Tired Of Overpriced Guitars?
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- Опубліковано 15 тра 2024
- #knowyourgear #podcast #guitarpodcast #geekystuff
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Hell, I'm tired of overpriced everything.
Vote for change in Nov.
Yes - vote for change in November. Get the Joe out of the White House.
Amen
I like the emphasis on the fact that we all have our biases, and that the word “overpriced” is misused on the internet regularly. It’s become a synonym for “out of my price range.”
You pointing out that everyone has biases is a breath of fresh air.
The funny thing about $1700 Epiphone guitars… they still say Epiphone on them. 😀
I wouldnt pay $1700 for a Gibson much less an Epi.
Yeah, that bothers me. Even with the Gibson headstock, that Epi logo is so wrong on there.
And? Paul Lennon and had an epiphone?
@@alexcorona paul lennon from the greatful yardbirds?
Dear Phil
I’m 63 years old
I’ve never been able to afford a guitar over $350
I’m grateful that companies like Harley Benton create such amazing, affordable guitars
😎🎸🎶☮️
They are very good guitars.
Im guessing you live in Europe. Im an American and have yet to see a HB in person. The way I get around paying for overpriced gear is by buying used gear.
@@sole__doubt I live in Europe. In Bulgaria, to be precise. The biggest reason I buy almost everything new is that our used market is simply awful. It's like everyone is trying to sell their used crap for profit, which leads to the predictable result - often used instruments and gear are as expensive as the same models new on Thomann (or even more), and even when they aren't, the price difference is so small that it can't justify the lack of warranty or the lack of an opportunity to return the thing if I'm dissatisfied with my purchase.
@@Tigermaster1986 Generally I get used gear for around half the retail price. My Horus goes for ~$3500 new but I got mine for $1500. If its in really great shape its a bit more than half and if its been used a lot it goes for less than half.
The only time its not like that is for limited edition gear, then the resale price is more than the retail.
Ive been playing since the late 80s and the only guitar I bought brand new was the Squier Strat that was my first guitar.
@@sole__doubt I've seen Harley Benton guitars and I live in USA. So it must be where you live or where you shop.
Hey Phil.... I've been to Texas Toast for four classes, I'm picture in the class photo you've show (4th from the right, green shirt), and I'm going to another class in May. I've learned enough from Chris and Matt that I'm now scratch building my own instruments at home. For perspective, I've just recently bought one of their American Icon's, and have another custom guitar on order from TTG. I honestly don't think you'll find anyone who has been to a class that thinks TTG overprices their guitars. In actuality I think you'll find a substantial number of students who still gladly pay for new Texas Toast Guitars models....many students have bought guitars during the actual class week, and many order them afterwards. I think it speaks volumes of the quality and value from TTG that the guys at TTG are still selling guitars to a demographic that can actually build their own guitars. Thanks for keeping it objective..... Doc.
That's the way to do it!! I've been building my own guitars for 5+ years and it is the way to go!! I live in fort collins (25yrs) and have never been to Texas toast. Looks cool
I’m not tired because I’m not buying them. I just stick to secondhand because there’s plenty of people who gave up on guitar and are looking to unload at any price.
Phillip, you are so correct regarding resale value. MIA Hamer guitars are a prime example. Because they were a virtually unknown company, few people bought their guitars. I bought a Hamer Chaparral 5-string bass back in the early 90’s. My local guitar store bought two from Hamer and couldn’t sell them. I ended up buying one of them after the store dropped the price significantly. Even back in the 90’s, $800 was not a lot of money for a handmade guitar. I can’t imagine that the store made any profit on the sale. Even today, they have not appreciated. I will say that it’s the best built guitar that I own. It played like a dream then and it plays like a dream now. That’s putting it up against an 80s Rickenbacker 4001, my MV Pedulla Rapture and my early 70s Fender junk.
I bought a 1983 Gibson Explorer in Oklahoma years ago, same circumstances you got your bass. Small town music store, custom order, it was the most expensive axe in the store and they couldn’t sell it. It languished in there for years before I bought it at a significant discount. The store manager freaked out when I walked in and said, “I want that Explorer!” I still have it…
We are all unique.
Some of us play for fun.
Some of us play for money.
Some of us play for attention.
Some of us play because it's the only job we've been able to do without getting fired.
Heck some of us play because the road is an escape from a bad abusive family and we just want to be an anonymous gigging sideman with no real home.
So our reasons for buying a guitar can be as varied as our reasons for playing guitar.
To each his own. Play what works for your own specific needs.
This is a fun channel. Lots of great info and varying points of view.
Well said!
Big Facts 💯% @Rusty
i play for fun, for attention, and i did get fired last december, and maybe made 5 dollars total busking.. since am not motivated for the money part the fun and attention motivates me..
