It's so hard to sell a guitar these days...

[Mikeymac]

(I'm assuming this is the best forum for this topic...)

I have several guitars I'd like to sell - downsizing because I don't play them all (that much), and trying to simplify and get "down to" 4 (maybe 5) steel string acoustics, a couple nylon strings, and @ 6-8 electrics (crazy, I know! Right now I've somehow accumulated @ 25-30 guitars!!!).

But the market is still tough on sellers - it's hard for me to want to part with some of these guitars. It's not even that I need the money - as much as I need the simplicity in my life. But selling some of these for "giveaway" prices makes me think, well - I might as well keep them and play them (once in awhile).

Anyone else struggling with this?

[ducktrapper]

Buyers market. Way more guitars and other instruments available then people willing to pay for them. I've been offering a Larrivee all mahogany soprano uke for sale for about half the price as a new one. Except for someone who was interested but wanted geared tuners, not a sniff.  The friction tuners work very well and tuners can be replaced very easily but ... go figure. Unless one is desperate, I agree, might as well keep 'em. That's been my decision.   

[George]

You are not kidding, they are very hard to sell for a reasonable price much less what they are really worth.  I am going to wait and just hang on to them until the market improves, even if I have to move them all home to Texas in March when I retire again.  At least it will give me something to do...

[Chasjax]

Yep - I'm in the boat with you, except I need to get from 6 down to 3.  I have seen some absolute steals over on the AGF.  It is hard to accept selling for 50% of what you paid, especially when you bought at what was a fair price in the first place.

Chas

[gtrplayer]

I've got the same issue with wishing to downscale from 7 to maybe 2 or 3.   I'm hoping the market will improve but given the demographics I doubt if it will.  With the Asian imports and the eventual demise of the baby-boomers (with all those guitars) it spells for a very poor used guitar market for some time.  I guess I will hold onto to them as I, like the rest of you, hate to just give them away at these ridiculous prices.  It's a good thing I've got plenty of room under my bed.

[ducktrapper]

Yep - I'm in the boat with you, except I need to get from 6 down to 3.  I have seen some absolute steals over on the AGF.  It is hard to accept selling for 50% of what you paid, especially when you bought at what was a fair price in the first place.

Chas

50% is actually a pretty good price unless you have a vintage instrument. Mostly you won't even get an offer that you wouldn't laugh at. My favorite is ... "Will you take $XXX.00 ... CASH?" I usually answer, "Well I was hoping for magic beans ..."      

[Mikeymac]

50% is actually a pretty good price unless you have a vintage instrument. Mostly you won't even get an offer that you wouldn't laugh at.  

Indeed...when I watch the sales right here (in the for sale and trade forums), I just shake my head as people bump their post to lower the price on a regular basis. Some very nice guitars going for ridiculously low prices.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Makes me wonder what else besides guitars do you see devaluing as Boomers age? Motorcycles 

[sdelsolray]

Yes, it has been, currently is and will remain (for perhaps a decade at least) a buyer's market for acoustic guitars.  Of course, there are a few and far between exceptions.  I'm quite comfortable now with my little group of guitars, but I am selling one (a great Webber) which simply isn't moving at all.  I do want to add one to the herd - an all koa mid sized instrument.  I'd almost go for a Martin 000-28K 1921, but the 1 7/8" nut width spooks me a bit.  Some used prices for that instrument are acceptable (low $3k range).  The used Collings, Froggy and Santa Cruz all koa instruments I've seen for sale are all in the "this is what I (seller) thinks it should be worth" level.

As to Larrivees, used prices on -03 models are what they have always been.  They weren't that expensive to begin with.  Higher models appear to have some dropoff, but not that much.

[Strings4Him]

Trade up for a nicer guitar and you could downsize that way.  I agree, though.  Used guitar market is flooded.

[Davy Vanthuyne]

Mikeymac, what kind of guitars do you have for sale? Thanks

[Walkerman]

When

1.  The economy improves
2.  Some new good guitar bands appear
3.  Young people can find jobs

Then maybe prices will improve.

