I used to have a vintage Gibson SG Standard appraised at $2,600.00. I tried to sell it for considerably less than that price...a few thousand dollars is not going to change my life. All I got was "professionals" replying to my Kijiji ad telling me that I would be lucky to get $400.00 Canadian for it. I couldn't stand wasting anymore time dealing with these scumbags so I ended up giving the Gibson to my nephew. Everyone wants something for nothing. That should be the Ontario slogan. I'll take the smile on my nephew's face over five or ten thousand dollars any day.
I fucking HATE the kijiji low ballers. They get seriously unbelievably brazen in the GTA. I just scored two really cool bass guitars for 175 each, others sell them for like 350 and up ....in fact with one of them, I almost got the very same model for 450 a few months prior. Now, you know why I got them, and not the other people that messaged the guy? Because I was the only one that didn't offer 100 bucks but instead said "Still got em? No negotiations bullshit, i'll buy them both for what you're asking"
Michael Burdo had the same issue. Sold a Gibson explorer on ebay. Not greatest guitar ever but man, people tried offering like $300 for it. And that's with EMGS in it.
Hate to break it to you, but I see early 70s SGs selling in upwards of $2000 in good condition all the time. Someone took advantage of you to get a cheap vintage SG, let's face it you got shafted on that one.
G&L guitars are phenomenal. Fender custom shop quality for Fender American standard pricing. I hope people continue to sleep on these amazing guitars...
G&L are incredible guitars, underrated to the max. Rev are flippin awesome as well, it’s a shame. The Billy Corgan sig they did will literally do any style of music you want, they should be everywhere.
I'm in Canada and Reverend, G&L and Godin have become my main guitars. I've tried but never liked Gibsons period and Im slowly showing my American Fenders the back door. I dont need to worry about resale value when I get exactly what I like. Thanks for the vid.
You can also get a decent cheaper guitar with a nice feel and neck and Change pickups, electronics, tuner and bridge stuff like that and make it a perfect guitar
It's an option... but if it sounds bad, why did you buy it brand new anyway? You should have spent the same amount on a better USED guitar that keeps its value.
Selling an Epiphone in North America is like trying to sell a First Act guitar. No one wants them. An Epi Les Paul Standard is about $769 here. If i tried to sell the next day, I'd be lucky to get $300 for it
Yeah. I like Epiphone better than Gibson but I definitely won't give over $400 for one in excellent condition with a hardshell case and free shipping. On the other hand, If I can find an excellent condition PRS for under $500 I'll buy it and flip it on the local market and easily make $100 - $150. The more expensive guitars are always harder to get your money back out of, but it can be done if you're patient. Even the more expensive Gibson's move slowly on the used market, unless you're willing to give it away.
An Epi Les Paul Standard is about $429 in the US. There are plenty of Epi Les Pauls over $700, but not the standard. I agree with your point on their resale value though. I do find the more expensive Epiphones go cheap second hand here in Ireland too. I picked up a Dot for €200 and they are currently €400 from thomann, the German website who are usually the cheapest place for gear. I have seen them for under €350 new in a shop here. I see Sheratons for €350 second hand and they are €650 - €700 new.
What a terrible advice... Start with NOT buying them brand new. Buy second-hand guitars and keep them in excellent shape, and they will sell at the same price you paid or more... because on the used guitar market there is no price difference between a second-hand, third-hand, fourth-hand and a fifth-hand guitar, as long as the frets aren't worn and the guitar is undamaged.
I think the poor resale value is a result of normal supply and demand. New guitars for many of these have a more limited supply and a higher demand from someone seeking the instrument out that is willing to pay a high price. The used market is affected by competition with a new instrument. For example, if you are going to buy a PRS Custom 24, do you want to pay $3500 for a used one when you could get a new one at $4000? Additionally, if you buy a customized instrument, it is custom to your taste you pay more for that. When you resell it, you take a loss because the customizations are not exactly what someone else wants. In the US, Carvin or Kiesel is the brand I associate with a bad resell value. But I think the better question is why does Fender have such a high resell value? I personally think it is just because 9/10 guitar players think it is the best and the demand stays high on the used market. And somehow scratches and defects do not detract from the value. For example, a PRS with belt rash will take a big hit while a Strat with 2-3 flakes of paint still hanging on has mojo.
That surprised me on the G&L resale price down there in Oz. Even as a noob back in the day when I was starting out, I found out that G&L was Leo’s third company (after Fender and Music Man ) that he started with his old biz partner George Fullerton, hence George & Leo or G&L. Most of their offerings were a result of Leo revisiting his original designs and addressing what he thought were things he could have done better. I’m surprised that the players in Australia don’t realize that the G&L is an improved Fender . Who wouldn’t want an improved Strat or Tele or P-Bass? There just my philosophy. True, they aren’t exactly like those original Fender instruments. That’s the point. Leo realized that in his own opinion, he could improve some things. Normally this might seem presumptuous to some, but if one realizes that this man was the “creator god” of those groundbreaking instruments, who more would have the right and privilege of such an evaluation/decision in the first place? I play guitar and bass and the G&L version of the P-Bass, the SB-1, is a better bass than its inspiration as an example of what I’m describing. In all fairness, I’m not a huge fanboy or collector of G&L, but rather simply stating the logic behind G&L’s raison d’être.
I designed a couple of G&L's prior to Leo's death including a more expanded pickup configuration which is not a basic setup. All my G&L's (8) were inspected by Leo and Dale Hyatt, including one that created for the Scorpions who were using G&L in the studio. Leo died and the new owners (BBE) went down the cheap road. Mine were all created with the metric system and all woods were matched to these selected guitars. All my guitars have Leo Fender Decal which was made of "24c gold paint. Fender Music was continually suing G&L for using Leo's name. (which they keep losing) So when BBE purchased G&L, the Leo Fender label was removed from the factory. BBE also have $$$$ interest in Fender. When I met Leo, he was working on a new pickup for the bass. He was trying to expand the bass to be more flexible than Fender P-bass. He was impressed with the flexibility on modifications Carol Kaye did on her basses. If you come across a G&L with Leo's signature on it, buy it! G&L's with Leo signature were Top Sellers in Japan. The sold up to $5000. As G&L were made metric, they held their tunning when they arrived in Japan. This was one of the major reasons it was popular in Japan. When BBE took over, they replaced metric with the Imperial measurement (which is not accurate as the metric). The Scorpion's and some country bands love the guitar designed (prototype 1) that is was set to go in production using (prototype 2). Leo died and Dale gave me only copy of this guitar. Now G&L has moved production to Japan where metric is used. The metric system is used also in the Mexico factory. The only fight G&L had with Fender was the paint Fender used. They would either send the bodies or have bodies built in Mexico (No Laws Against all paints) where they used illegal paint by US & CAl standards and then shipped back for competition. G&L did their own painting and assembly in Fullerton I hope this history helps with purchasing used G&L's.
I actually bought a G&L Limited Edition Tribute ASAT Classic Ash Body at Musicians Friend on a 'stupid deal of the day' for $249 new (50% off list). It wasn't bad, except for a small crack that appeared in the set neck where it attached to the body after about 3 months of pretty regular playing. It was a 'Made in Indonesia' guitar but I've played way worse MIM, China, Indonesian guitars. I kind of liked it and played a few small gigs with it. I unloaded it because I was kind of leery about the crack and didn't want to screw around repairing it if it got bigger. Ended up selling it for $250 so I at least made my money back. Would have gotten hosed if I had paid regular retail price.
Upper Left Coast Chelsea Fan You didn’t listened to anything this guy had to say, right? I mean he met Leo Fender and explained in details the differences between a real Leo G&L and a BBE one. No one cares that you didn’t played your G&L because the neck cracked, that doesn’t represent a valid opinion on G&L guitars.
I didn't even think of that brand, cheers! It's not one I see a lot in Australia but that's the exact sort of brand that could of made the list. Cheers. 😎
The sad part is that Godin and their other brands are some of the best guitars made in the world. My Seagull S6 acoustic is great. On the used market though they get treated like an epi or squier
They made a lot of the 'USA made' Kramers. Godin has a crap load of brands and is a very good manufacturer (check out Seagull) however they suffer from no real brand image. So the devaluation might be their own fault but you might be getting a very good guitar anyway. Made in Canada not China! I would buy a solid used Seagull which is probably their best solid-top line, very good quality but you can go camping with it.
Gibson guitars are the most liquid to move I've found, I've lost some money on some Fenders even though I was patient, but Gibsons no matter what range always seem to hold their value especially if it is a LP
That's starting to change with their new models. A 2013 LP won't hold its value like a 2003 LP. The experimental models, with the robo-tuners, the odd tuning keys, and the weird weight-relief designs made it happen, coupled with the recent issues in quality.
The Studios are always a hard sell. People that buy used Gibsons tend to look for specific combinations of top, pickups, tuners, etc. The Studio, being all play and no bling, flies in the face of that.
The power of the brand name. Music Man and G&L are basically an extension/upgrade/version of Fender (they were created by Leo Fender). Since Fender was the "original," people think of those brands as "Fender Tributes" when, in fact, many of their models are as good or better than Fender guitars, especially G&L. But since they are perceived as "copies" and Fender is still around and as big of a company as they can be, the resale value of everything else drops.
Yes, I thought exactly the same thing about PRS in Japan : so many on sale! I think they are destroying their own perceived value by flooding the market with the SE models.
Funny, there's this guy in Caifornia, who always runs this ad in the paper "I buy used guitars". I called him once. I had a 1953 Fender Esquire to sell if I got a good offer. He asked me if it was all original and what condition was it in. I told him the paint was in poor shape, but the body and neck werent damaged, no major dings. Also the bridge wasn't stock, but had the tailpiece that was like the old Gibson style thst bolted to the butt end and came up towards the bridge. The tuners were all rusted but still worked. He said, it would cost him more to fix it up than what he vould get for it, and then offered me $150. He said he'd go $200, but had to check it out first. Thrn asked if I had sny Gibson Les Pauls, SG's or Strats or Telecasters cause that what he was really interested in. What a douche I thought. This dud continuously runs an sd for Strats, Teles, L Pauls and SGs hoping he'll find someone unaware of thier value do he can screw them out of their money. Whst a lowlife. Doesn't know much about guitars, just knows certain Fenders and Gibsons are worth a lot. Anyway, ran the guitar on ebay and it sold in 2 days for $1600. I msy hsve gotten more, but needed the cas badly. I now buy old guitars, any kind. Fix them up and sell them fairly cheap. I usually get ones at pawn shops, thrift stores for $15 to $75, fix em set em up, paint them and make a little money. I'm retired, and it helps pay the bills and I love doing this. Some guitars are really inexpensive but great. I csn give you a list of really good but cheap guitars. I think thers more of a msrket for affordable guitars.
John McClinton Hi, John. I was curious as to what are some of the other common cheap but good used brands you would recommend looking at. As a college-age guitarist looking around, a cheaper guitar is paramount right now and simply a good idea to look at anyway.
Grawman67 , I'd suggest a yamaha pacifica. Simple, strat like, not much money. They sound and play great. No modifications needed. Maybe tuners and a good set up. Good luck. If you're more interested in a gibson style guitar, an epiphone sg. Probably more more thsn a pacifica, but not much. Good to go as is, just do a set up. If not sure how to set up a guitar, keep watching the videos here on youtube. Its not hard.
I don't ship guitars. Most ppl I sell to is by word of mouth. For repairs or custom installs I am a lot more reasonable than guitar ctr. And do professional quality work. I do not use electrical tape anywhere in a guitar. Solder and shrink tubing. No ceramic capacitors. I will use old old paper/oil caps on relic guitars where ppl want them totally original. I highly suggest against using these otherwise.
