tonybassplayer Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Many years ago like many of you I guess I used to be a regular visitor to the likes of Sound Control and various other music shops in the area but not really been in a shop for a while as I have little time or money and I am more than happy with my Geddy Jazz but we were in Manchester last week and I decided to just call in for a browse round a music shop and was staggered just how much the asking price was for USA Jazz's, Precisions, Strats, Teles, Les Pauls etc I had no idea that what I would describe as standard run of the mill guitar and basses were going for so much money. I know its all about supply and demand and I can only assume that people buy these things but when will it reach a point where no one will buy new anymore ?? I am sure that like me many other people treasure a quality musical instrument and rarely will one get damaged beyond repair and putting that along with the desirability to purchase quality older equipment I fear that eventually the major manufacturers like Fender and Gibson will see a huge drop off of sales. I can understand the pricing of niche and unique basses etc from the smaller places but not sure how the major companies can sustain those sale prices when there are so many quality used guitars and basses still in the market. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I know what you mean. I popped into Sound Control yesterday and noticed they sell EBMM Stingrays for £1,500. To me that sounds rather pricey! I'm not sure people will 'stop buying new' as you put it, although it's a nice thought to drive RRP's down. Perhaps some people aren't struggling to afford new instruments, but for the rest of us there is always going to be a strong second hand market. I do think the rising cost of equipment is showing a positive. There are speaker cabs available that still pack a fair punch, are loud, have ceramic magnets to keep the cost down but still only weight 12kgs! Markbass have just released their Blackline range which is cheap. So things are starting to turn. Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Bear in mind that the value of UK£ has gone down sharply over the last five years. It's not that long ago that a pound would buy you €1.50 or $1.80. Now? €1.16 or $1.54. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 The pound has taken a tanking over the last few years and inflation is quite high. Add that in to price rises from the manufacturers and suddenly gear is a lot more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 There were several very nice looking Les Paul's at £4K plus !! Now I know they are a superb guitar but you can get a lot of kit for that money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 They don't really seem to be flying off the pages s/h in ebay auctions either so if people are reluctant to even pay half or 2/3 new value for a used instrument in good nick then I can see some of these shops having new gear hanging around for a while. I've bought all of my decent basses s/h. I noticed that an identical model to the last one I bought from a fellow bc'er was being sold by a shop in the UK (also second hand and in poorer condition to the one I bought but with a bit more case candy) for twice what I paid, would be amazed if it sells! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
borisbrain Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Not forgetting VAT at an exorbitant 20%... BB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M-Bass-M Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I too have thought the same, particularly in relation to MIA Fenders and MusicMan 'Rays. There's a really nice MIA Precision Deluxe in my local Dawsons, but I have a massive issue with the fact that it costs almost the same as my hand built, UK-made Status! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 (edited) Fender prices in particular have soared over here. MM has done what it always has. Bring out a budget line relatively cheap then add another budget line so they can extort a few €100 extra out of punters by upping the price of their higher end gear. On the other hand, string prices have fallen over here. In some cases nearly by 25%. Edited August 16, 2013 by Mog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 [quote name='Mog' timestamp='1376652678' post='2177350'] Fender prices in particular have soared over here. [/quote] Different reasons, though. You're Eurozone and the €/$ rate hasn't shifted nearly as drastically as the £/€ and £/$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 [quote name='pietruszka' timestamp='1376645787' post='2177201'] I know what you mean. I popped into Sound Control yesterday and noticed they sell EBMM Stingrays for £1,500. To me that sounds rather pricey! I'm not sure people will 'stop buying new' as you put it, although it's a nice thought to drive RRP's down. Perhaps some people aren't struggling to afford new instruments, but for the rest of us there is always going to be a strong second hand market. I do think the rising cost of equipment is showing a positive. There are speaker cabs available that still pack a fair punch, are loud, have ceramic magnets to keep the cost down but still only weight 12kgs! Markbass have just released their Blackline range which is cheap. So things are starting to turn. Dan [/quote] Didn't think sound control were still going Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 If you thought that guitars and basses are expensive now imagine trying to save up approximately £175 to buy a new Precision or Stratocaster in early 1960s Britain when your wages were about £12 a week. it makes the guitars and basses of today look like a bargain in comparison. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Credit cards! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Yep - all imported instruments have risen sharply over the past couple of years. To be fair some manufacturers put of hiking prices because of the weakness of the £ for quite a while but I think they've all buckled now. One thing I'm pretty sure on is that the recent prices aren't retailers trying to hike their margins up. If anything the retail trade is seeing margins squeezed ever tighter. There's certainly some who absorbed some of the early price price rises from manufacturers but these are now being passed on. Let's face it - when did you ever meet a well off musical instrument retailer In fact margins on some of the brands mentioned here really aren't that great at all. I've checked a few and I'm not sure how some shops keep going at the prices they are offering! One little thing I've definitely noticed is that the big online boys have been edging their prices up ever since DV247 went belly up. Check some Thomann prices now on things they are importing from the US and you'll see that a surprising amount are now higher than UK ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 [quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1376674410' post='2177906'] Credit cards! [/quote] What about them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 With a credit card one doesn't actually have to have £1k in their pocket. So it is possible for people to 'afford' new instruments at those prices. For example, on my credit cards I could buy a brand new £1.2k bass. I certainly couldn't afford one, but if I wanted a new instrument then it is possible for me to buy one. Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 I saw a lovely Ricky that actually looked quite cheap compared to the USA Precisions and Jazz's that were on display compared to a few years ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BetaFunk Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 [quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1376675515' post='2177949'] With a credit card one doesn't actually have to have £1k in their pocket. So it is possible for people to 'afford' new instruments at those prices. For example, on my credit cards I could buy a brand new £1.2k bass. I certainly couldn't afford one, but if I wanted a new instrument then it is possible for me to buy one. Truckstop [/quote] Thanks. Credit card or not you've still got to pay for it somehow. I can't see how that pushes the price up by much (if anything) if that's what you mean. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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