Whitefang Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 I have no idea how many guitars Gibson had built in the 120 years they've been in business. Or how it compares to the number made by Martin with 70 more years under their belt. It just seemed to me, with a population now at 300+ million, with an equal split gender-wise, and with both genders, adult and children, playing guitars, that Martin should have sold more than 2.5 million. Even with the number of competitors. (Gibson, Epiphone, Washburn, Alvarez, Guild, etc.). Add the fact that none of those makers are only sold in America, but have worldwide distribution as well. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 (edited) Building high quality Acoustic Guitars is nothing like building a Telecaster or a Les Paul… Numerous Tele’s & LP’s can built in the time it takes to build a really high quality Acoustic Guitar.. Roughly 12,500 Really high quality Guitars a year average for aprox. 200 years.. That seems like quite a feet to me.. I’m not aware of anyone else on the Planet who has done that? Seems Martin stands alone in this Achievement… Nothing against Gibson, Guild or other fine Builders of Acoustic Guitars. Martin is & has always been the Bar by which all High Quality Guitar makers are measured…. Edited June 6, 2022 by Larsongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 As we're discussing Martins, the comparison should be limited to acoustic production. In other words.... APPLES. Not ORANGES. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Whitefang said: As we're discussing Martins, the comparison should be limited to acoustic production. In other words.... APPLES. Not ORANGES. Whitefang I have been.. I only make the comp to Tele’s & LP’s for those who may not know how long it takes to build Acoustic Guitars thereby making uninformed comments about making millions of Guitars… Edited June 6, 2022 by Larsongs 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RBSinTo Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 1 hour ago, Larsongs said: Building high quality Acoustic Guitars is nothing like building a Telecaster or a Les Paul… Numerous Tele’s & LP’s can built in the time it takes to build a really high quality Acoustic Guitar.. Roughly 12,500 Really high quality Guitars a year average for aprox. 200 years.. That seems like quite a feet to me.. I’m not aware of anyone else on the Planet who has done that? Seems Martin stands alone in this Achievement… Nothing against Gibson, Guild or other fine Builders of Acoustic Guitars. Martin is & has always been the Bar by which all High Quality Guitar makers are measured…. Larsongs, Well put! Let me know when you can see the glow of the torches, and hear the screams of the Gibsonians in the distance, and I'll give you sanctuary from the enraged mob. RBSinTo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, RBSinTo said: Larsongs, Well put! Let me know when you can see the glow of the torches, and hear the screams of the Gibsonians in the distance, and I'll give you sanctuary from the enraged mob. RBSinTo Thanks!! I might need that!! LOL!! But Seriously, I own quite a few more Gibson & Epiphone Acoustic Electric & Electric Guitars than any other Maker... I know first hand Gibson has built their fair share of High Quality Acoustic Guitars.. Love mine.. Bozeman builds as fine an Instrument as Money can Buy IMO.... Acoustic Guitars are laborious & take a lot of time to Build.. Particularly, really good ones!!!! Edited June 6, 2022 by Larsongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 3 hours ago, Larsongs said: Building high quality Acoustic Guitars is nothing like building a Telecaster or a Les Paul… Numerous Tele’s & LP’s can built in the time it takes to build a really high quality Acoustic Guitar.. Roughly 12,500 Really high quality Guitars a year average for aprox. 200 years.. That seems like quite a feet to me.. I’m not aware of anyone else on the Planet who has done that? Seems Martin stands alone in this Achievement… Nothing against Gibson, Guild or other fine Builders of Acoustic Guitars. Martin is & has always been the Bar by which all High Quality Guitar makers are measured…. As already been pointed out you forgot about the banjo's and mandolins they used to make, and are sought after. No one ever goes and seeks out Martin guitars do they, that's not really a thing is it? And as I pointed out Martin made countless ukes, and they still do. Some cost over $1000. WTF? Play banjo got to jail - its the law. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 10 minutes ago, ghost_of_fl said: Yamaha probably beats both of them in production quantities. 