As someone who bought WAY more guitars than I needed during Covid, I stopped buying when the $699 guitars became $1,299 guitars.

The prices became out of control across the board. You can only increase prices to the point where people will find substitutes or just stop.

I may be alone in this, but each time I look for a new guitar I find that I am insulted by the prices. Stupid expensive these days.

The jacked up prices killed the guitar boom.

I listed a guitar recently. Three years ago it would have sold for close to new price. Now, I got either lowball offers or offers to trade. Some of the trades were really nice guitars. The market is slowing down greatly. People just aren’t as quick to spend, but they are willing to exchange some of the guitars they collected during the boom.

You guys rock. Love watching your content because you both are obviously loving life, and that is contagious. Thanks for what you do.

I'm one of the 'olds' that did that. It was pandemic spending and being trapped at home with money to spend and the excitement of a new hobby. I started out with a $300 guitar and quickly moved up the price/quality spectrum. In two years I've bought and sold at least 15 guitars but I also bought 7 amps and sold 2 too. Since I'm now spending much more per purchase, I've slowed down the acquisition rate, but the average spent per month is probably still the same.

"I've never seen a new guitar player buy 9-10 guitars before they could even play." I feel called out...

In 2021-2022 I bought 13 electric guitars 🙈 I still have 7. It was very hard selling those 6 and I lost money on all of them.

A friend is heavily involved in the string industry and he said business has slown down a lot. Seems that many guitars sit on walls with dead strings right now....

I think the pandemic spurred bucket list guitar shopping for many, including me...bought my first Casino, 335, Martin and tele....I'm now starting to see so many of these on Craigslist now for pretty big discounts. I'm old but really I think I'm finally at the point where I don't need another guitar in my life ever.

I work in contracting and yes home sales are definitely slowing.. 50% or more. I believe that is most affected by the prime rate increase, compared to last years rates we are talking hundreds of dollars more on monthly payments; if not more

I knew I should have sold some of the amps and pedals I didn’t see as lifers in my collection the past couple years after seeing what used stuff was selling for. But I’m old enough that I can hang onto them all and wait for the next boom. Rock on fellas.

I'd say most who bought guitars for the first time during covid realized that it's not easy to learn and it takes effort. So the demand is down now compared to what it was.

It's my belief, that knowing prices were on the rise. Buying as much gear as you could possibly afford, was a smart move. For the last 3 years we all thought we were geniuses. It's only been this last 6 months that the bubble has burst and the reality of our follies has become apparent. I still don't regret anything I bought in the last 3 years. I NEVER spend money I don't have. If retailers are relying heavily on finiacing lots of gear, the next couple years will be very lean. I'd say, less than 10% percent of the gear items I purchased over the last 3 years, haven't gone up in price 20-30% percent. That's a substantial increase for people that buy outright and don't front everything. If your paying only a few dollars more each month on a payment, it's palletable. But when an item that was $799 say, is now costing $999. Sales will go down. It's just math.

Prices on everything went up crazy and I feel most guitars got way too overpriced. I'm happy with the gear I have at this point so I stopped buying guitars and bought some new clothes instead. Just bought a new pair of Dan Post Ostrich boots, and a Rodeo King hat this month. I may be overspending but at least now I'll look good doing it. 😂

The guitar is the only instrument that is portable that you can play both simple and complex music. You can play instrumental music or accompany a singer. It's a beautiful instrument.

I've never had a new guitar improve my playing as much as just walking out of the store and going home to practice 😅

I agree credit, more money, easy accessibility and confidence has created a different market for guitars. I’ve been playing for forty years. I’ve had some guitars through the years pass through my hands. There are a few I wished I had kept only because they’re worth way more that what I paid. But back when I was more of an active buyer in the market it was all about, at least for me, finding a player. You went from store to store playing the racks looking for the one where your hands were out in front of your mind. Currently I have two custom built vintage style Strats from the same luthier. Best Strats I’ve ever owned. So I’m done contributing to the market. But I feel it’s too easy today and it’s more about quantity than quality. Never really understood the concept of buying a guitar without playing it first. On the confidence issue of today, when I was growing up I never once met a person with a bunch of guitars who couldn’t rip your head off with their playing. It was all about being in a band. Players had licks in their toolbox they learned tunes by sitting alone for hours figuring it out. I’m not hating, just saying how it was. It’s all good, just different today. If it stayed the way it was - there would definitely be less people today buying guitars.

