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Should I buy new or used?


meanstreak

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Ok, the Gibson Hummingbird fund currently stands at $2000. I've had a hard time adding to it the last few months and have been wondering if saving another $1000 to buy a new Hummingbird Modern Classic is really the smartest thing to do.

 

The interesting thing to note is I've never bought a brand new guitar save for the one I got for the wife (which sits in the closet of course.) I've also never bought a new vehicle save for a motorcycle I got for a steal of a deal in 03. I really do like to buy used since it saves lots of money and comes with it's "first scratch" already there to keep from letting that drive me nuts!

 

I see lots of nice looking and priced great birds go on eBay and have been tempted more than once. What do you guys think? Should I go for a near mint 03-ish guitar or should I keep saving for the brand new one?

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Ok, the Gibson Hummingbird fund currently stands at $2000. I've had a hard time adding to it the last few months and have been wondering if saving another $1000 to buy a new Hummingbird Modern Classic is really the smartest thing to do.

 

But you don't need another $1000. 60% of current list for a new Hummingbird Standard (ne Hummingbird MC) is $2270.40, and even 70% is only $2648.80. The MAP of $3K is very high compared to a good street price.

 

That said, there's nothing wrong going used -- as long as you don't do something silly like buying one on eBay.

 

-- Bob R

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I too am hunting for a Hummingbird, (the wife won't be happy when I bring home my 11th guitar), and am ONLY considering used.

 

I have $2450 set aside, was tryin' to get $3K together before I get serious about finding one, (I'm still considering the Hummingbird KOA...but now I'll have to wait to see if one is available). I generally put away $150/paycheck, (I get paid twice a month), but I've got a relatively big bonus due me this month....may just plop in the remaining amount....but will not even consider new...I want some miles behind any guitar I

buy.

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I bought a bird new last year. I did that for somewhat sentimental reasons I guess. I wanted a guitar that was truly mine, that I could develop a relationship with (well not too literally, but you know what I mean), that I can pass on to my kids saying: "this one has been in the family since day 1."

The only 'investment' I had to make was the guitar still had to open up completely, but that is a nice process noticing your guitar playing and sounding better every day.

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Buying used is a good way to save money. Optimal would be to get your eyes, hands and ears on it before you buy. I you can't do that, make sure you have a full refund return period after the purchase so you can return it if you don't like the sound or condition.

 

Buying new gets you a <hopefully> guitar that hasn't been hung in a shop and the Gibson warranty.

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Guest WiseAxe

Dear Mr. Mean (or can I call you Streak?)-

 

Kudos to you for your perspective on mostly buying used stuff, and for appreciating the advantages of a used guitar for

already coming supplied with it's first dings/scratches. Even though I can't imagine why anyone would want a strummy, square-shouldered Hummingbird (esp. when one already has an Epi 'bird), when one already knows of the existence of J-45's. Yes, the warranty is a factor, but a used guitar gets you approx 25% off, and someone else has already been working on getting that wood to open up.

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Dear Mr. Mean (or can I call you Streak?)-

 

Kudos to you for your perspective on mostly buying used stuff, and for appreciating the advantages of a used guitar for

already coming supplied with it's first dings/scratches. Even though I can't imagine why anyone would want a strummy, square-shouldered Hummingbird (esp. when one already has an Epi 'bird), when one already knows of the existence of J-45's. Yes, the warranty is a factor, but a used guitar gets you approx 25% off, and someone else has already been working on getting that wood to open up.

 

Are you comparing the Epi and the Gibson birds now?

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If the tone and quality is there I would go used. For two reaons, firstly a played in guitar will almost always sound better than brand new one, and secondly you probably will save yourself quite a bit of cash.

 

My best guitar is a 1969 Country Western with dings and 'beauty marks' in quite a few spots, suffice to say she has a ton of mojo. Not to mention outstanding tone and playability..

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Man, I can go both ways when it comes to this. If money/time is part of the deal I would buy used and have bought many used guitars.

 

On the other hand there is nothing like owning one since day one. My J45 and 339 are special to me as well.

 

Also, my '79 SG was bought NOS and was 14 years old in the case with the original strings on it when I bought it in 1993.

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But you don't need another $1000. 60% of current list for a new Hummingbird Standard (ne Hummingbird MC) is $2270.40, and even 70% is only $2648.80. The MAP of $3K is very high compared to a good street price.