For anyone being concerned about the G&L. Fantastic company honestly, i bought a scratch and dent G&L Legacy tribute (indonesian made) org price was 599 USD. i G got it for 300 USD. I picked it up since it was amazing to play, quality pickups and all. But heres the thing. after a week the middle pick up died on me, sent it down to Fulleton CA. 1 week later i get it back with a new american made pick up. But listen to this... FULLY RESPRAYED AND THE DENTS ARE GONE AND NEWLY POLISHED. I basically got a new guitar. i even said prior to shipping that it was a scratch and dent. They replied saying, '' we dont want our guitars to be bought because they are cheap, we want them bought because they are perfect'' that tells you right there what kind of company they are.
I've owned 8 G&Ls; 1 Tribute, 5 from the mid-90s, and 2 < 1 year old. I didn't buy them to sell them. I did my research, waited for a good deal, and I'm glad I did. Everyone and their mother plays Fender, like sheep. My Legacy beats the crap out of my '89 American Standard Strat that I sold for considerably less than I had hoped. Both of my newer G&Ls cost less than $1500 US and they are both "custom-shop" guitars and the build quality is as good as a Fender Custom Shop. I sold my mid-90s S-500 for almost the same price I paid for it. I should also mention that I watched 10 or so '89 American Standard Strats for sale on both eBay and Reverb before putting mine up for sale and ALL of them sold for at least $200 less than the owners' original asking price.
The moral of the story is "buy used". Shop the heck out of your target piece on Reverb, eBay and Guitar Center Used. New prices at M.A.P. have manufacturer, distributor and store profit built in, plus advertising, packaging and warranty costs. I'm not trying to make money when I buy an instrument, so if I make or lose a couple hundred bucks I don't get worked up about it. Great tone requires sacrifice.
If I'm buying local, I get good deals on used gear, just make sure you know what you're looking at, or take someone with you. With all the Chinese counterfeits, I'd be wary of any big brand selling on ebay.
I agree, a lot of times I see people trade in gear and guitars that are like brand new but they didn't like it or whatever. I got a Les Paul for less than half of its new value. with a Hardshell case. They wanted more but I showed up with cash. and said If it plays, and doesn't sound like hell. *scratchy pots, or noisy jack" I'll take it. Needless to say I left with it. I would have still taken it with a little bit of work needed, but they didn't need to know that. But I have bought 3 guitars new in my lifetime. My Schecter, a Squire Strat and a Tak Acoustic. the rest where deals I couldn't pass up. I will not do a trade in at a store, since they are going to give you a trade in value vs. resale value I understand they need to make a profit too, and yes its a bit of a pain to list and sell. But for an extra hundred bucks. I'll do my own work.
Same thing happened to me with my G&L... excellent guitar, cost about $1500 new with case. It was an ASAT Classic Bluesboy, beautiful wood, finish, loved the pickups - hated the neck. It was so chunky and beefy that I had to just sell it. I got lucky and sold it for about $1000, but that was only due to selling it internationally, so exchange rate saved me. Fantastic guitars, but try one first if you can!
This is really useful dude, especially as a fellow Aussie. I know you know the market. It would be awesome if you did a top 5 brands that DO hold their value, cheers
I love the look of PRS guitars but feel like there are better guitars for the money... and I feel like Paul himself is a bit of a goober (from the vids and interviews if him I’ve seen).
Exactly, plenty of brands coming through that do the job. I suppose you have to weigh up new price on another guitar vs second hand price of a PRS. As for Paul, I think he gets a bit excited because he really loves guitars and what he does.
Boudreau Guitars It's a matter of supply and demand. eBay and Craigslist have made the supply side explode. Especially Craigslist as it is free to use. It used to be much more difficult to advertise so lots of stuff sat in attics or basements.
It hurts to see these fantastic guitars sold for so cheap. This is the reason why I only buy American made and only from Fender and Gibson (I want to buy other brands but market perception is reality). And when I buy, it's 50%+ off street price in a end of year get rid of inventory type of super sale. These sales are super rare, but that's the only way I'm motivated to buy. I never plan to sell my gear but I'm thinking when I'm an old man and can't play anymore that I know that my new Gibby ES-335 I got for $1700 that I will get my money back and likely make a profit off of it with the added help of inflation. It's as great thing to live in America and have access to these sales thru forum talk. It works out well if you're astute about it. Living in Europe or elsewhere where sales don't occur would drive me nuts!
USA made PRS and G&L has that sort of niche following, even here in the states. They hold decent resale value if you are patient but anything Gibson or Fender in the same price range will be a lot easier to move. Anything foreign made has a significant drop off, even if it's a well playing guitar. That said, I've never bought new so I'm not the one losing! Being a lefty in Australia may possibly be the worst combination for finding used gear at a good price. I don't envy you Shane!
+chris Have you noticed a trend, on eBay and even Reverb, of the Japanese buying lower priced, used Epiphones and doubling the price and shipping, and then trying to sell them right back to us? Just a few years ago I could always find 4 or 5 Epiphone Les Paul Custom Blackback guitars on eBay. Now I rarely see any. They're not rare guitars. They were made in Korea, so why, when I do see one, is it "from Japan"? That's not only instance of this that I've noticed. Right now the shipping always seems to be $180, on top of the already ridiculous guitar price. I've heard stories of rich Japanese coming to guitar shows and buying everything they can get their hands on. Now I believe it. It's like they are trying to corner the used guitar market or something.
The point is that most G&L and PRS guitars offered are not "vintage". The price of a good butterscotch ASAT is not much different than that of a used Fender Tele, maybe €100-200 less (€900-1100 vs €1100+). There are no really OLD G&L guitars out there... but there are a LOT of 1970s Fender Strats that are nothing special and go for 2K+ It's just a myth that 1970s stuff is better, most of them are really heavy, badly resonating guitars. That's why good vintage dealers mention the WEIGHT of these axes. 3.7 kg seems to be quite good. Are they worth twice the price of a late 1980s or early 1990s Strat? IMHO absolutely NOT. In 1982 the new management of Fender after the buy-out decided to take several years of buying back 1950s and 1960s guitars and analysing and copying them in every detail, while Fuji Gen in Japan made all of their guitars and provided the cash that was needed for the quality improvement in the USA. That's why you find 1984 necks on 1987 guitars. Anyways, the quality improvement was NEEDED, because the quality of 1970s guitars was inconsistent. So actually, if you compare G&L and PRS with Fender and Gibson then you're comparing guitars without a vintage myth with guitars WITH a vintage myth. The actual value of a recent used guitar is ±50% of the list price, with exception of a few collectable brands such as Fender, Gibson and Ibanez, because some collectors are willing to pay more for certain rare or special discontinued models. As a general rule you can say that buying new guitars means you'll have to accept that you are going to write off ±50%. That's still better than buying a brand new car. That will write off TOTALLY if you decide to keep it long enough.
Chris L That is the power of branding. Because beginners and the average Joe know these are the 2 most famous brands. Because of the mind share in the majority of people’s minds, the Economics just work out that way where the demand will always be higher. Higher demand=better prices, better liquidity
Phil McKnight said in a video recently that G&L has the same problem in the US (in 2021). I'm not the type to sell off something I've purchased after serious thought and consideration. However, I love G&L guitars. Have their pickups in my Fender Tele. They're what Leo Fender idealized for his guitar designs. I'd pit any foreign-made G&L against any Squire any day, and some of the MIM or American-made Fenders. Their American-made guitars are phenomenal. Perplexingly, they don't resell well. A superior instrument falls to brand recognition. Probably by people who don't know the story of Leo going leaving Fender and starting G&L.
Burb I totally agree with you about Carbon. I used to live close by their Orange County store, in the 80s. They weren't expensive for how nice they were. Ebony fingerboard beautiful paint job, etc. Fast forward to the 2000s. Bought a new single cut model for $850 new but didn't like it well enough to keep. I got totally screwed when I wound up selling to a local guitar store. Someone offered me $300. Ended up trading for a nice Ibanez which I liked more but was worth much less than the Carvin. But on eBay they are pretty expensive. I bet they don't sell too well. Anyway I had to comment when I saw your post!
I bought a used G&L Legacy 1993 3-bolt model a couple of years ago for $650. Fantastic guitar. Lightweight, wonderfully resonant when played unplugged, yet amazingly solid build, great neck, beautiful, crisp bell-like tones. Fender custom shop level quality. Miles ahead of a stock American strat. One of the best guitar deals ever.
I was in the market for a new guitar after many’s years of not playing. I bought a new Gipson les Paul, after a couple of days realised how badly made it was. Returned it to be setup and have some marks removed from the body. I wasn’t happy with the results when it was returned. I swapped it for a PRS which cost a little more. The higher quality of the US made PRS was Quite noticeable. Some guitars will hold there value because of there name not the quality, not the sound because sound is subjective as is the shape of the guitar. Most budget guitars seem to be homage like watches are copy’s. I mention watches because watches are in the second hand market are a little like guitars. You Compere a Grand Seiko with a Rolex, the Rolex will always sell better second hand because of the name not the quality.
So you’re saying brand name is more important than quality? I’m pretty sure the name recognition comes from having quality in the first place and not the other way around.
Great Video Shane! I am a long time player and a have part-time guitar repair shop (Guitar Tune Ups) in Ca. I have owned, bought and sold a boat load of different guitars (that my shop funds) :>) I have noticed a shift in the market as the Chinese / Indo guitars are being well built and Gibson / Fender guitars not so much (I could give a ton of recent examples). I never buy new and always look for the lowest price on US or Import (Epi) guitars. If someone sells through ebay or Reverb it is at least a 7% final cost so that has to be considered when buying a used guitar and maybe reselling down the road. If someone buys an import, it typically takes a lot of parts and labor to get close to a name brand guitar. If you buy name brand US (used) the price gap (after parts and repair on an Import) is fairly close. I have upgraded a lot of L.P. "Chibson's" for customers and they turn out decent but not the same build quality as a US guitar (I play Gibson currently). Thanks again for opening this subject up, I hope that this comment helps.
I bought a G&L Bluesboy (ASAT with a humbucker) and even the seller was surprised that I'd heard about the brand. I didn't buy it THAT much cheaper was I was happy with the price and the guitar. Lucky for me, it's a keeper, I'll never part with it.
Yeah tried to sell my EC 1000 see thru cherry with active 81/60 for $600 paid $1000 ended up keeping it dropping in some retro active hot 70's and green padded the back of the neck using painters tape for a sharp line, now much better playing guitar.
Opinions on G&L seem to be shifting here in AU - last few on Ebay have gone for $1300AU+ for USA models. You'd have a hard time finding a used Tribute model for $550AU now
The reason is PRS buyers are the pickiest they want them used to be in mint condition ......and guitars are meant to be played !! Not worshipped just my humble opinion ....I totally agree with your list !!!
I would say ESP (not LTD) and Jackson (USA). 3 different times I have bought these used for 25-40% of new. Good for me, bad for seller. I think part of the issue is they are not as popular as the Fenders and Gibsons... it has a smaller target audience. Also, even at 25% of retail, you could still be paying upwards of $1000 for a used guitar. Most people shopping for used guitars are not looking to spend that much.
I was thinking the same. Big problem with their guitars is that people try so hard to do something unique that so many guitars they ship just look horrid. I own an older Carvin and have absolutely zero regrets, so I'm not knocking the company or the quality. But companies employ designers for a reason.
That's true. Funny thing is, companies like Ibanez are now trying to copy some of the stranger Kiesel custom designs as actual factory models, and they look horrendous. I think the boutique shops, either customer-designed like Kiesel or company-designed like Dean Zelinsky, will continue to have resale issues based on the mere fact that there are just so many boutiques out there that even name recognition won't be enough to keep the price up.
