#1
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High end sales slowdown
In both high end acoustic guitars (as well as home audio), the usual busy churn of commerce seems to have slowed to a crawl. I noticed this several weeks back, and thought the holiday season would unleash demand. If anything, things seem to have gotten even slower, at the least to these eyes.
COVID anxiety? Economic worry? Seasonal mood disorder? I wonder if dealers are feeling this. Knowing several, my take is that they are. On the flip side, this is a great time to be a buyer of fine acoustics.
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Martin Custom Shop Super D (Sitka/Koa) Martin OM-42 (Sitka/EIR) Gibson 1936 Advanced Jumbo (Red Spruce/EIR) Breedlove Ed Gerhard Exotic (Brazilian/Red Spruce) Brad Goodman J-200 (Engelmann/Quilted Maple) Taylor 326CE 8-string Baritone 1960s Guild M-20 (Nick Drake guitar) Last edited by hamburg325; 12-07-2021 at 04:20 PM. |
#2
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Browsing this forum, there are a lot of beautiful high end guitars out there. Not simply fine instruments, but works of art.
But, like many high end things, the cost vs benefit curve starts flattening out at some point with diminishing returns. Personal finances have a role here and these certainly are uncertain times. |
#3
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I have sold three guitars recently, one of which can be considered high end, and have four more for sale locally. I can say that local sales have dropped significantly. About all I get lately is "is this guitar still available" with zero follow-up. |
#4
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I agree that sales, at least here on AGF, have just about stopped completely. However, I also see plenty of guitars with asking prices way high and/or completely out of line. AGF has never been the place to try and get top dollar for your guitars. Too many of us have very long memories and remember what stuff traded for pre-pandemic, and we're not about to pay up just because we must have it "right now" when many already have plenty of guitars. There's no pressing need to add another at this time.
Couple that with surging inflation at the supermarket and elsewhere, and I think many people are like, "you know what, I'll check back again in 6 months....maybe."
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Merrill | Martin | Collings | Gibson For Sale: 2023 Collings D2H 1 3/4 Nut, Adi Bracing, NTB -- $4100 shipped |
#5
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Though I am not in the market for another guitar, I do read these threads with interest/curiosity.
For me, the focus has changed from acquiring guitars to playing them. I don't mean that to sound snarky at all. Instead, my point in saying it is that my dollars now go to various lessons or courses that interest me, rather than new instruments. I don't know if that is a common thing or not, so maybe I am just speaking for one person. Tony |
#6
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Same here. I have all I want- more than I need. I'm also making what I have better- (set-ups, getting electronics installed). I've stopped watching all the _____ vs. ______ and Review of _______. on YouTube. I'm currently watching the Guthrie Govan Master Class on String Bending for my next lesson.
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#7
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Tony |
#8
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Another reason for the slowdown is of course the holiday season. Most people are much less likely to spend several thousand dollars on themselves when they are spending their money buying gifts for others. Then factor in the cold winter months in the north and the lack of desire to ship fine instruments in severe weather and you've got the perfect storm. And that's without even factoring in the recent FedEx package dumping fiasco! When that story broke my first thought was just that - imagine having a fine guitar in transit with FedEx and reading that! |
#9
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On Reverb, I typically watch around 50-60 guitars, and I've noticed that very few of them have sold over the past weeks and months. Fewer than I've ever seen, I'd say. Of course, new guitar prices have risen steeply. From mid-sized builders, fairly standard sitka/EIR guitars can push $8K. And anything remotely custom often pushes past the $10K level. No wonder Eastman appears to be booming.
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Martin Custom Shop Super D (Sitka/Koa) Martin OM-42 (Sitka/EIR) Gibson 1936 Advanced Jumbo (Red Spruce/EIR) Breedlove Ed Gerhard Exotic (Brazilian/Red Spruce) Brad Goodman J-200 (Engelmann/Quilted Maple) Taylor 326CE 8-string Baritone 1960s Guild M-20 (Nick Drake guitar) |
#10
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It also seems like there are a lot of resellers and "flippers" on AGF, as opposed to folks just "thinning the herd" or selling one to buy another -- which I think is causing at least some of the price inflation (at least that's my perception). Cheers! |
#11
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It depends on the guitar of course. I've watched a couple models of guitars in the $3K range sell in a day or two recently. One sold for more than its new street price, but they are near impossible to find. But, yeah, prices do seem high - just like in the housing market and many other things these days.
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#12
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I've noticed a number of expensive recently built and bought guitars now up for sale, some of them at clearly a loss. Did some folks get carried away ?
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Yamamoto Jumbo 27 - Bashkin Placencia FanFret Cedar/EIR - Leo Posch DS12 Adj/Hormigo - Ovation Legion shallow body - - Taylor 562 GC 12 String - C. Freeborn Alto- Froggy Bottom H12C Adj/EIR- Ryan Nightengale Engelmann/Af. Blackwood - Kostal MD |
#13
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My state currently has the highest number of active covid cases to date, the highest number of deaths per day to date, maxed out ICUs, and hospitals have begun refusing to schedule elective surgeries so that they have beds available for covid cases. And yet our governor insists everything's fine. No mask mandates, no lockdowns.
I'm convinced that they are trying to keep things as "business as usual" as possible because so many businesses rely on the holiday shopping season to break even for the year. So the state & local governments are waiting until January before they roll out Mask & Lockdown Part 2. But people aren't as stupid as all that, and I think that shows in reduced spending. That, and the inflation that has manifest in higher gas & food prices. It took three years for the Spanish Flu to run its course. I see no reason why it won't take us three years to be rid of covid. Great time to sit at home and play the blues. And we'll be in good company. Nero fiddled while Rome burned.
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Eastman AC422CE - sitka & rosewood '86 Guild D-25 - spruce & mahogany Taylor GS Mini - spruce & rosewood Eastman MD-514 Mandolin - spruce & maple Kentucky KM-250 Mandolin - spruce & maple |
#14
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Saturated market?
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#15
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Tony |