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2018 Gibson prices


Tim35

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Wh-, wh-, wut?! Is that about a $500 increase from last year?

 

The guitar referenced in the original post is a never before offered sunburst version of the J-15. Last time I checked MAP for the natural top J-15 was around $1499 so really this is a $300 dollar increase for an added sunburst. This seems in line with what Ive seen from other US makers for the addition of the sunburst. MAP for other models seems to have gone up $100. Not ideal but not outrageous.

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Prices in the U.K. for the 2018 guitars are insane. Plenty of 2017 models around at reasonable prices but a 2018 SJ200 is between £3700 and £3999 online.

 

I love my SJ200 and would never want to part with it, but it's not a £4000 instrument, Gibson are absolutely taking the p*ss with the UK prices. It smacks of desperation to be honest. I don't know any working musician who could afford to drop £3999 on a guitar, I paid £1700 for my first SJ200 in 2003 and didn't baulk at paying £2500 for my current one last year (albeit discounted as it was a 2015 and due to Gibson's retailer-aggressive distribution policy the dealer had something like 5 SJ200s in stock), but to be asking close to £4000 is just unreasonable.

 

All Gibson will achieve with this swingeing price hike is to drive buyers towards the secondhand market and pile more financial strife upon themselves.

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I know they're in trouble with the money at the moment, but has no-one suggested a volume over price kind of strategy for their sales.

The fact that 2018's come out and people go and buy 2017's and 2016's proves they're still selling them, so why not try something new - you seem to do that with the designs, after all!

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Price increases seem a bit much, but the used market also seems a bit inflated as well. Seems like everyone is asking close to new prices for their used gear nowadays. Happy I picked up a '10 J45 True Vintage (for around $1900) last year and traded '76 Precision Bass for my '12 Advanced Jumbo. Neither of those are going anywhere. I bought a new Martin 000-15M a couple years ago and it actually needed a neck reset only 2 years after buying it brand new, and being the original owner, but Martin refused to fix it properly and instead authorized the bridge to be shaved down. Apparently this is such an issue with newer Martins that they changed their warranty because they were getting so many back for the same issue. Based on that experience I sold the guitar once I got it back from the shop and also sold my HD-28 because it left a very bad taste in my mouth. No want, need or desire for any other acoustics at the moment given the current state of the market. Just happy I have the two Gibsons and a Waterloo that I enjoy a great deal.

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The guitar referenced in the original post is a never before offered sunburst version of the J-15. Last time I checked MAP for the natural top J-15 was around $1499 so really this is a $300 dollar increase for an added sunburst. This seems in line with what Ive seen from other US makers for the addition of the sunburst. MAP for other models seems to have gone up $100. Not ideal but not outrageous.

 

 

The J-15 was previously made with a sunburst finish, although it was a bit rare and they did only make a few, but they did exist before the 2018 model.

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I just checked thomann.de for euro prices. I use them as sort of a benchmark for european pricing. A Hummingbird Vintage 2017 model is EUR 2900, while the new Hummingbird Standard 2018 is EUR 3300.

That is INSANE money for the new guitars. I can't see who is going to pay these prices for a new guitar.

 

With constantly increasing prices, and an aging customer base, the future for Gibson as a guitar maker looks shakey...

 

Lars

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The J-15 was previously made with a sunburst finish, although it was a bit rare and they did only make a few, but they did exist before the 2018 model.

 

Yes indeed, I have one. Who knows how many are actually out there. I wonder if a pre-2018 sunburst J-15 will be a collector's item in the future.

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I just checked thomann.de for euro prices. I use them as sort of a benchmark for european pricing. A Hummingbird Vintage 2017 model is EUR 2900, while the new Hummingbird Standard 2018 is EUR 3300.

That is INSANE money for the new guitars. I can't see who is going to pay these prices for a new guitar.

 

With constantly increasing prices, and an aging customer base, the future for Gibson as a guitar maker looks shakey...

 

Lars

 

 

new Hummingbird Standard 2018 is EUR 3300.

 

Gibson Hummingbird HCS now 2550 euros.I bought my Hummingbird Standard HCS from thomman in 2014..2380.00 EUR

 

Really Insane!

