Where did all the amps go?

[ZEEGLER]

20 years ago, I could go on Ebay or Kijiji (I guess like Craigs List for most of you people) and find cheap tube amp heads ALL DAY LONG! It's not that these amps are just more expensive. That's expected. You just don't see most of these amps for sale anywhere anymore. I'm talking about Laney AORs, GH100s, VH100s, Marshall 900s, Carvin Legacies, Randall RGs, RGTs, B52 AT100s, Madisons, Kranks, Peavey VTMs, Butchers, Ultras, Triple XXXs, JSXs, 6505s, 3120s, 5150s, 5134s, Pentas, Rhinos, Sovteks, Red Bears, Crate Stealths and Blue Voodoos, Ampeg VL502/1002s, Bugeras, Mesa F series, Blackstar HT100s, etc.

There's probably plenty more that I can't remember, but there were a ton of amps that could be picked up for sub $500 prices, and often as low as $200. Yeah, you can still see some of these for sale regularly like 6505s, and JCM900s and they are understandably more expensive, but when was the last time you saw a Red Bear for sale? What about a Crate Stealth? Are the old geezers like me (boomers and Gen Xrs) just hanging on to them? And if so, to what end? Most of mine got passed on as I upgraded to more high end stuff. I recently sold my last Ultra Plus, and my Rhino Beast. I still have a Bugera 6262 Infinium, and a Crate BV150, but they're going to be gone soon too as I whittle down my collection. Of course there's some that I regret letting go. I should have kept my 5150 Block Letter that was a drunken 3am Ebay purchase for $425.

As you old fuckers die, are we going to start seeing these amps on the market again?

 

[BABMusic]

Yes. All those amps are in boomer homes, and once they start making their transition, those homes will start coming on the market. What's inside those homes? Lots of amps.

 

[griff10672]

Define Old Fucker .....

 

[rsm]

yes, lots of boomer toys will be hitting the market in the coming years.


I plan to start selling gear in the next 5 years, sooner if life makes it necessary.


I've already started to consider what gear to keep vs sell, and it keeps changing.

I have other things that will need to be sold, some I recently purchased, that no one will want after I'm gone.

2026 is the first full year of my early retirement, last year and this year I got my "final" big toys to enjoy; hoping to get at least 10 years out of them. Two my son will get, the other 5 will need to be sold.

what's going to be difficult for me to resist isn't music gear, but rather motorcycles that may be sold as boomers die off, specifically classic 60s-70s old school choppers. A lot less younger people are riding motorcycles today than when I started in the '80s; and even fewer of today's riders are interested in classic v-twin choppers....in another 10 years, I'll probably have to sell for less than I paid in real dollars adjusted for inflation...but none of my toys were ever for investment or value appreciation.

 

[rsm]

Define Old Fucker .....

boomers. I'm one of the youngest boomers FWIW.

 

[mbt64]

I collect guns and have a focus on WW2 and before stuff. During the 90's most of the veterans died off and there families flooded the market with their bringbacks and such. Then it was almost impossible to find that old stuff and what you did find just became increasingly expensive. I expect a similar thing to happen when the old fuckers (that would be me) downsize or die, you'll see a bunch of classic amps go on the market.

 

[SoooRad]

I'm in my mid 30s and fully expecting a renaissance when someone has to clear out all your estates.

 

[BeZo]

We were all afraid modelers were going to make tube amps extinct back when they came out. Now we actually see their effects on the tube amp market. Most of the cheap amps mentioned are (or were, my Redbear MK120 is worth some money now) beginner amps. For a beginner, why drop even $500 on a cheap B52 half stack that is shitty, unreliable, cumbersome to move, and too loud, when you can just get a HX Stomp and be done. You can practice in you bedroom with headphones, plug it into a PA for rehearsals and gigs, and toss it in your backpack to take to a friend's house after school. Plus, once you find your sound in the box, you know which amp to buy when you actually get serious about playing. There is no market for cheap shitty amps anymore.

Really, the good stuff is collectable and we'll buy and sell it at a premium, but the cheap shit is now worthless and obsolete. Digital modeling didn't kill the amp market. It killed the shitty amp market and raised the demand on the good stuff.

 

[harddriver]

yes, lots of boomer toys will be hitting the market in the coming years.


I plan to start selling gear in the next 5 years, sooner if life makes it necessary.


I've already started to consider what gear to keep vs sell, and it keeps changing.

I have other things that will need to be sold, some I recently purchased, that no one will want after I'm gone.