[George]

When

1.  The economy improves
2.  Some new good guitar bands appear
3.  Young people can find jobs

Then maybe prices will improve.

Steve, I would add when the elections are over to your list of probabilities...

[ducktrapper]

I really believe there will be no recovery in the used guitar market. Baby boomer bubble has bust. There's a glut of good guitars on the market. I bought twenty guitars between 1994 and 2013. Then I retired and haven't bought one since and probably won't, at least, not in the near future.  The new guitar market will pick up but used? Way too many guitars and way too few new buyers. Prices will remain flat.

[yellowesty]

I agree, Ducktrapper, that there likely won't be a recovery in the used guitar market, but why do you think that "prices will remain flat?"  Thousands (tens of thousands?) of quality guitars are added to the nation's guitar inventory every year and, almost certainly, fewer are removed through accident or otherwise.  Yet I see no evidence that there's enough increase in demand to keep prices "flat."  Younger folks play electric, play keyboard, or, most often, just listen to music.

Certainly prices in collector markets do go up as well as down, e.g., exotic cars, fine art, coins and postage stamps.  But most of us are not dealing with collectable guitars -- rather, we have, and occasionally try to sell, excellent, well-constructed guitars that can produce great music and were constructed by first-line factories or good luthiers.  It's easy to feel that the marketplace should treat us better.  But . . .

This thread began with a complaint that the marketplace for used guitars does not reflect their true value.  In reality, every active marketplace establishes a value that accommodates both buyers and sellers.  So we sellers of used guitars need to either hope that the marketplace has a change of heart (really?) or recognize that times change -- and the prices that now prevail in the used guitar marketplace are a measure of that change.

Does anyone want to buy my used, but really excellent, concertina?  I've priced it "fairly."   

[unclrob]

I've had the same guitar for sale for 5 years now with different sale price's and even then I only get stupid offer's.Its still for sale now,it is vintage,it is priced fairly and it come's from a good home and heritage.

[George]

I've had the same guitar for sale for 5 years now with different sale price's and even then I only get stupid offer's.Its still for sale now,it is vintage,it is priced fairly and it come's from a good home and heritage.

And your perseverance and patience will eventually pay off.  Some day the right buyer will come along and find you...

[ducktrapper]

I agree, Ducktrapper, that there likely won't be a recovery in the used guitar market, but why do you think that "prices will remain flat?"  Thousands (tens of thousands?) of quality guitars are added to the nation's guitar inventory every year and, almost certainly, fewer are removed through accident or otherwise.  Yet I see no evidence that there's enough increase in demand to keep prices "flat."  Younger folks play electric, play keyboard, or, most often, just listen to music.

Certainly prices in collector markets do go up as well as down, e.g., exotic cars, fine art, coins and postage stamps.  But most of us are not dealing with collectable guitars -- rather, we have, and occasionally try to sell, excellent, well-constructed guitars that can produce great music and were constructed by first-line factories or good luthiers.  It's easy to feel that the marketplace should treat us better.  But . . .

This thread began with a complaint that the marketplace for used guitars does not reflect their true value.  In reality, every active marketplace establishes a value that accommodates both buyers and sellers.  So we sellers of used guitars need to either hope that the marketplace has a change of heart (really?) or recognize that times change -- and the prices that now prevail in the used guitar marketplace are a measure of that change.

Does anyone want to buy my used, but really excellent, concertina?  I've priced it "fairly."  

I used the term "flat" in that they won't go up.  You're right, however, they could go down. I agree that the market actually does reflect an item's true value. It's unfortunate and a little frustrating when the market values something less than you do. Especially when you're the one holding it. Definition of a buyer's market, I suppose.      

[Davy Vanthuyne]

In europe, the prices stay high. I've payed more for my rs4 than an new one when they were released.

[ducktrapper]

In europe, the prices stay high. I've payed more for my rs4 than an new one when they were released.

Are we talking about big name US imports only or Euro made guitars, as well?