For a made in the USA guitar for under $1400 seems like a good deal. Would rather support a company here then sending money to a faceless overseas corporation. I went to TTG and built a thinline tele and definitely feel that they are not overpriced. When you see how much time goes into every instrument.
Why? American business abandoned you more than a generation ago now.
Last year I bought a MIA Fender performer Arctic white strat with Rosewood board, 1,400 with 10% off deal,1,260 and its a fantastic quality instrument and I dont feel one bit ripped off.
@@totemstomp I've been thinking a lot lately on whether we do the right thing when we "save money" by foregoing the employee safety and product environmental regulations that are required in the U.S. Sure, we save money, but at what cost to the workers and the environment? I'm as guilty as the next person...but I'm seriously rethinking my position. I spent years building semiconductor factories in the far east. When they tell you the regulations are as high as in the U.S., it's a complete lie. Sweat-shop pay, and low safety and environmental regs is how they cut the costs.
@buckbreaker5185 the hell they were. Greed drove them to cheaper labor. Now most of the chicken you eat from frozen is processed overseas as well
@RickMcCargar good point but we (the US) did this. Anyway, I build my own guitars and they a FAR better than any fender.
When people say that a guitar is overpriced I tell them to buy the wood, fret wire, electronics and finishing materials and build it yourself. Keep track of the time it takes you to build it from scratch and see if you still think they are overpriced.
Well put. Even if someone values their time at only $12.00 an hour, and does not count the skill it takes to build something well, that concept would seem to work out. And $12.00 an hour for skilled artisanship is peanuts. Even double or triple that, is still peanuts.
Don't forget the hundreds to thousands of dollars of tools.
@@brad-guitar-miller813 something I'm still working on!
All guitars are built from scratch. With that analogy some people use push mowers to make money and some people show up with a zero turn. Should I pay the push mower guy more just because he's having to push the mower and walk around the yard? No. So why would I pay someone more because of their choice of machinery to build a guitar, IE Texas Toast? When guitars start approaching and exceed the $3K mark, there had better a good reason besides "it was built by hand in a tiny shop in Texas".
@@permanentwaves4621 I mow my own lawn so your analogy is pointless to me. And their shop is in Colorado.
I enjoyed this video. It's interesting to note the public's expectation of the cost of something over time. People seem to have no concept of inflation when it comes to things they desire. $500 isn't what it used to be. Neither is $1500.
texas toast makes great guitars and they stand behind their work.
Monte Montgomery! I first heard of him with his cover of Sara Smile, then Little Wing just blew me away. BTW Dave Nesdall was my friend aslo. I did his Podcast on Telecasters before he passed.
I've had a Texas Toast guitar for years now, a Challenger style guitar before it was called a Challenger. If you're not entirely completely physically comfortable with a Gibson or a Fender, I recommend trying a Texas Toast guitar. I can't explain it but for an arthritic person with a bad back like me, there's just something about a Texas Toast guitar that I can play when I can't play the others. I wasn't thinking of buying the guitar until I tried one and then it was obvious that I had to buy one. And since I bought that guitar, they've only improved the design. A side benefit is that you'd be supporting some really nice guys.
I love that illuminated G&L ASAT Deluxe on the wall. 😉
I will be honest. I am now hooked on budget guitars. I have two fireflies and two jet guitars that I am absolutely in love with and they were collectively all under $1,000 with shipping. They all have ball and stainless steel Frets locking tuners truss wheels at the bottom of the neck, bone nut, and roasted Maple necks. With my recent Firefly having a Canadian roasted maple FLAMED neck. And I'm talking the kind of flamed roasted Maple neck that you used to have to buy a musicman or Fender Custom Shop to get. I recently sold my 9 1/2 lb Les Paul in which holds tune very poorly and I don't regret it one bit or haven't looked back. Great videos!
@FJB74 are you in the US? I've been real interested in Jet but they all seem to be in the UK and cost more than sticker to ship. Would love to know where I can get them stateside
@@ericthered494 and I am very much interested in buying a Firefly (Prince guitar "MadCat" replica telecaster) and they will not ship to Europe !
These companies are getting weird with their sales. Do they really want to sell their guitars in other countries, or continents?
@@MAX96MENDES yeah I have to be honest, I do feel lucky that I am in the us. As I understand it it's impossible for people in almost every other country to purchase one of these guitars. My advice would be maybe checking eBay from time to time. Also, I am between getting an offset jet electric guitar or the Firefly mad cat! So funny you mentioned that. I have seen many reviews on UA-cam and they have all been pretty good. Of course a $200 guitar is always going to need something upgraded or a little bit of work put into it but totally worth it for even the eye candy.
@@ericthered494 yes I am in the US. Are you in the US as well? Sorry, your reply was a little confusing.
I am having a great time with Guitars under 1k. It's fun to upgrade them a bit. I don't sell my guitars so no biggie for me.