The surge in pricing killed it.

Welcome back Johnny. We missed you a lot bit!

I'm that older dude who went hog wild on high end guitars during the pandemic. I didn't realize there were so many of me.

Not only was there a boom in purchases but also new musicians and bands former. I play around Minneapolis and did a research project for myself checking how many acts were playing just on Friday and Saturdays in July. I picked nine of the major alt/indie venues and there are 200 bands and solo acts booked. I'm going to check August now and I suspect it will be the same. The market is just saturated.

KZfaq (and Reddit) educated me better about things guitar than almost anything else in my past thirty years. And it was the covid shutdown that got me used to watching KZfaq to do research into hobbies. Before I had to trust “two guys” to put me into a product and commit to weekly lessons if I wanted to learn, and whoever was available when I was and known to me (had ads or a storefront) was who I was limited to. Fast forward to 2023 and I have my choice of great instructors and can find the one(s) I connect with, then I want the gear to get me there and I can learn all about it, exploring smaller makers instead of just Fender Gibson Marshall Vox. So for me this waa finally having time money and opportunity to spend = long pent-up demand finding an outlet. Now I didn’t buy multiples of guitar things (I did that with camera lenses lol) but I did spend twice what I expected/hoped for. My first purchase was an amp, and I ended up splurging against my plans. Recently I got a guitar and this time spent almost half of what I expected. So I went big first and then in later purchases I knew better what I really wanted and so could be satisfied being choosier and letting cost be more of a consideration - I had become a savvier shopper.

1) Why does there have to be any "blame" placed? The business cycle for many industries was pushed off its' normal axis by the pandemic, which was completely unpredictable. Corrections are occurring and will continue to do so for a while. 2) You guys did amazingly well-better than most- during the pandemic, and have not suffered that much in the recovery. That is NOT the case across the US. Many industries (including at least some musical instrument retailers) are not doing anywhere near as well as you have. Many communities, including mine (New Orleans) really struggled in the pandemic and have barely gotten back on their feet. Feel blessed!

I've purchased just under 20 guitars total since 2019. Mid life crisis and I grew up dirt poor wanting a good guitar. I have given a few away to family members who play or wanna learn.

Been playing the same guitar since 94 added another in 2014. Over the course of the pandemic I added 7. Not a new player, just a guy who smiles more.

Besides the economy, it makes sense that after a big boom there comes a period that things slow down. An important reason for this is because a lot of people (myself included) have grabbed a lot of guitars these past years, so of course you can't keep this pace forever. Me myself the only reason I would grab something if its a very very good deal in my eyes, that's why I just grabbed a discontnued S2 PRS Singlecut for a bit under $1k, that in my country is really good price. When a new 594 S2 here costs over $2.5k. Also I wouldnt be spending now more than $1k for a guitar, plus I already got and have everything I really wanted, and higher end guitars, like a couple of Core PRS. My only reason to grab the PRS was cos the color, the price, and an extra discount I got by luck all alligned, and because I have become so fan into PRS that wanted to get more but as a collection (which I never do with guitars, I only get what can bring me something different to the table and that I actually play) And a singlecut PRS and a Maple Silver Sky SE are what at least I wanted at some point, but was looking for it more into the future. No rush at all, but a good deal and that all boxes tick just had to do it. But was a very very specific situation. Recently an S2 594 used showed up at ver good price, but was less than half new, and was very good price but felt a bit too much of what I wanted to spend, plus didnt care much for the color (ebony) and I could grab a new SE 594 standard for less thean $1k here, or wait until used 594 SE show up, so let that through.

