# New guitar shortage?



## FatGuitarDad (11 mo ago)

Has anybody had any difficulty finding guitars, basses or other music equipment as of late? I'm wondering if the industry is experiencing the same shortages as other industries and is due to the pandemic. I wanted to get a Jackson Rhoads minion as a lark, but discovered most are sold out worldwide.


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## Shaqrad (May 6, 2020)

That’s been going on since the pandemic started along with increase prices. Going to get worse before it gets better


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## DC23 (Mar 28, 2014)

There definitely have been inventory issues. I'm a big Ibanez fan and a lot of their manufacturing occurs overseas and with container issues I have yet to see availability of some models in Canada that were released in 2020.


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## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

If you are to order a mij takamine it’s a years wait


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## Parabola (Oct 22, 2021)

I’ve heard from a few places there were/are supply chain issues with getting magnets and certain woods. The shipping (actual cargo shipping) issues are also I’m sure playing havoc.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

Once (insert country of manufacture here) stops locking down entire cities, and their associated ports, due to covid, this will all go away. And once empty containers can get back to the countries with the factories, then full containers can leave. 
New car shortages are due to similar reasons. Well, unless it's a Porsche then it's because the ship caught fire and sank.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Not in my house according to my wife! LMAO


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## BobChuck (Jan 16, 2012)

Looking at the amount of new ads, in the "for sale" section, it seems the great purge as begun.
All those extra pieces of gear, that everyone bought during the pandemic, will appear on the used market. Stay tuned!


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

Chito said:


> Not in my house according to my wife! LMAO


You are an important part of the testing and quality control aspect of the supply chain.


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

BobChuck said:


> Looking at the amount of new ads, in the "for sale" section, it seems the great purge as begun.
> All those extra pieces of gear, that everyone bought during the pandemic, will appear on the used market. Stay tuned!


I'm seeing kijiji filling up with more ads too, and some prices coming down. 
I think people are moving to being less scared to have strangers come to the house so more things will go up for sale.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

Yup, I think we all correctly predicted that purge.

I'm in a good position to pick up some gear and I'm trolling the ads daily. Managed to get a nice Tele recently, maybe a neck-thru Jackson Soloist is next or another American hardtail.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

Yes, and not all of it is due to _"supply chain issues"_ (which is the convenient pandemic get out jail free card.)

1. When the pandemic first hit, many factories and productions facilities were shut down for months. Also guitar retailers all over canceled orders because the assumption was that everyone was screwed and they didn't want a pile of stock showing up that they wouldn't be able to sell. Apparently Fender's management thought this might be the end of them as a company.
2. The reality was that when lockdowns first hit, suddenly "I want to learn to play guitar" was something just about everyone and their dog decided to do. So demand for instruments SKYROCKETED.
3. Retailers quickly sold out of the stock they had and then they put in massive orders for new product.
4. Add in the production gap and slowdown with getting factories back up and running, bringing staff back, etc, the manufacturers were now not only months behind from their regular production schedule, but ALSO the demand and orders were several times what the were pre-pandemic.

And the kicker is that the massive demand has not slowed down at all since. Estimates are that there were 16 Million new guitar players over the pandemic. And further stats indicate that about twice as many people are sticking with the guitar instead of quitting by 6 months.

So now we have manufacturers that are behind AND can't catch up due to the massive increase in demand for products. Basically they can't make the stuff fast enough. QC has generally suffered a bit as a result (basically they have to just slam it out as fast as possible) and product availability is pretty poor. For example, if you order a Fender guitar that's not already in the system, then expect it to talk about a year. Gibson had to indefinitely pause any new dealer contracts they had signed up in the months leading to the pandemic. (Casino Guitars talks a lot about this on Youtube - they signed a Gibson dealer contract at NAMM 2020 and they still haven't received a single guitar and they're told they probably won't for the foreseeable future).

Fender ended up selling more guitars in 2020/2021 than any years in the history of the company. So no, it's no coincidence that gear is tougher to find and that's a good reason why prices keep going up and used gear prices have also increased. There's no supply chain issues to blame. There's no guitars around because everyone keeps buying them the second they show up at the store. Again with a Casino Guitars reference, but they've mentioned several times that they cannot keep guitars on their walls. They got a shipment of seven Two Rock amps a few weeks ago and 5 of them were sold the day after they got them.


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## keto (May 23, 2006)

In Edmonton, between 4 L&M locations + Stang + 2 Innovations locations, there are exactly 2 @ 4 string American Jazz basses available, both high end (an Adam Clayton and a 75th Anniv). If you want a USA 5 string, you probably have half a dozen to choose from, and lots of Mexi stock in town in 4 or 5.

I have never seen an American Pro II Tele with a rosewood board in person, and I am in the shops often. Isn't it almost 2 years since they were introduced?


