What *really really* holds its value?

TimmyO

Reason for the Q is that since being made redundant early in the year I’ve sort of recovered and the panic-saving and cutting back and selling some things has left me with a small GAS nest egg.

I’d like to treat myself a little to mark the end of what has been a VERY stressful period but also I’m left feeling cautious so would prefer to sink it in to something that could be liquidated again if the need rose. Hopefully I’m being far too cautious, but that’s the thinking. The nest egg in question is about 2k. It could be added to a bit. 

I don’t want to restrict thoughts to much - interested to hear what you think. 

Blueingreen

Mainstream stuff will sell quicker.  Anything odd - including brand names, colours, you name it - will tend to make it harder to find a buyer.  If I was buying thinking I might need to get my money back I couldn't see past Fender.  The important thing is to buy at a good price.

(Note: I'm not saying this as a Fender fanboy.  I bought my first ever Fender guitar within the past year or so and have never owned a Fender amp.  I have owned a couple Fender basses.  But if resale was important, it's the brand I'd think of first).

Keefy

The two of my guitars that have held their value the best are/were a Gibson Custom Shop CR8 Les Paul (sold a few months ago) and a Fender Custom Shop Strat (never selling). So a used Custom Shop from one of the Big 2. Who knew?

Just make sure it’s a banger.

Philly_Q

Any** Fender or Gibson, so long as you buy it used the value's not going to drop much, if at all.

(** I mean Strats, Teles, SGs or Les Pauls, of course.  Probably best not to buy a Firebird X.)

Strat54

Historically if you buy US made Fenders and look after them over a decent period of time they should not lose you a penny. By decent period I'm thinking 20 yrs min. There seems no stopping in the rise of new prices and this has a knock on effect obv of the used values.
Avoid anything boutique unless the maker is likely to retire/pass in the near future. 
I can point to a few guitars for sale on here and on Reverb previously owned by me that for sale three times the price I paid for them. I always joke the guitars most likely to appreciate are the ones I just sold or passed on, Yes I really did turn down the opportunity to buy the SRV No.1 Strat masterbuilt for £9500 back in 2004....now they are £40k upwards. Also sold a rake of early Masterbuilt Strats and Teles for £2500-3000 ten yrs ago. Amusing. 
Would add though....just buy what you like.
Oh and one of you @BBD ;has my old 1995 Cunetto Nocaster that I sold for £2200 in 2010.....must be worth more now.

TimmyO

Keefy said:

The two of my guitars that have held their value the best are/were a Gibson Custom Shop CR8 Les Paul (sold a few months ago) and a Fender Custom Shop Strat (never selling). So a used Custom Shop from one of the Big 2. Who knew?

Just make sure it’s a banger.

As my local expert can you be pressed into action as a Co-conspirator in this enterprise? :-) 

blobb

Rickenbackers.

Sporky

Cheese. *Everyone likes cheese.

*everyone whose opinion matters

ToneControl

second hand top brands that professionals use.
Fender, Gibson, PRS, Suhr ,Tom Anderson

The less esoteric the better, you want standards that everyone always wants. USA strat, etc.

Even better, buy them when there is a fad of fashion against them, which there was when I bought some PRSs about 12 years ago

Roland

Comments about football scores removed

swiller

Yeah deffo buy out of fashion, but good. 
Late 80s (87-89) USA standard are good bets. Old, lots of effort into the design and manufacture during that period, not just 50s/60s cliched sounds done to death, will go up like the inferior 70s models just cos of age. They are stupidly good strat/tele all rounders and cheap as chips .. think 800 uk for a really good 88/89 strat.

guitars4you

Roland said:

Comments about football scores removed

ta

Wazmeister

Property, gold, Paul Trombetta pedals and Klon (obvs)

strtdv

If it's something that will hold its value and be used and enjoyed rather than necessarily sit in the case and appreciate, then I'd go for a used custom shop Fender, a relic so play wear won't show. Nothing too esoteric spec wise.

It'll be a lovely instrument, and buying used means you'll lose very little if anything if you ever sell 

Voxman

Buy secondhand not new. You'll typically lose a quarter to a third of the value immediately on a new guitar. 

USA Fenders, a core PRS, Gibson, and possibly even something like a Patrick Eggle should all hold their value.  Go for popular models or versions that people are always likely to want. Most buyers generally prefer traditional single coil Strats and Teles, and Gibsons with humbuckers rather than P90s. Limited and anniversary models are usually OK but I'd avoid signature models as these will typically appeal to a smaller potential market. 

Make sure what you buy is substantially all original, unmodded, in as near mint condition as you can find, with its original hard case, and where possible with original case candy, documents, hex keys, labels etc.  This will all help you to achieve a better resale price. 

imalrightjack

Voxman said:

Buy secondhand not new. You'll typically lose a quarter to a third of the value immediately on a new guitar. 

USA Fenders, a core PRS, Gibson, and possibly even something like a Patrick Eggle should all hold their value.  Go for popular models or versions that people are always likely to want. Most buyers generally prefer traditional single coil Strats and Teles, and Gibsons with humbuckers rather than P90s. Limited and anniversary models are usually OK but I'd avoid signature models as these will typically appeal to a smaller potential market. 

Make sure what you buy is substantially all original, unmodded, in as near mint condition as you can find, with its original hard case, and where possible with original case candy, documents, hex keys, labels etc.  This will all help you to achieve a better resale price. 

Going by the stuff I have for sale, easily over a third in today’s market. But good advice. 

Tall_martin

This with bells on.

Anything bought at the right price.

 The important thing is to buy at a good price.

VimFuego

organs and associated body parts.


Though thinking about it, I suspect you were probably after slightly more ethical suggestions. 

equalsql

Lego.. seriously.  

ToneControl

Personally, I worry that all this custom-shop branding won't last. Whereas a standard USA strat or normal Gibson or whatever will be the gold standard.

Hypothetically - How about when the Vietnamese custom shop is making stuff at a higher level than USA custom shop today?
What are the resale prices then? I am wary about these big brands to be honest. How about when the early Japanese Fender models were just so good?

Sporky

equalsql said:

Lego.. seriously.  

Not as easy as it used to be. The UCS Millenium Falcon at 20% off might work, or the bigger Ideas sets like the motorised lighthouse.