Epi price increases over the past year ( UK )

[Sore Fingers]

i'm not sure if this has happened in America, or the rest of the world, but over the past year in the UK the prices on Epiphones has gone up by almost 30%, which is odd at anytime but even more puzzling in a recession

I paid £380 ( down from £420 ) for my Custom plus 13 months ago and now the same retailer is listing that Guitar at £549 ( steep i know ), the same increases have also been placed on the standards and standard plus tops

Does anyone know what sparked these increases, i expect they put it down to production improvements but if you were selling a product anyway why improve it to the point where there's a 30% increase if it was selling anyway

Apologies if this has been asked a thousand times before, seems mad to me !!!

[kelv_w]

apparently the weaken £ contributes to it. If you notice all american made guitars are going up in prices here. I heard there's going to be another price hike soon. I'm glad I bought my Vintage Mahogany at £480 and it's £680 now.

[xp50]

I bought my Trans Amber LP Standard for £350 in mid December. I went back to the shop on Sunday for some strings and the same guitar is now £450 !

[RMC1]

It`s getting to the point where Epiphone are going to lose Sales,for that kind of Money there are better options.I love my Epiphones,but i`m affraid i wouldn`t be paying neary £500 for a Standard.The customs are hitting £560 at some Locations.

[Stevics]

Originally Posted by kelv_w

apparently the weaken £ contributes to it.

This is true. If you buy anything from abroad you will have to pay more for it.

So.. the UK guitar shops have to pay more for their stock and maintain their margins. It's a real bitch but we better get used to it for a while, maybe a year or two then things may improve again. (I hope!)

It sure scuppered my ideas of buying a Mesa amp later this year!!!

[kelv_w]

I've managed to bargain some pretty sweet deal last month... an EPi LP standard plus top and a free gig bag for £290.

[Sore Fingers]

where from !!?? definitely not dawsons !! lol

[kelv_w]

reverb but the last i checked it's all sold out. But I think it was an one off deal.
Nevada music was doing a pretty good offer last month for £330. It's all back to £399 now. Dawsons are way overpriced...

[steamboat willy]

Got a LP standard Plus Top from Digital Village for £239 in November but you stand no chance now - They want £391.!!! Absolutely crazy!! Why would anyone pay those prices when the same company have Gibson SG Specials on at £489?

I'm sure prices will settle down again but I think we are going to have to wait a while.

[pawpek]

Originally Posted by Sore Fingers

i'm not sure if this has happened in America, or the rest of the world, but over the past year in the UK the prices on Epiphones has gone up by almost 30%, which is odd at anytime but even more puzzling in a recession

I paid £380 ( down from £420 ) for my Custom plus 13 months ago and now the same retailer is listing that Guitar at £549 ( steep i know ), the same increases have also been placed on the standards and standard plus tops

Does anyone know what sparked these increases, i expect they put it down to production improvements but if you were selling a product anyway why improve it to the point where there's a 30% increase if it was selling anyway

Apologies if this has been asked a thousand times before, seems mad to me !!!

Damn not another price hike. I took my guitars in today to do a trade for the Epi custom shop LTD edition, and the price I was given for an Ovation Celebrity (MIK) was £70, and I paid about £400 ish 12 years ago. The wife wasn't too happy and so we left the shop (the 2 Epi custom shop guitars are there still!) I have a bad feeling I should have just put it on the plastic, but like everyone else I have to curb my spending.

In the same shop there is a Brian May guitar. I got one of the Burns in 2002 for £499, showed it to the wife today who gasped as they had it on for £549!

[kelv_w]

Well talk about price hikes... the Gibson Darkfire just went up almost 400 squids :O :O
absolutely ridiculous.

[Sore Fingers]

i'd just managed to put a curb on my spending and your telling me that custom shop plus top is still in that shop ??? lol

[Sore Fingers]

Originally Posted by kelv_w

Well talk about price hikes... the Gibson Darkfire just went up almost 400 squids :O :O
absolutely ridiculous.

your kidding right ? i'm putting my gibson plans on ice for about 2 years then it seems, no way on earth the prices will drop as quick as they've rose !!

[steamboat willy]

Hate to say this on this forum but it seems Epiphone/Gibson are putting prices up faster than anyone else. I don't see Fender putting their prices up so fast.

I've got a bit of money coming my way in a couple of months and I have been torn by a lot of choices, but I've pretty much thrown out the Gibson/Epi options in favour of a MIM 60s Classic Player Strat (to match my 50s version) coupled with a Vox AC30 Heritage Hand-wired amp. Gibson could have got it all but I'nm pretty disgusted with the way they are treating the UK at the moment so I'm spending the money with my first loves.