I have to admit, I'm involved in several expensive hobbies. I noticed during the pandemic, a lot of people were looking to park their cash into outlets as a way to safeguard against the market. Some of these outlets included; high end music equipment, luxury watches, exotic cars, vintage audio gear, pinball machines, etc. All of these outlets saw a crazy boom, as people felt that they could make an "investment" and turn around years later and sell for a small profit. Most of the hobbies I dabble in, new enthusiasts will not ask "which is the best for me?", but rather "which is the best deal, that it'll be worth more in the future?" In some of these hobbies, I'm starting to see people getting out, and some of the products are stating to sell at retail price again. While some goods and services are necessary and won't fluctuate much during an economic correction, other items that are lumped into luxury goods or part of discretionary spending most likely will face a noticeable slowdown during those times.

Guitar boom was the result of a perfect storm: covid introduced a consumer pool with liquid income, hype driven economy, social media influencers, and scarcity. A potential problem could be that manufacturers raised prices to take advantage of the boom market that are not sustainable. This is especially true if we expect a resultant boom in the used guitar market.

I didn’t buy any guitars during the lock down but I did build one…

I feel like all the big manufacturers going super hard into cheap overseas guitars just flooded with market and now since they're practically giving them away, people cant rationalize spending more... I also think people that spent a lot on older vintage instruments are discovering, they're not as well made as they thought and they're not very practical to play.

I think people are forgetting about the advent of low priced cnc copies that play well if not great for 300 or less.

Respectfully, where I live (central WI) EVERYTHING has tightened. Food, finance, life, all more money. And on CL guitars sell for nearly what the original price was. crazy.

Re: overbuilding, Squier 40th Anniversary models started at $599. Now you can find them new for $300 or less. A certain chain is selling used ones for more than new. Welcome to the Upside Down.

Love your channel and keep up the great content. Definitely favorite guitar channel

Hey guys, love your show. I’m 55 years old and have been playing guitar since I was seven.well not really,my parents put me in a class that kinda wasn’t my thing at 7 years old I’d rather do the BMX thing.this was 1974. Anyway I’ve been playing for years and honestly I should be better than I am. I have a Charvel Avenger, Epiphone Les Paul,both with EMG pickups. I will be changing the pickups in the the Les Paul. And have several other guitars. But what I wanted to tell you is I got a really great deal on a absolutely beautiful American made Telecaster, I just spent the last three hours playing it. I’m late to the Telecaster party, now I know how versatile this thing is.

So many people are starting to make their own customs if they have the access to the wood and C&C machines and spray booths and inlays....its quite impressive

Bought my dream D41 amber last year - and I haven't played any of my other guitars since. Thanks for the insight and the fun, boys.

Inflation really has changed everything that I feel like all the prices for new guitars priced consumers out of the market sadly. (I had a CS Les Paul light aged in 2020 was like $4400 and now would cost $6-7K) I now really only look for used guitars or do my usual of collecting guitars that appreciated over many many years. Also I am hoping since musical is usually cyclical, that guitar/instrument music will make a come back and become popular again.

I purchased 3 new basses (1 just before & 2 during lockdowns). All 3 have shot up in price since. If I bought them today, I'd be paying a couple of grand more.

Disco Stu: Did you know that disco record sales were up 400% for the year ending 1976? If these trends continue...

Hey, I'm from Argentina and this thing happens. When inflation gets started and saving starts makin less sense and/or more difficult just because your income is worth less, a lot of people start using their money in "cheaper" stuff, i.e. restaurants and so on. It actually starts with not aiming to buy a house and just change the car or something and it scales down. I live in Spain atm and working at a gitar store and see how some companies are selling a lot of inventory below their cost which destructs small/medium guitar stores...

Welcome back Mr. Robinson. I for one missed you.

Lots of products boomed - housing, hot tubs, RVs, etc. Now everything is coming back to earth. I’m see used gear prices coming down especially

From Leo: When everything was closed or slowing down, people had a lot more time to try to learn an instrument or any other hobby. Now everyone has to work two jobs to pay the bills from the losses and inflation. If you have the cash, there are some real deals on minty, two year old guitars. I bought two of them for maybe 30% of new price.