1:52 - this is why we love the show man. This is an unbiased objective perspective and it’s the truth. Hard for most ppl to swallow, but true
“i have the money i could if i wanted to but…” right, go sit down over there junior 😉
I would buy the level two challenger you have over s2 or core prs.
I went to a class because I was impressed by their guitars. Matt and Chris are so incredibly talented and their hearts are in the work in a way that makes me want to support them. Having said that, I wouldnt by a guitar from anyone if I didnt love it, no matter how nice the people are, and I am buying a level 2 challenger, again not just be because I built a guitar in one of their classes or because they are nice people, but because the guitars are incredible and an amazing deal.
that neon lime green guitar behind you is appealing to me...
My company designed and manufactured four of the six Integrated Circuits that were part of the first three generations of anti-lock brakes that are now ubiquitous. At the time, they were only installed in high-end vehicles because the system was still in development, and as such, not tooled up for mass production. The auto industry often first introduces technology on high end cars for which the development is paid by wealthy consumers who don't mind paying extra for all the bells and whistles. The anti-lock brakes became ubiquitous as the tech roll-out matured. No idea if this is related to your situation, but it does explain how it actually works in the industry. Thanks.
Do you notice that this year is the year of the budget guitar. Use to be, Harley Benton and Firefly were the only game in town. Now there are so many, and the build quality is getting better and better. Competition is good! Epiphone and Squire, watch out!
I played a Harley Benton for the first time, recently, and I was shocked by the quality... Michael Kelly guitars are pretty solid too.
firefly is hit and miss.
@@doublehookangling2 Me too. I just bought my 4th Harley-Benton because of the quality and price.
In the past twelve months I've picked up 5 Amazon (CA) guitars, two Eart guitars, their GW2 Headless and the TT72 Thinline, two M-Musi guitars, the Capricorn Fusion and the Virgo Classic, they are every bit as good as the Earts, and then I grabbed one of the Nova Go 1/2 size carbon fiber acoustics from Enya Music. I can't say enough about how pleased I am with each and every one of those buys. I can't imagine ever buying another Squier unless it's an FSR or an Offset, that is until some Amazon brand makes an Offset.
Makes me wonder if this is why Epiphone is going premium. Gotta get into a different market share than the budget companies.
Great video, love the topic
I agree with Phil the Guitar Philosopher he is wise and shares his wisdom. That business model of making quality at every level is perfect
Over priced is relative, a woman can buy a very nice handbag for 400.00, but if she wants an identical one that came out of the Gucci factory, it’ll be 1700.00. Most customers of Gucci, Prada, Hermes’ don’t complain price…
As JP Morgan said, If you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it.
I was able to get a Spector Euro used at a local shop for $1200. It was such a a deal I couldn't pass it up. It's the best instrument I own, and I'll say it is worth the 3000 new asking price because it's a piece of art through and through. It's up to the individual to decide if an instrument is worth the asking price.
I dont always agree with you but on this topic you're spot on
Taylor guitars is a perfect example of how their 899 guitar has the same build quality and playability as their 10k guitars.
Which is a problem for anyone who spends more than $899 for a Taylor.
I’m not sure that’s really true; seems like a subjective opinion. No denying that Taylor is a fine company that makes good guitars. However, their $899 guitars have laminate back and sides, when you can not get an all-solid-wood guitar for less. Not to say that those laminate Taylors don’t have their merits, but you can get a whole selection of guitars with better specs for less money.
@@drothberg3right but that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about build quality and playability which stays consistent across their line. You pay for that quality too. And for the record i played a layered wood taylor vs an equivalent Martin and a solid wood Yamaha and it kicked the shit out of both in almost every category. Both my Taylors now are solid wood and are the best playing guitars in my collection, electric or acoustic.
My 2 cents. I drive a GX 460 because its really just a classic 4 runner on steroids. I bought it new in 2016 from a knowledgeable sales rep and asked him about how many miles/km to “break in the motor”. He said that doesn’t really apply anymore due to technology cutting the pistons and rings to Pythagorean precision so there’s really no need for a break-in for almost any new vehicle.
My point: technology allows almost anything including guitars (necks, frets, pickups, etc) to be manufactured with the same theory so I would think that you can buy a number of small company guitars that equal / exceed the big names in terms of quality….. for a lot less money. Maybe that’s what he’ saying here.
Your dealer is wrong.
Break-in has nothing to do with how precise the parts are machined, it's about a certain number of heat duty-cycles.
@@vorpalblades I don't think so. Even the Linkwitz - Reilly tests from around 85 on the viscosity / revolution relationship proved that we were heading in this direction with technology .... and now were here.
I really enjoy this channel wit the shorter videos. Great topic. You are correct, overpriced is relative.
I agree completely about the "overpriced" term that people throw around especially when it comes to Gibson pricing. Paying around $1500 or $2000 for a guitar is not overpaying when referring to a Gibson
, or Texas Toast, Fender, Dean guitar etc. Too many trolls complain about the price of Gibsons and will even try to gang up on someone line myself who says $2000 is not out of reach. It's a matter of priorities and money management.
