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Is the higher end market for acoutics dead?

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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11414
    jackorion said:
    Well I just bought a Lowden so who knows???

    I think the acoustic market is different - there's a bit less chopping and changing and people tend to get to a certain level and then slowly change things round rather than deciding on a whim they want a Strat and that Epiphone Les Paul can go...

    Plus mid-priced electrics are much better than mid priced acoustics, so people might have a mexi strat, an epi les paul, an ibanez jazz box and another strat as a backup, whereas people don't tend to have a faith, a tanglewood, a yamaha and a takamine - they move up through the price range until most of us settle on one or two (or maybe three!) nice pieces but ti takes a while...


    There is truth to this.  I've been through quite a few.  I now have a really good spruce/rosewood Martin Dreadnought, a spruce/ mahogany Furch OM, and a Mexican made Martin OOO X1AE that I don't mind putting in a gig bag and carrying on my bike.

    I'm pretty happy with that.  Given the second hand prices on the British builders, part of me does wonder about finding a second hand Atkin and selling the Martin, and getting a little bit of extra cash but I'm happy with what I have.

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  • jellyrolljellyroll Frets: 3073
        It’s intuitively obvious where the value is in a higher end acoustic - rarer woods, luthier skills, etc. With electrics, you get “vintage authenticity” whatever that is. 

    But the question posed by the OP is whether the higher end acoustic market is slowing down.  Given yesterday’s depressing productivity outlook for the UK, you might think if hasn’t already slowed down, it soon will. Having said that, those who are willing to buy high end acoustics perhaps live in a rarified wealth bubble which is less sensitive to the vagaries of the national economy, I don’t know. 
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  • I don't know too much about the state of the higher end acoustic market, however I do like that at the time I had the money to buy a new acoustic I was able to afford a 2nd hand Avalon for the same price that I sold my Gibson J45.
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  • baj25baj25 Frets: 2

    Interesting debate. I am in the mid 50’s with a few bob to spare demographic, as are other people I know. They seem to have been getting some expensive guitars in recent years- I think this market will be pretty resilient, the ‘I am not going to live forever, might as well have a nice axe…’ mentality. There certainly feels like more choice than ever in the mid-high end market, and IIRC Taylor are knocking out 700 guitars a day, (and they say they can’t make enough) that’s a lot of product entering the market. I’ve been looking for one lately and I haven’t seen anything at giveaway prices though.

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  • TrudeTrude Frets: 914
    I'm the guy with the Atkin rosewood dread mentioned above. As of now it's on eBay with 79 watchers. I've had a lot of messages, and bidding has been steady and quite healthy so far. Fingers crossed it ends on a good price! 

    The thread on here got plenty of views, and I had a few enquiries, but nobody followed through. 

    I just think the auction format is better for getting people mentally invested in what you're selling, as they get on board when the price looks low, and the temptation is to not let it get away. It's scary to sell like this, but it usually works out. 
    Some of the gear, some idea

    Trading feedback here
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15476
    glws, gotta say don't think I'd have the guts to sell via auction for a big ticket item like that, but hope it works out for you. 

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • TrudeTrude Frets: 914
    Thanks!  If it goes tits-up, I'll be back to cry into my virtual pint...
    Some of the gear, some idea

    Trading feedback here
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  • I tried - and failed - to sell my Lowden on here a while back. I've recently formed an acoustic duo and rediscovered what a great guitar it is, so I'm relieved that it didn't sell. If anyone here is in Austria we're called Platform 2 and you can see us at the Alte Gerberai in St Johann in Tirol on Friday and the Wieshofer Mühle Christmas market on Saturday.



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  • Trude said:
    I'm the guy with the Atkin rosewood dread mentioned above. As of now it's on eBay with 79 watchers. I've had a lot of messages, and bidding has been steady and quite healthy so far. Fingers crossed it ends on a good price! 

    The thread on here got plenty of views, and I had a few enquiries, but nobody followed through. 

    I just think the auction format is better for getting people mentally invested in what you're selling, as they get on board when the price looks low, and the temptation is to not let it get away. It's scary to sell like this, but it usually works out. 
    I've been sorely disappointed with this approach in the past, but also pleasantly surprised. Good luck!
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  • TrudeTrude Frets: 914
    Thanks @danishbacon ;- it did sell, for a fair bit less than I was hoping for.  Thing is, with close to 100 watchers, you can't really complain as the selling price is *literally* the market rate.  I'd have probably ended up at a similar price if I'd kept it on here and gradually dropped it, and it would've taken weeks to get there. 

    Seems brutal, but I'm philosophical about it - it was part of the learning process that led me to a 2013 Martin D18 that fits me like a glove.


    Some of the gear, some idea

    Trading feedback here
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15476
    I think this is the problem with any acoustic that isn't a martin/gibson/taylor, people are just less confident about buying it in case they can't shift it after.
    I was in a similar quandry when I bought my new mando, I sold something I knew would sell easily (strat) but I'm not sure how easy it would be to sell the mando if I ever needed to.