I am a Carvin/Kiesel guy but I do agree with you. I picked up my CT3 for only $600 and done change. It would have been $1200 or new. I have three others that I bought in Stock or had made. In Stock has some price reductions but still it I would lose big time if I sold them. They are my main instruments so I don't care.
Deenie Beenie maybe a built or older TL... The Used prices are starting to increase in KIESEL branded models. The bargains are still there. You have to look harder. I love my Kiesel/Carvins. Best guitars I own and I have had Ginsin, Fender and PRS. All USA. I will take my KIESEL stuff
Played a G & L Bass for years and I can tell you that is an awesome Bass guitar. If you can a used one at 70 % of the new price that would be such a steal.
I bought a two-year old $7,000 Alembic Epic for $400 at Guitar Center a few years ago. Personally, I think they mis-marked the tag and left a zero off the end, but they rang it up without blinking and I walked out the door with the sales receipt. It's a nice enough bass, but personally would never drop $7000 or even $4000 for one. For that kind of cash I expect perfection, and it's not a perfect bass.
I got my G&L ASAT Special for half price brand new simply because it sat in the store too long. The general lack of familiarity with the brand played into my favour. It's a great guitar.
Musicmans look and sound really awesome. I need to get one one day. I can understand why they don't sell though. I thought they were some cheap knockoff brand before I looked into them more. And the fact that it's from a string brand just makes it seem like an afterthought.
Music man guitars was started in collaboration with Leo Fender and was not originally an Ernie Ball product. The non Ernies are worth quite a bit, at least the basses are.
stimpson j cat Interesting. To someone who doesn't know that it looks not as good though. Kind of like some other brands that sell other stuff more. Peavey for instance. I know they have had some good guitars but I know them from picks and various other accessories more than guitars.
I think he’s wrong about MusicMan guitars...I’ve bought and sold several for top dollar. They are “world class” instruments and anyone familiar with them realizes that.
I play an INDONESIAN made G&L legacy tribute and it is by far one of the best strat type guitars I've ever played! I owned a Fender American standard prior to this and have played Deluxe and Custom shops but damn, that cheap G&L is soooo good. The alternate tone pot set up makes it an extremely useable guitar no matter what situation or style of music. Nice video!
That's very true. I'm always looking for a great deal on another Reverend, but they ain't THAT cheap, Korean made or not, and they're all great guitars.
It seems Reverends hold pretty steady here in the states, as the popularity grows the deals will be less and less. I own 3 Revs, just better fuddles for the $$
I’d add 70s fenders to the list, I learnt the hard way they are not considered vintage and the quality wasn’t great. I do seem to see Japanese Fenders going up in price now that Fender Japan is no more, what do you think? (I live in Australia too)
Yeah Shane, I commented earlier on the MM Cutlass I had purchased. It's a USA made, and I'm assuming it's the small bodied Strat that your friend Brian has. It won't fit in a Strat case, because the body is wider, but it is definitely shorter. Very comfortable sitting on the couch picking about. But this is a great example of this video. New, here in Germany, the USA made goes from 2200-2800 euros. I was just going through my ebay receipts yesterday and found out that I had only paid 380 euros for this particular guitar. The previous owner had tried to play metal with a 3 passive single coil guitar. Not sure what he was thinking. But he had a very odd combination of strings on it, and the action was up around half an inch around the 12th fret. So it took some pretty serious set up work to get it back to normal, but no replacement parts. Just elbow grease and a couple of hours work. Even at my shop rates of 120 per hour, I scored big. This is the best playing and sounding guitar I think I have ever owned. Much better than my American Standard Fender. Much better than several of my Gibsons put together. It's really a great guitar, and I have no idea why the resale values should be so low. Sure some of their models are kinda out there, but the Cutlass and the Stingray, are basically Strat styled guitars. Nothing with crazy body styles. But even the crazy bodied guitars are fantastic playing and sounding guitars. And Shane, I'm sure your friends guitar is the same, those pups are absolutely dead quiet single coils. Dead dead quiet. Every now and then, I run across a guitar that I won't sell. It's going to be with me till I drop dead. This is one of them. It's the one in the stand next to the couch. It's the one I usually grab out of reflex. I have a special model Squier telecaster custom deluxe also that falls into that category. Neck pickup forward is a jazz master, and bridge pickup back is a Telecaster, in a tele body. Even tho it's a Squier, it's got that certain something that will be staying with me. Bob in Germany
I've watched a few of your videos and of the ones I've watched, I found this one of the most value. Your added personal experience added to it and the fact that you did research for your country and mine was helpful. Thanks.
Reverend make fantastic guitars - I have a few that I've bought new! They are massively underrated so if you see a second hand one go for it. Every Reverend I've had has come with a great neck, great pickups and great setup with intonation spot on - I don't think I've ever had that from certain other big brands... Wish I could find more second hand ones in the UK!
G&L's are better than their Fender counterparts, IMO. Really terrific axes, _very_ high quality. I've also been shopping those and PRS used lately and they are indeed great values. Very clean examples are out there.
I own a G&L Legacy that I LOVE! I played it. Next to countless Fender Strats, and this was hands down a better instrument. All said, I see them used in the US marked down more than 50%. It's a shame that so much guitar resells for so little.
Agree. G&L's are amazing and have a terrible resale in the USA as well. You might include "The Heritage" as a strong contender... Amazing guitars... But too many people have no idea WTF they are... Cheers!
I agree about gl headstock. I coulda bought one couple years ago for pennies on the dollar. I just couldnt wrap my head around the headstock. Cheers from Boston
@tdunster2011 you can still find the old G&L's second hand for pretty affordable prices (an f-100 series 1 is on my list). outside of maple bodies, some of the other differences are easily addressed (pots etc) - aside from absurdly fretting over a headstock shape... in the end what matters are feel and sound. guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2040
+yearoftherat - I'm in Australia - we have nothing here in comparison to the USA - and our prices are a lot higher as well. A Squier Classic Vibe here is over $1000 retail - and even on sale the best you can do is around $800. With respect to G&L in Australia it's pretty much impossible to find a mint 3 bolt G&L as most of them were gigged within an inch of their life. By the time I take the risk of importing one from the USA, pay taxes, customs / excises a new BBE USA custom version is probably going to be a similar price without all the hassles. I paid $1900 or so for my custom made S-500 and looking on reverb they cost more than that 2n'd hand now by the time I get it to my door from the USA. I also prefer 12" radius versions - and most of the older ones are 7.25" - so again just too much hassle / waiting for the right one to come up at a good price. here is an example: reverb.com/item/6618405-g-l-s-500-rw-white-1981. By the time I pay taxes and excise it would cost me over $2600 - I can get a new custom made one for less than that - $700 less to be exact.
Great video Shane. I can’t think of a few slight differences in a few of the brands that you mentioned over here in the U.S., depending on the model of course. But for the most part your assessment is pretty accurate compared to what I’ve seen in our used market as well. Thanks for a great video!
The real issue here is how grotesquely over-priced new 'brand name' guitars are. If you are handy, and know something about guitar parts, you can certainly build a super fine guitar for about a 4th or less of the price of a new brand-name guitar. The name Fender, or Gibson, or PRS is just a logo on the headstock, really. I have built many, many guitars, and I can build a Tele style guitar that will look better than, and play and sound as good as any standard American Telecaster for around $300.00 US. You have to know where and how to buy quality parts, and how to finish and set up the guitar properly. This may require a lot of your time, and I'm not counting my time at all because I am retired. There are only a finite number of attributes that make a great sounding and playing guitar, and most of what is on the big name instruments is fancy trim items and eye-candy finishes.
Cool vid Shane. As a rule I never buy anything new unless it is unlikely to crop up in our second hand market. In New Zealand it can take a while for stuff to come up as the market is pretty small here, but a bit of patience is often rewarded by saving $$$. Same applies with amps too. We all get caught from time to time though.
I love my G&L Tele. They are 22 frets versus 21 for Fenders, which could explain your feeling it differently. Mine is an Indonesian made and cost $650 (the USA model is about $1,600). I actually played two side by side, one USA and the one I bought made in Indonesia. The USA did not feel right and frets were not right. As a playing guitar this one is great. I've recorded and played live and it holds its tuning and intonation great. Which one did you get? If you got the USA made you might try an Indonesian one. Really a superior instrument - I hate to say as I live a few miles from the G&L factory in the USA. They are hard to get here, and Guitar Center with over 300 stores will not carry them. Compared to modern Fenders the G&L is far better IMO, with superior bridges, nuts, necks, and overall quality.
Agree. Indonesian workmanship is excellent. I bought the squire 50's vibe. Completely happy with it. I own a few high en vintage to compare with. Nothing lacking on the squire
The Guitar Center carries a full line of Yamaha acoustic guitars (and electric Basses). They have their own room! But try finding a Revstar at GC and they tell you they can order one in for you. In fact, I am not sure they carry any Yamaha electric guitars at all but I could be wrong. It seems Gibson and Fender, and their off shoots, own most of the walls of guitars available at the Guitar Center. I would never buy a new guitar from a book!
Recently got an immaculate G&L S-500 for $500- (AUD), it blew my Fender Strat away in terms of tone and feel, I sold the Fender and made a tidy profit, keeping the G&L for good, it`s bloody amazing!! If you`re after a Strat style guitar (but better), look out for a G&L S-500 or Tribute. Yeah the headstock is different but the tone and feel make it a no brainer! p.s. I love this channel!
I always laugh when I see people trying to see their beat up PRS SE Standards for $600US+ because they never seem to sell at those prices. It’s hard to get them to sell at $300-$400US.
I got my 94 G&L Legacy about 20 years ago with a hard case for $300 mint. My '97 USA Fender strat was $450 with hard case. It's easier to find a good deal on a USA strat in America just like it's easier to find a good deal on a used Mercedes Benz in Europe. There's a lot of them over here. My tokai strat wasn't even a close second to these two guitars. The build was good, but the electronics were crap and the neck had varnish on it. I will have to keep my eyes out for Reverend or a Musicman now. Thanks.
People confuse old tokai with new tokai-the old ones increased in value as they were better than the gibsons of same era- and they were the first to do reissues of old models. The newer ones are great guitars, but the name doesnt hold value.
And that is why I have purchased all but 2 guitars in my life, used. I’ve gotten some smoking deals. If you are willing to walk away from a good guitar that is not a great deal. You will eventually find some great deals. Great topic.
Japanese guitars are a bit weird in the US. They hold their value pretty well, but it takes waiting for a buyer that knows about them. And most people don't know much about Japanese guitars, so the market is small but the prices can be quite high. After CITES I think supply will go down quite a bit, but I do think prices will change much. I recent bought a maniac sound Les Paul made in the same factory as bacchus, it's full nitro with exact 58 specs and even Gibson burstbucker pickups. I paid little for it, around the price of a new epiohone, but doubt I'd ever be able to sell it just because the market for them is so small.
The last Zemaitis I bought went up $1000 in value the day I bought it. I could have literally flipped it. Now is that an American company or a Japanese company or a Japanese/American company? Its hard to figure out but they make them in Japan ( a few are built in South Korea but the price reflects that and they are an exception) and they just get more valuable.