When did a hard earned $500 paycheck become chump change? A Great setup on a Gibson won't make me a better player than a great setup on a $500. guitar.
With Gibson's highest price limited production guitars, the most overpriced of the overpriced, people buy them an flip them for a profit. So their latest endeavor is a $50K Guitar. If it sells out how is it overpriced?
If someone made a product, sold it to the retailer for $4K, they sold it to the consumer for $5K, then the purchaser flipped it for $10K, you know what the retailer is going to tell the supplier? Dude, you're selling this too cheap. Raise your price so we all can make more money.
Expensive is a relative concept. There are a lot of people who just have the money to spend. 2000 or 3000 doesn't make a big difference to them.
Be smart enough to know your limit. There are good guitars at every and all price point.
@Soldano999 well said. People all too often complain about a $2000 guitar like a Gibson and will argue that's not everyone can afford it but they drive cars beyond their means, paying high interest rates and .ax out their credit cards then complain about not being able to afford it. Even if that were the case, buy what you can afford. I paid $550 for a used Agile 3100 P90 goldtop, amazing guitar!
Gibson guitars are overpriced, especially for what they actually are@@dragan4658
I've been to Texas Toast Guitars many times and I absolutely don't believe they're overpriced. They could do a lot of customisations for you, and I don't know how far they can go so I won't say pretty much anything, but they can do a lot. Their guitar building workshops are actually very well priced compared to the school the owner of the place went to, which will only accept you if you plan to become a full time career luthier, which most people don't want to be. I really think that a lot of the people who learn how to make guitars there have a new found respect, or at least a much more reinforced respect for anyone who builds a guitar from raw materials.
Most of the people who go there to learn how to make some part of a guitar or a whole guitar really just want the experience of doing it. They're not poor and this isn't the only way they can get a guitar. They could easily buy something pre made from the company, they're simply doing the workshop for a new experience, and probably have no plans to do anything further as a luthier after that.
i mostly play old vesters, kaman gtx's, westones and other gear i can get cheap on the used market, im not spending a few grand on a guitar lol
Yes we all have biases. I do think that overpriced can be over used. But I honestly can't see spending over $1000 for a guitar. Yes I spent more for a Dove a long time ago and a D-40 Guild. Yes I returned a new LP deluxe because $800 was more than I could afford thinking of people who had not food . Of course one person can have more money to spend and Buy a Land Rover...crappy , unreliable IMHO but a status symbol, like a Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Taylor. But we all have paid a lot of money for items that we do not need. Having more than one guitar is often a luxury. When an Alvarez plays wonderful for $400, why pay $3400 for a Taylor or Martin? Ego? Perception? reputation? More money than sense? Yes I have a Squier and an MIA strat. I have an Epi LP and a Custom LP. My point is not against those who charge "more" but the buyers who collect guitars when we have hungry people and homeless children...maybe we should think again. I am.....Happy Easter from Ukraine, Gaza, Myramar, the southern border, and Haiti.
Oh but then you could say the same thing for Gibson: they're all nitro, pleckd, and have the best of the best components. Only the fancy ones if you wanna pay extra will look nicer, have fancier woods etc. but every Gibson is amazing
I bought a new 2023 Gibson LP Jr last fall for $1,399. A beautiful guitar! The deals are out there, shop around and don't be embarrassed to ask for a deal.
You must've gotten a one - off because most of the Gibson's that I've seen a garbage quality finish work and shoddy frets and nut work along with a plethora of other problems that I have experienced in my own guitars as well as others that have had the same or similar problems with GIBSON! I wouldn't take one even if it was free! I'm done with them and their shitty customer service forever. I haven't even so much as bought a guitar pick with their name on it in over twenty five years.
Flogging a dead horse with this comment, but here it is..... Epiphone is a perfect example of overpriced. Not the base models, but the signature models and perceived upper echelon models that are well over $1,000. Sorry, they're made primarily in China just like the rest of them are with nicer features added, but, that can't justify their prices. Ok, the obvious had been stated. When people mention overpriced, this is a large part of what they're talking about.
Agree but they play really well these days.
Just about any builder with a name has gone out of my comfort price these days and as I make guitars as a hobby I know the cost of making them even minus labor has skyrocketed since the pandemic.I imagine the small builder must be experiencing some form of hardship from this.
Maybe? On the other hand I have my best shot at getting a languadoc in years
A les paul copy really takes around $1400 to be made? And this is on the cheap side with a lot of these builders.
Yeah thats why I never buy new. Ive been playing since the late 80s and the only guitar I bought new was my first one.
Another great example is Delaney Guitars ~ Blues Based Brand. Excellent Axes!
