# Used prices starting to come down?



## Grab n Go

Maybe it's just me, but from my casual observation of the guitar section in my local Kijiji, prices are starting to come down from the absurd Reverb-level asking prices. I've seen many more reasonably priced instruments.

The flip side is: People don't seem to be buying. Unless it's a steal, stuff tends to sit.

Interest rate hikes and inflation probably means less disposable income and a need to thin the herd for many.

What's your observation?


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## GuitarT

My observations are exactly like yours. Over priced stuff is coming down and even reasonably priced stuff is sitting longer. If inflation rates remain high and markets start to tank watch for vintage prices to tank too. Might be a good time to set aside some money to take advantage of deals over the next couple of years.


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## DC23

I'm not very optimistic but this would be a welcome change. Here's hoping we start to see some more realistic pricing on the used market. It used to be worth the hassle to deal with kijiji quirks for a decent markdown but over the past couple of years it was easier to deal with stores lol.


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## Derek_T

Same observation here, even on Reverb the overpriced stuff have just been sitting there for a while. Too bad I'm not looking for anything right now but there's probably going to be some great deal to be made.


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## Always12AM

My hunch is that a bunch of people who got 100k of free money bought 120k worth of items that they deem as “luxury items” because of the first time in their life, they had felt rich enough to do something crazy like spend $2,300 on a guitar.

Now, like any sane non gear addict, they think offering it up for $2,000 is a nice little deal for someone.

And people who have been telling their wife for years that an R8 is $1,223 used while they sell toilet cam footage of their entire family on the dark web to generate $3,450 and then sneak around like an adulterer to meet a stranger at a Chapters parking lot in Huntsville know what it’s like to swallow 40-70% losses on everything simply to keep the monkey on their back fed.

I can ask $1,500 for a Neumann TLM 49 given that it’s $2,500 at L&M after taxes.. but I paid $1,200 and I would expect a $800 fast sale and a month long wait and a couple hour drive to get $900-1,200. I a year, when there are 555 TLM 102’s competing to get $500-700, I am not going to bother trying to get anything for a higher end mic for more money.

I was never under the impression that prices have changed at all. The psychology and experience of the people selling has. When I see an ad disappear, I assume it’s more likely that they took it down after 50 people offered good and bad trades or low balled or argued with them enough to justify them getting hosed by L&M in an exchange or return. Which is ultimately what things are really worth on a lucky day when someone is highly motivated to buy used.


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## Mark Brown

I think unfortunately there is a collective mentality that prices will come down.

Prices might feel a little downward pressure as the market for guitars/amps slows down from the recent insanity but in my opinion the general pricing trend isn't going anywhere close to "back to normal".

Take the current round of inflation in the greater economy. No one is talking about when prices are going back down, prices aren't going back. Sure, a little bit of downward pressure will play into it and minor adjustments to the lowering of goods will materialize but I think we are in for a long, long haul waiting for that 900 dollar LP that hasn't been dragged behind a '90 corolla for 50 miles for that "road worn" look.


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## Guncho

Always12AM said:


> My hunch is that a bunch of people who got 100k of free money bought 120k worth of items that they deem as “luxury items” because of the first time in their life, they had felt rich enough to do something crazy like spend $2,300 on a guitar.
> 
> Now, like any sane non gear addict, they think offering it up for $2,000 is a nice little deal for someone.
> 
> And people who have been telling their wife for years that an R8 is $1,223 used while they sell toilet cam footage of their entire family on the dark web to generate $3,450 and then sneak around like an adulterer to meet a stranger at a Chapters parking lot in Huntsville know what it’s like to swallow 40-70% losses on everything simply to keep the monkey on their back fed.
> 
> I can ask $1,500 for a Neumann TLM 49 given that it’s $2,500 at L&M after taxes.. but I paid $1,200 and I would expect a $800 fast sale and a month long wait and a couple hour drive to get $900-1,200. I a year, when there are 555 TLM 102’s competing to get $500-700, I am not going to bother trying to get anything for a higher end mic for more money.
> 
> I was never under the impression that prices have changed at all. The psychology and experience of the people selling has. When I see an ad disappear, I assume it’s more likely that they took it down after 50 people offered good and bad trades or low balled or argued with them enough to justify them getting hosed by L&M in an exchange or return. Which is ultimately what things are really worth on a lucky day when someone is highly motivated to buy used.