I'm sure I'm not the only one - If Epi keep on putting their prices up many more people than me are going to be saying "are you having a f*cking laugh".

[RMC1]

Originally Posted by kelv_w

Well talk about price hikes... the Gibson Darkfire just went up almost 400 squids :O :O
absolutely ridiculous.

If the price dropped to a Quid,i still wouldn`t buy it

[Big_dawg]

epi gibson and fender all stated late last year that they were increasing their prices and now with the £/$ going down the pan they've effectively gone up twice in 3 months.

It is however a good time to sell old gear to Europe Ive sold a couple of amps in the last week or two and have sold them for more than I bought them new for (tiny terror went for £300!).... go figure.... (down to a strong euro against the pound)

I noticed reverb mentioned a bit further back, not my favourite people at the moment. Ordered a mesa express last week, in stock and would be with me in a week. A week later theyve not got any in stock and dont know when they will b getting them (as a little bird on the inside tells me) theyve not paid the mesa bill and will not be getting any more until they do. Also about 50% of their staff are being made redundant, not a good sign!.

[RMC1]

Fender have increased their Prices in the UK by 20% since Christmas,it`s a sign of the Times i`m affraid.But i doubt they will drop them when things improve,eventually people will get used to seeing the Prices,and it will just seem normal.Like when Beer goes up,everyone plays Hell for a Week,then we just pay it,and forget about it.

[TrinityFive]

I don't see Fender putting their prices up so fast.

Fender just get some guy to get medievil on the Strats and Teles with a grinder and sandpaper and then sell them for double the price. Great marketing, buy our Mex strat for £400, no wait! Let me kick the shit out of it, call it a Mexican Relic and sell it for £890.!!

[steamboat willy]

I have to say I don't understand the relicing thing. A lot must appreciate it I suppose oytherwise there wouldn't be a market for them but when I buy a new guitar I want it to be pristine

[pawpek]

Originally Posted by Sore Fingers

i'd just managed to put a curb on my spending and your telling me that custom shop plus top is still in that shop ??? lol

Sorry about that

[slash300]

Ebay..My friends... Ebay. I got a decent korean made LP for under 250..Its the most perfect thing I have played on since I began learning..I repeat ''Ebay my friends Ebay''

[slash300]

Originally Posted by RMC1

Fender have increased their Prices in the UK by 20% since Christmas,it`s a sign of the Times i`m affraid.But i doubt they will drop them when things improve,eventually people will get used to seeing the Prices,and it will just seem normal.Like when Beer goes up,everyone plays Hell for a Week,then we just pay it,and forget about it.

Hey RMC1..Are you seriousely located in Afghanistan ? I was born in that country bro..

[Sore Fingers]

was looking at one of those beat up 70's strats in Dawsons today, ashamed to say i kinda liked it, but i always liked Rory Gallagher's beat up old strat so i put it down to that lol

[TrinityFive]

OK, I'll buy a £400 Strat and shove it through a carwash, B&Q it to within an inch of it's life and sell it to you for £600. Deal ?

[Sore Fingers]

haha if it looks good enough the ok yeah lol

I'm going getting the mexican strat tomorrow and going to do it myself, going to follow RMC's post on what he did to that Cherry Les paul, i reckon i'll get close enough and stilll have £400 left in my pocket then lol

[RMC1]

Originally Posted by slash300

Hey RMC1..Are you seriousely located in Afghanistan ? I was born in that country bro..

Yes i am in Afghanistan,i`m out here with the UK Forces.

[LEFTY LES]

Yea man your not alone. Look at this. This has been the price for this guitar for a while

Left handed Epiphone Les Paul Custom at Musicians Friend

$814.00 -or- $25/mo. - Finance Now
MSRP: $1,357.00

so there you go bro

[LEFTY LES]

On the other hand, I found my LP on craigs list and paid $375 for it. a 98 MIK never even been plugged into an amp. Plastic still on everything. So I got a brand spanking new Epi that's 10 years old. There are good deals out there you just gotta look.

[steamboat willy]

Oh no....they are really having a laugh. Take a look at the recommended full price under Leftys pic?

Now even though I'm of the school that says it doesn't matter what name is on the headstock - MSRP: $1,357.00????? Sorry but for that sort of money I would definitely buy a second hand Gibson. I mean I know NOBODY ever pays full retail but $1400????

[LEFTY LES]

Of course boat but you know they only do that to make $800 look like a deal.