It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 1:21 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: is it just me?
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 2:00 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:32 pm
Posts: 86
After laying off for about 15 yrs, is it just me or are guitars/basses/drums cheaper now than they were in the 80's? I bought the MM, a crappy strat copy ($100) and a nice strat copy (Aspen - $150) back then. The squiers were fresh and like $2 or $300. Now the squiers look pretty good and are the same or cheaper.

My 8y/o son is starting to learn to play. So I dug my old stuff out and put him to work. I have been trying to convince my fingers that they are not too old and fat and slow to play again. They aren't listening. But we're having a good time and that's what it's about.

Anyway, I always wanted a sunburst strat and at 42, am about ready to pull the trigger on one. Probably a Squier std, but what the heck, I don;t see me playing anywhere but at home. too much other stuff to do.

It just seems like the equipment prices are the same or better than in the 80s for better equipment. I had a crappy set of drums that were like $750 back then and now a nice looking set is around $400. Same with guitars, fender included.

I'm just sayin....
Randy


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:49 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Tue Jan 01, 2008 1:51 pm
Posts: 2503
Location: Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA
Hello 66musicmaster,

My fingers are 10 years older
they are a bit slow but I'm
still having fun.

Best of luck with that
sunburst squire.

CNC production has
increased global quality.

Cheers.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: is it just me?
Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 8:57 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 9:44 am
Posts: 7282
Location: Washington
66musicmaster wrote:
After laying off for about 15 yrs, is it just me or are guitars/basses/drums cheaper now than they were in the 80's?

It just seems like the equipment prices are the same or better than in the 80s for better equipment.


I think that is true. It's not just you.

Also, look at the prices of VCRs and DVD players ... a LOT cheaper now than in the '80s.

_________________
Member #26797
My other guitar is a Strat.

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:17 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:48 pm
Posts: 2315
I'm looking at buying my first guitar in 10 years--and probably won't spend more than I did in the early 80's.

_________________
It wasn't Willy-Nilly, it was at crows.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Jul 27, 2008 6:29 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:14 pm
Posts: 202
dude, buying a squier is like pulling the trigger, but if you want to pull the pin, get a MIM sunburst strat. i have one, and i paid $250 used for the guitar itself. don't buy a squier unless you get one of those new "vintage" ones.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Jul 28, 2008 12:08 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 12:29 am
Posts: 336
Location: Puget Sound
Labor in China is so cheap it has brought down prices I'm thinking... but yeah you're right stuff was a lot more money then.

Fat Fingered Doug (52 this fall)


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 7:21 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Wed Apr 16, 2008 1:32 pm
Posts: 49
I don't really know about those ancient prices in the 80's ( Seeing as I wasn't around then), but i thought the prices had gone up since then? Kinda wish I lived during the 80's... Music has gone down the drain since then. Just look at all the bubblegum bands and lip synchers! ( I should be lip stinkers!) I don't know what happened to music!


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:11 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2007 12:47 pm
Posts: 18
I purchased my "Fender Squire Series" in 94 for under 200.00 and IMHO mine is built better or just as good as the MIM. It's definitely better than the "Squires by Fender" guitars out nowadays.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2008 8:31 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Jul 19, 2007 9:50 am
Posts: 89
Location: Cassini Probe
Prices of American made guitars have steadily increased, while prices of decent imported guitars have stayed mostly level. They used to come from Japan in the 70s and 80s, but now the Chinese are producing pretty good quality instruments and their labor is so much cheaper, and it is such a competitive business that prices have not risen much. BUT, there is still some junk out there. You get what you pay for (I just made that up).