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## NotFromToronto (Dec 10, 2009)

Was just hearing about fender custom shop lead times which have also shot way up. It used to be as short as a few months. Now it's a minimum of a year, year and a half... With some options quoting close.to 5 years.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I'm waiting to see a Pro II or Ultra Jazzmaster in person.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

NotFromToronto said:


> Was just hearing about fender custom shop lead times which have also shot way up. It used to be as short as a few months. Now it's a minimum of a year, year and a half... With some options quoting close.to 5 years.


Yeah apparently Team Build is around 12-15 months and Master Build is up to 5 years depending on the builder.


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

keto said:


> In Edmonton, between 4 L&M locations + Stang + 2 Innovations locations, there are exactly 2 @ 4 string American Jazz basses available, both high end (an Adam Clayton and a 75th Anniv). If you want a USA 5 string, you probably have half a dozen to choose from, and lots of Mexi stock in town in 4 or 5.
> 
> I have never seen an American Pro II Tele with a rosewood board in person, and I am in the shops often. Isn't it almost 2 years since they were introduced?


I haven't seen an American Original on the wall in over a year. When I bought my AO Jazzmaster back in Novermber it was through a shop in Quebec. They said they got two of them in that they had ordered 11 months prior. Both sold within 5 days of the store getting them. One went on Reverb and I got the other one. They probably never even went up on the store walls.


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## Griff (Sep 7, 2016)

Powdered Toast Man said:


> I haven't seen an American Original on the wall in over a year. When I bought my AO Jazzmaster back in Novermber it was through a shop in Quebec. They said they got two of them in that they had ordered 11 months prior. Both sold within 5 days of the store getting them. One went on Reverb and I got the other one. They probably never even went up on the store walls.


I think American Originals have been discontinued?


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

FatGuitarDad said:


> I'm wondering if the industry is experiencing the same shortages as other industries and is due to the pandemic.


Why not ? Musical instrument industries are not different from others


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## Powdered Toast Man (Apr 6, 2006)

Griff said:


> I think American Originals have been discontinued?


No one seems to know. They haven't been in stock anywhere for almost 2 years and they've gone out in spurts. They're all still on Fender's website.


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## Latole (Aug 11, 2020)

Website mean it is guitars build by Fender ( when all thing go right )


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

FatGuitarDad said:


> Has anybody had any difficulty finding guitars, basses or other music equipment as of late? I'm wondering if the industry is experiencing the same shortages as other industries and is due to the pandemic. I wanted to get a Jackson Rhoads minion as a lark, but discovered most are sold out worldwide.


I haven’t had any issues. But I’m ordering one thing at a time from the people who make them. Massive international shipments are delayed.

When the delays don’t exist, there is going to be a massive influx of NOS products that sat in a factory built for a year.


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## fogdart (Mar 22, 2017)

@FatGuitarDad 

Welcome to the forum. Best forum handle ever.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

Good thing I buy almost all my gear used. 😆 

I was at my local L&M last week. Normally, you can’t see the wall in behind because of all the amps...


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## tomee2 (Feb 27, 2017)

2manyGuitars said:


> Good thing I buy almost all my gear used. 😆
> 
> I was at my local L&M last week. Normally, you can’t see the wall in behind because of all the amps...
> 
> ...


Must be the Orleans store, with a wall of lefties.
That location always has a lot of left handed guitars but that seems like more than usual.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

tomee2 said:


> Must be the Orleans store, with a wall of lefties.
> That location always has a lot of left handed guitars but that seems like more than usual.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

The Orleans L&M is sinking but the lefty's for the win.


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## FatGuitarDad (11 mo ago)

fogdart said:


> @FatGuitarDad
> 
> Welcome to the forum. Best forum handle ever.


Thanks. I hope it can be "moderatelyfitguitar dad" in the near future but I say that every time I have to let out my guitar strap!


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## FatGuitarDad (11 mo ago)

2manyGuitars said:


> Good thing I buy almost all my gear used. 😆
> 
> I was at my local L&M last week. Normally, you can’t see the wall in behind because of all the amps...
> 
> ...


Oh, I'm in complete agreement. I haven't purchased a new guitar this century. My go to axe is a beat to hell, 1984 Ibanez Roadstar 2 that I picked up at the long gone Retrotown Music in Ottawa for about $300. If I could find what I wanted now in the used market I would go that route.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

2manyGuitars said:


> Good thing I buy almost all my gear used. 😆
> 
> I was at my local L&M last week. Normally, you can’t see the wall in behind because of all the amps...
> 
> ...


Damn.. soemone should buy that 57 custom champ for $675!! Wait.. NVM.. that’s a Pro Junior going for twice it’s used value.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

FatGuitarDad said:


> Has anybody had any difficulty finding guitars, basses or other music equipment as of late? I'm wondering if the industry is experiencing the same shortages as other industries and is due to the pandemic. I wanted to get a Jackson Rhoads minion as a lark, but discovered most are sold out worldwide.


