tone and feel in an instrument that I think (hopefully) I've finally found.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

To answer the OP's question: "Do I have a number?" (last sentence in his original post), which I believe refers to where I "begin to shake my head" (the title of this thread), my answer is: No. There is no number at which point I begin to shake my head.

To answer the first part of his post: “why would anyone spend that much money on a guitar”?...the reason I have no number at which I shake my head is because the answer to this part is easy for me: 1) because they can, and 2) because they want to.

Now through the course of discussion, the thread has kind of morphed into "what's my upper limit"? I'd say at my current earning level, I have a hard limit of 20K, but I'll rarely if ever approach that. A more realistic ceiling that a great guitar has a chance of coming home with me is 10K-12K, but it better be a tone monster, super easy for me to play, and also have some aesthetic touches that make it truly one of a kind.

Yes I know all guitars are one of a kind, no two will sound identical, but you know what I mean. Something like awesome figuring of back tonewoods, maybe a great looking heartwood stripe, or a unique inlay on the fretboard, headstock or body. And no, "more abalone" doesn't make it better in my eyes, I'm more interested in a beautiful inlay that may take up an entire fretboard, or it may just be simple and on the headstock or rosette. I'll know it when I see it.

[FrankCousins]

IMHO it should be never about a price (driven by COGS and supply and demand) but should always be about value. Our perception of value is inevitably heavily influenced by affordability. If we can only spend £10,000 on a car, we struggle to see how spending the same on a guitar is justifiable. Same goes for our relative talent/ability; If we play professionally and these are working tools we need for our living, its much easier to justify highest quality and price.

If we are home or the odd gig players, much more tricky

However, the best instrument's value is in much more than those 'justifaction' - the best instruments inspire you to play more, to get better and make better music which you could argue is priceless... they are also heirlooms that can be treasured by the next generations.

I also see many posts where folks say they wont spend more than $1500, yet they list in the signature many $1500 instruments... when added together is often in Excess of $10,000. So it is also about choices. Own lots or go for 1 or 2 that are the best you can afford. No right or wrong, but we can after all only play one at any one time...

[brad4d8]

Although I have two guitars that cost more, right now $3000 would be my limit for an all cash acquisition, above that would be with a trade in and depends on how much I get. I do have my eye on a '38 Epiphone Broadway, but at 4 grand I'd have to sell at least one of my current guitars.

[Dru Edwards]

Originally Posted by J Patrick

….I don’t shake my head at guitar prices…I buy what I can afford and leave it at that…if I felt like I could afford to spend more I would….and I would never question what amount someone else spends on a guitar….it’s no concern of mine…

Great response, Patrick. Same here.


I'll put $3000 as my acoustic and electric guitar limit although I have spent more before.

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by Slothead56

…as in “why would anyone spend that much money on a guitar”?

No disrespect meant to builders, buyers or owners but I sometimes look at guitars in the Classifieds and just SMDH.

I really believe that the value of anything is what people are willing to pay for it but anything over roughly $4,500 just gets me to wondering…

Do you have number?

I usually have a number that i don’t plan to exceed when I look at guitars to buy. Interestingly, it keeps changing (almost always going up). Some of the change is due to the fact that inflation erodes purchasing power, and what i would spend for most things 10 year ago might well cost about 20% more today merely because of inflation (though, to be sure, inflation affects different items in differing ways).

But I don’t have a number that makes me think, “why would anyone spend that much?” I just tend to assume that they have the funds, and that in their subjective values system, it seems like a good way to spend some of the money they have.

When I read that someone has spent 6 figures on a guitar that some rock star used to own, I do shake my head about that…but not because I wonder why someone would do that. I just can’t relate to that desire very well.

[Zissou Intern]

I have owned a few guitars over $5K, but in the end I had a hard time rationalizing guitars at that price point considering I have kids in college, and I am a hack picker. So my readjusted ceiling is roughly $3K. I currently have two guitars just under that price point.

If I win the lottery all that changes... '36 D18, '38 J35, Banner J45, etc, etc, etc.

[asilker]

I'm playing a Bourgeois these days. I've become a believer. I play in front of people every week by myself. Some instruments really are worth the money I think.

To get very specific, the numbers around Brazilian rosewood is what makes me wiggle. I like Brazilian. It just seems like such a wild price delta from EIR. Local shop once had a custom shop D40somethin from the 90's with Brazilian and an EIR D28 authentic right next to each other. Strong preference for the authentic.

I'd like to get ahold of a Collings D1A or maybe a SCGC H13 sometime.

[Goat Mick]

I can't judge what someone else should pay for a guitar (or house or car or anything). I know where I'm comfortable and generally don't go above that point. Until a few weeks ago when I succumbed to the LG2 bug.

[ssstewart]

I love searching for the deal fixer upper..so 2k tops currently. historically for me its not that far off $2600.00. my last 4 buys were deals
denver 12 string $225.00 + tax + set up shaving etc( to hold me over till norman loses its belly) pics on cheap git post
YCL1 classical $400.00
1960s spanish guitar $10 ( older gentlemen going into care home and wanted someone to have it that would appreciate it)
1929 stewart professional archtop got about $1500-$2000 total into it atm and about 8 months work. awesome investment in my gas.

now if i won the lotto...2 gits... would be 190k for the 59 les paul at 12th fret and id give George $150k for his signed loar