General Question..

[tyfranz]

Yesterday i walked into Guitar Center.. you would think..Saturday that place is going to be slamming. Tell you the truth it was empty..the sales staff was running all over the place trying to sell what ever..from strings to effect pedals.As i was browsing at there section i notice a lot of epiphones were gone (from the previous week i was in their),and a lot of gibson were hanging still. .....the way with the economy is with gas over 100 dollars a barrel, and 4.00 for a gallon of gas by me. Do you think these companies(Gibson) will start realizing the situation people are in ,and lower their prices on the products ? since no one will be buying them expect the Rich or people who are in a good money situation .I asked my paps how much a gibson was in the 1980s ,and his response shock me when he told me about 500 dollars (standard)-700 dollars.How hell did the prices of these guitars jump up so fast a dramatically? Id like to hear what you guys think...

[ninny404]

Originally Posted by tyfranz

Yesterday i walked into Guitar Center.. you would think..Saturday that place is going to be slamming. Tell you the truth it was empty..the sales staff was running all over the place trying to sell what ever..from strings to effect pedals.As i was browsing at there section i notice a lot of epiphones were gone (from the previous week i was in their),and a lot of gibson were hanging still. .....the way with the economy is with gas over 100 dollars a barrel, and 4.00 for a gallon of gas by me. Do you think these companies(Gibson) will start realizing the situation people are in ,and deflate there prices on there products ? since no one will be buying them expect the Rich or people who are in a good money situation .I asked my paps how much a gibson was in the 1980s ,and his response shock me when he told me about 500 dollars (standard)-700 dollars.How hell did the prices of these guitars jump up so fast a dramatically? Id like to hear what you guys think...

Inflation... Look at gas prices then too, roughly a dollar a gallon. I remember when i was little (90's) gas being $1.90.

I'm sure that if they really are effected by lack of sales that they might drop the price a little, but i wouldn't cross my fingers as greed will do stupid things to people/companies

[Lester B. Flat]

I think had something to do with it. In the 80's before LP production was at an all time low. It was the age of the Strat. Shortly after , Gibson was caught with their pants down and there was a 2 year waiting list for new LP's in some places. The value of used LP's started climbing. Low supply and high demand drove the prices back up.

[tyfranz]

Originally Posted by ninny404

Inflation... Look at gas prices then too, roughly a dollar a gallon. I remember when i was little (90's) gas being $1.90.

Id kill to have that price back lol. I remember when it was a 1.35..

I just find it silly that you can get an Epiphone elitist for cheaper than a Gibson Studio.. and the Elitist would rape that guitar no questions ask.

[diceman]

Gas was under a buck for a while when I was in highschool - and I'm only 26.

I don't see prices coming down in Gibsons - but I do imagine that they'll go up. I could see more done with the studio model - maybe a painted binding or something - to give the Standard look but keep it economical.

I'm not rich by any means, but I spend big money (to me) on my instruments. I don't have a problem shelling out $3k for an R8 because it is a quality product. The USA models do need to step up their quality control though - if they want to keep selling models at current prices.

[Termanator7]

Whats an R8?

[overdriver]

Originally Posted by Termanator7

Whats an R8?

Gibson Les paul reissue 1958

[Termanator7]

ohhh, thanks.

[im_b0r3d_]

Doubt they will lower prices, they upped everything by a few hundred dollars a few weeks ago.

[Led Zep Fan]

The Guitar Center by me has one of the shittiest selections I've ever seen. Unforgivable for a store that size.

[Blues Power]

lol me and your dad come from the same school. my first LP in 1980 was $425 with the case and gas was 55 cents a gal.

ony prob is no one had the $425. I took me 4 months to pay it b/c i was making $2.50 an hour washing dishes in the back kitchen of the local rib and steak house.

so its all relevant...well almost.

i dont think prices will ever come down any sizable amount. Gibbys mfg cost are up b/c of the economy and they have to pass it along just like the corner grocer

fwiw my GC and SA were empty on sat also. i had the whole store to me self and 9 salesmen on top of me for an hour with nothing to do.
one actually sat next to me and we jamed along together to some clapton

[InnerRage]

I don't ever see Gibson dropping their prices, but I do see them marking down the chambered ones once the solid bodies come back into production (if they really decide to do so). Also, above marginal quality craftmanship wouldn't hurt either...

[FennRx]

i remember in 1999 when i was a senior in high school, gas was $0.86/gallon. It hit $3.95 today. I know what color I'm not voting in this election...

[ReverendJWblues]

When I started driving actually had my first car gas was 15 cents a gallon 17 if I got premium, my beetle would run forever on $1.50 fill up. Prices for gas and guitars will never come down..........Its the good old American way. Lets just hope Gibson and everybody else can just afford to stay in business.

[nsureit]

What a bunch of young whippersnappers (except for you, Reverend)! Gas was $0.27-$0.45 when I was in high school (1970-73)!!! I could drive my 1958 Beetle Bug for an entire week for $1.00 worth of gas! Most of the US nearly rioted when gas was increased to $0.50+...

[captainbraindamage]

Originally Posted by nsureit

What a bunch of young whippersnappers (except for you, Reverend)! Gas was $0.27-$0.45 when I was in high school (1970-73)!!! I could drive my 1958 Beetle Bug for an entire week for $1.00 worth of gas! Most of the US nearly rioted when gas was increased to $0.50+...

Gas stations used to have gas wars to try to drive each other out of business. The lowest price I remember is 9.9 cents a gallon. Back then they put the gas in for you, pull up and tell em 50 cents worth please.