Buying guitars as an investment

[pan60]

i theres is a spell check on here i will be very glad to try and use it but i do not see any spell check option?

[Stringswinger]

The value of your investments might also be affected by events beyond your control:

'Many of the scientists envisage a “semi-dystopian” future, with famines, conflicts and mass migration, driven by heatwaves, wildfires, floods and storms of an intensity and frequency far beyond those that have already struck.'

If this "semi-dystopian future" is on the way, I think firearms (and lots of ammo) might be a better investment than guitars.

[SierraTango]

i theres is a spell check on here i will be very glad to try and use it but i do not see any spell check option?

It's probably not a feature of the website per se, more about the browser you are using. When you are typing, do words that are incorrectly spelled have a red line under them? If so, just right click on the word and get suggested options for correct spelling.

[AllanAllen]

If this "semi-dystopian future" is on the way, I think firearms (and lots of ammo) might be a better investment than guitars.

By the time we turn to firearms to protect our homes, it’s already too late.

[Stringswinger]

By the time we turn to firearms to protect our homes, it’s already too late.

I already protect my home (and family) with firearms. I'll take my chances with the future.

[pan60]

It's probably not a feature of the website per se, more about the browser you are using. When you are typing, do words that are incorrectly spelled have a red line under them? If so, just right click on the word and get suggested options for correct spelling.

no red line under them,

[EastwoodMike]

This is an internet canard with no basis in truth. Plenty of young guys want old guitars, and many of them are reaching the stage of life where they can afford them. Plus, they in fact did all grow up with guitar music. Plus, guitars come on and off the market independent of estates. Plus, blue chip (desirable vintage ones in particular) have gone up and down, but mostly up. They are probably at record highs right now.

What has changed will affect all of the folks who bought guitars, new and used, during Covid, and now either don't want to play or don't have the time to play. They expect to make up the money they spent, and be able to resell their new Les Pauls for the same as new ones. Sadly that anomaly of the market appears to be over.

What is your definition of young? Most everyone younger than 40 over here is reaching the age that they can pay the weeks rent!

that said, some guitars are stellar investments- anything with a photo of George Harrison, Brian May, Angus Young, Jimmy Page, Jimmi Hendrix holding it will be worth some coin now and going forward. I’d wager that in this forum most no one has heard of Ian Moss? He was Lead guitarist for an iconic Australian rock band Cold Chisel. Despite his skill, standing and the vintage Strat he wore, it would be only valuable to a very small subset of Australian culture. And far less than the guitars owned by the other forementioned characters, despite his instrument being equal in quality and scarcity. Would it grow in value at the same % rate? Certainly not. The demand is not there.

As far as archtops go? Maybe in North America. A used player grade es-175 Gibson rolls in around $5.5k - not vintage. I saw in classifieds not long ago an old 50s 125 or something similar with a hole in the top and a cracked f hole, just shy of 9.5k. Unplayable as shown. This is why people buy Eastmans and Epiphones- so they can use guitars as tools and get on with playing for half the entry cost or less.

[Hammertone]

What is your definition of young? Most everyone younger than 40 over here is reaching the age that they can pay the weeks rent!
that said, some guitars are stellar investments- anything with a photo of George Harrison, Brian May, Angus Young, Jimmy Page, Jimmi Hendrix holding it will be worth some coin now and going forward. I’d wager that in this forum most no one has heard of Ian Moss? He was Lead guitarist for an iconic Australian rock band Cold Chisel. Despite his skill, standing and the vintage Strat he wore, it would be only valuable to a very small subset of Australian culture. And far less than the guitars owned by the other forementioned characters, despite his instrument being equal in quality and scarcity. Would it grow in value at the same % rate? Certainly not. The demand is not there.
As far as archtops go? Maybe in North America. A used player grade es-175 Gibson rolls in around $5.5k - not vintage. I saw in classifieds not long ago an old 50s 125 or something similar with a hole in the top and a cracked f hole, just shy of 9.5k. Unplayable as shown. This is why people buy Eastmans and Epiphones- so they can use guitars as tools and get on with playing for half the entry cost or less.

Perhaps all those people just need to get off of your lawn?

[EastwoodMike]

They’re welcome over anytime. Plenty of lawn to go around this small patch. They can bring their guitars and we can all jam!

[Litterick]

I’d wager that in this forum most no one has heard of Ian Moss? He was Lead guitarist for an iconic Australian rock band Cold Chisel. Despite his skill, standing and the vintage Strat he wore, it would be only valuable to a very small subset of Australian culture. And far less than the guitars owned by the other forementioned characters, despite his instrument being equal in quality and scarcity. Would it grow in value at the same % rate? Certainly not. The demand is not there..

Rich men with expensive hobbies enjoy spending large at auctions. I would have thought his guitar would fetch a good price in Australia. But the international market is another matter. The previous owners are more famous and more rich men want to own the guitars. But will the rock gods remain famous, for more than a generation?

[Archie]

It's probably not a feature of the website per se, more about the browser you are using. When you are typing, do words that are incorrectly spelled have a red line under them? If so, just right click on the word and get suggested options for correct spelling.

If you don’t have Microsoft word I don’t think you get the correct spelling.
I don’t on my Windows and but I get the red line.
Although I use DuckDuckGo.

On Mac of course everything works. I have spell check on DuckDuckGo.