Correct me if I'm wrong. In 1959 a Gibson Les Paul was 450.00 with case, which with inflation is equivalent to 4798.00 in 2024
A $2000 strat or a 3000 LP is a good deal. What has really set alot of people off is the demoncrat caused inflation that has raised prices roughly 300 bucks on guitars and amps and their minds are stuck on the prices prior to that. Instead of attacking the cause of these increases, they attack the manufacturers. HELLO! They didn't cause it and have nothing to do with it.
No - that would roughly $2,600.00 for today's inflation even if it is ridiculously high (thank you Joe Biden).
@@solarismoon3046 I guess guys who own them conquered inflation. I'd be happy to help 59 owners to cash out for that price. 🤑
@@Alteruss This is what it would cost brand new today. A real '59 Les Paul would fetch a small fortune on today's market. Sadly nothing made since the sixties is worth much more than when it was new. Most guitars made today will never fetch vintage prices. This is because they are all made the same way with the same finishes and hardware. There's nothing historic about them.
@@solarismoon3046 4798.00 is correct. around the starting price for a Custom Shop. The USA Standard are an excellent deal
I always thought that TTG were actually pretty affordable.
actual Gibsons are out of my price and talent range, but I bought 2 cheap electric guitars within the last year.
One is a Indio Strat style ($85), the other an Epiphone Les Paul-special ($200)
The cheaper guitar has a better setup and better tuners and some would say better pickups too.... One of the LPs I left on the wall had the worst frets I've ever seen on a new instrument, seemingly no finishing at all. I play the LP a lot because the short scale and simple knobs are fun, ut the Indio is a way better value.
Gibson definitely has a few things to worry about.
People that say things like this don't have any money or idea of what quality truly is because they can't afford it. I can't afford it at the time being but I would never say that these are over priced. The reason is that they put the same amount of care in their guitars no matter what level of quality or features that it is. The paint is the same. The controls, the jack, the strap buttons and even certain pickups are the same from guitar to guitar. But Texas Toast Guitars has their shit together. They care about the product that they put out and it shows with their down to Earth attitude and willingness to work with people to make it right. Dylan Talks Tone makes their pickups in USA - not China! So they are offering quality parts and premium wood for what Gibson would charge a lot more for but Texas Toast Guitars doesn't.
Now I know Chris and Matt want everyone to be happy with their guitars when they get them so they go out of their way to make them as perfect as possible by letting their customers choose how they want their guitars built. And honestly $1,600.00 is base price for most USA made guitars now. A boutique guitar at a major manufacturer's regular base price is a STEAL!! I'd rather buy one of Texas Toast Guitars at that price than a Gibson at any price!
The lx 5.0 mustang was the best example of getting the performance you wanted at a bargain price
I have to say. I think I would feel ridiculous playing a guitar with “ Texas Toast” on the headstock. If ever there was a guitar company in desperate need of a name change 😮.
HA!
Thank you.
Even the lower tier series of guitars that maybe 5 years ago felt like a "hmm, would be fun to have one of those" is nowadays "too expensive for what it is"
The smart thing to do is sell the 5 to 10 par and sub par guitars hanging on the wall and buy a nice custom shop Fender or Gibson.
@@johnsmith-ug5tp Nah.... I like inexpensive guitars :) a good setup and they are pro level instruments! Thats all what matters. A good setup and stable neck.
I don't have an issue with that, it's still a free country for the time being. @@BlazonStone
I don't understand why people get all bent out of shape by guitar prices. There's no bate and switch, there's no bundling, there's no subscription support package. And there are cheaper alternatives available, that are really quite good now.
In a world where mobile games companies are robbing your grandmother blind, guitars are the least of our worries.
I don't think I get all bent out of shape by anything, but I can tell you why I am sometimes close to this.
Because guitar communities, especially online, are filled with old cork-sniffing gatekeepers who, apparently, have nothing better to do than blast younger musicians and people who can't or don't want to spend a few thousand euros on an instrument and gear.
I actually believed their crap when I was a beginner, and because of them my development as a musician stagnated for years. Because I waited, and waited, and waited to be able to buy an expensive electric guitar.
Eventually I got a cheap Eko. It was gifted to me for my birthday. It is a great instrument and I still play it almost every day. Then I bought a Harley Benton. Another great instrument. Then I bought a Harley Benton bass. Another great instrument, although it needed some work to play well.
I mean, if you like expensive instruments - that's great, but, please, don't go to online communities to discourage inexperienced players like the one that I was from actually getting an affordable instrument. Gatekeeping on the basis of money spent is vile.
Even going to Warmoth and getting top quality parts is getting up there, but then again I like not having to squeeze my sausage fingers onto a narrow 1.625" neck.
