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why not just buy used why buy a new one? Seems silly.
Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
I have always been a Gibson fanboy. I have 4 L-5’s, 2 Super 400’s, 2 Tal Farlow’s, a Byrdland, and a 175 and if they make them again I will have more. IMO - nothing sounds as good as a Gibson electric archtop. To me $10K for a L-5 and $6K for a 175 is totally worth it.
Eagerly awaiting and hoping for their return.
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12-23-2025 04:46 PM
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Cars, guitars, and motorcycles I always buy new. Not silly to me. Originally Posted by pawlowski6132
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Wow.... Fantastic collection! The Super 400 is a superb guitar. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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I bought a brand new Gibson Memphis 1959 ES-175 in 2016 and I've never regretted it - not for one second. It looks like it jumped straight off the page in A.R. Duchossoir's, "Gibson Electrics - The Classic Years." It is a delight to play. And it is a work of art.
One thing I wish I'd done in 2016 is to have bought a second 1959 in natural finish. The Memphis plant was closing, CME was managing the clearance, and the friendly, supportive people in this Forum helped one another to get the guitars they wanted.
If Gibson decides to re-enter the game, I'll be in line for an L5. Life is short. Carpe Deium.
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I guess Collings guitars are considered bespoke Gibsoneque and Martin type builds. They definitely command a following of loyalists and a very high price new and used.
I also agree we have so many great choices available as guitarists nowadays. Definitely comes down to personal choice for each of us!
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I enjoy mine. I won’t prognosticate on how close they are or aren’t to the models that inspired them, but I’ve been nothing but happy with the fit and finish and most importantly sound from my Collings guitars. Originally Posted by jads57
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Like dawgbone, I got a great deal on a new Gibson 335 at GC, when I was actually looking for a second Epiiphone 335 for backup.
The regular prices on the Gibsons that I liked ranged from $3500 to $ 3800 before taxes. No can do!
So getting a Gibson at 2/3 these prices was an opportunity. Nice used models (if I could find one) sold for more.
I also felt that I was buying a guitar that had not been rejected by another owner, for who knows what reason. And it will hold its value - I'm pretty certain.
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I'd be really happy if Gibson would reissue the ES125 back.
The ES125 thinline with florentine cutaway and single pickup,I think I'd buy right away, whatever the price
I find used prices for these ES125 have gone way too high.. but I suspect a reissue would be at least 5000.. so..
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Collings is only visually a tribute to Martin. Tonally they have their own very distinct thing. They do build beautiful instruments, though. Their mandolins are very well-respected. I would consider the Pre-War guitar company as the “bespoke” Martin manufacturer. The Martin custom shop is no slouch, either. Originally Posted by jads57
Agree about choices, and it’s at every price level, too. I started on a $19 Sears guitar made of 3/8” plywood. Very painful.
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Cars. I bought new and used thus far over the past 50 years, but new more often. However, I kept my cars bought new for 8-10 years, with the first few covered under warranty. Amortized over a decade, the depreciation not taken was not worth worrying about, and if I had waited to buy the same cars used, I'd probably not kept them for a decade. My last new car purchase, in Feb 2016, is coming up on it's 10th anniversary with me. I'll keep going for awhile longer and I don't care about the alleged new car premium. Originally Posted by pawlowski6132
I have bought new and used guitars, and new/used divided about equally. But, I still have a guitar I bought new in 1974. And one I bought in 1983. And one I bought in 1990. And so on. I had several other guitars since sold that I bought new, that I owned for 15- 30 years. Some of them I sold for more than paid for, even in inflation-adjusted terms. I don't worry an iota whether I paid too much dealer margin after owning an item for one, two, three decades or more.
New has its virtues if you have the patience to wring the value out of that decision. Used anything can be fiscally prudent but to be worth the savings, it also has to be emotionally salient to expectations. Sometimes it's not, in a lasting way. And for anyone materially well-off such as to not have to care about the untaken depreciation by buying new things, you should be glad for them and for yourself -- consumers drive about 70% of the US economy.
These rules-of-thumb sometimes get bent back onto your wrist.