I agree with you and even beyond...I search Craigslist and have found bargains lower than eBay. I got an Alvarez Yairi (1977) with case for $150, a Dean Stylist for $100, G&L Fallout for $200 (tribute), Epi Wildkat for $225, MIM Strat with tweed case for $225, modded MIM Tele for $300 (I think I overpaid), Epi LP with SD pups and case for $225. all are in mint or near mint condition, but, you have to look a LOT for bargains. as you noted, some CL sellers think their stuff is worth close to retail, they don't understand the basic premise of CL, it's for bargain hunters, and some guys list the price as FIRM, a cardinal sin on CL, they'll rarely get an offer. CL buyers are looking to haggle for the most part unless the item is already priced correctly. anyway, good posting, thanks
Happy to see that none of my guitars made the list although I’d seriously considered a PRS and a G&L guitars (I live in America and you are correct on the attitude towards them). TBH I bought a $500 (with hard case) LP style Wolf from All In One Guitars out of Los Angeles (the get them from South Korea). I own 10 electric guitars (one real Les Paul) and I play the Wolf more than any of them. It’s not the name on the headstock... that’s for sure.
True. Bought a Gibson used and was able to turn it around for about 85% what I paid. I don't think I would be so lucky selling my Strat. There are just too many of them out there.
true story . And like anything , it's all about what year, what model, etc.But if you own any great shape Gibson, Les Pauls, ES330's 335' etc .. tend to hold onto their value pretty well. Gibson had some bad production years. But as an owner , I've been burned on a few. New CEO JC Curleigh is their only hope to pull the company out of the nosedive it's in. This is a guy who plays and owns Gibson, and was CEO of Levi's. What he did there he can hopefully do with Gibson . Take an iconic , heritage US brand , and bring it back to it's core values.. which all ties into to it's core and new customer . Simple equation right ? lol . This is corporate America .
Someone asked me what kind of caps i used. I use poly caps (polyester) mostly .022 micro farad on single coil pickup guitars, and .044 microfarad on humbucker based guitars. .022 micro farad caps can be used with either. If you dont have any .044 ufd caps, you can put two .022 caps in parallel, yes parallel, to make a .044. Capacitors add when in parallel. Placing two .044 caps in series will make a .022 cap. The value of the cap isnt that criticle as long as your close. 5% tolerance being better for sound than 10% tolerance doesn't matter to the sound. Tone freaks will argue that. But I know how and how much certain caps do to frequencys and sound. Stay away from ceramic caps cause they can leak (electronically) and the sound can break up.
I agree with your list. People just don't know that G&L are true Leo Fender guitars with some of his best guitar building as Music Man & G&L. The only difference is the early Music Man Leo Fender bass. They still get a premium price. The one you left off is the largest music manufacturer of guitars in North America, Godin! Fender & Gibson distribute more but Godin maufactures in North America in Canada. They are all great quality products that people don't know about. 1 guitar I keep is a 2000 Seagull Artist Series that sounds beautiful and still plays great. I could not sell it forenoughtto make it worthwhile. Keep up the GREAT work!
Out of about 20 guitars and basses I've own, I think I've only purchased one electric, one acoustic and one bass new. Everything else was used, and bargains even on the used market at that. It makes it easy psychologially to let go of them because you won't be thinking "I'm gonna lose so much money if I sell this".
In other words, the best guitars out there don't hold value. People prefer crappy 3K Gibsons that doesn't tune, or Fender guitars that cost 50$ to manufacture and retail more than 1000$
I would agree with that. It seems that unless it has Gibson or Fender USA on the headstock be prepared to take a hit. I own 4 Ibanez RG guitars and I love them to death but I am really surprised at their resale (at least here in Australia), I think the Japanese made RG's compete with anything around in terms of fit and finish and certainly playability. Moral of the story seems to be buy used - just watch out for fakes online because thats become a real issue. Nothing like shelling out for a 'Fender' only to get a Squier Affinity with a Watermark decal!!!
I had a C6 and really didn't like it nearly as much as my C1. There are a lot of axes for the same quality (or better) for that price (or better). As an experiment, I bought one of those infamous Harley Benton CST-24Ts the other day from Thomann. It's a cheap (very cheap) PRS copy made in Asia somewhere. That said, the one I got is easily much better than the C6 I had. It sounds funny, considering the state of the guitar industry, but big names don't always get you much. The best thing to do is sit down and play it. Feel the frets, run your hands over everything, adjust stuff, check intonation, look closely. If you like it, get it. Every brand or model is going to have horror stories and fanboys alike. Just take your time and let the guitar pick you.
Basically, to sum it up: Everything that's not Fender or Gibson won't sell well on the 2nd hand market. Guitarists are brand snobs, even if they are not aware of it. I have yet to see a guitarist who doesn't get watery eyes when he sees one of the great two brands! I build guitars myself, and every now and then friends ask me, why I'm not selling them. Well, nobody wants them if they haven't got one of the two names on the headstock. That's just the way it is. F and G still seem to be the holy grail of guitars. And in a way they are, cos most guitar builders tend to copy their guitars, some more some less.
But I do have to say, this Gibson LP I own is one amazing axe! I've had other Les Pauls before, I've gut a hot rodded Epi LP, which is a great guitar in its own right, but the Gibson is a whole different matter! It sings man! So I understand why people love Gibson (or shall I say "used to love?") They seem to have massive QC issues, but if they were able to solve these, Gibbys could be killer guitars again! Anyway, I was lucky, that mine is an amazing guitar!
Pretty much, Gibson and Fender are like the Harley Davidson of Guitars. It says Harley on it, its worth 50% than any replica. However I am not a fan of Fender Guitars. I mean they are a nice guitar, but they don't fit my style the single coils just don't have that harsh bite I like with my tones. I have a Les Paul and its probably my least played guitar. Most of my fretboard mileage goes to my schecter or Ibanez,
Sadly I think you’re right. I have various PRS and G&Ls some I paid 1/2 new price but I’m so happy with them my estate will have to bare any losses cause I’m not selling. Interesting the big push of G&L into the Uk. Australians need to wake up to the quality and value of these other brands and stop being lemmings.
Yes you have got that spot on, I had bought a PRS, 2 Music Man and one GnL new over that last 10 years and sold them on consignment and after the commission fee was deducted got just a little under half of the price I paid after not being able to sell them on eBay a consignment sale was the only option to move them on. Was sick of all those low ball offers I would cop on those Facebook selling groups , but t is what it is I guess.
Here in Europe/UK Fretking have a horrendous resale value, High end UK and Korean built instruments can go for as little as 30-40% of the mrsp. I've a Les Paul style Korean built guitar that is as good as my Gibsons and is most definitely a keeper because its not worth selling it for the price of an Epiphone
I recently sold a PRS SE Singlecut in the UK and got just over half what I paid for it. It actually got a lot of enquiries and got snapped up quite quickly, so I reckon I could have got a bit more if I had been willing to hold out. I think the issues of resale value are more pronounced on higher value guitars. Being an SE, my PRS was only £450 new, and when I sold it for £250 that put it kind of into the budget cost-bracket and I think, more than anything, that was what made it easy to sell. Incidentally, I have a G&L Legacy Tribute which I picked up brand new for £250, which is basically half price. It's a lovely guitar.
The asking price for anything Japanese in the UK is really high at the moment. Regardless of condition or quality, "Made in Japan" adds a lot of perceived value. When I started playing (back in 1991) Westone were considered a "guitarists best kept secret" as they were decent guitars but had no brand value. I'd regularly see them in music shop windows for £60-80. Nowadays I'm seeing them marked up for £300-400 depending on condition.
I used to have a vintage Gibson SG Standard appraised at $2,600.00. I tried to sell it for considerably less than that price...a few thousand dollars is not going to change my life. All I got was "professionals" replying to my Kijiji ad telling me that I would be lucky to get $400.00 Canadian for it. I couldn't stand wasting anymore time dealing with these scumbags so I ended up giving the Gibson to my nephew. Everyone wants something for nothing. That should be the Ontario slogan. I'll take the smile on my nephew's face over five or ten thousand dollars any day.
I fucking HATE the kijiji low ballers. They get seriously unbelievably brazen in the GTA. I just scored two really cool bass guitars for 175 each, others sell them for like 350 and up ....in fact with one of them, I almost got the very same model for 450 a few months prior. Now, you know why I got them, and not the other people that messaged the guy? Because I was the only one that didn't offer 100 bucks but instead said "Still got em? No negotiations bullshit, i'll buy them both for what you're asking"
Michael Burdo had the same issue. Sold a Gibson explorer on ebay. Not greatest guitar ever but man, people tried offering like $300 for it. And that's with EMGS in it.
@Rudy Sarcasm what brands would you say have the best QC? I kind of want an Epi G400 Pro.
Why not keeping it?
Hate to break it to you, but I see early 70s SGs selling in upwards of $2000 in good condition all the time. Someone took advantage of you to get a cheap vintage SG, let's face it you got shafted on that one.
G&L guitars are phenomenal. Fender custom shop quality for Fender American standard pricing. I hope people continue to sleep on these amazing guitars...
G&L are incredible guitars, underrated to the max. Rev are flippin awesome as well, it’s a shame. The Billy Corgan sig they did will literally do any style of music you want, they should be everywhere.
I agree! I have an ASAT classic and play it way more than my Fender Stratocaster which costs twice as much.
I'm in Canada and Reverend, G&L and Godin have become my main guitars. I've tried but never liked Gibsons period and Im slowly showing my American Fenders the back door. I dont need to worry about resale value when I get exactly what I like. Thanks for the vid.
USA: Any custom made boutique. BC Rich, Washburn, Dean, Godin
You're better off just doing a modification on a guitar with a bad resale value! Change the neck or the electronics and make it your favorite guitar.
You can also get a decent cheaper guitar with a nice feel and neck and Change pickups, electronics, tuner and bridge stuff like that and make it a perfect guitar
It's an option... but if it sounds bad, why did you buy it brand new anyway?
You should have spent the same amount on a better USED guitar that keeps its value.
Selling an Epiphone in North America is like trying to sell a First Act guitar. No one wants them. An Epi Les Paul Standard is about $769 here. If i tried to sell the next day, I'd be lucky to get $300 for it
I did well when selling both an Epiphone Casino and a Sheraton
Yeah. I like Epiphone better than Gibson but I definitely won't give over $400 for one in excellent condition with a hardshell case and free shipping. On the other hand, If I can find an excellent condition PRS for under $500 I'll buy it and flip it on the local market and easily make $100 - $150. The more expensive guitars are always harder to get your money back out of, but it can be done if you're patient. Even the more expensive Gibson's move slowly on the used market, unless you're willing to give it away.
An Epi Les Paul Standard is about $429 in the US. There are plenty of Epi Les Pauls over $700, but not the standard. I agree with your point on their resale value though.
I do find the more expensive Epiphones go cheap second hand here in Ireland too. I picked up a Dot for €200 and they are currently €400 from thomann, the German website who are usually the cheapest place for gear. I have seen them for under €350 new in a shop here. I see Sheratons for €350 second hand and they are €650 - €700 new.
Lol re: First Act brand!
Reading his comment I was thinking "Yup, well, except for Casino and Sheraton." I think its their solid bodies don't hold their value.
5. Reverend (Asia)
4. Music Man (USA)
3. PRS (USA)
2. Tokai (Japan)
1. G&L (USA)
You are doing it wrong.
Change the listing from 'used' to 'reliced' and raise the price by a factor of 10.
What a terrible advice...
Start with NOT buying them brand new.
Buy second-hand guitars and keep them in excellent shape, and they will sell at the same price you paid or more...
because on the used guitar market there is no price difference between a second-hand, third-hand, fourth-hand and a fifth-hand guitar, as long as the frets aren't worn and the guitar is undamaged.
One brand that REALLY loses value is schecter.
Why? they`re excellent guitars. Along with ESP/LTD, they are like, my favorite "new" brand
Fernando Reyna Aguilar their quality is hit or miss.