Long & McQuade seem to be struggling getting product but on the other hand, I've been able to find everything I was interested in at The Arts Music Store's web site.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

Yeah, that sorta reminds me of shopping at Superstore. A warehouse building you could easily park two Jumbo jets inside, yet half their shelves are empty. The slightly less gigantic Safeway (and smaller retailers) on the other hand are full of stock.

I'm looking forward to the used market this summer. Should be decent as players unload their gear for other expenses (like gas for chrissakes)


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

Hammerhands said:


> I'm waiting to see a Pro II or Ultra Jazzmaster in person.


Still waiting...


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## Xevyn (Jul 14, 2021)

Hammerhands said:


> Still waiting...


I've seen Pro II and Ultra strats come and go but not sure why there haven't been as much Jazzmasters. I'm really hoping to try that Mystic surf green Pro II JM one of these days...


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## Wucan (Apr 30, 2021)

YMMV. I had my eye on two 2022 MIJ Fenders, they hit the Japanese stores quickly and I got the first one within a week of that happening. Second one shipped today and should be here by Friday.

On the other hand the new MIA stuff seems very slow to come along. Like the others I still haven't seen some of their 2021 models in store, let alone 2022.


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## Okay Player (May 24, 2020)

FatGuitarDad said:


> Oh, I'm in complete agreement. I haven't purchased a new guitar this century. My go to axe is a beat to hell, 1984 Ibanez Roadstar 2 that I picked up at the long gone Retrotown Music in Ottawa for about $300. If I could find what I wanted now in the used market I would go that route.


RIP Retrotown.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

I recently shorted natural gas and made some coin in the last 10 days. So I took $2K in cash and headed for three L&Ms in my area looking to make my first new impulse buy in years. I also visited two Tom Lee's as well. I had my mind set on something like a Charvel Pro Mod DK24, Jackson Soloist or something similar.

But the models I wanted were out of stock. Other locations had them but they were too far and I wanted it like right now - no store transfers and no 3 hour drives. Then I looked at some Ibanez Prestige models and then a few American Strats. I could feel that folded wad of cash bothering me in my chest pocket like a weak spring (burning a hole maybe?). But there was something lacking in each of these guitars (no hardtail, FR bridge, funky colours, no compound necks, baseball-bat like neck profiles, one had a sizeable nick, a couple weighed a metric tonne, etc.). My impulse was slowly being quashed as I store hopped. It sucked. I think I also spoiled myself lately as I've been assembling Partscasters and they are exactly as I want them down to the German made screws.

By the end of the day, I walked out with this unused wad of cash that I was itching to give away - what a waste. And that money pack was previously crisp, straight and nice & flat too delivered by a cute teller foreshadowing guitar happiness - and now it's just folded annoyance I'm going to bank again. Stupid money...

I saw the stuff I wanted online but I'm not going to order a guitar at that price without sitting down with it for a few minutes - and that wasn't the point anyway. I wanted to play it that afternoon. My point being: local supply is better for sure, but not the right kind of stock for me in my locale. I can't really blame anyone though. But what's worse (or not), that impulse urge is now gone (sob).


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Last two I bought were LM Online and Cosmo Online. A motivating factor was that each guitar was the last one they had and as of now they don’t have them back in stock. It worked out ok but buying unseen is a bit hairy and in both cases there were fuckups with the couriers.


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## Dru Edwards (9 mo ago)

Wardo said:


> Last two I bought were LM Online and Cosmo Online. A motivating factor was that each guitar was the last one they had and as of now they don’t have them back in stock. It worked out ok but buying unseen is a bit hairy and in both cases there were fuckups with the couriers.


Hey Wardo, both orders got messed up by the courier? That's crazy. What were the issues?


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Dru Edwards said:


> Hey Wardo, both orders got messed up by the courier? That's crazy. What were the issues?


No problems with the stores at all. In fact L&M Brantford called me about an hour after I placed the order for a 335 to talk about it. they shipped it about an hour or two later.

Canada post picked up and thereafter it did not show up in the system for about a week. They found the guitar in Montreal. Eventually it made its way to my office in good condition.

Same thing happened with the Les Paul from Cosmo. The courier had no record of receiving it and I had to instigate a trace with them to locate the guitar. It arrived at my office about 10 days after shipping. The box was a bit beaten up. But the guitar was in good shape.

Both cases resolved OK but when you drop four grand on a guitar it’s rather uncomfortable when the courier says “we don’t got it boy“.


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## PBGas (Jan 14, 2017)

If you are looking for a Japanese Ibanez to order, I wish you the best of luck. Nothing until at least March 2023 if that. I checked with a friend at Hoshino and they are completely backed up at this point. One particular model (Black PIA) is backordered until Dec. 2023.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I was looking at the Chicago Music Exchange website, all of the American made Jazzmasters that are not in stock, pretty much all the right-handed models, say new stock expected in January 2023, February 2023, March 2023. May 2023, June 2023.









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www.chicagomusicexchange.com


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