Chapters closed in Huntsville.


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## Derek_T

Mark Brown said:


> in my opinion the general pricing trend isn't going anywhere close to "back to normal".


Good point, it's true that inflation impacting manufacturers as well prices won't go back down to what they were before COVID. 
But, we might get rid of some "Joes" asking more for a used 335 than it sell new at L&M (true story).


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## Okay Player

I think guitars are starting to creep back down, I'm not seeing it in regards to the other type of gear like amps and pedals. I suspect it's because someone is more likely to buy throw down for a guitar that's a little more high end than they should than they are an amp or pedal.


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## Parabola

I’ve seen a few deals that were really good, like it might be stolen low price. They just seem to sit there. For the most part, I’m seeing things still high, but they’ve been there for weeks.

With the economy the way it is, and the uncertainty, there’s probably a lot of wait and see going on with buyers, as unless it’s something that you really want, it’s clear we are not in a situation where things are easy to flip.


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## BlueRocker




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## Grab n Go

Okay Player said:


> I think guitars are starting to creep back down, I'm not seeing it in regards to the other type of gear like amps and pedals. I suspect it's because someone is more likely to buy throw down for a guitar that's a little more high end than they should than they are an amp or pedal.


I noticed that as well. Pedals haven't changed much. 

I find big amps have been dropping in price for a while now. There hasn't been as much gigging and tubes are more expensive.


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## GuitarTalk

It’s the opposite in the vintage market… only hacked-up, refin, butchered trash left on the market at stupid prices… even stuff that a year ago was at 20k is now 25k and the USD/CAD is no help. A 54’ strat is now going for $70-85k usd… A year ago, you could gotten one for $50k. As a buyer, it’s pretty discouraging, not gonna lie. Kijiji is dead as it has been for the last 2+ years…


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## Rollin Hand

Grab n Go said:


> I noticed that as well. Pedals haven't changed much.
> 
> I find big amps have been dropping in price for a while now. There hasn't been as much gigging and tubes are more expensive.


Lotta people going digital too.


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## GuitarT

GuitarTalk said:


> It’s the opposite in the vintage market… only hacked-up, refin, butchered trash left on the market at stupid prices… even stuff that a year ago was at 20k is now 25k and the USD/CAD is no help. A 54’ strat is now going for $70-85k usd… A year ago, you could gotten one for $50k. As a buyer, it’s pretty discouraging, not gonna lie. Kijiji is dead as it has been for the last 2+ years…


Give it another year and see what happens.


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## Budda

Didnt a 10k lp sell in 12 hours a week ago?


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## terminalvertigo

Budda said:


> Didnt a 10k lp sell in 12 hours a week ago?


 On kijiji?


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## tomee2

Yes, I've noticed that too. Watched a LP Studio drop from $1000 to $800 and then sit for 4 days at that before the ad disappeared. Everyone else seems to think they're worth $1600


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## Budda

terminalvertigo said:


> On kijiji?


On here. And I'm confident most of the people posting here check Kijiji too fwiw.


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## terminalvertigo

I'm at fault for that LP I'm afraid.. and actually, the LP's last owner bought it on Kijiji


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## Wardo

I have some guitars that I need to sell.

So, used prices are gonna be back up there for a bit .. lol

If the Oikos ain’t in a buying mood then rather than fuck around I might dump them at L7M for one really good one but that’s hard to imagine since I got this 50s standard that seems to be as good as any guitar needs to be particularly for the deplorables, stolen keg of beer and a hundred bottle rockets shit that I play.


