'The Market for Musical Gear Is Amping Up Like Never Before'

**MAJackson** · 03-23-2021, 05:49 PM

Article in Bloomberg on how "the pandemic has officially turbocharged the market for musical equipment". Record growth last year for Sweetwater (surpassed $1 billion in sales), Fender has signed up 900k users for its Play app since the pandemic started, JHS Pedals has more than doubled production in the past year to 100k pedals, etc.

**smallie_stalker** · 03-23-2021, 06:26 PM

I saw that too. In a way it makes sense to me. People who are already musicians have more time on their hands so looking for new ways to express themselves. Non- musicians need something to keep themselves focused and from going crazy during this lockdown.

Music is great therapy.

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**jads57** · 03-23-2021, 10:50 PM

Great for music retailers and if you want to sell. Not so good for buying used at the moment. I predict a year from now the market will over saturated and they'll be some really good deals!

**Stringswinger** · 03-24-2021, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by jads57

Great for music retailers and if you want to sell. Not so good for buying used at the moment. I predict a year from now the market will over saturated and they'll be some really good deals!

Probably right. All that stimulus money spent on guitars and such will have to be sold to pay rent when the eviction moratoriums end.

**jads57** · 03-24-2021, 12:41 AM

That's sad! Well Freddy King always sung about hawking his guitar!

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-24-2021, 10:52 AM

I think it's true...definitely true for small shops I know of...a friend of mine manages Lidgetts in Council Bluffs IA and says inventory is down 33% cause he keeps selling and can't get enough in. He doesn't even sell much on the internet.

I bought a 12-string last year and a 175 this year, both through private sales.

I also bike and do woodworking. The bike shops I go to and Woodcraft are busy as heck. I was lucky to score a 2019 E-bike (Trek Crossrip+, in case you're interested), though 2020's were in short supply.

Not sure about big box stores though. I went into GC a few months ago and they didn't have much to sell. Hardly any archtops except a D'Angelico or 2. Hardly anyone in the store either. At the time I read some negative things about their financial outlook, not sure how they're doing now. In theory they should be raking it in.

**Lobomov** · 03-24-2021, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by jads57

Great for music retailers and if you want to sell. Not so good for buying used at the moment. I predict a year from now the market will over saturated and they'll be some really good deals!

I'm afraid that is slightly too soon, but 2023 or maybe 24 is going to be great

**deacon Mark** · 03-24-2021, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

I think it's true...definitely true for small shops I know of...a friend of mine manages Lidgetts in Council Bluffs IA and says inventory is down 33% cause he keeps selling and can't get enough in. He doesn't even sell much on the internet.

I bought a 12-string last year and a 175 this year, both through private sales.

I also bike and do woodworking. The bike shops I go to and Woodcraft are busy as heck. I was lucky to score a 2019 E-bike (Trek Crossrip+, in case you're interested), though 2020's were in short supply.

Not sure about big box stores though. I went into GC a few months ago and they didn't have much to sell. Hardly any archtops except a D'Angelico or 2. Hardly anyone in the store either. At the time I read some negative things about their financial outlook, not sure how they're doing now. In theory they should be raking it in.

Dr I am avid road cyclist and very competent bike mechanic, I even build my own wheels sometimes and I can tell you bikes are boom. You cannot get Shimano parts very easy and I cannot get a nice 105 groupset. They simply are not available. I also happen to think guitars are not doing bad at all. I do think sometimes players get short sighted and forget they have other expenses but that always happens. To me with the instant internet margins are getting pretty short all over. It is really hard to get price differences no matter what you are selling now. Seems we can go to the internet and find the lowest prices so that is pretty much what it is.

In the not too distant past you could get a full 105r groupset for like less than $600. Now you cannot find them at all and probably going to cost $750. In fact look at the price of lumber and building materials. Good guitars that are well made and off high quality used. are selling pretty decent I say.

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-24-2021, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

Dr I am avid road cyclist and very competent bike mechanic, I even build my own wheels sometimes and I can tell you bikes are boom. You cannot get Shimano parts very easy and I cannot get a nice 105 groupset. They simply are not available. I also happen to think guitars are not doing bad at all. I do think sometimes players get short sighted and forget they have other expenses but that always happens. To me with the instant internet margins are getting pretty short all over. It is really hard to get price differences no matter what you are selling now. Seems we can go to the internet and find the lowest prices so that is pretty much what it is.

