Has it made you say "F**k it" - I might as well splurge on that new guitar now before things get worse....or has it made you hold back?
I've only been playing for about 3 years and I still take lessons - though I have had to roll back on the frequency of them. Also the next G&L bespoke build Asat classic is on hold now....at least for now....
My muscian friends are trying to play more gigs to get more cash - but sometimes its costing them more in fuel travelling around the country and venues are starting to try to pay less for a band....has this happened to you? Are venues starting to book you less or pay less?
How are you feeling the squeeze? I would interested in USA and UK perspectives on this (as well as our ozzie friends and basically anyone anywhere....but things here in the UK are starting to bite....).
Dealing with the devil at the crossroads
Guitars
G&L USA Spalted maple Legacy
G&L Tribute Asat Classic (Indonesia)
Amplification
Vox VT-15 Valvotronix
Influences
Eric Clapton
Peter Green
Richie Sambora
There is definitely a squeeze going in on in Oz as well.... unless you're in the mining industry which is a cocooned world unto itself. The mining industry is so massive that it gives the impression that Australia is doing much better than it actually is.
One of the effects of the GFC and the high $AUD is that guitar retailers are selling instruments cheaper than I've ever seen them. The problem is not many people have the disposable income to buy them even at discount - least of all poor struggling musicians.
In a rare alignment of events, my company paid a small performance bonus last month and I picked up a new Gibson 60's LP Tribute Gold Top that I've had my eye on for $950. It's my first ever 2HB guitar. The sticker price was $1599. I never thought I'd see a Made in USA Les Paul for under $1500, let alone under $1000. It is unquestionably a great time to buy if there are any spare $$ in your pocket. And the deals seem to be at struggling bricks-n-mortar retailers rather than on-line.
Well I am holding out until I secure employment, with my master's coming to an end. I have the cash for a guitar (what is going to be a very nice, likely overly expensive guitaR), but want a safety net in place. I had a 7 made this year, was supposed to be pretty rocking, the shop turned me a turd though and fortunately I got refunded. It was seriously bad, and now I have huge 7 GAS, and no vent. It is pretty awful.
As Phil says, stuff is way cheaper than usual with the strong $AU. It's great!! I've bought a number of toys this year for much, much cheaper than they were this time last year.
sirmyghin wrote:I had a 7 made this year, was supposed to be pretty rocking, the shop turned me a turd though and fortunately I got refunded. It was seriously bad, and now I have huge 7 GAS, and no vent. It is pretty awful.
That's terrible to hear and it saddens me - I assume your talking about that guitar you were having made with you and your wife's initials in it? Glad you got refunded however.
That's the one Blarg, the inlay was about the only thing without flaw. I wouldn't recommend anyone touch Strictly 7 with a 20' pole. Especially those of us accustomed to good guitars like G&Ls. I lost probably 10% due to exchange rate changes and fees too. 5 or 6% on the refund alone. My conclusion is that aside from the Ibanez Universe and EBMM JP7, there really is no great good quality 7 strings between 1000 and 3000$. I plan to drop quite a bit when the time comes as I do not want this kind of headache again. I wish G&L would magically make a 7 string or something, then I could just buy 2-3 of them orderred to spec instead and still have some left over.
Sorry to hear that man....if its any consolation (and I know it probably is not) - by telling people here about it you are helping others avoid it as a result of your experience....I hope you get the guitar you want, when you need it most, at a price that suits...
Dealing with the devil at the crossroads
Guitars
G&L USA Spalted maple Legacy
G&L Tribute Asat Classic (Indonesia)
Amplification
Vox VT-15 Valvotronix
Influences
Eric Clapton
Peter Green
Richie Sambora
There is definitely a squeeze going in on in Oz as well.... unless you're in the mining industry which is a cocooned world unto itself. The mining industry is so massive that it gives the impression that Australia is doing much better than it actually is.
One of the effects of the GFC and the high $AUD is that guitar retailers are selling instruments cheaper than I've ever seen them. The problem is not many people have the disposable income to buy them even at discount - least of all poor struggling musicians.
