Riffster Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 That’s not what “sour grapes” means or implies here. A person may be able to play a like EVH, that Special is still absurdly overpriced. I didn’t say anything about playing ability. Lord knows I’m no great shakes myself. "Sour grapes" came up on post #29. Overpriced is a relative term. Even by geography a guitar price is different for the buyer, for instance $3,000-$4,000 means something different in rural Kansas than it does in NYC. I am not defending the price of the thing, ain't buyin it, I am not their target market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarGeordie Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 1513189059[/url]' post='1899927']It's interesting to note that there is always a stated assumption that if someone can afford a $15k guitar, that they don't/can't actually play it. Sour grapes? Or as the Argentines say, "Mal Vinas". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Why do ya think these great acts do 'residency' in Vegas? They know where the viddles are!! But you my friend are not far from Napa Rose, in the big California Hotel over at Disneyland. One of the best in the country, full of wine from your state, full of food from your state, just one of the best. Love Love Love that restaurant. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayinLA Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 But you my friend are not far from Napa Rose, in the big California Hotel over at Disneyland. One of the best in the country, full of wine from your state, full of food from your state, just one of the best. Love Love Love that restaurant. rct Been to Disneyland twice as an adult. Never tried it. I'll make a new-year resolution to make a reservation. Us LA folks like to dig on Orange County...the only people who really seem plastic to us LA riffraff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted December 13, 2017 Share Posted December 13, 2017 Yeah, the second they play it it’s used. Then how much is it worth? I’m not saying regular Gibsons aren’t overpriced, I always buy used and let someone else take that hit. I’ve never paid over $2,200 (I think, it’s been a while, might have been a few bucks more) for a Gibson and that was a near mint Custom. If I had to sell it I could get that back. Anyone can buy anything if they have the money, more power to them. It doesn’t make that price any less absurd. So we basically agree then... As for why Gibson do it.. its because they are a business, there to make money and they can. You know what.. I make guitars. My guitars are pretty well priced. I have the third guitar I ever made on show and for sale. So my third, forth and fifth guitars are going for about £600 each and cos it was my first batch they are quite basic and have no binding, nothing fancy at all (apart from how they sound and play :) ). I spend nearly every show I go to mostly explaining my pricing to people who all assume that cos its a hand made guitar that it should be expensive. The wood I use (well at the beginning anyway) came from offcuts from a joinery company and some is even re-claimed wood so theres no money there. I use medium priced hardware such as Gotoh or Schaller which is really nice stuff. And I have found a REALLY good UK pickup maker who makes incredible pickups for an amazing price. Plus I have no workshop costs as I work out of a garage.. After I explain all of this the reaction 100% of the time is wow I understand.. that's really cool. BUT I have to explain it for anyone to believe that a luthier is offering a guitar at such a price. I swear if I had just shoved and extra £1000 on the prices they would have all sold... People are weird dude. Don't try to understand why.. You never will. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markini Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 This may be relevant. I put up a 2011 Hummingbird on Craigs List Dec 6. And this guitar is mint and has the "Thump". I sold it 2 hours later to a guy in the Midwest. I am in California. Bank to bank wire transfer. He didn't know me from Adam, He desperately wanted that Bird. He does business in LA. Flew in Yesterday and picked the guitar up. It sounded and played wonderful and he was instantly enthralled. My point: I only took a $100 hit after playing it for 6 years. I could have charged him several hundred more. The Gibson brand is still a premium product and some folks will pay whatever it takes. I imagine that Red LP will sell or has sold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 ooohhh Vegas. Picasso in Bellagio. Yikes. Lots of good meals there. After scoring me an EJRW stracaster in the right color for my 55th, Mrs took me to Emerils at the big hotel in Universal. Gawd DAM them peoples cook. The on in the park at Universal is good, been there a couple, but man that one in the big hotel is just frig. Man. I'm hungry. rct Love the Bellagio. Had a suite there when we were married in Vegas. I worked in travel at the time and was one of the top brokers for one of the best seat brokerages. It cost me next to nothing and after a few rounds of poker I was in profit. That's a good price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 Just saw this. While AJ's "confrontational" style might not be wholly endearing to the pack at all times, I have to agree with his original post. 4.2k for a Special is the most absurd thing I've heard all my life, when it comes to guitars. I can't complain overall, though. I like my binding-less, no-frills 2017 V more than ANY Flying V I've ever played, and I believe it was reasonably priced. I got a $200 discount on my 2017 Tribute, which made the price downright sleepwithable! Clearance sale, see. I think, if we as consumers are talking strategy, we should only buy guitars at the end of the year, when stores have to make room for next year's models. Based on what I've seen the last five years, there's hundreds to be saved, and a clear message to be sent. And there appears to be no shortage of leftovers. I think, ultimately, lowering the prices just a tad would, in the end, make Gibson more money. Selling a 4k Special will not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelT Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 I wouldn't pay that much for a Special, unless it was really old and in good condition. I think overall Gibson prices have remained fairly consistent. I recall reading that the original 50's Les Pauls, adjusted for inflation, were about what they are today. If someone wants a brand new guitar and can afford it, cool. I mostly buy used but I can afford to buy new if I want to and have a few times. That particular guitar, for what it is, isn't worth that much to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 Custom Shop stuff is ALL expensive, this Special hits a particular nerve because we think of those as cheap guitars. There are Custom Shop flying V going for those kind of prices too when you can get a Gibson USA version for a third. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 Heh, I remember seeing a CS Flying V for the equiv of 4k in a store the other year. The burst looked like an exhumed alligator cadaver, thrown up on by Motley Crue circa "Theater of pain". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Dog Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 I don't see what the big deal is at all. Gibson makes electric guitars starting at around $400 up to the sky's the limit. They are each worth what someone will pay for them. Some people go to a Mercedes dealer and buy an entry level model, some get the S class AMG. Each will get what they paid for. I think the guitar in the OP is ugly and I would never buy one at any price. But if someone likes that model and can afford a Custom Shop example, go for it! The only problem I have is when people assign negative characteristics to anyone who buys an expensive, luxury model guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinch Posted December 14, 2017 Share Posted December 14, 2017 I think "the deal" is... we're guitar players. Some of us make a living playing out, some are bedroom studio warriors, and everything in between. What we all have in common is we're crazy enough to spend hours, even days, to debate a new guitar on a website. I wouldn't have it any other way. Plus, I'm interested in this Allenjason guy. He's made some bold statements and posts on here lately, and ruffled a few feathers. But I have a feeling he'll end up a valued contributor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted December 16, 2017 Share Posted December 16, 2017 I just checked my stable & see that I own 16 Gibsons. The oldest is an 83 LP Standard, the newest are two 2018 models (Explorer & an SG). I know that Gibson sales suffered in 2015 because of those ridiculous G-Force systems, goofy Les Paul signatures that looked like a crayon wrote them - not to mention the even goofier Les Paul hologram thingy amongst other crazy features - and I am thrilled because of the hit Gibson sales took that they listened to the masses and went back to their more traditional features.Gibson sales may ebb and flow for a variety of reasons but I would never count them out of the game. Their history is rich & deep and I for one believe "there's nothing quite like a Gibson". Yeah some of the pricier Gibsons make me shake my head, but there are many out there that can afford them and I'm alright with that too. I'm old school and after having played really crappy knock offs in my youth - when I bought my very first Gibson I was ecstatic. I had arrived I still feel that way to this day. To me that was the point when music was no longer a hobby - it was a way of life. It's all good :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.