A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

The pandemic caused a spike in demand for guitars, amps, pedals and other music equipment. The associated supply chain problems created lower than usual supply and the Russia-Ukraine war added further demand (for tubes specifically). Manufactures went all out in gearing up for all this demand and prices (especially vintage gear) skyrocketed.

Then the supply chain issues started to work out, inflation hit and now we are seeing the onset of recession. I hear that warehouses are overloaded with music gear and rumors of really great holiday sales, then cuts in production for 2023.

In this type of economy:
Fat cats typically watch the prices shrink and buy up the items that will eventually increase in value and may be that long sought-after piece of gear.

Others need the $ to pay the bills and start selling before prices fall too low.

Holders don't do too much buying or selling and just use the time to use what they have.

Which are you?

I guess I'm a fat cat. I've bought 3 guitars lately only because they were good deals.

Got too many guitars, and the thought of getting more produces more stress than the joy of getting one. I have all my bases covered and then some. When I did buy, it was mostly used, and the used market is still very high.
I should be selling some, but I'm a bit too attached to the ones I have.
That said, if a ridiculous deal comes along, I may still buy.
For now, I'm holding.

The space I have is finite. Honestly, the USD being as strong as it is makes buying gear from other countries and having it shipped to the US appealing. Less common Japanese guitars, in particular, fetch more in the USA (usually 1.5-3X) what they do in Japan (e.g., Edwards, Tokai, Fender Japan) so I'm tempted to grab something there.

I'm in the too many guitars camp too, so I'm fine being in the 'holding' category. I still look, but am not buying currently. If the prices drop ridiculously low, I'll snag some of those. But from what I see, we're nowhere near that point. For example, today I saw GC Used trying to sell a Harley Benton for $61 more than Thomann sells it new: I emailed to ask why it's better than new and got a "shipping from Thomann will kill you" response. The market overall is still denying the recession.

Truth be told, I am fat & I buy bargains. I should be enjoying the many, many beauties I have, but I just can't resist a good bargain.

Guitar wise, Im a holder and collector of cheaper makes and models, who will generally sell over the next months and years. Selling, not based on market conditions, but based on a desire to trim the herd by 50-60%. Maybe I'll bite on a few pedals and recording gadgets over the next years.

I am very content with what I have and am enjoying them, so classify me as a holder.

I couldn't say no to one of these new for nearly 50% off.



Will be here Thursday.

I'm def a hoar, ahem, holder. I need to trim down my hoar, cough, herd... but it's hard.

Holder mostly, don't need to sell other than for space for other things.

Also have given up sales via any option that can possibly be taxed. I'll stick to person to person as slow as it is.

Sent from my SM-G998U using Tapatalk

Holder, planning to maybe sell, but always looking for deals?

I might grab a replacement/upgrade or 2. We shall see.

Flatline wrote: ↑Sun Oct 09, 2022 1:56 pm I couldn't say no to one of these new for nearly 50% off.



Will be here Thursday.

That is quite a deal and sweet! In Missouri, people hold on to their Teles and when they show up for sale, they are nice and expensive!

I've reached the point in my GAS journey that I have very little ( if any ) need or want for anything new, even at a decent discount. I've got about a dozen guitars between acoustic and electric, which is way more than I need. And honestly, the prices of guitars have increased so much for the things I like that even at half price they are still more than they were just a few years ago.

For the most part my hunting of the past couple of years has been for some vintage Alvarez/Yairi models and other things that will probably never decrease in value too much, even if the commodity guitar market craps the bed. Now if Guitar Center would ever pony up the 10-15% discount off all used gear again then I might be a little more apt to pick something up.

andrewsrea wrote: ↑Mon Oct 10, 2022 10:37 am

Flatline wrote: ↑Sun Oct 09, 2022 1:56 pm I couldn't say no to one of these new for nearly 50% off.



Will be here Thursday.

That is quite a deal and sweet! In Missouri, people hold on to their Teles and when they show up for sale, they are nice and expensive!

Amazon blew them out for $608. Down from $1129.99

They currently have the regular Player Plus tele for $635 and the regular player strat in buttercream for $595.