Schecters are one of the easiest brands to score a bargain used
(Shhhh... I'm kind of okay with that...)
.... which is great for me! A sleeper ...my favorite backup after I installed the Duncan's and custom wired it. Now, keep it down, will you?!
It took me years to notice the G&L headstock was a combination of the Strat and Tele versions.
I think the poor resale value is a result of normal supply and demand. New guitars for many of these have a more limited supply and a higher demand from someone seeking the instrument out that is willing to pay a high price.
The used market is affected by competition with a new instrument. For example, if you are going to buy a PRS Custom 24, do you want to pay $3500 for a used one when you could get a new one at $4000? Additionally, if you buy a customized instrument, it is custom to your taste you pay more for that. When you resell it, you take a loss because the customizations are not exactly what someone else wants.
In the US, Carvin or Kiesel is the brand I associate with a bad resell value. But I think the better question is why does Fender have such a high resell value? I personally think it is just because 9/10 guitar players think it is the best and the demand stays high on the used market. And somehow scratches and defects do not detract from the value. For example, a PRS with belt rash will take a big hit while a Strat with 2-3 flakes of paint still hanging on has mojo.
G&L and Reverend are FANTASTIC guitars, but buy them used for best value. They are steals used.
That surprised me on the G&L resale price down there in Oz. Even as a noob back in the day when I was starting out, I found out that G&L was Leo’s third company (after Fender and Music Man ) that he started with his old biz partner George Fullerton, hence George & Leo or G&L. Most of their offerings were a result of Leo revisiting his original designs and addressing what he thought were things he could have done better. I’m surprised that the players in Australia don’t realize that the G&L is an improved Fender . Who wouldn’t want an improved Strat or Tele or P-Bass? There just my philosophy. True, they aren’t exactly like those original Fender instruments. That’s the point. Leo realized that in his own opinion, he could improve some things. Normally this might seem presumptuous to some, but if one realizes that this man was the “creator god” of those groundbreaking instruments, who more would have the right and privilege of such an evaluation/decision in the first place? I play guitar and bass and the G&L version of the P-Bass, the SB-1, is a better bass than its inspiration as an example of what I’m describing. In all fairness, I’m not a huge fanboy or collector of G&L, but rather simply stating the logic behind G&L’s raison d’être.
Wow. Maybe if people realized G&L was Leo Fenders second company, they would recognize the value. Not yo mention the second half - George Fullerton.
@Monsieur Tarzan Yes!
@Monsieur Tarzan Fullerton was also a co- founder of that company.
I designed a couple of G&L's prior to Leo's death including a more expanded pickup configuration which is not a basic setup. All my G&L's (8) were inspected by Leo and Dale Hyatt, including one that created for the Scorpions who were using G&L in the studio. Leo died and the new owners (BBE) went down the cheap road. Mine were all created with the metric system and all woods were matched to these selected guitars. All my guitars have Leo Fender Decal which was made of "24c gold paint. Fender Music was continually suing G&L for using Leo's name. (which they keep losing) So when BBE purchased G&L, the Leo Fender label was removed from the factory. BBE also have $$$$ interest in Fender. When I met Leo, he was working on a new pickup for the bass. He was trying to expand the bass to be more flexible than Fender P-bass. He was impressed with the flexibility on modifications Carol Kaye did on her basses. If you come across a G&L with Leo's signature on it, buy it! G&L's with Leo signature were Top Sellers in Japan. The sold up to $5000. As G&L were made metric, they held their tunning when they arrived in Japan. This was one of the major reasons it was popular in Japan. When BBE took over, they replaced metric with the Imperial measurement (which is not accurate as the metric). The Scorpion's and some country bands love the guitar designed (prototype 1) that is was set to go in production using (prototype 2). Leo died and Dale gave me only copy of this guitar. Now G&L has moved production to Japan where metric is used. The metric system is used also in the Mexico factory. The only fight G&L had with Fender was the paint Fender used. They would either send the bodies or have bodies built in Mexico (No Laws Against all paints) where they used illegal paint by US & CAl standards and then shipped back for competition. G&L did their own painting and assembly in Fullerton I hope this history helps with purchasing used G&L's.
I actually bought a G&L Limited Edition Tribute ASAT Classic Ash Body at Musicians Friend on a 'stupid deal of the day' for $249 new (50% off list). It wasn't bad, except for a small crack that appeared in the set neck where it attached to the body after about 3 months of pretty regular playing. It was a 'Made in Indonesia' guitar but I've played way worse MIM, China, Indonesian guitars. I kind of liked it and played a few small gigs with it. I unloaded it because I was kind of leery about the crack and didn't want to screw around repairing it if it got bigger. Ended up selling it for $250 so I at least made my money back. Would have gotten hosed if I had paid regular retail price.
Upper Left Coast Chelsea Fan You didn’t listened to anything this guy had to say, right? I mean he met Leo Fender and explained in details the differences between a real Leo G&L and a BBE one. No one cares that you didn’t
played your G&L because the neck cracked, that doesn’t represent a valid opinion on G&L guitars.
Great vid! Around here Godin's suffer from a 65% drop when a new one walks off the lot.
I didn't even think of that brand, cheers! It's not one I see a lot in Australia but that's the exact sort of brand that could of made the list. Cheers. 😎
I agree, but the good news is that Godins are pretty awesome to own and play. I'm loving my Summit Classic Ltd and would never sell it.
The sad part is that Godin and their other brands are some of the best guitars made in the world. My Seagull S6 acoustic is great. On the used market though they get treated like an epi or squier
They made a lot of the 'USA made' Kramers. Godin has a crap load of brands and is a very good manufacturer (check out Seagull) however they suffer from no real brand image.
So the devaluation might be their own fault but you might be getting a very good guitar anyway. Made in Canada not China!
I would buy a solid used Seagull which is probably their best solid-top line, very good quality but you can go camping with it.
Agreed. Bought one in aus for 1200, retail was 2700
I agree with you. I sold my Mint $ 2100.00 G&L Comanche for $900.00 .Great buy not known to the general public.Thanks great review.
Gibson guitars are the most liquid to move I've found, I've lost some money on some Fenders even though I was patient, but Gibsons no matter what range always seem to hold their value especially if it is a LP
I agree. I sold my gold top for the same price that I got it. :-)
in my area it's been pretty hard to sell a studio for even $800 i've seen some with minor wear sitting at 600 in the last few months
That's starting to change with their new models. A 2013 LP won't hold its value like a 2003 LP. The experimental models, with the robo-tuners, the odd tuning keys, and the weird weight-relief designs made it happen, coupled with the recent issues in quality.
The Studios are always a hard sell. People that buy used Gibsons tend to look for specific combinations of top, pickups, tuners, etc. The Studio, being all play and no bling, flies in the face of that.
Craig Mann
My G&L S 500 was the most versatile guitar ever. Had trouble selling that one too. Just play accoustic now
If all the collectible guitars of the world were out there instead of hanging on the collectors walls, what would be the prices ?
The power of the brand name. Music Man and G&L are basically an extension/upgrade/version of Fender (they were created by Leo Fender). Since Fender was the "original," people think of those brands as "Fender Tributes" when, in fact, many of their models are as good or better than Fender guitars, especially G&L. But since they are perceived as "copies" and Fender is still around and as big of a company as they can be, the resale value of everything else drops.
I believe that PRS resale values will begin to climb soon and hold as well as the best in another 5-10 years. They are the future coveted brand.
i completely agree. they are gonna be the Gibson of future
I come from 2023 and yes, you are correct
Yes, I thought exactly the same thing about PRS in Japan : so many on sale!
I think they are destroying their own perceived value by flooding the market with the SE models.
Funny, there's this guy in Caifornia, who always runs this ad in the paper "I buy used guitars". I called him once. I had a 1953 Fender Esquire to sell if I got a good offer. He asked me if it was all original and what condition was it in. I told him the paint was in poor shape, but the body and neck werent damaged, no major dings. Also the bridge wasn't stock, but had the tailpiece that was like the old Gibson style thst bolted to the butt end and came up towards the bridge. The tuners were all rusted but still worked. He said, it would cost him more to fix it up than what he vould get for it, and then offered me $150. He said he'd go $200, but had to check it out first. Thrn asked if I had sny Gibson Les Pauls, SG's or Strats or Telecasters cause that what he was really interested in. What a douche I thought. This dud continuously runs an sd for Strats, Teles, L Pauls and SGs hoping he'll find someone unaware of thier value do he can screw them out of their money. Whst a lowlife. Doesn't know much about guitars, just knows certain Fenders and Gibsons are worth a lot. Anyway, ran the guitar on ebay and it sold in 2 days for $1600. I msy hsve gotten more, but needed the cas badly. I now buy old guitars, any kind. Fix them up and sell them fairly cheap. I usually get ones at pawn shops, thrift stores for $15 to $75, fix em set em up, paint them and make a little money. I'm retired, and it helps pay the bills and I love doing this. Some guitars are really inexpensive but great. I csn give you a list of really good but cheap guitars. I think thers more of a msrket for affordable guitars.
John McClinton Hi, John. I was curious as to what are some of the other common cheap but good used brands you would recommend looking at. As a college-age guitarist looking around, a cheaper guitar is paramount right now and simply a good idea to look at anyway.
John McClinton do you ship to Tennessee? I'm in the market and looking to by explorer or lp
Grawman67 , I'd suggest a yamaha pacifica. Simple, strat like, not much money. They sound and play great. No modifications needed. Maybe tuners and a good set up. Good luck. If you're more interested in a gibson style guitar, an epiphone sg. Probably more more thsn a pacifica, but not much. Good to go as is, just do a set up. If not sure how to set up a guitar, keep watching the videos here on youtube. Its not hard.
I don't ship guitars. Most ppl I sell to is by word of mouth. For repairs or custom installs I am a lot more reasonable than guitar ctr. And do professional quality work. I do not use electrical tape anywhere in a guitar. Solder and shrink tubing. No ceramic capacitors. I will use old old paper/oil caps on relic guitars where ppl want them totally original. I highly suggest against using these otherwise.
I have heard so many people say good thing about Squires. And there are a ton on craigslist, should have no trouble finding one in your budget.
For anyone being concerned about the G&L. Fantastic company honestly, i bought a scratch and dent G&L Legacy tribute (indonesian made) org price was 599 USD. i G got it for 300 USD. I picked it up since it was amazing to play, quality pickups and all. But heres the thing. after a week the middle pick up died on me, sent it down to Fulleton CA. 1 week later i get it back with a new american made pick up. But listen to this... FULLY RESPRAYED AND THE DENTS ARE GONE AND NEWLY POLISHED. I basically got a new guitar. i even said prior to shipping that it was a scratch and dent. They replied saying, '' we dont want our guitars to be bought because they are cheap, we want them bought because they are perfect'' that tells you right there what kind of company they are.
....and Jerry Cantrell's favorite!
I've owned 8 G&Ls; 1 Tribute, 5 from the mid-90s, and 2 < 1 year old. I didn't buy them to sell them. I did my research, waited for a good deal, and I'm glad I did. Everyone and their mother plays Fender, like sheep. My Legacy beats the crap out of my '89 American Standard Strat that I sold for considerably less than I had hoped. Both of my newer G&Ls cost less than $1500 US and they are both "custom-shop" guitars and the build quality is as good as a Fender Custom Shop. I sold my mid-90s S-500 for almost the same price I paid for it.
I should also mention that I watched 10 or so '89 American Standard Strats for sale on both eBay and Reverb before putting mine up for sale and ALL of them sold for at least $200 less than the owners' original asking price.