Phil
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For years me, Joe D., Stringswinger, Gitpicker, QAman, (we are all good friends) have been hoping for a Joe Pass ES175 model like the custom one Gibson made him in 1992. John Pisano got that guitar when Joe died. Gitpicker was a good friend of John Pisano and got to play that axe when ever he hung out with John.
Thinner, 5 piece neck like a L-5, single pu up against the neck like a L-4, and gold hardware. IMO - the perfect jazz box.
Hope springs eternal
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Gibson built two of the Joe Pass 175 prototypes. Henry J. has one (if he still has it) and Ellen Pass (Joe's last wife) got the other and "lent" it to John Pisano (who knows where it is today?).
I presume that the model never made it into production because Joe's estate was in turmoil over a fight between Joe's widow and his two adopted children from marriage number two. Or maybe Gibson thought that the market for the model would be too small? I doubt it will ever get built as a production model. And that is too bad. The only Joe Pass signature guitars were a Japanese made Ibanez (that most cats don't like due to its pickup placement) and an Asian produced Epiphone that is not a professional grade guitar.
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To me, my '63 175D is pretty much the perfect jazz box, but what do I know? Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
For years me, Joe D., Stringswinger, Gitpicker, QAman, (we are all good friends) have been hoping for a Joe Pass ES175 model like the custom one Gibson made him in 1992. John Pisano got that guitar when Joe died. Gitpicker was a good friend of John Pisano and got to play that axe when ever he hung out with John.
Thinner, 5 piece neck like a L-5, single pu up against the neck like a L-4, and gold hardware. IMO - the perfect jazz box.
Hope springs eternal
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I actually saw JP play the Epiphone (shortly before he died). Or perhaps I should say "an" Epiphone, since I don't know for sure whether it was actually the production version or some sort of prototype or custom version made for him. Arguably, the example of JP playing whatever guitar was available to him and/or that he was being paid to play is an object lesson in how not to overthink what constitutes a professional instrument. Originally Posted by Stringswinger
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The cheapest ES125 (not T) in the UK for a long while was £2500, so I bought it. And pretty much mint for a 67 year old guitar. Originally Posted by Jx30510
I'd be really happy if Gibson would reissue the ES125 back.
The ES125 thinline with florentine cutaway and single pickup,I think I'd buy right away, whatever the price
I find used prices for these ES125 have gone way too high.. but I suspect a reissue would be at least 5000.. so..
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Might be my guitars specifically. Originally Posted by joe2758
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Electric guitars are cheap in the grand scheme of instruments. Originally Posted by pawlowski6132
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Its funny because to a great degree JDs videos are the example for me. Hes a consumate player playing like I wish I could. I watch all his videos. By the 4th measure I could care less which guitar hes playing, to me he sounds as good on his lam Epi as he does on his JS or Lxxx. I assume for him he sounds the best on the one hes happiest with which has nothing to do with the listener or provenance of the instrument. I would also add that if I was Vinny Id be to worried about putting the first scratch on one of those axes, why I buy pre loved. ( I put the first (only) scratch in my friends new Aston Martin years ago...Ill never forget it, he wont let me.
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I agree - I know a cello player and his axe was $35K. Originally Posted by Christian Miller
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You can easily spend that much just on a bow Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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Back in the early 90s I read that it was recommended that a double bass concert soloist should pay around £40000 for a bow! Originally Posted by wintermoon
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Isn't it the Indian and not the "arrow"?
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I had a theory instructor in university whose "cheap" cello was worth around 50k. His #1 was said to be worth about twice that. This was in the late 90's. He had a Mercedes station wagon to haul them to gigs with. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
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So the guy who paid $35k for the cello have $50 a night gig like the guy who just bought $35k Benedetto? Lol!
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The way my violinist friend put it is that guitarists are generally collectors. We all think we should have lots of nice guitars. So we think of it in those terms. Buying guitars is generally fun. Originally Posted by vinnyv1k
Whereas for a violinist buying an instrument is a major investment like buying a house. In general, you might have only one or two good ones. There’s a lot of stress and anxiety in making the purchase.
Some jazz guitarists are like that (Peter Bernstein) but I think most are not.
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