 

That said, there's nothing wrong going used -- as long as you don't do something silly like buying one on eBay.

 

-- Bob R

RAR, I don,t see your point in saying it is silly to buy one on Ebay. One can get some great deals there. Especially if you ask questions, have good pictures and a right of return,if not satisfied. True, you don,t get to play it first. But that happens in a great deal of 'buying venues'.

It just takes 'trust' and 'due diligence'...and some gamblers luck ;)

...sounds like my LIFES JOURNEY...BwaaHaHa

Rod

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RAR, I don,t see your point in saying it is silly to buy one on Ebay. One can get some great deals there. Especially if you ask questions, have good pictures and a right of return,if not satisfied. True, you don,t get to play it first. But that happens in a great deal of 'buying venues'.

It just takes 'trust' and 'due diligence'...and some gamblers luck ;)

...sounds like my LIFES JOURNEY...BwaaHaHa

Rod

 

+1 on that. I have not had a bad exprience yet with ebay (Fingers crossed!), but you do have to be diligent. Make sure you ask all the right questions (About set up, condition, lifting bridges, twisted necks etc,etc), and get as many photo`s as possible, and in the case of one or two sellers now, you can even get sound samples. Then after all that, the guitar arrives and it isn`t the guitar for you, you can always sell it on and play the game again.

 

Incidently Five of my current Seven guitars have come via ebay!

 

Steve.

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Only 11???? Rob, you are slipping...lol

 

Wily, you know how you collect instruments over the years.....

She wasn't happy when I brought home my DIF, (especially since I still owed $ on it), but she's since warmed up to it. She bought me my Dove as a present back in about 1980, and it's always been my "trophy" guitar...now the DIF takes that spot...maybe that has something to do with it.

But then a friend GAVE me a keyboard....no cost....aren't too big.... and she asked why I needed it. She reminded me that I have two pianos in the house, (a 1874 Upright and a Baby Grand). When I mentioned

that I was looking for a Hummingbird, she said that I have more guitars than I can play now! (and she's probably right).

When my cousin was injured in a motor cycle accident, we got all his guitars so we could sell them off and help pay for his medical costs. I brought home 44 guitars...I had them stuffed EVERYWHERE, and it took maybe 2 years to sell them all off!

Maybe she's thinking we'll end up with several dozen guitars again!

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I've bought new and used. If you plan to turn a guitar over in a few years, used has distinct advantages. If you have to buy without an opportunity to cradle that sucker in your hot arms before committing, new has some strong advantages. There's no doubt that the ideal used guitar can be the best possible deal. But there's often a great risk involved in buying used. If things go wrong on a transaction with a private party, they can be put right (perhaps) but it can be a very messy process. Like I said, I've purchased both ways and have had good experiences in both cases.

 

Factory warranties are good if something really bad happens. They may be less good if using the factory warranty entails shipping off the guitar and waiting a very long time to see it again (which is the case with many manufacturers). For smaller stuff, popping a few bucks and bringing it to a local tech may make more sense. But if something big happens, a new-guitar dealer and a manufacturer are in a better position to stand behind the product than some guy who has already used the profits he got from the guitar to fund another purchase. Also, I like knowing under what conditions the guitar has been stored and played, what stresses it may have encountered, and who's been looking after it. These are probably smaller issues on a used guitar that's only 2 or 3 years old but may become more important as the time span increases.

 

I really don't think there's one right answer here. We each have our own comfort zone and each live in different places that have greater or less access to new or used instruments. A buyer isn't a chump for paying for a new guitar or a reckless fool for buying a used one in most cases. Just go with what seems right after giving some thought to all the options you have available, the upside and downside of those options, and the likelihood of the various benefits or shortcomings actually coming to fruition. Kind of like choosing a spouse, but easier to fix if you goof up.

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These are all excellent and vary valid points, hard to disagree with them.

 

Having said that when one is in the market and you come across a vintage guitar that just blows you away with the tone all the histry, nick, dings and lack of warranty will become just a detail as the pull will be too much. In the end we are emotional creatures and as much rationalising one can make it will be in the end how you 'feel' about the guitar that will often make the decision for you.

 

Having said that i would never ever buy from ebay or an unplayed guitar, especially a vintage one because i would have to fall in love with it firt, and that can only be done after the first strum ..