The moral of the story is "buy used". Shop the heck out of your target piece on Reverb, eBay and Guitar Center Used. New prices at M.A.P. have manufacturer, distributor and store profit built in, plus advertising, packaging and warranty costs. I'm not trying to make money when I buy an instrument, so if I make or lose a couple hundred bucks I don't get worked up about it. Great tone requires sacrifice.
If I'm buying local, I get good deals on used gear, just make sure you know what you're looking at, or take someone with you. With all the Chinese counterfeits, I'd be wary of any big brand selling on ebay.
Yep, you're a fool if you buy new from guitar center.
I agree, a lot of times I see people trade in gear and guitars that are like brand new but they didn't like it or whatever. I got a Les Paul for less than half of its new value. with a Hardshell case. They wanted more but I showed up with cash. and said If it plays, and doesn't sound like hell. *scratchy pots, or noisy jack" I'll take it. Needless to say I left with it. I would have still taken it with a little bit of work needed, but they didn't need to know that. But I have bought 3 guitars new in my lifetime. My Schecter, a Squire Strat and a Tak Acoustic. the rest where deals I couldn't pass up.
I will not do a trade in at a store, since they are going to give you a trade in value vs. resale value I understand they need to make a profit too, and yes its a bit of a pain to list and sell. But for an extra hundred bucks. I'll do my own work.
Same thing happened to me with my G&L... excellent guitar, cost about $1500 new with case. It was an ASAT Classic Bluesboy, beautiful wood, finish, loved the pickups - hated the neck. It was so chunky and beefy that I had to just sell it. I got lucky and sold it for about $1000, but that was only due to selling it internationally, so exchange rate saved me. Fantastic guitars, but try one first if you can!
This is really useful dude, especially as a fellow Aussie. I know you know the market. It would be awesome if you did a top 5 brands that DO hold their value, cheers
Thats easy - generally speaking its Gibson and Fender USA. Ive taken a terrible hit on other amazing guitars, in particular Ibanez..even the MIJ ones.
Yeah, MIM Fenders seem to hold well. I had one 20 years ago and paid $600 for it 2nd hand in a shop. They go for more than that now on Gumtree.
Nice to know that about PRS. Always wanted one, but balked at the new price. Might check the used market. Cheers
You can get great prices on really clean used examples.
I'll probably have to look around Sydney. There's 2 parts of FA down in the ACT unless you buy new.
I love the look of PRS guitars but feel like there are better guitars for the money... and I feel like Paul himself is a bit of a goober (from the vids and interviews if him I’ve seen).
Exactly, plenty of brands coming through that do the job. I suppose you have to weigh up new price on another guitar vs second hand price of a PRS. As for Paul, I think he gets a bit excited because he really loves guitars and what he does.
Michael McKinney My PRS McCarty begs to differ...
The second hand market sucks, everyone’s looking for everything dirt cheap.
Boudreau Guitars it only sucks when selling. Lol I’ve been on both sides.
Boudreau Guitars Everyone wants something for nothing.
Most people want too much for old crap.
Boudreau Guitars It's a matter of supply and demand. eBay and Craigslist have made the supply side explode. Especially Craigslist as it is free to use. It used to be much more difficult to advertise so lots of stuff sat in attics or basements.
+Jan Minor - But what if it's old but not crap?
It hurts to see these fantastic guitars sold for so cheap. This is the reason why I only buy American made and only from Fender and Gibson (I want to buy other brands but market perception is reality). And when I buy, it's 50%+ off street price in a end of year get rid of inventory type of super sale. These sales are super rare, but that's the only way I'm motivated to buy. I never plan to sell my gear but I'm thinking when I'm an old man and can't play anymore that I know that my new Gibby ES-335 I got for $1700 that I will get my money back and likely make a profit off of it with the added help of inflation. It's as great thing to live in America and have access to these sales thru forum talk. It works out well if you're astute about it. Living in Europe or elsewhere where sales don't occur would drive me nuts!
USA made PRS and G&L has that sort of niche following, even here in the states. They hold decent resale value if you are patient but anything Gibson or Fender in the same price range will be a lot easier to move. Anything foreign made has a significant drop off, even if it's a well playing guitar. That said, I've never bought new so I'm not the one losing! Being a lefty in Australia may possibly be the worst combination for finding used gear at a good price. I don't envy you Shane!
+chris Have you noticed a trend, on eBay and even Reverb, of the Japanese buying lower priced, used Epiphones and doubling the price and shipping, and then trying to sell them right back to us? Just a few years ago I could always find 4 or 5 Epiphone Les Paul Custom Blackback guitars on eBay. Now I rarely see any. They're not rare guitars. They were made in Korea, so why, when I do see one, is it "from Japan"? That's not only instance of this that I've noticed. Right now the shipping always seems to be $180, on top of the already ridiculous guitar price. I've heard stories of rich Japanese coming to guitar shows and buying everything they can get their hands on. Now I believe it. It's like they are trying to corner the used guitar market or something.
The point is that most G&L and PRS guitars offered are not "vintage". The price of a good butterscotch ASAT is not much different than that of a used Fender Tele, maybe €100-200 less (€900-1100 vs €1100+).
There are no really OLD G&L guitars out there... but there are a LOT of 1970s Fender Strats that are nothing special and go for 2K+
It's just a myth that 1970s stuff is better, most of them are really heavy, badly resonating guitars. That's why good vintage dealers mention the WEIGHT of these axes. 3.7 kg seems to be quite good.
Are they worth twice the price of a late 1980s or early 1990s Strat? IMHO absolutely NOT.
In 1982 the new management of Fender after the buy-out decided to take several years of buying back 1950s and 1960s guitars and analysing and copying them in every detail, while Fuji Gen in Japan made all of their guitars and provided the cash that was needed for the quality improvement in the USA.
That's why you find 1984 necks on 1987 guitars.
Anyways, the quality improvement was NEEDED, because the quality of 1970s guitars was inconsistent.
So actually, if you compare G&L and PRS with Fender and Gibson then you're comparing guitars without a vintage myth with guitars WITH a vintage myth.
The actual value of a recent used guitar is ±50% of the list price, with exception of a few collectable brands such as Fender, Gibson and Ibanez, because some collectors are willing to pay more for certain rare or special discontinued models.
As a general rule you can say that buying new guitars means you'll have to accept that you are going to write off ±50%.
That's still better than buying a brand new car.
That will write off TOTALLY if you decide to keep it long enough.
Chris L
That is the power of branding.
Because beginners and the average Joe know these are the 2 most famous brands.
Because of the mind share in the majority of people’s minds, the Economics just work out that way where the demand will always be higher. Higher demand=better prices, better liquidity
Phil McKnight said in a video recently that G&L has the same problem in the US (in 2021). I'm not the type to sell off something I've purchased after serious thought and consideration. However, I love G&L guitars. Have their pickups in my Fender Tele. They're what Leo Fender idealized for his guitar designs. I'd pit any foreign-made G&L against any Squire any day, and some of the MIM or American-made Fenders. Their American-made guitars are phenomenal. Perplexingly, they don't resell well. A superior instrument falls to brand recognition. Probably by people who don't know the story of Leo going leaving Fender and starting G&L.
Try to resell your Carvin guitar. Well made and totally USA made but no resale value.
Burb I totally agree with you about Carbon. I used to live close by their Orange County store, in the 80s. They weren't expensive for how nice they were. Ebony fingerboard beautiful paint job, etc. Fast forward to the 2000s. Bought a new single cut model for $850 new but didn't like it well enough to keep. I got totally screwed when I wound up selling to a local guitar store. Someone offered me $300. Ended up trading for a nice Ibanez which I liked more but was worth much less than the Carvin. But on eBay they are pretty expensive. I bet they don't sell too well. Anyway I had to comment when I saw your post!
That’s why I look for Carvin.
I bought a used G&L Legacy 1993 3-bolt model a couple of years ago for $650. Fantastic guitar. Lightweight, wonderfully resonant when played unplugged, yet amazingly solid build, great neck, beautiful, crisp bell-like tones. Fender custom shop level quality. Miles ahead of a stock American strat. One of the best guitar deals ever.
I was in the market for a new guitar after many’s years of not playing. I bought a new Gipson les Paul, after a couple of days realised how badly made it was. Returned it to be setup and have some marks removed from the body. I wasn’t happy with the results when it was returned. I swapped it for a PRS which cost a little more. The higher quality of the US made PRS was Quite noticeable. Some guitars will hold there value because of there name not the quality, not the sound because sound is subjective as is the shape of the guitar. Most budget guitars seem to be homage like watches are copy’s.
I mention watches because watches are in the second hand market are a little like guitars. You Compere a Grand Seiko with a Rolex, the Rolex will always sell better second hand because of the name not the quality.
So you’re saying brand name is more important than quality? I’m pretty sure the name recognition comes from having quality in the first place and not the other way around.
Studio G As far as Rolex is concerned yes I am. Tell me why does Rolex resell better than Grand Seiko. Maybe because is made in japan.
Great Video Shane! I am a long time player and a have part-time guitar repair shop (Guitar Tune Ups) in Ca. I have owned, bought and sold a boat load of different guitars (that my shop funds) :>) I have noticed a shift in the market as the Chinese / Indo guitars are being well built and Gibson / Fender guitars not so much (I could give a ton of recent examples). I never buy new and always look for the lowest price on US or Import (Epi) guitars. If someone sells through ebay or Reverb it is at least a 7% final cost so that has to be considered when buying a used guitar and maybe reselling down the road. If someone buys an import, it typically takes a lot of parts and labor to get close to a name brand guitar. If you buy name brand US (used) the price gap (after parts and repair on an Import) is fairly close. I have upgraded a lot of L.P. "Chibson's" for customers and they turn out decent but not the same build quality as a US guitar (I play Gibson currently).
Thanks again for opening this subject up, I hope that this comment helps.
People are thick. Takes someone clever to overlook the Gibson headstock when it comes to tokais. Incredible guitars.
I bought a G&L Bluesboy (ASAT with a humbucker) and even the seller was surprised that I'd heard about the brand. I didn't buy it THAT much cheaper was I was happy with the price and the guitar. Lucky for me, it's a keeper, I'll never part with it.
Shane love your content man, but LTD guitars are thee worst as far as maintaining value. They drop on price as soon as you buy it.
Yeah tried to sell my EC 1000 see thru cherry with active 81/60 for $600 paid $1000 ended up keeping it dropping in some retro active hot 70's and green padded the back of the neck using painters tape for a sharp line, now much better playing guitar.
Opinions on G&L seem to be shifting here in AU - last few on Ebay have gone for $1300AU+ for USA models. You'd have a hard time finding a used Tribute model for $550AU now
I'm in the USA. I have 3 G&L guitars. Will never sell them. They're perfect for me.
The reason is PRS buyers are the pickiest they want them used to be in mint condition ......and guitars are meant to be played !! Not worshipped just my humble opinion ....I totally agree with your list !!!
PRS... over priced crap. Never wil I buy again.
Both G&L and Musicman are terrific instruments. If they aren't holing their value, that's only in Australia, not the United States
I sold almost all of my fenders only to replace them with USA made G&L guitars . Best move I could’ve ever made !
So what did we learn today?
1. Buy your guitars second hand
2. Any Asian made guitar you buy better be a keeper
I would say ESP (not LTD) and Jackson (USA). 3 different times I have bought these used for 25-40% of new. Good for me, bad for seller. I think part of the issue is they are not as popular as the Fenders and Gibsons... it has a smaller target audience. Also, even at 25% of retail, you could still be paying upwards of $1000 for a used guitar. Most people shopping for used guitars are not looking to spend that much.
Carvin/Kiesel should be #1. Great guitars for the money - terrible resale value due to custom shop menu nature.