My neighbour came over yesterday and asked if I’d teach him how to play guitar. He has 2 guitars that he just bought and now wants to learn. I asked him what he bought. His answer, and I quote “something called a Les Paul and another one I liked the look of calked a Gretch White Falcon” 😳 Dude can’t even play an open A chord!

People realized that playing an instrument is hard, and starting a band/keeping it together is even harder

Most of the 20 somethings have switched to Gretsch... They have a more transparent Filtertronic sound, not brute force like a humbucker... They said that Fender was handing out free guitars to every band at Lolapalooza...

Shout out to the hair! This is the definition of "I woke up and don't give af" and I LOVE IT.

My guitar boom is happening NOW because I can find all the great deals from people selling off their mistakes LOL!

I found that when Covid was winding down I was able to find steals on OfferUp and Craigslist. I was able to get a Fender Player Strat and Epiphone 50’s Les Paul at 50% off or more in brand new condition. I picked up a Yamaha FS820 for $100 still in it’s wrapping. That guitar new right now is $289. Now that we are a year or more post-pandemic it is harder to find steals. But the thing that slowed the boom is that people around the world are back to work and back to other activities.

The fact that profits are at record levels while supply costs are supposedly high means it's corporate greed, not costs.

I learned to "Solder" my own electronics via you tube and by having too many Electric Guitars and amps. Now I am playing more and doing repair work for people that I can be proud of and at the dame time save the parents and players money on driving into town just to get a few wires replaced. Music maestro...play on..music is the food of Love.

A long-established family business that is *operating from a store/ building that it owns,* may be selling its merchandise/ services for under-value, because it is not reflecting the value of the building in the cost of the things it sells. In extreme cases the owners could probably close the business and rent the building at market rent and make more from being a landlord than they _are_ currently from selling merchandise.

Way too many guitar players. Also , with the internet, we can see the 12 year old that never saw a guitar before play it better than guys who have been studying ,playing, practicing for 20 years. It's all luck. That is a real eye opener.

Hey guys I own approximately 60 guitar 🎸 s .I bought my last guitar to date in 2021. Used to buy at least two guitar 🎸 a year Had to watch my money like everyone else should have. I didn't get suck into using credit cards they are for emergencys . I h ave mostly vintage and high end guitars .I still have a bucket list of axes I want but it is what it is. I own mostly takimine acoustics and martins and Taylors . Electric I have fender ,prs, Ernie ball, have a couple vintage les Paul's. Same with strats. Well sorry I left such a long comment. People need to regroup . My father told me the same thing about don't. Buy it. If you can't afford it. Well for now ✌️ Out and God Bless

Oversaturation. I have all the guitars that I've ever wanted.

I think that the new guitar buying experience is buy and then try. It’s not just because of the pandemic, but also because of the disappearance of the traditional music store and the ascendancy of the online retail model. The only way for anyone to try a guitar is to buy it first and then decide if you want to keep it. It is definitely it ideal for beginners that don’t often know what they want or should look for. This actually increases the cost of picking up the guitar for first time players. The upside is you have an in-built excuse for buying more guitars. I mean how can you be sure if it’s The One without trying it first😅. I guess I’ll have to keep “trying” guitars!

Hello from u.k. Bought and sold guitars acoustic, and electric, all my life. All makes some being high end. Also gave a few away to good homes, and they appreciate My gift and still have them, 3 lads went on to play very well. I never seemed to progress to level I should be, so 10 years ago, I settled on classical and flamenco style. And got stuck in a rut with that! My 2 sons play bass in 2 separate bands both in early 30s One is exceptional. Recently bought a baritone ukulele, all over it like a rash! Tuned like a guitar, different than the other two ukes deeper sound. 4 strings great for picking! Take care.

i am 56 and not a good guitar player. but i have bought. 4 non budget guitars lately. its beginning to be a problem