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2008 12:38 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:04 pm
Posts: 29
Don't know about the prices in the 80's and what-not... But I can sorta-kinda answer Nirvana4Life's question (What happened to the music). Honestly since the early 90's, everything has sounded the same with Rock music, but slightly dumbed down. Since Nirvana introduced the grungy punk sound to the mainstream, everyone has tried to produced the same sound, but slightly more bubblegum pop-ish. Aside from the bands that started or forwarded that scene, such as Black Flag, the Pixies, the Melvins, Mudhoney, Sonic Youth, and Nirvana,(also Pearl Jam, to a certain extent...their sound was a little different) everyone else tried to copy it
(i.e. Bush). Every time rock music has been furthered, it is once again dragged down by copy cats. It started with Muddy Waters(not really, the Rockin' Blues were around before then, but I like to think differently!) then Elvis and Cash, furthered to the Beatles and the Stone's, continued by Hendrix, Cream, and the Who, gritted up by the Sex Pistols, bashed out by ACDC, drugged up by the entire LA metal scene (just kidding Hair metal fans!), and un-frilled by Nirvana. Let's not forget a little band that embodies the best of all of those... Led Zeppelin!(I just had to throw that in there!). But of course, after every band that shook things up and did something different, every other band in America copied them until you heard a song on the radio and couldn't tell who the artist was. And until someone else changes the face of rock and roll again, it will remain generic. Hope that answers what happened to the music!

_________________
Chuck Norris CAN Believe It's Not Butter.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:54 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:32 pm
Posts: 86
Hey, just back from vacation and catching up. Thanks for the replies.

In 1983, I was in a NYC on a school trip. I almost bought a Squier then, but it would have taken ALL of the money I had with me. I wish I woulda now, but that's how it goes.

I see strat copies now for less than $100. That look reasonable, but don;t feel right - kinda clunky. My cheapie copy in '82 was right around $100, plus another $100 for my Peavey decade, which I still have and doon;t thin I'll ever get rid of. It was the first gen of those, with the big regular Peavey logo on the spkr. Still works perfectly. The guitar I sold to a classmate after I bought the "aspen" strat clone. It is stamped "made in Japan" and would still pass the test of a reasonably well-made guitar, although information about Aspen guitars is scarce. That one was $150 then from a friend who bought it on the road, but didn't like it as good as his old heavy peavey guitar. The "world economy" is making it possible to have nicer things than in the past, but you can't be picky about where something is made. Even good old Harley is a global bike now, with fuel and suspensions made in other countries, namely Asian ones. And the chrome atthe HD stores is most all made in Taiwan.

And now the current squiers are nicer, better made, than my old aspen for the same price I paid 25 yrs ago. I did win a squier strat loaded pickguard off ebay and put it on last night. My Aspen is even better. But I still want a sunburst strat, whether it's squier or MIM or whichever. IF I can find one at a pawn shop, then so be it. If not, I'll test ride a squier and decide from there. I honestly do not see me playing anywhere but at home, so it's not going to be a big deal to me if it's Fender or squier, as long as it's one of the two.

As for music, my tastes are pretty eclectic , so the radio isn't much good to me. I like SRV, anything Brian Setzer, Southern Culture on the Skids, and have found several NC-based bands playing original music that I like way better than anything on mainstream radio. I was the first person in town to have SRV's first record. the record shop guy hadn't even heard of him when I asked. He had to order it and by the time it got here, EVERYONE wanted him. I did get to meet him at an album signing and had him sign my guitar strap. That's about as close to regualr radio and mainstream music as I get.

Thanks again for the replies.
Randy


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:10 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:32 pm
Posts: 86
Thanks, I'll take a look, although I haven't seen many in that range lately. And it HAs to be sunburst, which is the biggest requirement, other than how it plays.

Randy


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2008 2:07 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:04 pm
Posts: 7056
Location: South Florida
Yes, most musical items seem cheaper today.

Every once in a while Guitar Player will run a feature like "Guitars Priced Under $xxx". There was an article on Chinese-made guitars not long ago. The editorial staff was absolutely amazed at the quality, sound and playability of products coming from Asia. One line that stuck in my mind went something like this, "If a company's $400 guitar can be made with to these high quality syandards, then the $2,000 version better be flawless".


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 13 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: