Do you think guitars cost too much in 2025?

[Maguchi]

If you think the current price of top quality guitars is too expensive, good thing you're not a Bluegrass mandolin player.
https://www.gibson.com/collections/...=10.7.25: Sierra Hull F-5G & F-5 Master Model

 

[tallcoolone]

Plenty of good F style mandos out there for under $2k

 

[rsm]

no.

 

[VonBonfire]

Hand carved archtops have always been big money.

 

[SI]

Yes absolutely.

 

[BABMusic]

Yes, but what doesn't cost too much right now? The dollar becoming toilet paper a little more each day.

 

[DanTravis62]

I mean, yes, but so has everything because of inflation

Nice guitars have always been expensive

 

[BABMusic]

I think CDs or mp3 albums are one of the few things that cost less than they did in the 1990s. Considering all the inflation, albums should cost $30 now, but I often pay $9 or less.

 

[Klauth]

I say...raise the prices on imported guitars and basses. that way you get low-cost labor at American prices. oh wait! nothing is made in America anymore.

 

[Anonymouse]

From the big companies yes. Epiphone is changing its price point and specs knowing they can't beat the myriad of new cheap stuff with bells and whistles coming from Asia.. the Student Edition PRS Chleo becoming priced for Law and Medicine students only. But at the same time the quality to price point ratio seems to have increased for entry level guitars.

 

[Dale B]

Only $20K.... Hell yeah!

 

[Wayniac3]

Yep.

 

[BlueParfait]

I think everything costs too much in 2025

 

[Dimebag11]

I think everything costs too much in 2025

Agreed - grocery shopping is horrifying

 

[rsm]

Grocery prices are stable and fine here; but we still live under the Constitution here; unlike some places that need food and other goods trucked in daily in large quatities.

 

[rottingcorpse]

As for high end and custom ordered stuff, yes. Even the build times are excruciating. As for basic off the rack imports, not in my opinion.

 

[gibsonash]

No , plenty of very good guitars under 1000 €

 

[Dale B]

To answer the question though: All guitars are too expensive, but the dollar is a lot weaker these days.

A Gibson Les Paul Custom in 2002 was between $2350 and $2500. Today, that should be $4225 to $4500. Gibson wants $5500 today.
PRS was kind of in the same ballpark as far as pricing back then. Now, it's what? $4700 to $5500?

 

[cobrahead1030]

As a rule, yes...

Realistically though, I don't think any small to mid-sized outfit could produce decent guitar in the US for less than $1500-2k. When you consider shops located in say CA; with the high cost of real estate, taxes, labor, etc. $2500-3500 for something with a nice maple top & quality components isn't entirely out of line.

 

[SI]

A Gibson Les Paul Custom in 2002 was between $2350 and $2500. Today, that should be $4225 to $4500. Gibson wants $5500 today.

And that’s for the regular custom shop les Paul Custom finishes, the fancy finishes are 7500 and up!