So I've asked recently about Gibson Nighthawks on the forum and as if by magic, ones turned up near me! 2013, 20th anniversary in amber with very nice flame top.Looks like it's in as new condition and the guys wanting £1300. Bit more than I wanted to pay, but does look to be like new and the market does seem to be about that mark.
So for some reason I'm feeling guilty.
I've a few Gibsons,99 firebird,87 Junior,03 Standard and a nice old 94 PRS plus old 88 Charvel and a few self builds. The Gibsons and Charvel were bought quite a while back and have appreciated more than the money would have in the bank. I've enjoyed all the buying and trading to get to this point. They were all hard earned and I get a lot of pleasure from them For that reason I've always been content to buy and enjoy guitars.
Question is, the markets topping out I think and I'm thinking this Nighthawk and my PRS are unlikely to appreciate. Maybe even go down?I'm also suddenly realised I'll be 60 years old in 4 years time and makes me think what will I do in the future as I get older?
I have my Partner and 2 daughters. Am I just amasing guitars ,that in 20 years time will have no value or a nightmare to sell when i croak. Will anyone in the future care. I don't see kids obsess over guitars like ourselves in our 30's/40"s etc.
Am i just becoming a silly old man buying things i dont need? Im intermediate gutarist at best and unlikely to get better.
Im wondering should i give my head a shake and walk away from this deal and stop been silly?
Comments
It’s tricky. On the one hand I do buy with half an eye on if I need to balance the books, but that’s just being extra cautious. Guitar is still a hobby so it comes after life admin stuff. I.e. I’ve chipped my mortgage, paying into the pension, built the rainy day fund etc over a big purchase.
If the market did go completely tits up and my tele had more value to others as a chopping board then so be it. I ultimately bought it because you get one go round on this rock and it brought me joy while I’m on it. If it owes me nothing when the music stops, who cares if it goes for nothing.
None of us *need* more than a couple of guitars even if we play semi-professionally, and although I do think collections of more than about half a dozen or so are maybe a bit daft, they’re not actually doing any harm.
I did recently have to help a friend’s family sell his collection after he passed away, far too young - but he loved his guitars and I’m sure he enjoyed life more with them than without - part of the fun for him was having the choice of what to play, as much as actually playing them. He had nearly 30.
If you can afford it and it’s not going to cause any other domestic trouble, go for it .
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
just because you do, doesn't mean you should.
I'm not wealthy, but I've been sensible and diligent all my life and bought and sold over 30 years to get here.
Just tried to get the guy down to£1200 but he's having non of it ha.
I’ve been involved in helping a deceased person sell what (on paper) looks like a valuable collection. Unfortunately, it’s an absolute nightmare full of tyre kickers, rip off merchants, predatory dealers and the odd good egg.
If you want to bequeath something to your kids, I’d sell them before you go.
Will your guitars be worth much in the future? Depends on the geopolitical situation, climate change and the economy I’d say - all things outside of your control.
So not an issue for me…
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Doesn't mean you shouldn't buy things to make you happy though - just means that there is a limit, and ultimately when you pass 70 - don't buy them expecting a lifetime to enjoy them.
The guitar market in 30 years will be much smaller than it is now. Currently it's going through a bit of a boom period as you have two groups of people reaching certain ages...
1. The boomer generation are retiring, who grew up on late 60s/early 70s rock, and as the wealthiest retirees there ever have been and ever will be, have money to spend on their "dream guitars".
2. The 90s Britpop generation are getting to a point where they have "more" disposable income, and despite the kicking of the last few years, still are making an impact.
Who will come along in future? Guitar remains an extremely popular instrument to learn and play, and the industry isn't going anywhere, but big musical movements which cause people to pick up guitars en masse? Never again. The industry will shrink as the boomers die off.
Obviously metal still bumbles along doing it's own thing and generating more than it's fair share of musicians as well - which is of course a lovely thing.
Probably Ed Sheeran has got more people picking up a guitar and twisting their fingers into a G chord than anyone else in the last few years. That's purely acoustic though.
That all said - if buying something now...
Can I afford it (like REALLY afford it, not debt, not skip a bill)?
Do I REALLY want it?
Do I have somewhere to put it?
Then buy it - life's too short etc...
Already 80s stuff beginning to climb and be recognised as a quality era, esp late 80s.
in fact with ai, perhaps real instruments (especially older to be classics) may see further interest away from the forthcoming ai era. Guitars are more beautiful than majority of other instruments so think it will be ok.
i would be looking at guitars you like but maybe 80s era to de risk depreciation, or at least break even.
And remember, keeping £500 under the mattress will still be £500 in 10 years time, and worth much less in spending terms in 10 years time.
Vast majority of my recent purchases are driven by breakeven or better. aka justifying the spend to myself at least.
Move on a few years and my dad never got the 'thrash' guitars of punk etc and effectively told me they can't even play properly - Maybe they couldn't - I've seen, on tv, major acts tour without a guitar
Yet today, in some form or another, music has probably never been so diverse - I sold an electric guitar recently to a customer who only plays electric at home - His 'gigging' band is a sea shanty style band with a melodion player, violin player and a percussionist - He says they could easily gig 2/3 days a week if they wanted to as it is so popular - Maybe a novelty act - But it is music and out is live
Either way I bet there are few instruments that are worth less today, than they were 40/50/60 years ago