Can we spot future classics???

Birdy7

I think it ll be things that are good now but not over priced. Gives them room to grow in value. Things like Baja teles . Also things that might not be widely available in the future like acoustics with rosewood and valve amps.

simonhpieman

The all-rosewood neck Music Man guitars should be worth a few quid soon now they've stopped doing them (to the best of my knowledge anyway).

The Yamaha Revstars could be a sleeper, though I might be off the mark there as I've no idea how many of those they've actually sold.

meltedbuzzbox

TTBZ said:

Those Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Customs are going for silly money now, there's one on reverb for £1300. I wish I'd bought one when they were £400-500.

Are they actually selling for that?

Isn't that used Gibson money? (I've been out the buying game for a long time)

TTBZ

Maybe not, that's the only one I've seen online recently so maybe they're trying their luck. Yeah I'd rather have a used Gibson Studio or P90 Tribute I think, although those 1955 Customs are meant to be really nice with the aged finish, 50s neck, proper Gibson P90s etc.

liamon

Reverb has made literally everything a classic. 

TeleMaster

meltedbuzzbox said:

TTBZ said:

Those Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Customs are going for silly money now, there's one on reverb for £1300. I wish I'd bought one when they were £400-500.

Are they actually selling for that?

Isn't that used Gibson money? (I've been out the buying game for a long time)

It can be for the lesser models like Studios and Classics but used Standards are like £1800 so the market has shot up. And to get something that looks like a Custom from Gibson will cost you £3000 on a good day. 

imalrightjack

Admittedly, a total fanboy but PRS with Brazilian rosewood necks? Particularly the ME1. Or maybe the Santana run of 150. I’ve a 1999 McCarty with Brazilian neck and it’s wonderful. 

Voxman

maltingsaudio said:

No chance unless it has Fender or Gibson on the headstock, the electric guitar market will never change mores the pity

Don't fully agree with it being quite that restricted but I do agree in principle that it's more likely to be well established and respected names that will be the better investments.  For example, certain Gretsch and PRS models have also become very collectable and have appreciated in value.  There are also guitars like Tokai, Epiphone, Yamaha, Burney etc that have given rise to some models with collectable status. 

The problem with lesser known names, regardless of quality or rarity, is that the market for selling on will be too restricted, and it is a fact of life that most buyers are prepared to pay for a more established and respected name rather than just quality or uniqueness. 

rlw

chris_john said:

Yamaha SA2200.  It is truly a well-made,  high quality instrument. I love mine to bits.

Stop that right now.....

rlw

TTBZ said:

Those Epiphone 1955 Les Paul Customs are going for silly money now, there's one on reverb for £1300. I wish I'd bought one when they were £400-500.

And they're not that great either.

TimmyO

What would you say was the last guitar to make it on to the “classic” list? 

A PRS?
An RG?
one of those ergonomic headless things? 

ICBM

TimmyO said:

What would you say was the last guitar to make it on to the “classic” list? 

A PRS?
An RG?
one of those ergonomic headless things? 

Parker Fly probably - I personally dislike them, but I think they’re a classic design.

I can’t think of anything newer that isn’t more of a re-hash of various elements of old designs.

(I might possibly like a Dragonfly, but never played one yet.)

Strangefan

I'm kind of hoping that japenese fenders and sc relics start to go up in value.... As that's what I own

chris78

Early PRS. They’re already increasing and given the Brazilian rosewood and the fact they’re now 30 odd year old guitars, we’re going to see them going for daft money.

lincolnblue

I wonder if future classics will be guitars from smaller companies like Patrick Eggle, PJD Guitars etc. Those that aren't really small luthiers but are small enough that there aren't dozens in every shop you go into

Seziertisch

stickyfiddle said:

Collectible things have always tended to be stuff that doesn't sell well then gets discontinued - see 50's Les Pauls as the OG example. 

MIJ Thinline Jaguars are a great example - most shops cleared the last of these very slowly when they were new maybe 10 years ago. They're closer to 2k on the used market now. 

Stuff that doesn’t sell well at the time and/or is subsequently used by a credible artist/artists

TimmyO

ICBM said:

TimmyO said:

What would you say was the last guitar to make it on to the “classic” list? 

A PRS?
An RG?
one of those ergonomic headless things? 

Parker Fly probably - I personally dislike them, but I think they’re a classic design.

I can’t think of anything newer that isn’t more of a re-hash of various elements of old designs.

(I might possibly like a Dragonfly, but never played one yet.)

I nearly included that (or that GUS guitars one) but then I thought a classic probably equates to popular - and I don’t think either are/were.

I think we’ve got the “classics” we’re getting 

crunchman

joeW said:

Well everyone knows the story of Les Paul guitars from its modest initial production to a corner stone of the guitar industry.  We have many and divergent views on prices of Klons and similar items whose prices have spiked due to production limits, player endorsement etc. 

Question is - can we spot the future classics and keep them before the bedroom traders make the cash when things become more obvious.  

I have no clue at all, but I would have my money on the chase bliss automatone II. It’s sounds amazing, works great and CB don’t make high volumes and most of their decommissioned pedals are already trading at and over original rrp.  

Guitars - my call would be Novo - they are pretty unique, look and play great and aren’t made in endless supply. 

So come on fb - what should we buy now and not later for a load more ££ ??

Don't see it with Novo guitars.  The fad for offsets will die off.

Offset

Someone else may have said this earlier (so apologies in advance) but a bona fide future classic has to be the MM St Vincent.  Especially the recent releases with the gold foil pickups.

DrumBob

Trying to pick future classics is like trying to pick the next hot stock. I would agree that it has to be something with a limited run of high quality.