Just ONE new Martin in store that usually has a dozen or more

[woodbox]

Yesterday, I stopped in the local independent music store, a family owned business that’s been around over 50 years,
and was surprised to see only one new Martin in the store.

This is unprecedented in the 40 years I’ve been a customer.

There were two more used Martins (highly priced consignments) for a total of three Martins in a store that would typically have 12 to 20.

The owner asked me if I had anything I wanted to consign, because the supply and demand ratio was certainly in favor of sellers,
thus the high prices on the two mentioned above.

Also, the drum department.. usually taking up about a thousand square feet.. had been relocated to a 300 square foot side room.
Instead of 20-25 drumsets, there were maybe 8-10, and only two were new, the rest consignments, perhaps from out of work players?

Interestingly there were lots of electric guitars to choose from.
I just wanted to share my observations.
It was sad.
Any similar reports from your town?

[llew]

I haven't been in any "local' shops but the online retailers (not MF/GC/Sam Ash or the like) I have bought from in the past certainly have a much lower inventory. I think it just going to take a while for product to catch up. As you said...it's sad. But it's what we've got for now? Hopefully things will turn around before too long...

[TDavis]

I can totally relate. I have two local shops that usually have at least one of every Martin in their catalog...during this pandemic, they are down to only a few Mexican made models, and tell me they will be waiting several months to get any of the orders they have with Martin for inventory. Funny thing...they have a ton of Taylor guitars (both stores), and quite a few Gibsons as well.

I would gladly pay a little more to do business with a local dealer...but my next guitar will probably be bought from an online source. Sad to see...

[UncleJesse]

Good thing the used market is so busy.

[Br1ck]

You'll find that almost every Martin dealer has a woeful selection of new and used inventory. I check craigslist weekly or so, and that used D 28 I thought was outrageously overpriced the week before is nowhere to be seen. I hear Gibson electrics are in very short supply. The AG classifields have more WTB adds than ever, and a late model D 18, D 28, or J 45? They disappear.

[beatcomber]

I had cash in hand, ready to buy a new OM-28. My local dealer has one in stock but wouldn't budge on the list price ($3099), so I called MF. They offered me a 15% discount ($2634), but said they wouldn't have any in stock until at least June (which, based on some rumors going around, sounds optimistic).

I found a really gorgeous, barely used late-2020 model being offered on another forum's classifieds. The asking price was very close to the MF brand new price, so I was resigned to just waiting a year or so for the market to normalize. I continued having some back and forth with the seller and was eventually able to work out a deal that felt good to me, so I ended up buying it.

Ordinarily I wouldn't have paid that much for a used guitar, but it is in like-new condition, has an especially attractive rosewood grain pattern on back, and Martin apparently neglected to add the yucky aging toner on this guitar for some reason.

I saved a few hundred dollars off the MF price (if I factor in the 6.5% MA sales tax) and the only thing I really gave up is the factory warranty, which is not as valuable as it once was.

[tbirdman]

I had zero issues finding a HD28 to buy. Sweetwater had the best pricing at around 17% off. All others dealers after first quoting map, sa8d they would match. Sweetwater had at least 4 to sell.

[Humbuster]

My local dealer told me The factory is sold out for the remainder of 2021.

If you have a particular model you are looking for, ask if your dealer already has one on order. If not, you are SOL until 2022.

Simple economics: supply vs demand. This is why you are seeing many if not all dealers selling at MAP pricing and not offering additional discounts.

[otis66]

My local guitar shop only has one Martin guitar too. Only two Gibsons acoustics.
They just got a shipment of 50 brand new Taylor’s. Played my first Pacifica 517.
Salesman informed me that they have been waiting 6 months for a shipment of Gibson’s but have no idea when the Martin shipment will be in.
The entire shop was empty.
One Ibanez bass
3 Fenders
One Gibson Les Paul
Two PRS
Waiting for shipments to come in. Looks like a 2020 or 2021 guitar will be rare.
Sales were up in 2020 but they are running out of guitars to sell

[beatcomber]

Originally Posted by Humbuster

My local dealer told me The factory is sold out for the remainder of 2021.

That is exactly what the rumors I've heard have said.

The next time I stop by The Music Emporium for strings, I'll ask them if that matches what they've been told by Martin too.

[JDJ89]

Originally Posted by beatcomber

That is exactly what the rumors I've heard have said.

The next time I stop by The Music Emporium for strings, I'll ask them if that matches what they've been told by Martin too.

I was told this same thing. I was in the market for an 000-28. Closest shop to me had 3 new martins, just not what I was looking for. MF and Sweetwater both didn't have one and said it would be mid-summer more than likely before they did.

Then I called some forum sponsors who I have bought from before just to check in with them. One was expecting one sometime soon, another actually had one but neither would budge off of MAP, both did say they could maybe match a lower price, if I found one to let them know. One even told me that he was told by Martin "no discounts this year"? Not sure I buy that but, ok.

Luckily I was able to find one used that is in mint condition and saved a few hundred off what MF or Sweetwater would have sold one for if they had it. So it worked out in the end for me.

I do find it funny though that certain dealers could still offer a discount if they choose and then other dealers are apparently told by Martin not to. Like I said, not quite sure I believe that.

[DCCougar]

So... I've seen numerous articles about people buying guitars like hotcakes, as if people are bored to death during the stay-at-home pandemic and decide to take up guitar (or buy another one) just for something to do. But I've not really heard that guitar production has been significantly reduced, although it would make sense that plants are just not pumping out guitars like previous years.

So is it an increase of buyers or a decrease of stock available, or both?

[TDavis]

I just pulled the trigger on a brand new 000-18 after being totally without a guitar at all for several months...and not having cash-in-hand to buy even if I found what I wanted, which I never could locally.

I finally caved and preordered the new Martin yesterday, since I was told that it would be in my hands in a couple of weeks. It came from an online source I'd bought from in the past...I got a small (15%) discount + free shipping, so I thought it was fair considering the current shortage. And, because they were only getting two, and wouldn't see more until after the first of the coming new year, I secured one of them quickly.

[rmp]

the owner of the store in town where I am tells me they have had guitars on back order from Fender, Gretsch, and Epiphone since last October.

The supply chain is a disaster.

[jpd]

"Any similar reports from your town?" woodbox

The amount of guitar and music sales at my local shop has set records for the owners. As many are reporting, stock is thinning out...especially Martins. But never fear, Martin is advertising for second shift workers as Martin ramps up production...