The original comment Phil replied to came from a possible ill informed opinion. TT Challenger uses a 7 degree head stock angle, 10 inch radius fret board, no inlay, single volume pot for each PU, shared tone knob for a pair of pickups, maple binding, hipshot hard tail bridge or trem, different body shape, poly finishes and woods that Gibson doesnt typically offer. So, a TT Challenger is almost nothing like a Les Paul other than it uses 3 on a side tuners, has a similar scale length and is a guitar. I have a JJJ Signature Deluxe Challenger and one other TT guitar and they are fantastic players. I sold the only Gibson I had and don't regret it. Cheers to all.
People should be talking about value for money, not the actual cost...
And perhaps what their actual needs are.
Lots of gigging players who rely solely on music for their income might completely enjoy gigging on a 89$ Grote strat that has 35$ in aftermarket alnico pickups and 155$ 335 copy.
They might use those as their main work axes.
Funny but the sales tax for a Gibson Les Paul is more $ than what I paid for the guitar I use as my main gigging axe. Everyone is unique and has their own individual needs and priorities.
The price the customer pays for a Gibson...is not the amount Gibson receives for making the guitar.Distributors margin...retailers margin..etc.If the customer looked solely at how much Gibson actually get per guitar.....maybe not so overpriced ?.
For several years I have said the same. When all is said and done from the cost of harvesting the timber and getting it to their facility to handing the guitars off to the FEDEX/UPS driver they are lucky to have a 200 to 300 dollar profit margin per guitar. I have figured all the costs from A to B, right down to the Gibson facilities janitors payroll.
Easy solution is to buy Asian guitars especially from Japan. The price/Value is amazing when compared to US brands.
"We don't make a low quality guitar, we just make a good guitar, then offer more models of which the prices goes up as you add features"
This sounds like Larrivee acoustic guitars, every guitar they make are excellent quality, but the more the features go up, so does the price.
We get a "money frame" in our minds. Like most folks, there was a time I thought spending $400 on a guitar was a considerable sum. That's a cheap guitar to me now. When you're accustomed to looking at $1500 guitars, it's the $3,000 one that's "pricey". When I get to $3,000 (if I live that long) I suppose $9,000 will be pricey.
For cars there’s also the cost of ownership. If you can’t afford 2 you can’t afford 1.
Texas Toast may be the most UNDER-priced boutique instruments that I have ever played.
The word overpriced is just subjective. I am capable of buying some expensive guitars, but i refuse to. I do not buy gibson or epiphone because i dont like them. It doesnt matter why. I own some prs’s, fenders, squiers, etc. That is just my preference.
I also own martin and taylor acoustics, but my favorite acoustic right now is a $300 carbon fiber enya.
All this to say i would rather buy something a little more “budget” and spend the extra money to make it the way i want it. Ive got a squier classic vibe, with pickups i hand wound, that id put up against any other strat out there. The price of a guitar only matters as an investment, to me.
I'm noticing more Reviews on Amazon that say things like, " This guitar has good bones", or Great for a mod project, but not for beginners. Someone is having an influence on these purchasers. :0) We all have a comfort level when we open our wallets to spend.
If you pay someone to build a fence around your garden, and it costs $2k you don't expect to be able to sell it for $3k in ten years, if you pay a guitar builder $2k for a guitar you do.... strange
people be crazy!
I think Texas Toast offers a very good value compared to whats out there for an American made guitar.
Great video.
Texas Toast? Those aren't bad prices for that quality of guitar.
What quality? What justifies $3999?
@@permanentwaves4621you could pay $3999.00 however i bought a level one and a level two for $2900.00. that's less then $1500.00 each.
A 1960 60 anniv sold for 3750 on ebay, I wanted it but, I can't buy things just because they are a great price. Its an endless pit. Prices have to fall There are just TOO many of them out there. Cars get junked Guitars get sold.
As an owner of affordable guitars what can I say? One will get what one will pay, one in an greate hurry slapped togheter manhandled item resembling a Gibson LP si and so playable. Better parts and some work is always needed and still that it will never be as good as the real deal.
Time, dedication and materials of quality wil cost no matter who is making an premium guitar.
The reality of these "american made" guitars is that they can be worth $1500+ but most aren't worth more than $600 because the quality isn't there to equate to the $1500+ price tag. Gibson doesn't make a single guitar that can stand up to $500 imports spec and fit/finish wise.
Notice how he's comparing the price to the brand name only lol. Yes I agree, $2000 is not overpriced for a Gibson. It's a Gibson, it'll be expensive. What this guy missed is people are saying it's overpriced for the quality you get lol. Completely missed the point.
I have owned both and you are out to lunch. haha
@@johnsmith-ug5tp good for you, Gibsons aren't worth more than $500-$600 at maximum due to poor quality control and having the most bare minimum specs. A firefly LP copy is more reliable than a Gibson.
Seek the help you need or move to china or cuba. @@getshwiftygaming447
hahaha@@getshwiftygaming447
Anybody that thinks Texas Toast over prices their guitars is absolutely clueless. Their quality is on par or better than anything Gibson does. I am a small guitar builder, and I can’t possibly compete with them on price. The quality that they are producing at that cost is unreal. About 20 years ago I was a manager for Guitar Center and they sent us on a junket to Hollywood right after loud technologies took over Ampeg. One of the things they did was treat us to a private small performance by Monty Montgomery. I’ve never felt more sorry for a Guitar. That dude absolutely rips.