[EastwoodMike]

Rich men with expensive hobbies enjoy spending large at auctions. I would have thought his guitar would fetch a good price in Australia. But the international market is another matter. The previous owners are more famous and more rich men want to own the guitars. But will the rock gods remain famous, for more than a generation?

For his 15th birthday my son wanted a LedZep LP so there is hope. Spotify has been responsible for opening up his awareness to many other names past. That could be considered good and bad. Spotify does tend to pick its favourites. To be fair when I was his age the local radio programmers picked their favourites too.

Cheers
m

[Doug B]

no red line under them,

Which web browser are you using?

[JGinNJ]

Guitars have not been a viable investment since the internet made buying & selling an efficient market. I remember the days of 'Vintage Guitar" magazine, with the ads listing rare guitars, and "401k guitars", and the "Blue Book".

It's easy to buy all kinds of guitars now, and be pretty comfortable you're paying a fair price. It's selling that I find is the problem. Hold it for years and maybe you'll break even- until you factor in inflation. Flipping works if you get it cheap, and it's a desirable instrument. Then there's the headache of flaky/fussy buyers, shipping- or lose 20-25% in consignment fees.

[pan60]

Which web browser are you using?

safari but it is OLD comp. i can copy and paste to mail or text edit but then its a job and i am not here to create work but to enjoy chatting about things i care about.

i corispond with engineers that occaisionally and although they my comment on how bad my spelling is they allways know what i am say if not they will ask so it cant be that horible at least not to the point of not being understood.
i make my best stab at sounding out a word and thats what i have to offer.

if theres a easy to use spell check i okay with useing it and like said if some folks dont care to read my post i am good with that.

so to guitars investment or flipping?
i mostly just hord them LOL but as mention i have never made money in stocks or mutual funds always lost the guy that is now managing what little i have left is getting me a little return but i really doubt it keeps up with out current inflation.
i plan to leave that with him and although i think i might flip a gutar or two and i might i will most likely just aquire more guitar i like?

[pan60]

i can see selling them locally at least for me may not be that great most folks around here dont seem to have the cash for it and with bin new and streaching out payments it easyer for some with a job to do then coming up with say a grand?
i think a guy would have to get em at a REAL bargin to com out ahead.

[Spook410]

Pano.. don't worry about the language thing too much. You know how you feel when you play with someone who gets off track a little and ends up playing outside the changes? It's not that anybody minds really.. it's more an emotional response. And, after all, you are in a place that feels the end of western civilization is nigh when someone plays something jazz inappropriate over the V.

[garybaldy]

Pano.. don't worry about the language thing too much. You know how you feel when you play with someone who gets off track a little and ends up playing outside the changes? It's not that anybody minds really.. it's more an emotional response. And, after all, you are in a place that feels the end of western civilization is nigh when someone plays something jazz inappropriate over the V.

You mean like the natural 5th,9th and 13th?

[Litterick]

If you don’t have Microsoft word I don’t think you get the correct spelling.
I don’t on my Windows and but I get the red line.
Although I use DuckDuckGo.

On Mac of course everything works. I have spell check on DuckDuckGo.

It is the Mac checking your spelling, not the browser. The Microsoft Office suite has its own spellcheck, but that only works when you are using a Microsoft product.

[garybaldy]

A close family member spent the last years of their life firstly in a care home and then in a nursing home in the UK. They suffered with dementia and was bed ridden. They had saved through their life time and consequently was unable to have free care and nursing as was prevalent in the area that they lived and available to many. Over the substantial number years in care the cost to that family member was astronomical.
I don't want to sound flippant but had they had the foresight to have bought guitars with their savings and asked me to look after them they would have had free nursing and care. Money in the bank is no good.

[Greywolf]

I've collected guitars for the last 4 decades, always as examples for me as a luthier to see what the Masters do.
Over the years , especially in the last decade I've focused on rare and exceptionally pretty instruments. They do go up in value , and I would make money on each one , but they will never be for sale . They are to be passed down through the generations to my progeny so they can enjoy the best the craft has to offer.

[RJVB]

Aren't guitars part of the collection X of things where
- Q: How to make a small fortune doing/in X
- A: Start with a big fortune

I doubt the Scinery collection was started as an investment, but how well would it do as such, nowadays? Would been in a collection with a few obvious suspects (the Monteleone and d'Aquisto at least) have had a positive effect on the actual resale value of the others?

[sgcim]

If we were on Jeopardy I'd tell Alex's ghost, "What is a good way to go broke?"

[diamondjazzy]

Personally, I don't look at guitars as an investment. So many better ways you can invest your money. That being said, if you buy quality guitars, they tend to hold some value. So if you are ever in need of money, you have something you can sell. It's not like modern day electronics that eventually become useless.

[JGinNJ]

I recently visited a prominent jazz guitar store, guitar in hand, hoping to realize some profit, or trade for something.

I was met by the valet parking, and the white-glove concierge took my guitar to be evaluated.

Inside was walls of archtops, vintage and luthier-built customs, hanging above warmly glowing tube amplifiers

Shortly, the manager came out, and said, "We will gladly give you $1,000 for your Squier Strat, and pick out one of these L-5's or an ES-175 if that's too big. We can't give 'em away!"

B-bbut I only paid 300 bucks for it! I stammered.

"Nonsense, my boy! Guitars like these are the only ones that can survive the Apple iPad Guitar Crusher, and with the new Chinese tariffs, we can't get 'em, they're like gold!"