2026 is the first full year of my early retirement, last year and this year I got my "final" big toys to enjoy; hoping to get at least 10 years out of them. Two my son will get, the other 5 will need to be sold.

what's going to be difficult for me to resist isn't music gear, but rather motorcycles that may be sold as boomers die off, specifically classic 60s-70s old school choppers. A lot less younger people are riding motorcycles today than when I started in the '80s; and even fewer of today's riders are interested in classic v-twin choppers....in another 10 years, I'll probably have to sell for less than I paid in real dollars adjusted for inflation...but none of my toys were ever for investment or value appreciation.

Judging from the last few years, there just really isn't a market as it was at least for music items were younger people are interested in buying them. I think that if the big collectors didn't sell during the covid boom they may not even be able to sell at a loss in the coming years. I'm glad I don't have ton of amps or guitars so I don't mind keeping what I have.

I also keep hearing the classic car market is deflating as well as motorcycles since younger people just aren't into those genres for whatever reason, probably financial and social. Let's face it the wages are not keeping pace with inflation and that has most to do with whether or not people have the extra money to splurge on items like amps, guitars, collector cars or motorcycles.

I also keep being told almost no one lists on Craigslist or Ebay these days and if anything is listed it will be on Facebook marketplace. Just wait until Mark Zuckerberg starts charging fees on Marketplace like Ebay and Reverb......it's coming. If you list a vehicle or motorcycle on Craigslist they now charge a small fee for the listing but since I've had good luck selling on CL I will continue to do so. Other items so far on CL are still free to list.

I also don't see much good music stuff being listed as it once was, I really don't have a explanation for that other than maybe music guys just said fook it and keep their shit, items that would have moved quickly just sits and sits and sits. Recently someone had a project Warmoth Charvel for sale that I would have bought but the seller would never message me back via CL and answer basic spec questions about the guitar, I tried to contact him three times. It was listed for about 5 months.

 

[harddriver]

I collect guns and have a focus on WW2 and before stuff. During the 90's most of the veterans died off and there families flooded the market with their bringbacks and such. Then it was almost impossible to find that old stuff and what you did find just became increasingly expensive. I expect a similar thing to happen when the old fuckers (that would be me) downsize or die, you'll see a bunch of classic amps go on the market.

I was just at a large gun show that I regularly go to and it was very sparse for sellers, alot of the old timers that were there were all saying they are just trying to sell their stuff and quit the gunshow circuit, funny thing is they weren't willing to deal on anything. I think eventually we are looking at massive inflation and then deflation will kick in due to lack of demand when people can't afford anything. I hope I'm wrong but history tells me it's coming.

 

[Rising Farce]

Part of the problem is that people overpaid for everything (from houses and cars to vintage music gear) in the past few years, and now they aren't willing to let it go at today's ever-so-slightly more realistic market rate.

 

[MadAsAHatter]

What's this thing about being old???

 

[VonBonfire]

It's just how things go. Besides, I'm more focused on expanding my collection of Carlos Santana shoes, loafers, sandals, and boots than I am buying more budget amps.

 

[D-Rock]

 

[Racerxrated]

I'm more in the camp of, there's certain things I want and now I have them...no need for anything else. I'm always open to adding a good deal on an old Marshall or Jackson/Charvel, if I luck into one...but, at this point the only thing I'd search for IF I can find are a pair of 1966/67 G12M20 greenbacks. That's really about it. I've had a 2016 SS Camaro for a few yrs now, so next up is a C8 Corvette....it will be paid off by the time I retire, and at that point I'll have no debt. Then I can decide to move the F out of the damn deep freeze midwest and leave these winters behind.

 

[BABMusic]

I was thinking that this might start in about 10 years from now. But be careful what you wish for -- if enough amps come on the market, you will see an amp crash because there wouldn't be enough demand and a huge supply.

 

[anomaly]

Ya, I'm looking to find another old Randall RG, and can't find anything... At least not for a decent price.

 

[shar-vell Dan]

The good shit is long gone. Everything else is being choked off by an over-surplus of sub-prime $400 guitars and mapZ.
And with great companies like Hamer & Metro-amps going under only gonna get worse.
But tariffs don't hurt companies or consumers i saw that on TV.

 

[Geo]

Picked this up recently off of Facebook marketplace. Has the original tubes, they may be worth more than the amp.

 

[harddriver]

Picked this up recently off of Facebook marketplace. Has the original tubes, they may be worth more than the amp.

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I remember when Ratt was playing those for a short time in the 80's or at least had them on stage, I thought they sounded good. I've never played one in person though.