I don't know whether to be thrilled or disappointed every time I see a guitar that I already own, or want to own going up in price on GBase and eBay.
Yes, it is great to know that I was brilliant six months ago when I made a great score on a keeper, but it is dissheartening to know that if I want, say, a cherry burst Bluesbird to compliment my goldtop it will cost me twice what I paid for the first one.
Obviously true players out there have discovered what we on LTG have known all along: Guilds are great instruments; underpriced and underapreciated by the marketplace until a couple of things happend. First, out of our love for the brand guys like us started talking them up on the internet. Next, Gibson, the middle road guitar of choice was overrun by Taylor, and in response made the bonehead move of pricing their guitars through the stratosphere (forget the Taylor guys, they're a brand loyal as we are -- if Bob Taylor had chosen religion instead of luthiery he'd be leading the largest cult in the world today). For Martin fans feeling gunshy about plunikng down three grand for a new D-28 or $2200 for a D-18, $800 for a used D-40 and $1500 or less for a D-55 on eBay starts looking real good.
Pretty much all of us bought our Guilds, and continue to buy them, because we appreciated their sound, build, and value, that's why I bought my first one new in 1967 -- it was built better than a Martin, sounded better than a Martin, and the prices weren't even close (and yes West, it is a warhorse that has earned its stripes and shows it -- wouldn't have it any other way). Sound and build are consistant, so is it any surprise that they hold their value, and continue to creep up in price?
Not long ago, guitars were bought and sold locally, either in stores or through local want ads. Guys like Gruhn with large inventories dictated the market simply because they were the market. Today all that has changed. We are buying and selling in a global market, and price is dictated by supply and demand among individuals, not a few stores like Gruhn and Elderly (not necessarily a fair comparison, because Elderly consistantly underprices Gruhn on vintage instruments). For example, my '67 D-44. George Gruhn says that it is worth $1400, but he'd offer me about half that to buy it. Recent sales on eBay, when they show up, are in the $800-1100 range. That is the market, not Gruhn's evaluation, which by the way cost me $35.00.
Where I'm going with this is that we are the people who by bidding on eBay and buying and selling on Craigslist are setting the market. I think that now the stores are watching us, instead of the other way around. We determine value, and unfortunately for those of us still suffering from GAS, we are fortunately getting what we pay for.
A phrase came up in an earluer post: "The pain of the cost at time of purchase is long forgotten when enjoying the purchase over time." We need to remember that every time we pull the trigger on that one Guild that "completes" our collection -- at least until the next one shows up.
Yes, it is great to know that I was brilliant six months ago when I made a great score on a keeper, but it is dissheartening to know that if I want, say, a cherry burst Bluesbird to compliment my goldtop it will cost me twice what I paid for the first one.
Obviously true players out there have discovered what we on LTG have known all along: Guilds are great instruments; underpriced and underapreciated by the marketplace until a couple of things happend. First, out of our love for the brand guys like us started talking them up on the internet. Next, Gibson, the middle road guitar of choice was overrun by Taylor, and in response made the bonehead move of pricing their guitars through the stratosphere (forget the Taylor guys, they're a brand loyal as we are -- if Bob Taylor had chosen religion instead of luthiery he'd be leading the largest cult in the world today). For Martin fans feeling gunshy about plunikng down three grand for a new D-28 or $2200 for a D-18, $800 for a used D-40 and $1500 or less for a D-55 on eBay starts looking real good.
Pretty much all of us bought our Guilds, and continue to buy them, because we appreciated their sound, build, and value, that's why I bought my first one new in 1967 -- it was built better than a Martin, sounded better than a Martin, and the prices weren't even close (and yes West, it is a warhorse that has earned its stripes and shows it -- wouldn't have it any other way). Sound and build are consistant, so is it any surprise that they hold their value, and continue to creep up in price?
Not long ago, guitars were bought and sold locally, either in stores or through local want ads. Guys like Gruhn with large inventories dictated the market simply because they were the market. Today all that has changed. We are buying and selling in a global market, and price is dictated by supply and demand among individuals, not a few stores like Gruhn and Elderly (not necessarily a fair comparison, because Elderly consistantly underprices Gruhn on vintage instruments). For example, my '67 D-44. George Gruhn says that it is worth $1400, but he'd offer me about half that to buy it. Recent sales on eBay, when they show up, are in the $800-1100 range. That is the market, not Gruhn's evaluation, which by the way cost me $35.00.
Where I'm going with this is that we are the people who by bidding on eBay and buying and selling on Craigslist are setting the market. I think that now the stores are watching us, instead of the other way around. We determine value, and unfortunately for those of us still suffering from GAS, we are fortunately getting what we pay for.
A phrase came up in an earluer post: "The pain of the cost at time of purchase is long forgotten when enjoying the purchase over time." We need to remember that every time we pull the trigger on that one Guild that "completes" our collection -- at least until the next one shows up.