Now that Squiers are hitting the $400-600 for their upper tier models, I'm expecting the MIM Fenders to continue to keep going up in price.

Me personally, I am between hold and buy. Nothing I really need and am quite happy with everything I have. Being conservative with my finances given the economy and investments market (I am retired).

Bought a Keeley Halo to put on my #2 pedal board. Being extremely picky about delay and a sparse user of it (I play a lot of rhythm in a band context, which needs to be tight), this was my shot at Strymon / Lexicon territory. It is pristine and worth every penny! I'll do a post on it.

Most of my purchases wioll be going to general maintence fo the 25 guitars, 2 bass guitars, and 6 tube amps. My 100w AMI Mixmaster needs filter caps, which is the next thing. And of course, I play nickel strings and wreck the D string in a matter of hours with my vibrato style.

I've been in the holding camp for quite a while now, I am however thinking of buying a harmony comet in the future.

I WILL stop my fat cat ways.

I WILL stop my fat cat ways.

LOL

Honestly, I don’t think I really want/need any gear right now, and I am happy to sell if it makes sense.

I don't need the money necessarily but I did get rid of a ton of gear when I retired the Tonebenders. I still have the essentials and have gained some acoustics. I still have another round to go but it is getting harder to decide which guitars to sell. I like them all at this point. It was easy when I had 50-60 electric guitars. I just sold all the imports. I sold all the PA gear, lights, cables, tubes, pickups, pedals and all sorts of accessories. I kept my mini board and my regular size board with all the @Floridian FX FX pedals Ryan made for me. I still have my C30 I got from @uwmcscott. What was the turning point for me from acquisition to selling? Turning 60 was always my target and I started the sell off just after my 59th birthday. I got antsy.

Flatline wrote: ↑Sun Oct 09, 2022 1:56 pm I couldn't say no to one of these new for nearly 50% off.



Will be here Thursday.

what model is that?

Makes me think about converting my Tele to SSS or HSS.

peskypesky wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 1:42 pm

Flatline wrote: ↑Sun Oct 09, 2022 1:56 pm I couldn't say no to one of these new for nearly 50% off.



Will be here Thursday.

what model is that?

Makes me think about converting my Tele to SSS or HSS.

The pic looks like a "Nashville Tele."

tonebender wrote: ↑Tue Oct 11, 2022 8:43 pm I don't need the money necessarily but I did get rid of a ton of gear when I retired the Tonebenders. I still have the essentials and have gained some acoustics. I still have another round to go but it is getting harder to decide which guitars to sell. I like them all at this point. It was easy when I had 50-60 electric guitars. I just sold all the imports. I sold all the PA gear, lights, cables, tubes, pickups, pedals and all sorts of accessories. I kept my mini board and my regular size board with all the @Floridian FX FX pedals Ryan made for me. I still have my C30 I got from @uwmcscott. What was the turning point for me from acquisition to selling? Turning 60 was always my target and I started the sell off just after my 59th birthday. I got antsy.

I really liked Ryans pedals. They were typically solid clones of great pedals, with fantastic graphics!

mickey wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 1:50 pm

peskypesky wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 1:42 pm

Flatline wrote: ↑Sun Oct 09, 2022 1:56 pm I couldn't say no to one of these new for nearly 50% off.



Will be here Thursday.

what model is that?

Makes me think about converting my Tele to SSS or HSS.

The pic looks like a "Nashville Tele."

Does anyone in Nashville play those?

peskypesky wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 4:33 pm

mickey wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 1:50 pm

peskypesky wrote: ↑Wed Oct 12, 2022 1:42 pm

what model is that?

Makes me think about converting my Tele to SSS or HSS.

The pic looks like a "Nashville Tele."

Does anyone in Nashville play those?

Brent Mason has a blue Nashville Tele.



I don't know what pickups Brent has in it.

I'm not really thinking in terms of current market.
I have at least one to sell, got a few recently. I'm not really GASsing for anything right now.
I have a mostly non-redundant stable of different types; I enjoy the variety.
Playing a guitar I haven't picked up for some time has a bit of that NGD vibe.