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • DiscoStuDiscoStu Frets: 5382
    I was in the market for a 'lifer' acoustic a few years ago and was looking at Martins. Decided I just couldn't justify several thousand on a guitar and then discovered Stonebridge/Furch via you lot on the old musicradar forum.
    I bought a Stonebridge DS23CR and love it. It's top-end stuff but at a price I could (just) cope with.
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  • VimFuegoVimFuego Frets: 15476
    I was the same with my larry, martin et al quality, but much cheaper (and, at the time a virtually unknown brand here, 2nd had was almost a steal). However, I also know it would not sell for as much as the equivalent Martin etc. 

    I'm not locked in here with you, you are locked in here with me.

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  • I think buying a top end acoustic is money well spent, particularly if people are willing to blow £2.5k up the wall for CS Fender Strat or other high end electric. You definitely get more for your money with an acoustic and it is difficult to replicate the sound at the lower level of cheaper acoustics, whereas a cheap electric with decent pick ups and quality amp will do the job just fine.
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  • No.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11414
    I think buying a top end acoustic is money well spent, particularly if people are willing to blow £2.5k up the wall for CS Fender Strat or other high end electric. You definitely get more for your money with an acoustic and it is difficult to replicate the sound at the lower level of cheaper acoustics, whereas a cheap electric with decent pick ups and quality amp will do the job just fine.

    Don't really agree with this.

    The nitro finish on a high end Strat or Tele definitely makes a difference to the feel, and some would argue the tone as well, but I'm not going there.  You have to spend £900 to get a Fender with nitro (Mexican Classic Lacquer series).  Add in another £100 plus for decent pickups and you are north of £1k.

    You also don't have to go to £2.5k to get a really good acoustic. You can find deals on some of the higher Furch guitars (32 series and above) to get them for around £1.4k.  Guitar Village were advertising some at that price in their "Black Friday" promotion. 

    Yes, you can buy a perfectly giggable acoustic or electric for a lot less, but those cheaper ones won't be comparable to a CS Fender.  The Classic lacquer series with a pickup upgrade won't be completely comparable, but it's the cheapest one that's likely to get you close.

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  • crunchman said:
    I think buying a top end acoustic is money well spent, particularly if people are willing to blow £2.5k up the wall for CS Fender Strat or other high end electric. You definitely get more for your money with an acoustic and it is difficult to replicate the sound at the lower level of cheaper acoustics, whereas a cheap electric with decent pick ups and quality amp will do the job just fine.

    Don't really agree with this.

    The nitro finish on a high end Strat or Tele definitely makes a difference to the feel, and some would argue the tone as well, but I'm not going there.  You have to spend £900 to get a Fender with nitro (Mexican Classic Lacquer series).  Add in another £100 plus for decent pickups and you are north of £1k.

    You also don't have to go to £2.5k to get a really good acoustic. You can find deals on some of the higher Furch guitars (32 series and above) to get them for around £1.4k.  Guitar Village were advertising some at that price in their "Black Friday" promotion. 

    Yes, you can buy a perfectly giggable acoustic or electric for a lot less, but those cheaper ones won't be comparable to a CS Fender.  The Classic lacquer series with a pickup upgrade won't be completely comparable, but it's the cheapest one that's likely to get you close.

    Then my friend we must agree to differ. For the record I don't think nitro makes a blind bit of difference to the sound, from my own experience my old USA standard ash body strat had a better sound both acoustically and plugged in than my EJ strat. For years I used a 80's Tokai Strat with a poly finish and got a great sound with an AC30, it was also one of the comfiest electrics I've owned.
    I'm not saying there isn't a difference just that it's not much of one when compared to the difference between a good Martin and a lower end acoustic in the sub 1k bracket.
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11414

    Then my friend we must agree to differ. For the record I don't think nitro makes a blind bit of difference to the sound, from my own experience my old USA standard ash body strat had a better sound both acoustically and plugged in than my EJ strat. For years I used a 80's Tokai Strat with a poly finish and got a great sound with an AC30, it was also one of the comfiest electrics I've owned.
    I'm not saying there isn't a difference just that it's not much of one when compared to the difference between a good Martin and a lower end acoustic in the sub 1k bracket.
    I think you can find examples of that with any kind of guitar.  I've played several of the old model D28 without the forward shifted bracing, and I'd prefer the sound of one of the Mexican made Martins with the HPL back and sides to most of them.
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  • ditchboyditchboy Frets: 268
    crunchman said:

    Then my friend we must agree to differ. For the record I don't think nitro makes a blind bit of difference to the sound, from my own experience my old USA standard ash body strat had a better sound both acoustically and plugged in than my EJ strat. For years I used a 80's Tokai Strat with a poly finish and got a great sound with an AC30, it was also one of the comfiest electrics I've owned.
    I'm not saying there isn't a difference just that it's not much of one when compared to the difference between a good Martin and a lower end acoustic in the sub 1k bracket.
    I think you can find examples of that with any kind of guitar.  I've played several of the old model D28 without the forward shifted bracing, and I'd prefer the sound of one of the Mexican made Martins with the HPL back and sides to most of them.
    What about the new version with the forward shifted bracing?
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  • Reading these comments, I guess I was lucky with what I got for selling two of my Larrivees over the last year-a C09 and an SD 50 TSB - for a combined total of £3.2K. 
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