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## Okay Player

Grab n Go said:


> I noticed that as well. Pedals haven't changed much.
> 
> I find big amps have been dropping in price for a while now. There hasn't been as much gigging and tubes are more expensive.


Princeton prices are strooooong though, lol.


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## Grab n Go

Okay Player said:


> Princeton prices are strooooong though, lol.


Yup, the lower wattage classic Fender combos like Deluxe Reverbs, Princetons etc. are always in demand.


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## Okay Player

Grab n Go said:


> Yup, the lower wattage classic Fender combos like Deluxe Reverbs, Princetons etc. are always in demand.


I think we need to fire up the old "They're going to stop making tubes!!!!!" machine again.


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## Derek_T

GuitarTalk said:


> A year ago, you could gotten one for $50k. As a buyer, it’s pretty discouraging


Thank god I’m too poor to have that kind of problem.


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## Paul Running




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## Sugar

Are partscaster back below $1000?


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## Grab n Go

Sugar said:


> Are partscaster back below $1000?


It depends on the parts. I think it's getting there.


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## Rollin Hand

I think things are normalizing a bit. Ther are still deals to be had, and there are still people posting the same guitars for too high a price for eons on end with no sign of dropping.

When I sold some guitars, I priced at what I thought was fair. They all sold. Funny how that works out.


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## Budda

Sugar said:


> Are partscaster back below $1000?


Except the price to build a partscaster (with good to great components) has only gone up.


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## HighNoon

I just sold a '76 P bass (it was on here)....the price fetched was in the ball park of what you'd expect. It was cool, all original, but the best part was it played great, wonderful feel, and sounded exactly as it should. The new owner loves it and everyone's happy...the key being it has to have the shizzle and sound. You walk into a store....bunch of axes hanging....you play them one by one and bingo you play one that has it. And if you're a player, you know it. A few hundred bucks either way, or thousands in case of vintage, take a back seat to the basic question, does it have the magic in it. Does it speak to your heart and soul.


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## tomee2

terminalvertigo said:


> I'm at fault for that LP I'm afraid.. and actually, the LP's last owner bought it on Kijiji


You bought it, or sold it? I was tempted but I have 2 Studios and flipping never works for me.


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## FatStrat2

HighNoon said:


> ....you play them one by one and bingo you play one that has it. And if you're a player, you know it....


So true. In the last 2 years I've built half a dozen Partscasters. I struck gold with 4 and struck out with the other 2 - one was sold, the other's on the chopping block.

As for guitar prices coming down, told ya! Once the recession really hits later this year in late Fall/early Winter (when almost all bad economic stuff seems to happen), prices will fall further (except for the high end gear as someone already noted).


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## terminalvertigo

tomee2 said:


> You bought it, or sold it? I was tempted but I have 2 Studios and flipping never works for me.


Well both kinda! I bought a LP here last week, and i'm gonna list one this weekend as well!


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## HighNoon

FatStrat2 said:


> So true. In the last 2 years I've built half a dozen Partscasters. I struck gold with 4 and struck out with the other 2 - one was sold, the other's on the chopping block.
> 
> As for guitar prices coming down, told ya! Once the recession really hits later this year in late Fall/early Winter (when almost all bad economic stuff seems to happen), prices will fall further (except for the high end gear as someone already noted).


Old friend has a '60 LP he bought as NOS in '62 when he was thirteen. Still has it....great player. In a nutshell that's his investment portfolio.


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## guitarman2

By next February or March I'm going to be in a position to buy an R9. If used prices are down to sane levels that would be a bonus. If not then it will be new.


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## torndownunit

I've been looking at what would be considered used budget small tube combos. The prices have absolutely gone down on what I've been looking at. And not only that they aren't selling immediately at that lower price.


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## Doug Gifford

Has anyone studied whether used guitar prices follow gas prices?