 

I've bought new and used. If you plan to turn a guitar over in a few years, used has distinct advantages. If you have to buy without an opportunity to cradle that sucker in your hot arms before committing, new has some strong advantages. There's no doubt that the ideal used guitar can be the best possible deal. But there's often a great risk involved in buying used. If things go wrong on a transaction with a private party, they can be put right (perhaps) but it can be a very messy process. Like I said, I've purchased both ways and have had good experiences in both cases.

 

Factory warranties are good if something really bad happens. They may be less good if using the factory warranty entails shipping off the guitar and waiting a very long time to see it again (which is the case with many manufacturers). For smaller stuff, popping a few bucks and bringing it to a local tech may make more sense. But if something big happens, a new-guitar dealer and a manufacturer are in a better position to stand behind the product than some guy who has already used the profits he got from the guitar to fund another purchase. Also, I like knowing under what conditions the guitar has been stored and played, what stresses it may have encountered, and who's been looking after it. These are probably smaller issues on a used guitar that's only 2 or 3 years old but may become more important as the time span increases.

 

I really don't think there's one right answer here. We each have our own comfort zone and each live in different places that have greater or less access to new or used instruments. A buyer isn't a chump for paying for a new guitar or a reckless fool for buying a used one in most cases. Just go with what seems right after giving some thought to all the options you have available, the upside and downside of those options, and the likelihood of the various benefits or shortcomings actually coming to fruition. Kind of like choosing a spouse, but easier to fix if you goof up.

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OWF, I still don,t get what you and BobR think is so funny(silly) about buying a used guitar on Ebay?

I have sold several and bought some through Ebay and have been satisfied with my experiences.

Using common sense, due dilligence, and communication skills it is a pretty safe bet in my opinion....unless,of course, one is lacking some of the previously mentioned skills?

Rod

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RAR, I don,t see your point in saying it is silly to buy one on Ebay.

 

Because, most guitars -- no matter what the make and model -- aren't worth owning. (After all, half of them are below average. :)) For example, my wife has been looking for a mid-'60s Epi Texan for a few years. We've auditioned a bunch in that time, and almost all of them have been, umm ... let's say, extremely resistible. None has been great. Yesterday, we finally found a great one (at the Vintage Guitar Show that Wily reviewed) and brought it home. No one choosing a Texan based on price and condition would have wound up with this one. Which just shows that choosing based on price and condition doesn't work.

 

Last year, I came home from the same show with a '34 converted Roy Smeck. I wasn't especially looking for a Roy Smeck, but ran across one which was just astounding. (Way better than the one Wily liked so much this year, IMHO.) How could that have happened buying from eBay?

 

If I wanted to be in the business of buying and selling guitars -- or, worse yet, was "investing" in guitars -- I can see how getting a "great deal" on eBay would be attractive. I don't much care about getting a great deal (tho' that's a nice plus). And I don't want the hassle of returning a mediocre guitar, or having to flip it. What I care about getting a reasonably fair deal on a great guitar, and eBay doesn't work for that.

 

YMMV!

 

-- Bob R

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Because, most guitars -- no matter what the make and model -- aren't worth owning. (After all, half of them are below average. :)) For example, my wife has been looking for a mid-'60s Epi Texan for a few years. We've auditioned a bunch in that time, and almost all of them have been, umm ... let's say, extremely resistible. None has been great. Yesterday, we finally found a great one (at the Vintage Guitar Show that Wily reviewed) and brought it home. No one choosing a Texan based on price and condition would have wound up with this one. Which just shows that choosing based on price and condition doesn't work.

 

Last year, I came home from the same show with a '34 converted Roy Smeck. I wasn't especially looking for a Roy Smeck, but ran across one which was just astounding. (Way better than the one Wily liked so much this year, IMHO.) How could that have happened buying from eBay?

 

If I wanted to be in the business of buying and selling guitars -- or, worse yet, was "investing" in guitars -- I can see how getting a "great deal" on eBay would be attractive. I don't much care about getting a great deal (tho' that's a nice plus). And I don't want the hassle of returning a mediocre guitar, or having to flip it. What I care about getting a reasonably fair deal on a great guitar, and eBay doesn't work for that.

 

YMMV!

 

-- Bob R

 

Case in point: Gibson J-45 True Vintage

 

Fred

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