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Well, you've got the price increases, and then you've got the waste of time, money, and effort know as the HP Series. I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but I haven't played one yet that pushed any seriously positive buttons.

 

The HP Series seems like a rather bland attempt to have a Taylor-like product in the mid-price range. I think the majority of people interested in Gibsons want the guitar to scream Gibson, rather than whimper Giblor.

 

Kinda reminds me of that short-lived series of guitars made in Canada after Gibson acquired Garrison.

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As a motorcyclist I see comparisons in the motorcycle industry. It's all pseudoscience so value it accordingly. Since the housing market crashed credit has been harder to get. This has very nearly closed the door to entry-level riders. It's a trickle. The market reacted. Now there are very low priced people movers with small motors. They are built cheaply, to run cheaply, just like in Europe and Southeast Asia. They're priced to lure in riders with the promise of cheap transportation with a little pizzazz. They hope to sell them in bulk. But in the high end market the bikes have hit and passed the $20,000 threshold! It was unthinkable for almost 100 years but BMW has several premium motorcycles now that easily exceed $20k and they have had solid sales growth for years. That's the money Gibson wants. The older money. They need to because that's where the money is left, or went to. Someone who won't be bothered as much with the increase because the price is not significant enough to them. That has to Gibson's new target market. They have to shift and follow the money.

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Well, you've got the price increases, and then you've got the waste of time, money, and effort know as the HP Series. I'm sure there are some good ones out there, but I haven't played one yet that pushed any seriously positive buttons.

 

The HP Series seems like a rather bland attempt to have a Taylor-like product in the mid-price range. I think the majority of people interested in Gibsons want the guitar to scream Gibson, rather than whimper Giblor.

 

Kinda reminds me of that short-lived series of guitars made in Canada after Gibson acquired Garrison.

 

 

I have to disagree... As you know I am a Gibson purist but I played a few of these guitars at NAMM in January and really loved the sound.

 

I think this series is a great add on to the line.

I guess each set of ears is different but to me after strumming a few chords I heared classic gibson tone.

 

 

 

JC

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I have to disagree... As you know I am a Gibson purist but I played a few of these guitars at NAMM in January and really loved the sound.

Again, I'm sure there are some good ones out there (and maybe cherry picked for NAMM?), but the ones I've played have sounded fairly thin. Add to that the non-Gibsonish appointments & richlite F&B on many models, and it adds up to some rather pedestrian stuff, IMHO of course.

 

Perhaps I'll be dead wrong, and this new lineup will take off in popularity. That would certainly be a good thing for Gibson.

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Again, I'm sure there are some good ones out there (and maybe cherry picked for NAMM?), but the ones I've played have sounded fairly thin. Add to that the non-Gibsonish appointments & richlite F&B on many models, and it adds up to some rather pedestrian stuff, IMHO of course.

 

Perhaps I'll be dead wrong, and this new lineup will take off in popularity. That would certainly be a good thing for Gibson.

 

You said It was a waste of timeand money .

I actually asked Don how and why they came up with this series... His response was that after doing some research about the consumer they were able to find out that many people wanted a guitar with the features you see on the HP series.

 

Not trying to be critical here ... Just passing on the info that I have been given.

 

 

 

JC

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Sounds like you guys have it pretty good, eh? $2849 CDN is $2330 USD at current exchange rate. Guitar Center lists the 2018 J-45 standard at $2749 USD. The 2016 is more comparable though, $2899 CDN would be $2371 USD and Guitar Center lists the 2016 J-45 standard at $2399 USD. Either way, it looks like we could save some money by purchasing our guitars in Canada, and I have noticed this to be the case for several years now. :)

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Sounds like you guys have it pretty good, eh? $2849 CDN is $2330 USD at current exchange rate. Guitar Center lists the 2018 J-45 standard at $2749 USD. The 2016 is more comparable though, $2899 CDN would be $2371 USD and Guitar Center lists the 2016 J-45 standard at $2399 USD. Either way, it looks like we could save some money by purchasing our guitars in Canada, and I have noticed this to be the case for several years now. :)

Thanks, eh. We welcome U.S. dollars up here on the barren tundra. Keep it comin'.

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