🙃 Yep Gibson and Martins $450 acoustic guitars are no where near as good as Yamaha's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 6, 2022 Share Posted June 6, 2022 35 minutes ago, Larsongs said: Thanks!! I might need that!! LOL!! But Seriously, I own quite a few more Gibson & Epiphone Acoustic Electric & Electric Guitars than any other Maker... I know first hand Gibson has built their fair share of High Quality Acoustic Guitars.. Love mine.. Bozeman builds as fine an Instrument as Money can Buy IMO.... Acoustic Guitars are laborious & take a lot of time to Build.. Particularly, really good ones!!!! Martin and Gibson make fine guitars, and IMHO, Collings and Preston Thompson make finer acoustics than both, and I know cause I have played both. And Santa Cruz and Bourgeois too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 7 hours ago, Sgt. Pepper said: Martin and Gibson make fine guitars, and IMHO, Collings and Preston Thompson make finer acoustics than both, and I know cause I have played both. And Santa Cruz and Bourgeois too. I agree with Collings. I would own one of them… The others I’m not familiar enough one way or the other.. But, Collings for sure.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) 39 minutes ago, Larsongs said: I agree with Collings. I would own one of them… The others I’m not familiar enough one way or the other.. But, Collings for sure.. I played a PT in Carter's Vintage in Nashville and it was absolutely out of this world. I believe I played a D-MA which was a D-18 on steroids. I don't think this girl would put her name on just anything. Joe Bonomassa would. http://pktguitars.com/acoustic-guitars/portfolios/molly-tuttle-signature-model/ Edited June 7, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortyearspickn Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Wowsers! Must be the real deal if she put her name on it. Sinker Mahogany back and sides for unique tone! Interesting back story - it comes from Belize (former British Honduras) , where they lost approx. 30% of the logs they tried to float downriver where they've been sitting for 100 years. I guess live trees are protected by our Fish and Game agents. I thought the exotic wood would (🤪) add a few thousand to the price - but you can buy the pieces for around $300. https://store.hearnehardwoods.com/?filter_species=mahogany-sinker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Most Martins are now made in Mexico. So, there's that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) 54 minutes ago, Murph said: Most Martins are now made in Mexico. So, there's that... Yes, Like Gibson, Fender, Gretsch & Guild who started manufacturing outside the USA years ago, Martin does build lower end Guitars outside the USA.. I believe they started about 1990.. Martin was the last to follow suit but competition in Business dictated… I believe all Martin D-15’s & higher are USA built.. Probably shouldn’t over talk Martin’s on the Gibson Forum.. Some People will get touchy… Truth is there are many fine Builders of Guitars though… It’s a joy to own some of each…. Edited June 7, 2022 by Larsongs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 8 minutes ago, Larsongs said: Truth is there are many fine Builders of Guitars though… It’s a joy to own some of each…. Sadly I wouldn't be able to afford to. It's too bad that like back when 35mm film photography was commonplace and there were several places one could go to find and buy old used(and refurbished) 35mm cameras that looked and worked like new but cost way less than they did when new, that there aren't and really haven't been shops like that for old and used guitars(except for pawn shops, which like the one near me that hung their guitars in the display window with an unregulated heat/humidity space and also subject to the cold and direct sunlight). And if there were shops like that they obviously were located nowhere near near where I ever lived. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) 2 hours ago, Murph said: Most Martins are now made in Mexico. So, there's that... Some are, as they have a plant there, you are right, but not the ones I own are Mexican made. Anything with, __ - 15 or higher are USA made in a state called Pennsylvania. I've played there Mexican stuff, its utter garbage. Looks cheap, feels cheap and sounds awful. Martins lowest priced USA made guitar right now is the 15 Series at $1349. I know Gibson has 4 guitars under 2k but they have 2 holes in them. The 15 series is the best value there is, USA made, and you get a hard shell case not a golf bag. I know Sal loves his. I think he still has it. Edited June 7, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) 11 minutes ago, Whitefang said: Sadly I wouldn't be able to afford to. It's too bad that like back when 35mm film photography was commonplace and there were several places one could go to find and buy old used(and refurbished) 35mm cameras that looked and worked like new but cost way less than they did when new, that there aren't and really haven't been shops