I was thinking the same. Big problem with their guitars is that people try so hard to do something unique that so many guitars they ship just look horrid. I own an older Carvin and have absolutely zero regrets, so I'm not knocking the company or the quality. But companies employ designers for a reason.
That's true. Funny thing is, companies like Ibanez are now trying to copy some of the stranger Kiesel custom designs as actual factory models, and they look horrendous.
I think the boutique shops, either customer-designed like Kiesel or company-designed like Dean Zelinsky, will continue to have resale issues based on the mere fact that there are just so many boutiques out there that even name recognition won't be enough to keep the price up.
I am a Carvin/Kiesel guy but I do agree with you. I picked up my CT3 for only $600 and done change. It would have been $1200 or new. I have three others that I bought in Stock or had made. In Stock has some price reductions but still it I would lose big time if I sold them. They are my main instruments so I don't care.
Deenie Beenie maybe a built or older TL... The Used prices are starting to increase in KIESEL branded models. The bargains are still there. You have to look harder. I love my Kiesel/Carvins. Best guitars I own and I have had Ginsin, Fender and PRS. All USA. I will take my KIESEL stuff
Maybe one of the more expensive Epiphones. The priciest Epiphone I have is one I paid $399 for on some sale. I can't find a Carvin for that price.
Played a G & L Bass for years and I can tell you that is an awesome Bass guitar. If you can a used one at 70 % of the new price that would be such a steal.
I bought a two-year old $7,000 Alembic Epic for $400 at Guitar Center a few years ago. Personally, I think they mis-marked the tag and left a zero off the end, but they rang it up without blinking and I walked out the door with the sales receipt.
It's a nice enough bass, but personally would never drop $7000 or even $4000 for one. For that kind of cash I expect perfection, and it's not a perfect bass.
I got my G&L ASAT Special for half price brand new simply because it sat in the store too long. The general lack of familiarity with the brand played into my favour. It's a great guitar.
Musicmans look and sound really awesome. I need to get one one day. I can understand why they don't sell though. I thought they were some cheap knockoff brand before I looked into them more. And the fact that it's from a string brand just makes it seem like an afterthought.
Music man guitars was started in collaboration with Leo Fender and was not originally an Ernie Ball product. The non Ernies are worth quite a bit, at least the basses are.
stimpson j cat
Interesting. To someone who doesn't know that it looks not as good though. Kind of like some other brands that sell other stuff more. Peavey for instance. I know they have had some good guitars but I know them from picks and various other accessories more than guitars.
I think he’s wrong about MusicMan guitars...I’ve bought and sold several for top dollar. They are “world class” instruments and anyone familiar with them realizes that.
tomulator
It's just that not many people know about them. Obviously guitar players do but people don't know it like they know gibson and fender
RealGamerManz what I’m saying is, I dispute his claim about their resale being low...I’ve had opposite experiences buying/selling them...just saying.
I play an INDONESIAN made G&L legacy tribute and it is by far one of the best strat type guitars I've ever played! I owned a Fender American standard prior to this and have played Deluxe and Custom shops but damn, that cheap G&L is soooo good. The alternate tone pot set up makes it an extremely useable guitar no matter what situation or style of music. Nice video!
Reverend resale value in the US isn’t that bad. You can resell it for around 70% of its value.
I'm not finding any Reverand Buckshots or Double Agents on ebay or reverd for half off in states.
That's very true. I'm always looking for a great deal on another Reverend, but they ain't THAT cheap, Korean made or not, and they're all great guitars.
elagua jdo the quality on them is that of a guitar in the 2k price range. My reverend Buckshot is the best guitar I’ve ever played.
Reverends are wayyyyy better than I thought they would be... glad I found them... prices seem to be holding up in the US
It seems Reverends hold pretty steady here in the states, as the popularity grows the deals will be less and less. I own 3 Revs, just better fuddles for the $$
This is why I love used epiphones. $200 for a used g400. A couple of mods and it's a kick ass guitar.
I’d add 70s fenders to the list, I learnt the hard way they are not considered vintage and the quality wasn’t great. I do seem to see Japanese Fenders going up in price now that Fender Japan is no more, what do you think? (I live in Australia too)
Yeah Shane, I commented earlier on the MM Cutlass I had purchased. It's a USA made, and I'm assuming it's the small bodied Strat that your friend Brian has. It won't fit in a Strat case, because the body is wider, but it is definitely shorter. Very comfortable sitting on the couch picking about. But this is a great example of this video. New, here in Germany, the USA made goes from 2200-2800 euros. I was just going through my ebay receipts yesterday and found out that I had only paid 380 euros for this particular guitar. The previous owner had tried to play metal with a 3 passive single coil guitar. Not sure what he was thinking. But he had a very odd combination of strings on it, and the action was up around half an inch around the 12th fret. So it took some pretty serious set up work to get it back to normal, but no replacement parts. Just elbow grease and a couple of hours work. Even at my shop rates of 120 per hour, I scored big. This is the best playing and sounding guitar I think I have ever owned. Much better than my American Standard Fender. Much better than several of my Gibsons put together. It's really a great guitar, and I have no idea why the resale values should be so low. Sure some of their models are kinda out there, but the Cutlass and the Stingray, are basically Strat styled guitars. Nothing with crazy body styles. But even the crazy bodied guitars are fantastic playing and sounding guitars. And Shane, I'm sure your friends guitar is the same, those pups are absolutely dead quiet single coils. Dead dead quiet. Every now and then, I run across a guitar that I won't sell. It's going to be with me till I drop dead. This is one of them. It's the one in the stand next to the couch. It's the one I usually grab out of reflex. I have a special model Squier telecaster custom deluxe also that falls into that category. Neck pickup forward is a jazz master, and bridge pickup back is a Telecaster, in a tele body. Even tho it's a Squier, it's got that certain something that will be staying with me. Bob in Germany
Godin! Godin guitars are amazingly well made, but resell value is horrible (as I am finding out at the moment :'(
I've watched a few of your videos and of the ones I've watched, I found this one of the most value. Your added personal experience added to it and the fact that you did research for your country and mine was helpful. Thanks.
Thanks so much man! :-) I appreciate your kind words. Cheers!
Reverend make fantastic guitars - I have a few that I've bought new! They are massively underrated so if you see a second hand one go for it. Every Reverend I've had has come with a great neck, great pickups and great setup with intonation spot on - I don't think I've ever had that from certain other big brands... Wish I could find more second hand ones in the UK!
Agree! I have 3 here in the states & yeah, love each & everyone. But, the necks can be very different from model to model.
Reverends are awesome
I suspect the name Tricko may be a clue! I have one too & love it dearly.
greatvanzinni what do you mean?
G&L's are better than their Fender counterparts, IMO. Really terrific axes, _very_ high quality. I've also been shopping those and PRS used lately and they are indeed great values. Very clean examples are out there.
I own a G&L Legacy that I LOVE! I played it. Next to countless Fender Strats, and this was hands down a better instrument. All said, I see them used in the US marked down more than 50%. It's a shame that so much guitar resells for so little.
G&L are made side by side with strats in Mexico by fender. Good guitars!
Agree. G&L's are amazing and have a terrible resale in the USA as well. You might include "The Heritage" as a strong contender... Amazing guitars... But too many people have no idea WTF they are... Cheers!
I agree about gl headstock. I coulda bought one couple years ago for pennies on the dollar. I just couldnt wrap my head around the headstock. Cheers from Boston
Hard to find a pre-BBE G&L now though that hasn't been well used / worn. A mint Pre-BBE 3 bolt is probably going to cost more than a new one now.
i have three us g&l's but have to admit i play them rather than stare at the headstocks.
The headstocks are nice so I don't know what you guys are talking about.
@tdunster2011 you can still find the old G&L's second hand for pretty affordable prices (an f-100 series 1 is on my list). outside of maple bodies, some of the other differences are easily addressed (pots etc) - aside from absurdly fretting over a headstock shape... in the end what matters are feel and sound. guitarsbyleo.com/FORUM/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=2040
+yearoftherat - I'm in Australia - we have nothing here in comparison to the USA - and our prices are a lot higher as well. A Squier Classic Vibe here is over $1000 retail - and even on sale the best you can do is around $800. With respect to G&L in Australia it's pretty much impossible to find a mint 3 bolt G&L as most of them were gigged within an inch of their life. By the time I take the risk of importing one from the USA, pay taxes, customs / excises a new BBE USA custom version is probably going to be a similar price without all the hassles. I paid $1900 or so for my custom made S-500 and looking on reverb they cost more than that 2n'd hand now by the time I get it to my door from the USA. I also prefer 12" radius versions - and most of the older ones are 7.25" - so again just too much hassle / waiting for the right one to come up at a good price. here is an example: reverb.com/item/6618405-g-l-s-500-rw-white-1981. By the time I pay taxes and excise it would cost me over $2600 - I can get a new custom made one for less than that - $700 less to be exact.
Great video Shane. I can’t think of a few slight differences in a few of the brands that you mentioned over here in the U.S., depending on the model of course. But for the most part your assessment is pretty accurate compared to what I’ve seen in our used market as well. Thanks for a great video!
The real issue here is how grotesquely over-priced new 'brand name' guitars are. If you are handy, and know something about guitar parts, you can certainly build a super fine guitar for about a 4th or less of the price of a new brand-name guitar. The name Fender, or Gibson, or PRS is just a logo on the headstock, really.
I have built many, many guitars, and I can build a Tele style guitar that will look better than, and play and sound as good as any standard American Telecaster for around $300.00 US. You have to know where and how to buy quality parts, and how to finish and set up the guitar properly. This may require a lot of your time, and I'm not counting my time at all because I am retired.
There are only a finite number of attributes that make a great sounding and playing guitar, and most of what is on the big name instruments is fancy trim items and eye-candy finishes.
Perihelion77
Cool vid Shane. As a rule I never buy anything new unless it is unlikely to crop up in our second hand market. In New Zealand it can take a while for stuff to come up as the market is pretty small here, but a bit of patience is often rewarded by saving $$$. Same applies with amps too. We all get caught from time to time though.
I love my G&L Tele. They are 22 frets versus 21 for Fenders, which could explain your feeling it differently.
Mine is an Indonesian made and cost $650 (the USA model is about $1,600). I actually played two side by side, one USA and the one I bought made in Indonesia. The USA did not feel right and frets were not right. As a playing guitar this one is great. I've recorded and played live and it holds its tuning and intonation great.
Which one did you get? If you got the USA made you might try an Indonesian one. Really a superior instrument - I hate to say as I live a few miles from the G&L factory in the USA.
They are hard to get here, and Guitar Center with over 300 stores will not carry them. Compared to modern Fenders the G&L is far better IMO, with superior bridges, nuts, necks, and overall quality.
Agree. Indonesian workmanship is excellent. I bought the squire 50's vibe. Completely happy with it. I own a few high en vintage to compare with. Nothing lacking on the squire
The Guitar Center carries a full line of Yamaha acoustic guitars (and electric Basses). They have their own room! But try finding a Revstar at GC and they tell you they can order one in for you. In fact, I am not sure they carry any Yamaha electric guitars at all but I could be wrong.
It seems Gibson and Fender, and their off shoots, own most of the walls of guitars available at the Guitar Center.
I would never buy a new guitar from a book!
Recently got an immaculate G&L S-500 for $500- (AUD), it blew my Fender Strat away in terms of tone and feel, I sold the Fender and made a tidy profit, keeping the G&L for good, it`s bloody amazing!! If you`re after a Strat style guitar (but better), look out for a G&L S-500 or Tribute. Yeah the headstock is different but the tone and feel make it a no brainer! p.s. I love this channel!