Go on Sweetwater. Check out some Gibson Les Pauls. They have discounted ones up to 400 off! Check em out they are all cracking by the nut. Hmmmmmm... Yeah I thought Gibson was getting better. Doesn't do much for Gibson or Sweetwater. I was thinking of buying one. Nope! I own one Gibson. That is my last one the headstock trash is nothing I want to do with.
Get lost prs fan boy.
I’m very pleased with my Jimmy Page custom which I bought for an absurd sum a few years ago. It’s a piece of art and will be buried with me.
Les Pauls are overpriced Les Pauls
When you buy a guitar because you think you can "get out of it" for what you paid for it, or even for a profit, you are allowing complete strangers to control what you buy, since values on the secondary market are determined by popularity. Why would you do that? Why not buy what you want the first time because it is truly what you want, learn to play it, and then use it all the way up? Because that is the cheapest way to own anything. Buy it right, buy it once. Furthermore, if you buy with the mindset that you can "get out of it" for what paid for it or even more, then you are, in a sense, already planning to sell the guitar in your mind before you've even bought it. Huh? WTF? What a strange mentality it is that infests the UA-cam guitarverse. It is just consumerism masquerading as something virtuous. There is nothing you can buy in a box from Sweetwater that will make you happy or complete you. In their hearts, most people know this. And yet they do it. What they really need isn't a coaching video from Phil McKnight, what they need is a conversation with a Stage 4 cancer patient.
That will put a whole different perspective on the concept of musical instrument purchase and ownership. Wise words.
Dude I can tell you’re just a gem to be around.
Same could be said for Bitcoin or any other thing that humans arbitrarily assign value to. If I have the choice between a great playing guitar that won’t hold any value over time and an equally great playing instrument that will at the very least hold most of its value, I’ll take the latter.
@@MrPhotonjockey Brilliant response to a brilliant point.
I’ve wonder that too, if someone buys a bowling ball, golf clubs or pool table, no one is thinking what they’ll sell it for, but some guy buys a 249.00 guitar and and thinks that he if he gets back less than 200 resale, he gets in a funk…
I won't support communist China. Japanese guitars are good.
Looking at a Fender mod and less options for more money... I wrote to Fender to let them know.
Phil. I live in New Mexico. I want to be your new best friend. So I can purchase guitars from your closet. 😆🤣🤣🤣
For a handmade, custom guitar, not overpriced. Ridiculous.
I'm tired of low quality, budget guitars that suck. I'd rather own one nice guitar i can rely on than a dozen cheap guitars. It's far less expensive in the long run.
Amen! Been saying that for several years now. All these whiners crying about a 3000 gibson LP standard but they have a wall and closet of 10 to 15 subpar guitars ranging in price from 500 to 1000 bucks that play like crap.
They could buy a Gibson custom shop guitar and a Fender custom shop guitar and be set for the rest of their lives for the money they spent on a wall of crap guitars they will be lucky to get 30% of what they paid for them.
People need to stop buying dozens of guitars and play one or two really nice ones. Another benefit of buying a top tier guitar. 30 years later, when you have old man hands/fingers and sadly cant play guitar anymore, you can sell it for 3 times what you paid for it and have some fun with your profit.
I think of "overpriced" in several different ways. Here are some areas of concern. Material Prices (not including fancy looking/rare woods." Parts that work properly (Tuners don't slip, Whammy Bar returns to pitch). Design - No neck dive, easy Truss rod adjustment, comfort carves. Manufacturing, assembly, setup, and reliability. Investment value, hype, scarcity. All these, and more, can add to a guitar being overpriced. Look at your computer, then look at a guitar. The guitar is probably way overpriced, unless you've figured out what has intrinsic value, and what is sales pitch.
My TTG Challenger is the best player I own.
what car company are we talking about here?
Guitars built by human beings built in the US costs...what the guy complaining wants slave labor
Yep! These anti capitalist, anti "Evil" corporation, green demoncrats have ZERO problem with RED china's slave labor with no protection for their workers and ZERO concern about RED china being the biggest polluter in the world. But America and Gibson is the DEVIL! haha
Everything is over priced these days & that's just a fact. In 2020 everyone seen the people can dictate prices by not buying. Bottom line is no matter what people will always buy no matter what keeping the manufacturers rich. You can argue the woods fit & finish, hardware ect. at the end of the day someone is getting paid barely enough to pay their bills & put food on the table while the companies are the ones really making the money. No one owns anything because one day you will die.
‘Overpriced’ is a totally subjective view.
