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Sticker Shock!


charlie brown

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Posted

Well, boys and girls...I guess I'm denegrated to the

purchasing of "used but not abused," amps and

guitars, from now on! Just got my newest Musician's

Friend catalog, and MY God, things have really gone up.

A Fender "Deluxe Reverb (reissue) is up 200 dollars, alone.

That's a 400 dollar increase, in 2 years. Epiphone seems to

be less prone to that large of a price increase, but Gibson,

and Fender don't seem concerned about the coming (already here)

economic crisis, and how that will effect their consumer base....

I guess???! So...if you have any last minute purchases, and

can find them at the "old" prices...DO IT, NOW! It Ain't getting

any better/cheaper, seemingly.

 

CB

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Posted

This might sound kind of stupid but I think theres a reason that Gibson and Fender are not worried about the economy. You see during the Great Depression tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and music flourished. I do not know if it is because these vices are a stress relief for some but if these companies looked at the statistics then that might be the reason why they are not concerned about our struggling economy. My friend is a manager at the shop where I just got my epi gold top and he said that right now business couldn't be better. Its strange but true.

Posted
Well' date=' boys and girls...I guess I'm denegrated to the

purchasing of "used but not abused," amps and

guitars, from now on! Just got my newest Musician's

Friend catalog, and MY God, things have really gone up.

A Fender "Deluxe Reverb (reissue) is up 200 dollars, alone.

That's a 400 dollar increase, in 2 years. Epiphone seems to

be less prone to that large of a price increase, but Gibson,

and Fender don't seem concerned about the coming (already here)

economic crisis, and how that will effect their consumer base....

I guess???! So...if you have any last minute purchases, and

can find them at the "old" prices...DO IT, NOW! It Ain't getting

any better/cheaper, seemingly.

 

CB[/quote']

 

The price of the Fender Jaguar has already leaped about $500 at Sweetwater. MF still has it at the pre-sticker-shock price of $1500. And how much is the price of a Rickenbacker 325 these days? About $5,000?

Posted

This is one of the things I feared would happen. Sigh, This really sucks. I'm glad I got mine while I could. I didn't believe it when I read Pohatu771's post and I went and saw for myself. $500 indeed. I'm playing my Cherry Tele Deluxe right now and it is a great guitar but man, 1800!! wow

Posted

I guess I should look at the bright side of all this. For instance, from an investment standpoint my two Tele's combined now retail for 1k over their previous listed price on MF. That former price was still inflated and far more than I actually paid but I guess If I was in a bind and I had to sell off some guitars I could theoretically break even or turn a profit!

Posted
I guess I should look at the bright side of all this. For instance' date=' from an investment standpoint my two Tele's combined now retail for 1k over their previous listed price on MF. That former price was still inflated and far more than I actually paid but I guess If I was in a bind and I had to sell off some guitars I could theoretically break even or turn a profit![/quote']

 

Gosh...my Ricky's are worth a small fortune, now...I guess? LOL! But, it still amazes me, how they can

raise the prices, SOOO much, when everyone knows our "wages" don't even keep up with cost of living,

anymore, in most areas. And "Music," HA! Everywhere I go, they want it as close to "Free," as they can

get it..."we just don't have the budget for 'live' music, anymore...but if you'd like to set up and play for

Tips, maybe...then maybe we could work with you!" Plus, a lot of places expect to have 5 or 6 bands

a night, for 1/2 hour (maybe 45 minutes) each?!! What's with that?! Takes longer to set up/tear down

than it will to play! I don't get it, anymore! Guess I'm "too old,"...but Not because it's "too loud!" LOL! Arrrrrgggggggggggghhh!

 

CB

Posted

"This might sound kind of stupid but I think theres a reason that Gibson and Fender are not worried about the economy. You see during the Great Depression tobacco, alcohol, gambling, and music flourished."

 

I don't really think it's possible to draw an analogy to the Great Depression, mainly because of prohibition, the dominance of radio,

(which required live musicians), the absence of television, and differences in how popular music was listened to and consumed (big bands,

playing popular and swing / jazz music, no longer exist in the same ways they did)...

Posted

I don't get it either CB! Perhaps we ought to stop playing these guitars because at this rate who knows what they'll be worth in 10 years! =D>

Posted

What would happen, if any of us went to our bosses, and demanded the same "percentage" we're talking about, in a Raise?!

HA! "There's the door...don't let it hit you in the A$$, on the way out!" ;>b

 

CB

Posted

hey cb..you dont know what pain is untill u live in australia...ie list price for say a martin in america is say 1799.00 in australia same guitar try 3499.00 ouch..btw svet put a bid on swomgt martin =D>

Posted
hey cb..you dont know what pain is untill u live in australia...ie list price for say a martin in america is say 1799.00 in australia same guitar try 3499.00 ouch..btw svet put a bid on swomgt martin =D>

Whatcho talkin bout Wilis? Are you serious Ace? I don't have any bids on anything; I swear! There's no GAS in Svetland.