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## Grab n Go

Doug Gifford said:


> Has anyone studied whether used guitar prices follow gas prices?


Good point. GAS isn't entirely rational, but factor in gas prices for long distances and a deal might not seem as sweet.


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## JRtele

guitarman2 said:


> By next February or March I'm going to be in a position to buy an R9. If used prices are down to sane levels that would be a bonus. If not then it will be new.


I’m looking right now. Current prices for used are still such that new might be the way I go


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## bentwire17

With a supply chain vacuum of high end Gibson R guitars as an example in Canada .
Would that not keep the heat on the used market?


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## MetalTele79

So far everything that I keep an eye on has remained fairly steady or is still rising in price


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## LowWatt

guitarman2 said:


> By next February or March I'm going to be in a position to buy an R9. If used prices are down to sane levels that would be a bonus. If not then it will be new.


Hopefully. Just saw a nice one out there at a reputable store for $5k.


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## Budda

LowWatt said:


> Hopefully. Just saw a nice one out there at a reputable store for $5k.


Saw it a few days ago, wonder how long it will last. I know there’s some allure of the 2019+ changes for some people.


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## Derek_T

I wonder if simply talking about the used price coming down in a community like GC, TGP… as some kind of “self fulfilling prophecy” effect on the market. 

When a certain % of the community believe it’s true, people stop buying at listed price from fear of being on the loose end in the new market, pushing the seller to drop their price…

I don’t know, food for thoughts while reading this sitting on the can.


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## Budda

Derek_T said:


> I wonder if simply talking about the used price coming down in a community like GC, TGP… as some kind of “self fulfilling prophecy” effect on the market.
> 
> When a certain % of the community believe it’s true, people stop buying at listed price from fear of being on the loose end in the new market, pushing the seller to drop their price…
> 
> I don’t know, food for thoughts while reading this sitting on the can.


No one wants to pay the listed price anywhere at any time. This is why people list for more than they actually plan to get.


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## Derek_T

Budda said:


> No one wants to pay the listed price anywhere at any time. This is why people list for more than they actually plan to get.


Of course, but that’s not what I’m referring to here.


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## Budda

Derek_T said:


> Of course, but that’s not what I’m referring to here.


Then I’m a bit lost. Price drops have happened since this forum has had the buy and sell. There’s the odd great deal being posted but that is also par for the course.


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## Derek_T

Budda said:


> Then I’m a bit lost. Price drops have happened since this forum has had the buy and sell. There’s the odd great deal being posted but that is also par for the course.


Sorry, what I meant was that even though people always negotiate, the amount they might be willing to settle for would change depending on whether they believe the market is going to go up or down.
But it was just on of my 7 o’clock brain fart.


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## Parabola

I find guitar folks to be pretty realistic with prices and easy to negotiate with. Most of what I see now are the people who blew Covid money on guitars and are looking to recoup the costs…they are just sitting there.


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## Jack Donaghy

I have noticed the same as well. It’s been very difficult to sell. It’s a buyers market in terms of price


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## PTO

I just noticed that new Traynor prices have gone way up, which is becoming a selling point for used listings. I suspect many private sellers take what they paid into account so asking prices haven’t kept pace. But once enough people have bought new at the higher price, it’ll have to have an effect.

The YGL1 went from $799 late last year at L&M to $899, and recently to $1139! It’s doubled in price from just a few years ago. (Some retailers haven’t matched the new price yet if you’re looking.) I wonder if that will shift demand for their amps to the used market, and also tempt would-be sellers to just hang onto them in case they regret it.


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## BlueRocker

I traded in a Traynor 2x12 that I bought from L&M and had for a year. I got the entire purchase price including the tax as trade value. This was right around the last Traynor price increase. I don't see them selling many YGL1's at $1139, not YVC20WR for $1369 (current price)


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## Jack Donaghy

I’ve noticed a dip in prices. I’ve noticed items are sitting far longer without being sold


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