Fender are the worst company for it! They bring out a old vintage design re-release and they want the earth for it. Also they change something small on a Guitar design and hike the price up. They are lazy in producing anything that's actually new and trade on their name nothing more nothing less. They are basically pricing themselves out of a major players market.
I think the chinese market makes some guitars seem over priced. If you take the time of paying someone hourly to build a guitar its going to get expensive. Slave labor countries have thrown off the market on so many things. I am building me a Warmoth Jazzmaster and I will have about $1500 in it not including my time. Granted it is cheaper than a Fender custom but it is still a full on Custom guitar. Now you pay someone $50 an hour to do this, then it is now a $4000 or $5000 guitar.
People say rickenbackers are overpriced but they have a waiting list, so the price must be justified...sorry guys, life ain't fair
About the car thing firstly I'm sorry that happened and honestly that simply isn't how the world works... Even Toyota known for their standard safety features don't have all of them in all their cars from the halo Lexus to the corolla... Why? Expense People would not want that base base corolla for $50k becuase it has all the safety features Toyota has access to like who bough the 1 litre 100 KM supercar BMW made? Noone and it failed not becuase it was the best at fule effcntcfy but becuase it was a gocart... Like take my insunce Blue cross gold for example... It pays for 99% of my medical bills roughthly $60k a year and I pay for it $700 a month... It's not the best plan it's the best plan I can afford and it has good coverage on giving birth which as I'm male I would never need... Though I'll pay that extra $60 or so if it means I'll live another month on this planet. So yeah companies bundle things with things becuase that is how it sells and can be made. That said for a guitar I still don't know what people get with the higher price jacksons like the lower opriced guitars are perfect how do that better it?
Guitars are overpriced instruments... Piano has more wood, more strings, more in everything but the guitar is more pricey.
My wife plays piano; she has one (it's heavy) . . . I play (much lighter) guitars; I have few (um, about 40 at present, with a disproportionate number of higher-end Gretsch models). At this stage in life, I can acquire whatever I like--I'm glad she indulges me. That's good because I've ordered #41, a TT challenger 2, pretty much like the one Phil got. 🥴
When i think of a overpriced guitar the ones made in the same factory as all the others one name comes to mind. Strandberg.
GET PREACHY, COME ON WITH IT. PRAISE GOD AMEN BROTHER GET PREACHY..........WOOOOOOW
Tired of overpriced pedals...
What is overpriced?
No, they are genuinely overpriced and very poor value considering the problem was solved decades ago and automation exists.
Sadly the only thing you can automate with electric guitars is CNC and Plek, not much after that. Still needs lot of hand work
Gibson isn't great about making lefty versions so they're just not on my list and I'll gladly go to a company that will fill that niche
As baby boomers stop buying guitars, the largest pool of owners in history will dry up. There will be an excess of guitars that will drive down prices.
Wait a minute. Shouldn't we not buy anything from China?
Also, what products do you make? Do you want competition from people making less than $1.00 a day to compete with you?
I have been to China and have relatives there, NO ONE is making 1.00 a day, factory workers makes 4000-5000 yuan a month, that’s 550-600 US, 25 dollars a day
All the Gibson hate seemed to come directly after Obama failed to destroy them.my experience with Gibson is that my own are great giggers with lots of personality or mojo
Great minds think alike! I have said that since that anti capitalist thug sent his govt goons in to raid and rough up and intimidate Gibson employees, management and shareholders because Gibson refused to bow to union goons to take over Gibson! Then obama dug up and used that BS exotic wood violation claim to raid and intimate an American law abiding company! Per usual, it was proven it was all A LIE! Wood used in making musical instruments, such as rosewood accounts for about 1 to 3% if I remember correctly. Then of course, all the left's little commie zombies were unleashed on Gibson and their cult members are still fixated on the target they were programmed to attack.
COKE
I was interested in Texas Toast at first but theit guitars are totally overprized for what they offer. You can get the same features for half the price elsewhere
Not at all. It's part of life/democracy. Frankly, I'm tired of this kind of whining. As a teen I bought a used Fender Lead I and played it until I could grow up, graduate college, get a job and afford a Les Paul Standard. Later in life things went south so I had to sell the Les Paul. Not a fun sequence of events, but I don't whine about it. I can't afford one right now, so I don't have one. Do all of you whine like this because of house prices? Car prices? Of course not. You get what you can afford that fits your lifestyle/budget. So tired of this crybaby subject (no pun intended). Grow up.
Right on. Its a case of communists hating on Gibson. They were programmed since obamma ordered his goons to raid Gibson and bully and intimate the whole plant and shareholders because they refused to bow to his union goons to take over Gibson. If you notice, all the comments are the same and they are using the same communist script.
Been there too! You will bounce back. Twice in my life I was on top of the world, Nice houses, nice cars, cash, beautiful girlfriends and really nice guitars and amps. Poof! Gone and had to start over.
It’s not the guitar but the player behind the guitar