Posted
Making a partsocaster sounds better every day. I might go to Warmouth or MusiKraft for a body. Still thinking about a neck.
I was pricing out an American Deluxe Telecaster equivalent with Warmoth parts, and it only came in at $1200... I figured I'd pay the $100 extra for the privelege of having it pre-put together...

 

For a $600 savings, I might as well build it myself.

Posted

One thing that has bugged me about MusiKraft and Warmouth is that the truss rod is adjusted at the heel. At least if I remember correctly. I can't see that I would be adjusting this too often but taking the neck off to make modifications sounds like a major pain. So I may get a neck from Stratosphere on ebay and pay a bit extra. It is still in the what if stage.

Posted
A Fender "Deluxe Reverb (reissue) is up 200 dollars' date=' alone.

That's a 400 dollar increase, in 2 years.

CB[/quote']

 

I was in Best Buy 10 days ago and noticed that the Fender Blues Jr. was priced at $599. I've been planning on getting one of these later this year, but not for that price! Went home & checked online pricing. MF & GC were still at $479, but Sweetwater was at $599 too. I emailed my SW rep and he matched the lower price so naturally, I just HAD to buy it!! Loving it so far. And ya gotta love Sweetwater!! The BB music dept manager told me that Fender raises prices every year. I think the 25 - 30% average hike is a bit much, given the (lack of an) economy, but... It certainly is going to make my future search for the "perfect Strat" to the used, but cared for, market.

Posted
Well' date=' boys and girls...I guess I'm denegrated to the

purchasing of "used but not abused," amps and

guitars, from now on! Just got my newest Musician's

Friend catalog, and MY God, things have really gone up.

A Fender "Deluxe Reverb (reissue) is up 200 dollars, alone.

That's a 400 dollar increase, in 2 years. Epiphone seems to

be less prone to that large of a price increase, but Gibson,

and Fender don't seem concerned about the coming (already here)

economic crisis, and how that will effect their consumer base....

I guess???! So...if you have any last minute purchases, and

can find them at the "old" prices...DO IT, NOW! It Ain't getting

any better/cheaper, seemingly.

 

CB[/quote']

 

CB things aren't getting more expensive...our money is devaluing...I know sort of the same thing but our money is going to be good for fire starter soon at this rate...sort of what happened in Germany... =D>

Posted

Devaluation of a currency is a symptom of inflation. All indicators are that we are going through deflation yet certain prices, such as food and musical instruments, keep rising.

Posted
This might sound kind of stupid but I think theres a reason that Gibson and Fender are not worried about the economy. You see during the Great Depression tobacco' date=' alcohol, gambling, and music flourished. I do not know if it is because these vices are a stress relief for some but if these companies looked at the statistics then that might be the reason why they are not concerned about our struggling economy. My friend is a manager at the shop where I just got my epi gold top and he said that right now business couldn't be better. Its strange but true.[/quote']

 

I think you hit the nail right on the head. I know the situation we are in now can't be compared to the great depression, but it's true.

 

Also, Gibson/Epiphone/Fender aren't producing as many guitars anymore. So what happens? Quantity goes down, so prices go up. Because some people (but not all) are still going to buy guitars anyway, they make more money per guitar. So they don't have to sell in bulk, and they don't have to spend money building more guitars.

Posted

 

CB things aren't getting more expensive...our money is devaluing...I know sort of the same thing but our money is going to be good for fire starter soon at this rate...sort of what happened in Germany... =D>

 

Way too many parallels, to 1930's Germany, for me! And, not in just the "money" area, either. BUT...

that's another thread/Rant! ;>b As to the money devaluing products being more expensive...Yeah, maybe...

but the result to us, is the same! Nothing new, I guess...but the percentage, this time...and in the last

few price hikes, was WAY out of line...IMHO. The Gibson '61 SG has more than doubled in price, in less

than 3 years...just using MF prices, as a guide. That's NUTS!

 

CB

Posted
"This might sound kind of stupid but I think theres a reason that Gibson and Fender are not worried about the economy. You see during the Great Depression tobacco' date=' alcohol, gambling, and music flourished."

 

I don't really think it's possible to draw an analogy to the Great Depression, mainly because of prohibition, the dominance of radio,

(which required live musicians), the absence of television, and differences in how popular music was listened to and consumed (big bands,

playing popular and swing / jazz music, no longer exist in the same ways they did)...[/quote']

 

Not exactly.

 

Gibson actually turned to making wooden toys during Depression to survive. Martin began churning out violin parts and wooden jewelry. Epiphone, on the other hand, went gunning for Gibson and released a line of 9 carved top archtops. Martin later rebounded by introducing the 14 fret dread and Gibson countered with its line of jumbos.

Posted

I think we're closer to something more akin to the collapse of the USSR rather than the Great Depression. I think the other shoe dropped finally.

 

Whatever it is though, it's depressing in and of itself. Too much anxiety brewing in the lands...

 

Glad I have the guitar bases largely covered. No way can I afford any of what I'm seeing at this point!

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