like that for old and used guitars(except for pawn shops, which like the one near me that hung their guitars in the display window with an unregulated heat/humidity space and also subject to the cold and direct sunlight). And if there were shops like that they obviously were located nowhere near near where I ever lived. Whitefang Hell, I'm one of the weirdos that still uses an ipod. I have no clue what generation, but a small slim 16GB one. I looked on Amazon at refurbished ones cause I know mine is gonna die one day, and to replace the same one I have is $150 some are $300. WTF. Edited June 7, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitefang Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 Yeah, but even when iPods were somewhat commonplace I STILL did my yard work listening to music though one of these. ............... Placed in a "fanny" pack with earphones(not buds) held down by my straw fedora. Whitefang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 17 minutes ago, Whitefang said: Yeah, but even when iPods were somewhat commonplace I STILL did my yard work listening to music though one of these. ............... Placed in a "fanny" pack with earphones(not buds) held down by my straw fedora. Whitefang You must have been the belle of the ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsongs Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 2 hours ago, Whitefang said: Sadly I wouldn't be able to afford to. It's too bad that like back when 35mm film photography was commonplace and there were several places one could go to find and buy old used(and refurbished) 35mm cameras that looked and worked like new but cost way less than they did when new, that there aren't and really haven't been shops like that for old and used guitars(except for pawn shops, which like the one near me that hung their guitars in the display window with an unregulated heat/humidity space and also subject to the cold and direct sunlight). And if there were shops like that they obviously were located nowhere near near where I ever lived. Whitefang People are way more savvy now especially when it comes to older Gear.. Now called "Vintage" or "Collectors" etc.. They're offered For Sale most often on the newer Platforms.. Craigs List, EBay, Reverb.com etc... Back in '69 I gought a mid 50's Gibson LP in a Wash. D.C. Pawn Shop for $76.00.... That ain't happening anymore.... Very few real deals on old Guitars anymore... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 1 hour ago, Larsongs said: People are way more savvy now especially when it comes to older Gear.. Now called "Vintage" or "Collectors" etc.. They're offered For Sale most often on the newer Platforms.. Craigs List, EBay, Reverb.com etc... Back in '69 I gought a mid 50's Gibson LP in a Wash. D.C. Pawn Shop for $76.00.... That ain't happening anymore.... Very few real deals on old Guitars anymore... In 2092 if guitars are still around, people will be saying, my great grandfather told me when in 2022 Gibson LP Standards were only $2800. Now they are $10,300. Those were the good old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted June 7, 2022 Author Share Posted June 7, 2022 2 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said: In 2092 if guitars are still around, people will be saying, my great grandfather told me when in 2022 Gibson LP Standards were only $2800. Now they are $10,300. Those were the good old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) 4 minutes ago, Rabs said: Where is H. G Wells when you need him. I need a time machine to go back in time, and buy up every guitar that will be the Holy Grail, and just some that others will pine for. I'd try to get all the Chris Squire and Lemmy Ric's, Braz RW D-28's, Banner J-45's, junky Korina wood V's and Explorers ect. Edited June 7, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 (edited) 8 minutes ago, ghost_of_fl said: Yeah but inflation is a thing. A house worth $100,000 25 years ago is worth 1/2 million now. And 1/2 million today would just buy you another fairly normal house. You are right but some things are negotiable, and some are not. One thing is for sure you don't roll up to a gas station and if the the price happens to be on that day, $4.45 a gallon, you don't go inside, and tell the cashier your would like to pay only $2.35 a gallon and start haggling. Gas and groceries unlike guitars on Reverb don't have a "Make An Offer" selection. Edited June 7, 2022 by Sgt. Pepper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt. Pepper Posted June 7, 2022 Share Posted June 7, 2022 43 minutes ago, ghost_of_fl said: True. It's worth whatever someone is willing to spend to have it. Market means nothing in some cases. It is if it's . . . I-C-O-N-I-C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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