In a rare alignment of events, my company paid a small performance bonus last month and I picked up a new Gibson 60's LP Tribute Gold Top that I've had my eye on for $950. It's my first ever 2HB guitar. The sticker price was $1599. I never thought I'd see a Made in USA Les Paul for under $1500, let alone under $1000. It is unquestionably a great time to buy if there are any spare $$ in your pocket. And the deals seem to be at struggling bricks-n-mortar retailers rather than on-line.
Hey Philby
Sounds like the recession is working out for you .....sorry, only kidding. In the UK the recession has mainly been hiting blue-collar jobs for the last year or so - but now its working its way into the white-collar workplace and its going to bite hard until the end of the year I think. It must be hitting manufacturing (and guitar manufacturing as well)...though whether thats a good thing for buyers....or a bad thing in case corners are cut, i dont know.....
The trick seems to be to have cash at a time other people dont have cash and I've never been able to get in synch with that....though I just managed it when buying a house.....
Dealing with the devil at the crossroads
Guitars
G&L USA Spalted maple Legacy
G&L Tribute Asat Classic (Indonesia)
Amplification
Vox VT-15 Valvotronix
Influences
Eric Clapton
Peter Green
Richie Sambora
Sounds like the recession is working out for you .....sorry, only kidding.
I lost my job and was unemployed for 6 months at the start of the GFC, so the least this lousy downturn can do is deliver me a nice, cheap guitar!
The situation here is much like in the UK - most of the job losses have been in the blue collar manufacturing and retailing sector, along with 'non-essential' sectors like R&D (where I was employed). The newspaper headlines today say that job shedding has now spread to the banking sector. I hope some of the suits and ties that caused this whole mess end up on their ar$e. It's always the little guy that takes the blame while those dudes take a golden parachute to early retirement in the Bahamas.
My new guitar is perfectly put together. I can't find a fault anywhere. Perhaps there's nothing like the possibility of losing your job to focus your mind on building a great guitar?
sirmyghin wrote:That's the one Blarg, the inlay was about the only thing without flaw. I wouldn't recommend anyone touch Strictly 7 with a 20' pole. Especially those of us accustomed to good guitars like G&Ls. I lost probably 10% due to exchange rate changes and fees too. 5 or 6% on the refund alone. My conclusion is that aside from the Ibanez Universe and EBMM JP7, there really is no great good quality 7 strings between 1000 and 3000$. I plan to drop quite a bit when the time comes as I do not want this kind of headache again. I wish G&L would magically make a 7 string or something, then I could just buy 2-3 of them orderred to spec instead and still have some left over.
Crazy that someone who charges so much and takes so long to make it that it could be that bad. What a crook. Hope you find one that fits!
Philby wrote: I hope some of the suits and ties that caused this whole mess end up on their ar$e.
I hope that too. It won't happen though. They'll most likely get a $1 million+ bonus at the end of the year. So unfair.
Dr B wrote:Sorry to hear that man....if its any consolation (and I know it probably is not) - by telling people here about it you are helping others avoid it as a result of your experience....I hope you get the guitar you want, when you need it most, at a price that suits...
It is, I tell everyone who asks how it went down (and had a lot of askers). I just don't post it publicly as that is one step too far really. I am likely getting a european builder for the next one, maybe one of englands own. There are a few good ones there, if the GBP doesn't quash me too hard.
blargfromouterspace wrote:
Crazy that someone who charges so much and takes so long to make it that it could be that bad. What a crook. Hope you find one that fits!
That is about the gist of it, I am lucky I got back what I did really. Oni guitars in Oz would be a contender if they did trems . I still need my wang bar on this one.
.....sorry, only kidding. In the UK the recession has mainly been hiting blue-collar jobs for the last year or so - but now its working its way into the white-collar workplace and its going to bite hard until the end of the year I think. It must be hitting manufacturing (and guitar manufacturing as well)...though whether thats a good thing for buyers....or a bad thing in case corners are cut, i dont know.....