I forgot not trying to take your business from you you all are good people and we need more people like you. People should find a guitar 🎸 used but in good shape Go to a good brick and mortar store or pawn shop see what you can find. Do a set up on the axe fix it up and start playing . Dudes it's all about the music 🎵. Best therapy I have had is the music 🎵. I bought a Japanese Fender strat. 1985 model got a good price on the guitar 🎸 . Put a David Gilmore pick guard with pickups New nut and bridge . Also so me lock in tuners. I can be done it's not rocket science. This axe is also candy apple red just like Gilmore's . Still have to refret and some new strings and there you go. We will all get through the. Post pandemic times but will never forget them. You guys at Casino keep up what your doing and good luck.Again Peace ✌️ Out and God Bless

I bought fewer guitars during covid-19, only 3 (could have been a dozen). BUT, I bought 3 expensive Novo guitars (used) and I have a new one on order. Best money I have ever spent! ❤

I just got my first guitar 🎸 a custom made telecaster. I love it ❤

I'm 69 and just bought another Tele last month. I buy build sell and trade all the time but it's time to slow down now. Prices are too ridiculously high on all music gear and parts.

Nothing makes me happier than a new guitar.

I'm a 100% Covitarist, and I started off in the used market. I now know that it was a golden age. Some people needed cash and others had time on their hands. I've bought and sold throughout and it's noticably slower now- fewer bargains and harder bargainers.

When I play for an audience of people under the age of 35, I feel like “Benny Goodman and his Big Band.”

No guitar heros anymore,heros were instrumental,no pun intended,in the popularity of the guitar craze.

For the past two years I've been in the market for an acoustic guitar (that i plan on putting a Hy-Vibe unit in) & found the prices to be absolutely CRAZY..... My personal favorite - Gibson 00 student models that went for 80-120 bucks when built (they were a low end beginner model- not built to last) 40-50 years ago going for 1200 bucks now....... WHY..?

I grew up in the mid-1970s, when imported beginner guitars were crap, and when there weren’t that many used Gibson or Fender guitars out there. If a kid wanted a good electric guitar, typically he’d have to work, save up, and buy one name-brand guitar. Nowadays, there are many great beginner guitars, and there must be boatloads of good used guitars that don’t command a big “vintage” premium. I’ve kept asking myself how the big manufacturers (as opposed to a couple-dozen firms that were rising players in the ‘80s and ‘90s, but which sell only imports these days) are still able to make tens of thousands of guitars every year and sell them. I don’t see any great explosion of guitar popularity among kids these days, so a lot of casual guitar-players must have 20 or 50 or 100 guitars. _That_ seems to be the key; even I have about nine guitars now, along with four practice amps. It’s said we spend our disposable income on that which most occupies our time, and, contrary to what we like to think, guitar prices in many cases, adjusted for inflation, are lower now than they were 50 years ago. (Example: a Gibson Les Paul Standard could be had in 1975 for $650; that corresponds to about $4,700 in todays dollars.) So if the big guys are targeting existing owners, or even convincing beginners to buy 6-8 guitars before learning anything, they seem to be succeeding, but that bubble’s got to burst sometime.

I bought over 30 guitars and waiting one to arrive in November or December. Don't think its over .....

I blame the term “dad rock” young people perceive guitar bands as something their dads listen too. It’s been 10 years since we had a new huge band on the level of Oasis, Killers even Coldplay etc. Couple this with how expensive it is to start a band is why we have so many big solo artists. And without big guitar bands young people dont take up learning.

Expectations...that's correct. And they changed those and should not have. Case in point, i am still awaiting a players model of the Epiphone Adam Jones...they did it for jerry, for dave, i could go on. And there are plenty of examples for other models and brands.

Can’t have record sales forever

Well, some of us ‘older’ players have grown up money now and we buy stuff.

Went thru my guitar purchasing phase 2014-2019. Picked up a ‘95 Gibson LPS DC cherry red, ‘97 Gibson LP STD wine red, & ‘95 Gibson ES-335 cherry dot. All less than $1600 each. No regrets.

All the lockdowns left a lot of people with time and spare money, they were bored and thought hey let's buy a guitar and learn to play, my guess is that s very high proportion still can't play, but that didn't stop them buying more guitars, hence the boom, but now what, who will want all those guitars that still have the original strings on them?

