2 annoying experiences in one day

[T268]

Hi all. I hope you’re well. Just a bit of a rant.

I went to my local shop who has a pretty good selection of acoustics. They had a Recording King from 2011 that really spoke to me. However, new in 2011 it was $289. They were asking $395 for it. I sent them a link to a review mentioning the street price and said with all due respect I think the pricing was off. It was in good shape, but definitely not new. They said the best they’d do on the price was $295 with tax included(which works out to $277 before tax). It’s really irritating because I really liked the guitar, and while $295 isn’t that much money for a guitar that you really like, I just can’t reconcile basically paying new guitar money for a used piece. The plight of the cheapskate I suppose.

Also, I bought a used Tele at GC. I spoke with the guy on the floor(the GC wasn’t local to me). The guy was, as countless AGFers have said, condescending, and aside from talking to his manager about price, really unhelpful. I ended up buying it anyway because the price was good and the color was cool. Plus, if I don’t like it, I should be able to flip it without much, if any, money lost. Anyway, just another example of GC being GC.

Ok, rant over.

[Howard Emerson]

Originally Posted by T268

Hi all. I hope you’re well. Just a bit of a rant.

I went to my local shop who has a pretty good selection of acoustics. They had a Recording King from 2011 that really spoke to me. However, new in 2011 it was $289. They were asking $395 for it. I sent them a link to a review mentioning the street price and said with all due respect I think the pricing was off. It was in good shape, but definitely not new. They said the best they’d do on the price was $295 with tax included(which works out to $277 before tax). It’s really irritating because I really liked the guitar, and while $295 isn’t that much money for a guitar that you really like, I just can’t reconcile basically paying new guitar money for a used piece. The plight of the cheapskate I suppose.

Also, I bought a used Tele at GC. I spoke with the guy on the floor(the GC wasn’t local to me). The guy was, as countless AGFers have said, condescending, and aside from talking to his manager about price, really unhelpful. I ended up buying it anyway because the price was good and the color was cool. Plus, if I don’t like it, I should be able to flip it without much, if any, money lost. Anyway, just another example of GC being GC.

Ok, rant over.

If you owned a house and it burned down in a fire, and the insurance company said you only paid 100K for it 10 years, so that's what we're going to pay you now, despite the current rebuilding cost being 200K, would you be mad?

What something cost originally has nothing to do with anything. Replacement cost is the point.

If the shop owner turned around and used AGF logic on you by saying "Hey, it's already broken in and it speaks to you, and you don't have to worry about 'first scratches', etc!", what would you say then?

Small shops have a right to make a reasonable profit so that they can stay in business.

Regards,
Howard Emerson

[rmp]

I don't like dealing with Guitar Center. It is the last place on the list of places I'll do business with.

re: the Recording King, not sure I agree with that pricing strategy either. If that guitar was yours, and YOU were looking to trade it, they would offer you dirt for it. You were right to walk.

[fitness1]

I wish my days were that bad.

[RP]

Originally Posted by T268

...I went to my local shop who has a pretty good selection of acoustics. They had a Recording King from 2011 that really spoke to me. However, new in 2011 it was $289. They were asking $395 for it. I sent them a link to a review mentioning the street price and said with all due respect I think the pricing was off. It was in good shape, but definitely not new. They said the best they’d do on the price was $295 with tax included(which works out to $277 before tax). It’s really irritating because I really liked the guitar, and while $295 isn’t that much money for a guitar that you really like, I just can’t reconcile basically paying new guitar money for a used piece. The plight of the cheapskate I suppose...Ok, rant over.

Carrying your logic to to the extreme, try buying this 1945 Martin D-45 listed at $32,000 at Gryphon Strings https://shop.gryphonstrings.com/prod...itar-d28-51370 for the $100 or so that it cost when new....

[warfrat73]

At what point, then, is it ok for a guitar to sell for more than it originally cost?

Markets change, demand changes, the economy is very different today than it was in 2011.

Pre-war Martins did not start out costing four, or five, or even six figures. Not that that Recording King is a classic model or anything, but guitars often appreciate over time, it happens, and shops will charge what the market will bear. And, they were willing to knock off $100, more than 25%, just because you asked... sounds like they were being pretty flexible.

[davidbeinct]

Originally Posted by RP

Carrying your logic to to the extreme, try buying this 1945 Martin D-45 listed at $32,000 at Gryphon Strings https://shop.gryphonstrings.com/prod...itar-d28-51370 for the $100 or so that it cost when new....

That’s silly. Guitars, like cars, depreciate for quite some time when used before appreciation starts. Your example is like telling someone they should be willing to pay more than list for a gently used 2011 Toyota Camry because a 1945 Buick Roadmaster recently sold for $70,000.

[RalphH]

Have a look on eBay at the used prices and see if it's more or less in line. If there's loads of them at $150 you were right to walk out. If they're all $250-$350 then time to walk back in

[RP]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

That’s silly. Guitars, like cars, depreciate for quite some time when used before appreciation starts...

Great because I was shooting for silliness. I was commenting on the OP's logic that old things should not appreciate as the cost of similar items appreciate in cost. A number of years ago Musicians Friend carried Silver Creek guitars that some of us were able to snag for as little as 100 bucks with a nice hardshell case. I saw one advertised recently in the AGF Classified section for quite a bit more. Worth and value are a function of what someone is willing to pay, not necessarily what they cost when new...

[warfrat73]

Originally Posted by davidbeinct

Your example is like telling someone they should be willing to pay more than list for a gently used 2011 Toyota Camry because a 1945 Buick Roadmaster recently sold for $70,000.

Your example's silly, because guitars don't inherently lose use value through wear and obsolescence.

[M19]

Originally Posted by RalphH

Have a look on eBay at the used prices and see if it's more or less in line. If there's loads of them at $150 you were right to walk out. If they're all $250-$350 then time to walk back in

Best logic so far^^^.

[T268]

Originally Posted by fitness1

I wish my days were that bad.

Fair point. In truth, I do indeed have much bigger fish to fry in life. However, just needed to rant to other guitar nerds.

[fitness1]

Originally Posted by T268

Fair point. In truth, I do indeed have much bigger fish to fry in life. However, just needed to rant to other guitar nerds.

Didn't mean for it to sound snarky - just perspective. I'm going through some of the darkest days of my adult life right now.

[T268]

Originally Posted by fitness1

I wish my days were that bad.

Originally Posted by M19

Best logic so far^^^.

The only one I’ve seen on eBay or reverb sold for $230. If they offered that price, I’d pay it.

[T268]

Originally Posted by fitness1

Didn't mean for it to sound snarky - just perspective. I'm going through some of the darkest days of my adult life right now.

Didn’t take it as snark. This is a good place to be in dark times. Music and a lot of prayer got me through my son’s passing 5 years ago. Just have a good outlet. Hoping or calmer waters for you on the horizon.