I always laugh when I see people trying to see their beat up PRS SE Standards for $600US+ because they never seem to sell at those prices. It’s hard to get them to sell at $300-$400US.
You can buy an SE standard for USD$470 new in Australia what are they selling for over there?
I got my 94 G&L Legacy about 20 years ago with a hard case for $300 mint. My '97 USA Fender strat was $450 with hard case. It's easier to find a good deal on a USA strat in America just like it's easier to find a good deal on a used Mercedes Benz in Europe. There's a lot of them over here. My tokai strat wasn't even a close second to these two guitars. The build was good, but the electronics were crap and the neck had varnish on it. I will have to keep my eyes out for Reverend or a Musicman now. Thanks.
G&l guitars are the bomb diggity!
agreed i love g&l
The G&L quality and customer service is second to none. The people at the G&L are Awesome!
People confuse old tokai with new tokai-the old ones increased in value as they were better than the gibsons of same era- and they were the first to do reissues of old models. The newer ones are great guitars, but the name doesnt hold value.
totally agree with your list. For my budget the quality of G & L's cant be beat
And that is why I have purchased all but 2 guitars in my life, used. I’ve gotten some smoking deals. If you are willing to walk away from a good guitar that is not a great deal. You will eventually find some great deals. Great topic.
Japanese guitars are a bit weird in the US. They hold their value pretty well, but it takes waiting for a buyer that knows about them. And most people don't know much about Japanese guitars, so the market is small but the prices can be quite high. After CITES I think supply will go down quite a bit, but I do think prices will change much. I recent bought a maniac sound Les Paul made in the same factory as bacchus, it's full nitro with exact 58 specs and even Gibson burstbucker pickups. I paid little for it, around the price of a new epiohone, but doubt I'd ever be able to sell it just because the market for them is so small.
The last Zemaitis I bought went up $1000 in value the day I bought it. I could have literally flipped it. Now is that an American company or a Japanese company or a Japanese/American company? Its hard to figure out but they make them in Japan ( a few are built in South Korea but the price reflects that and they are an exception) and they just get more valuable.
I agree with you and even beyond...I search Craigslist and have found bargains lower than eBay. I got an Alvarez Yairi (1977) with case for $150, a Dean Stylist for $100, G&L Fallout for $200 (tribute), Epi Wildkat for $225, MIM Strat with tweed case for $225, modded MIM Tele for $300 (I think I overpaid), Epi LP with SD pups and case for $225. all are in mint or near mint condition, but, you have to look a LOT for bargains. as you noted, some CL sellers think their stuff is worth close to retail, they don't understand the basic premise of CL, it's for bargain hunters, and some guys list the price as FIRM, a cardinal sin on CL, they'll rarely get an offer. CL buyers are looking to haggle for the most part unless the item is already priced correctly. anyway, good posting, thanks
I bought my Musicman 2nd hand and I wondered if the dude knows what he is selling :D
Happy to see that none of my guitars made the list although I’d seriously considered a PRS and a G&L guitars (I live in America and you are correct on the attitude towards them). TBH I bought a $500 (with hard case) LP style Wolf from All In One Guitars out of Los Angeles (the get them from South Korea). I own 10 electric guitars (one real Les Paul) and I play the Wolf more than any of them. It’s not the name on the headstock... that’s for sure.
Fender has a bad resale value, too because the market is totally overcrowded with Strats.Guitar with the best resale value by far is Gibson...
True. Bought a Gibson used and was able to turn it around for about 85% what I paid. I don't think I would be so lucky selling my Strat. There are just too many of them out there.
true story . And like anything , it's all about what year, what model, etc.But if you own any great shape Gibson, Les Pauls, ES330's 335' etc .. tend to hold onto their value pretty well. Gibson had some bad production years. But as an owner , I've been burned on a few. New CEO JC Curleigh is their only hope to pull the company out of the nosedive it's in. This is a guy who plays and owns Gibson, and was CEO of Levi's. What he did there he can hopefully do with Gibson . Take an iconic , heritage US brand , and bring it back to it's core values.. which all ties into to it's core and new customer . Simple equation right ? lol . This is corporate America .
Gave all my old guitars to our local high school.Teachers and kids well pleased!!😁
That's what pissed me off when I seen them assholes at Gibson running over guitars with a steamroller !
I love music man. Such great guitars.
Someone asked me what kind of caps i used. I use poly caps (polyester) mostly .022 micro farad on single coil pickup guitars, and .044 microfarad on humbucker based guitars. .022 micro farad caps can be used with either. If you dont have any .044 ufd caps, you can put two .022 caps in parallel, yes parallel, to make a .044. Capacitors add when in parallel. Placing two .044 caps in series will make a .022 cap. The value of the cap isnt that criticle as long as your close. 5% tolerance being better for sound than 10% tolerance doesn't matter to the sound. Tone freaks will argue that. But I know how and how much certain caps do to frequencys and sound. Stay away from ceramic caps cause they can leak (electronically) and the sound can break up.
I agree with your list. People just don't know that G&L are true Leo Fender guitars with some of his best guitar building as Music Man & G&L. The only difference is the early Music Man Leo Fender bass. They still get a premium price. The one you left off is the largest music manufacturer of guitars in North America, Godin! Fender & Gibson distribute more but Godin maufactures in North America in Canada. They are all great quality products that people don't know about. 1 guitar I keep is a 2000 Seagull Artist Series that sounds beautiful and still plays great. I could not sell it forenoughtto make it worthwhile. Keep up the GREAT work!
That's right those are REAL Fenders.
I have two Seagull acoustic guitars. Both are made in Canada by Godin. one is a 6 string, The other is a 12 string. Very nice sounding guitars. The
Marketing is an essential part of life.
It doesn’t matter how good you do something if the general target audience don’t know or recognize it.
Out of about 20 guitars and basses I've own, I think I've only purchased one electric, one acoustic and one bass new. Everything else was used, and bargains even on the used market at that. It makes it easy psychologially to let go of them because you won't be thinking "I'm gonna lose so much money if I sell this".
In other words, the best guitars out there don't hold value. People prefer crappy 3K Gibsons that doesn't tune, or Fender guitars that cost 50$ to manufacture and retail more than 1000$
Yes!
I would agree with that. It seems that unless it has Gibson or Fender USA on the headstock be prepared to take a hit. I own 4 Ibanez RG guitars and I love them to death but I am really surprised at their resale (at least here in Australia), I think the Japanese made RG's compete with anything around in terms of fit and finish and certainly playability. Moral of the story seems to be buy used - just watch out for fakes online because thats become a real issue. Nothing like shelling out for a 'Fender' only to get a Squier Affinity with a Watermark decal!!!
Fender isnt exactly putting out bad guitars in that price range...
you are really clueless!
No, they hold their value. It is just that the original price is inflated. Gibsons and Fenders are notorious for that.
Here in Canada the situation with the resale market is similar to Australia. I would say you will get a bit more for the G&L guitars here.
I'm surprised Shecter wasn't on the list.
Schecter ain't that big in Aus
They don't qualify as a guitar, I've played Epiphones that were better
I was thinking of buying a c6 Deluxe from Schecter would you recommend it or pass it.
My C-1 Classic is great. But I bought it used for 450 when the retail price new is over 900.
I had a C6 and really didn't like it nearly as much as my C1. There are a lot of axes for the same quality (or better) for that price (or better).
As an experiment, I bought one of those infamous Harley Benton CST-24Ts the other day from Thomann. It's a cheap (very cheap) PRS copy made in Asia somewhere. That said, the one I got is easily much better than the C6 I had. It sounds funny, considering the state of the guitar industry, but big names don't always get you much.
The best thing to do is sit down and play it. Feel the frets, run your hands over everything, adjust stuff, check intonation, look closely. If you like it, get it. Every brand or model is going to have horror stories and fanboys alike. Just take your time and let the guitar pick you.
G and L are good! I have a T style... I also wish the headstock was different, but I’m getting used to it. Great bridge, pick ups and neck!
Basically, to sum it up: Everything that's not Fender or Gibson won't sell well on the 2nd hand market. Guitarists are brand snobs, even if they are not aware of it. I have yet to see a guitarist who doesn't get watery eyes when he sees one of the great two brands!
I build guitars myself, and every now and then friends ask me, why I'm not selling them. Well, nobody wants them if they haven't got one of the two names on the headstock. That's just the way it is. F and G still seem to be the holy grail of guitars. And in a way they are, cos most guitar builders tend to copy their guitars, some more some less.
Not me. I made a solemn oath to never own a "snob" guitar like Fender, Gibson. It is possible to do so much better for so much less.
even Fender go for little more than half price, second hand, not sure about Gibsons
But I do have to say, this Gibson LP I own is one amazing axe! I've had other Les Pauls before, I've gut a hot rodded Epi LP, which is a great guitar in its own right, but the Gibson is a whole different matter! It sings man! So I understand why people love Gibson (or shall I say "used to love?") They seem to have massive QC issues, but if they were able to solve these, Gibbys could be killer guitars again! Anyway, I was lucky, that mine is an amazing guitar!
Yes
Pretty much, Gibson and Fender are like the Harley Davidson of Guitars. It says Harley on it, its worth 50% than any replica.
However I am not a fan of Fender Guitars. I mean they are a nice guitar, but they don't fit my style the single coils just don't have that harsh bite I like with my tones. I have a Les Paul and its probably my least played guitar. Most of my fretboard mileage goes to my schecter or Ibanez,
Sadly I think you’re right. I have various PRS and G&Ls some I paid 1/2 new price but I’m so happy with them my estate will have to bare any losses cause I’m not selling. Interesting the big push of G&L into the Uk. Australians need to wake up to the quality and value of these other brands and stop being lemmings.
Yamaha
Nice video !.. tryed to sell my Musicman cutlass in Sweden, under the half price, but no intrested byers..
That's why I don't sell guitars i own and love
Same here, I buy them with the intention of keeping them.
Yes you have got that spot on, I had bought a PRS, 2 Music Man and one GnL new over that last 10 years and sold them on consignment and after the commission fee was deducted got just a little under half of the price I paid after not being able to sell them on eBay a consignment sale was the only option to move them on. Was sick of all those low ball offers I would cop on those Facebook selling groups , but t is what it is I guess.
"Top 5 quality guitar brands that are a great deal on the used market"
A new prs 594 in the uk is £3699, trade in value is between £900-£1200! Be sure it’s the guitar for you or you stand to loose a lot. Great videos btw👍
Here in Europe/UK Fretking have a horrendous resale value, High end UK and Korean built instruments can go for as little as 30-40% of the mrsp. I've a Les Paul style Korean built guitar that is as good as my Gibsons and is most definitely a keeper because its not worth selling it for the price of an Epiphone
Thanks for the info Colin! :-)
I recently sold a PRS SE Singlecut in the UK and got just over half what I paid for it. It actually got a lot of enquiries and got snapped up quite quickly, so I reckon I could have got a bit more if I had been willing to hold out.
I think the issues of resale value are more pronounced on higher value guitars. Being an SE, my PRS was only £450 new, and when I sold it for £250 that put it kind of into the budget cost-bracket and I think, more than anything, that was what made it easy to sell.
Incidentally, I have a G&L Legacy Tribute which I picked up brand new for £250, which is basically half price. It's a lovely guitar.
The asking price for anything Japanese in the UK is really high at the moment. Regardless of condition or quality, "Made in Japan" adds a lot of perceived value.
When I started playing (back in 1991) Westone were considered a "guitarists best kept secret" as they were decent guitars but had no brand value. I'd regularly see them in music shop windows for £60-80. Nowadays I'm seeing them marked up for £300-400 depending on condition.