I’ve been playing for 13 years and I’ve owned less than 10 guitars my whole life. I never understood the rush to manufacture when theres already more guitars than players.

I’m out of room

Before Covid I bought 1 guitar… since Covid I’ve owned 6 currently down to 2 and 2 amps and 6 pedals. Also bought and sold over 20 pedals

Has Gibson quietly discontinued the Firebird. Seems only CS or Epi now? Played a used 2018 p-90 version and loved it about a month ago. Not standard set up for sure but was wild ride.

So much depends on credit. I've tracked Jazzmasters and Firebirds for decades, and NEVER have I seen prices of new custom shop guitars clock in over 1960s vintage models. In some cases new custom shop models are selling for $10k - $14k, while excellent mid-late 60s models are $5k-$7k. That suggests to me a split rate on high quality products - people are buying new because they have little clue as to what they're doing, and have no end of credit. This is a bubble, and it will pop. Or maybe deflate. Either way, I'm looking forward to it.

The picture of Dicaprio alone would make me give up on any number of things.

Price increases killed the guitar boom… Fender Aug. 10, 2023, killing it more with another price increase..😢

People finally woke up and decided to learn how to play a Guitar instead of collect many guitars. All of the Guitars that I own, one has been with me since 1974 - Gianinni AWN20 Acostic Student Nylon (I learned to play on this one), Free. The next Guitar, 1996 - Fender Newporter Acoustic Pawn Shop purchase $200, Epihone Invader since 2016 (free was a gift) and the most latest since 2021 is a Gianinni Nylon Acoustic EBay $70 and needed repairs I did myself. So I love playing, own 4 guitars and each one get played as often as I can. I play to feel good.

I have 12 guitars and 2 bases. I've sold about 6 guitars after the Covid thing but replaced them. My collection is complete and don't feel the need to buy any more. And the ones I now have I've modded them to my like and specs. So I'm good.

‘Soiled with Greatness’ I’m stealing that. Either my next band name or the title of my autobiography

Yes Jonny is BACK baby

Someone is always overpaying and someone else is finding a deal. I got great deals on guitars during the pandemic, it was just a little harder to find them.

I’m glad.. I just got a brand new Gibson SG 60s and new LP Studio for 2800 after taxes from GC. Crazy discounts right now

How many does one person need? I've had the same acoustic for 20 years and the same electric for 30 years.

2020, 2021 and 2022... people were locked down and bored Hell, I bought 4 used guitars in and around that time. Got great pricing.

Going to be at your shop Saturday! I can wait!!!!

I went to three different guitar stores and 7 different pawn shops in Houston. Guitars are everywhere but not ONE pointy guitar all day. Not one ‘V’ or explorer or BC Rich or any Deans. Not one. Only soloist guitars. It looked like the wall behind you. They said every time they put a pointy guitar out on display, it is bought up quick. Why wouldn’t they make more then?

The "squeeze my lemon" line first came from Robert Johnson. Credit where it's due.

Everything has gotten stupid expensive; cars, houses, guitars, etc. Glad I have all of those boxes checked.

I've been saving up to buy a particular guitar for two years... Back in the day It cost 700 (currency doesn't matter, it's happening everywhere). Last years I went to a store to buy it, cost 900 and I only had 700... so I saved 1000 (I learned my lesson and I took inflation into account). One month ago I showed up with 1000, but the current price of these guitars cost 1200 ... wtf!!! Price rise faster than I save! Luckily, they had one with an old price tag (you know, price come from distributors, so if you have one from last year's, shops want to sell them so you've got the old price). I bought it and now it's impossible to find at that price.

I guess I'm the odd ball. I didn't buy any guitars during covid time. What I did start buying was pedals, all used except for two. Out of the 10 that I bought in 2020 and 2021, I've already sold 7. It was just something to do during covid. Now, the 10 I've bought from late 2021 through today I still have. All new except for one. They are more expensive than the other ones I got rid of and they sound great for the purpose they were bought for. I think during covid, people just needed something to do, so they bought guitars. And I could be completely wrong.

best guitars are also ones u keep. my les paul and strat are now 35 years old and real cool. and worth more than i paid.