In the not too distant past you could get a full 105r groupset for like less than $600. Now you cannot find them at all and probably going to cost $750. In fact look at the price of lumber and building materials. Good guitars that are well made and off high quality used. are selling pretty decent I say.

Interesting.

I think certain commodities like lumber are a bit different. It's all supply and demand of course. In addition to increased demand for building products, suppliers misread the market and pulled back on production. Plus factory issues with COVID. That's what I've read anyway.

The demand for hobby stuff is more or less pure demand due to people feeling cooped up and wanting to spend their time and money on something enjoyable.

I love my bikes--have a Trek Domane as well--can't wait for the weather to get better so I can get back on the road.

**Jim Soloway** · 03-24-2021, 03:49 PM

Guitars, bikes, puppies, kittens ... there's going to be a lot of used instruments and rescue animals on the market next year.

**Spook410** · 03-24-2021, 04:16 PM

Originally Posted by deacon Mark

Dr I am avid road cyclist and very competent bike mechanic,.

Bridgestone RB-1 here. Wait. Does that mean I'm old?

**Gitterbug** · 03-24-2021, 05:18 PM

Musical gear sales are driven by hobbyists, now with the time and money to spend on upgrades, as well as beginners and re-starters. My understanding is that it's mainly instruments, pedals, other digital stuff for home recording and, at best, entry-level amps. Stage gear such as heftier combos, amps and speaker cabs don't move, because performing artists are starved - for gigs and quite literally. So sad, really. But trends have also changed, IMHO for the better. Music merchants have their storage spaces brimming over with trade-ins nobody wants, such as 4x12s and other Jurassic stuff. My workshop is in a carcass of an industrial building, now full of practice rooms. Bands come and go, and quite often leave huge black boxes behind. The typical life cycle of current electronic gadgets is probably a lot shorter, but at least they're smaller and easier to recycle/terminate.

I'm a bit of a cyclist, too, although my -46 motör is very low in output against consumption and emissions... There appears to be a universal shortage of components and bikes, as demand is up and supply down due to Covid. Glut predicted for 2023. Fortunately, my -88 Vicini mountain bike with XT parts (never serviced), an Ultergra-equipped Nishiki fitness bike and a recent Bianchi Camaleonte 3 (Deore) will no doubt outlast me.

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-24-2021, 07:37 PM

Originally Posted by Spook410

Bridgestone RB-1 here. Wait. Does that mean I'm old?

IDK I started on a Sears road bike (red white AND blue) and moved up to a Takara. Then I started buying Treks.

But in answer to your question, if the bike shoes fit...

**waltf** · 03-25-2021, 05:20 AM

Prices are going up too.. checked the price of a fender amp recently in europe?
Almost 20% more expensive then a couple of months ago.

**mr. beaumont** · 03-25-2021, 09:08 AM

Used prices are nuts...I recently looked, just for kicks, what a Heritage 575 was going for...

I better take care of mine, sure ain't replacing it at what they're going for right now!

**Litterick** · 03-25-2021, 02:43 PM

Men are converting cash into assets, buying the objects they desired when they were teenagers. It's the end of the world as they know it, and they feel fine.

**Woody Sound** · 03-26-2021, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by Spook410

And forget used gear. Never been a better time to have a boutique or custom build started. Before prices go up.

I just did that. Ordered in winter, should be done by late April/May. Not a guitar nor music related. Stay "tuned." The builder says he's been backed up like never before, hence the ~5 month wait.

The beauty is, no down payment, and if you change your mind on delivery you can walk away, because he knows someone else will want it. You can even have another one built instead if you want.

**Woody Sound** · 03-26-2021, 10:04 AM

A couple of things I tried to order from Sweetwater earlier this year were back ordered for weeks. Had to go to the used market.

**Alder Statesman** · 03-26-2021, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Woody Sound

A couple of things I tried to order from Sweetwater earlier this year were back ordered for weeks. Had to go to the used market.

Same thing for me at GC.

**Doctor Jeff** · 03-26-2021, 01:25 PM

It’s not just limited to guitars.

I heard about a Chrysler dealer that normally carries 200 RAM trucks, now inventory is 25. No deals to be had out there!

Also home market in my area—really heating up. A colleague has been looking for a house, saw a listing in the morning, and by 10 AM it was changed to “sale pending”. Apparently there are 5-10 offers on every house that goes up for sale at the end of the day.

(I got myself into a real pickle a few years ago because of this. Planning to move, made an offer that was surprisingly accepted, then found out I would not be able to move to that town after all. Was threatened with a lawsuit, but in the end “only” lost $1000 earnest money. Doh!)

**Stringswinger** · 03-26-2021, 01:31 PM

Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff

It’s not just limited to guitars.

I heard about a Chrysler dealer that normally carries 200 RAM trucks, now inventory is 25. No deals to be had out there!

Also home market in my area—really heating up. A colleague has been looking for a house, saw a listing in the morning, and by 10 AM it was changed to “sale pending”. Apparently there are 5-10 offers on every house that goes up for sale at the end of the day.

(I got myself into a real pickle a few years ago because of this. Planning to move, made an offer that was surprisingly accepted, then found out I would not be able to move to that town after all. Was threatened with a lawsuit, but in the end “only” lost $1000 earnest money. Doh!)

In a real estate deal, the law provides for specific performance or money damages up to all proven loss if the buyer breaches, but most real estate contracts today limit the seller's damages in the event of breach to a forfeiture of the earnest money deposit. For that reason, when selling a property, I always require a large enough earnest money deposit to make sure it makes me whole upon a breach by the buyer. A small earnest money deposit becomes a very cheap option for a buyer.

**Cunamara** · 03-26-2021, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Spook410

Bridgestone RB-1 here. Wait. Does that mean I'm old?

Back with me in the past (1994 Ritchey Road Classic, 1996 Rivendell A/R, a bike I designed and built ca. 2003, but I do have a custom randonneuse built in 2018 which is the best bike I've ever owned... and all friction shifting, DT levers- heck, Campy NR front der. All my bikes look like they're 50 years old in terms of technology. Not unlike my guitars...).

**Cunamara** · 03-26-2021, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by Cunamara

Back with me in the past (1994 Ritchey Road Classic, 1996 Rivendell A/R, a bike I designed and built ca. 2003, but I do have a custom randonneuse built in 2018 which is the best bike I've ever owned... and all friction shifting, DT levers- heck, Campy NR front der. All my bikes look like they're 50 years old in terms of technology. Not unlike my guitars...).

Glad I'm not looking to buy a house right now. I bought mine in 1993 and locally the real estate market has gone rather insane since then. My 113 year old $80K shack of a house is now allegedly worth $305K (two bedroom, one bath, under 1000 ft.² no less- that's nuts), at least according to the proposed property tax statement I just received. And even at these massively inflated prices, no house for sale goes very long without attracting offers. It's not unusual to see the sold sign going up the same day as the for sale sign went up. It seems like a lot of those sales are going to investors who will then rent the property out rather than living in it. The rest seem to be aging baby boomers moving back into the city from the exurbs, where they have tried to cash out on their six bedroom McMansion.

**sgosnell** · 03-28-2021, 06:11 PM

I suspect that princely sum of $1400 which Stringswinger fantasized will be spent on guitars will instead be wasted on non-essentials like food, rent, and healthcare. I don't expect Mark Campellone, nor Gibson, to be overwhelmed with orders from the recipients.

**Marinero** · 03-29-2021, 03:54 PM

So, I've been lamenting about deals on quality CG/EG strings which have gone up 15-20% in the last year. Also, for those who play 3 plus hours a day and want to play on well-intonated strings, the old 10-packs seem only to be available on oddball strings(low tension/cheap quality--any leads for D'Addario?). For example, I was paying $7.95 US for D'addario EJ46 HT CG strings and Pure Nickel 12-51's EG strings. Today they are both $9.95 although you can get a deal on the CG strings if you buy a 3-pack.
However, there is a more interesting facet to this real trend. Namely, many EG guitarists I know/have known seem to be forever unsatisfied with their instruments and are always looking for the perfect guitar. And, this is not the same mentality as playing an instrument to its real potential before moving up to a quantifiably better instrument as is usually the case with non-guitar instrumentalists. For example, my first saxophones, flutes, and guitars(CG/EG) were student models. However, at a certain point, I realized that the instruments no longer represented my level of playing. I moved up to professional grade instruments and never changed since then. Yet, many guitarists today(especially EG's) continually change instruments believing that the a guitar will make them a better player when the instrument they have is capable of doing everything they need to do as a musician. So, where does this go? Sadly, the stimulus checks provided over the last year, for many, have not been used to pay rent, buy groceries, pay bills but rather used as free money for an unending list of "wants" not needs. So, how many of us have used this money to buy toys or new guitars? And, with this increase, it's understandable why the market has changed. Covid stimulus checks, for many, have been like a check from Grandma on your birthday.
Play live . . . Marinero