Some great points. I’m 59 and started recognizing these things about 10 years ago and saw things slowly trend this way and then with the “pandemic ” lockdown it accelerated at a rapid pace. I began trying to explain these things to my American contemporaries without much success or concern on their part. It’s only been recently that I notice it starting to finally sink in and I have started seeing comments from others that I was making 3 or even more years ago. Thanks!! Love your channel.
In 57, what I’ve noticed in my life is that when I was young it was luxury items that were expensive: watches, cars. Now it the essentials that have become expensive: food, houses, health care. Again, accelerated by the pandemic. I think there is a fourth reason: the loss of care and reduction of social responsibility
I think this gentleman is spot on. As a late boomer, agree with his summation of our generation. He is also spot on about South Asia/The Global South being the big growth area. More and more companies are looking to move from China. The handwriting is on the wall re Taiwan. However, the real reason is that labor costs have risen substantially and the Chinese will no longer work for low wages. Also labor unrest and the younger generation "lying flat" as the Chinese would say. Going to be interesting times for sure. Great work with the Channel!
My most expensive guitar (PRS Studio) had to be shipped back to the factory TWICE to fix a bridge pickup grounding issue. Even PRS USA screws up sometimes.
Any manufacturer can have an issue with a guitar. What matters is what they do when there is a problem. Gibson, Fender, PRS..stand behind their guitars. Defective models get replaced or repaired no hassles. The cheap guitar off Amazon, or AliBaba etc..good luck. you have a problem? too bad.
Musical tastes and A.I. collaboration will decide if kinetic instruments will be included in the future. You can ask A.I. to create just about anything. Just enjoy playing and remember, they play Harp in Heaven! Thanks for your time and insight.
What are you talking about ? It’s the small companies coping everything the big companies are doing. Companies copy with a fender single coil or Gibson humbucker . Then the small companies copy a fender design or Gibson design.
Do tell us how Gibson Fender Prs etc are ruining creativity..This should be interesting..Oh btw..someone COPYING their products is the opposite of creatitivity. Creativity is coming up with something new on your own.
I love my cheap EART T380 from Amazon. Totally functional (with bonus of ss frets, rolled edges etc) for very affordable price. Trickle down effect is happening for sure.
I got two very affordable guitars (€800 combined). The only guitar I can think of is a resonator. Ry Cooder and the blues guys 😅 Sliding up & down and making a pleasant noise 🤠 Fender has such guitar at about €500 (PR-180E). 😎 Next year I will think of a Gretsch I want (G 5622T) 🤠
Well-stated and insightful observations, but the main takeaway for me isn’t that guitars are going to be overall more expensive, but that the world’s populations are becoming more prosperous. That’s a great thing in principle, but problematic if population growth doesn’t taper off dramatically this century. There already aren’t enough resources, they say, to support a global middle class.
I predict Ai will enable end to end automation of the production of cheap guitars, its already about 75% there. The cost of nice guitars made overseas however is only marginally less than US or European made guitars.
Great video! One point on which I disagree is the functionality of the Core PRS over the SE version. Aesthetics aside, one major factor that separates the two from a manufacturing perspective is the preparation of the woods. Core PRS woods go through a long process of drying and preparation before the guitars are built. Doing so ensures the finished guitar is as stable as possible. Other manufacturing details down the assembly line also add to the instruments longevity and durability that the SE line skip-- as those guitars are built to a much lower price point. Granted, the SE line feature some fantastic guitars, but if long term dependability is important, the Core line has the edge. That said, the Indonesian made instruments are absolutely fantastic for the price.
I have never had a guitar break due to wood drying issues. Don't drink the PRS CoolAid. Piece of wood and metal the guitars are made from are not going to break down during your lifetime. If anything, the core models will break down sooner, due to using nitro lacquer as opposed to poly.
@@zyzzyx3160 Everyone has their own experience. I've been playing for over 40-years and have had necks twist and warp over time-- mostly Gibsons believe it or not. Most common failures I've had are in the twisting of necks and poor quality fret wire that wore down after just a few years. Also, being a woodworker myself, I know first hand the importance of preparation before building. Regarding finishes, I have a 1st-year Carvin SC90 that developed some funkiness under its poly finish. A repair on that guitar would require a full strip & refinish, where nitro could be repaired easier, but it doesn't affect function, so it doesn't bother me. Naturally YMMV~
I have tested two SE's in my life. Both were fine, but I wasn't swayed to buy one. Where I live in South Africa, they are not THAT affordable, taking into account the purchasing power we have. Moreover, I am not paying that for something that says 'student edition' on it. One would be forgiven if one finds that slightly insulting (to be clear, I am not saying you have insulted me - it's more the situation). It might be entry level money elsewhere. Not here. The nuances of purchasing power in particular contexts are important, but does not detract from your general point or the absolute joy of finding your channel😊
@@juanvaldez5422 Happy to be convinced, try a few others etc. Was thinking of saving up and in a year or two try the new s2 range. A lot of money, but possibly a better value play, given the older SEs I have tried.
There are cnc machines on every continent making highly precise bodies and necks. The things that make expensive guitars expensive are just a persons time. If you have a few basic tools like a fret rocker and some files, a dremel, etcetera, you realize that you can take just about any guitar and have it play and feel as good as any of those behind Utkarsh. So you got it playing great, but it doesn't sound good? Well, swapping pickups is easier than the fretwork that you can do yourself. But, if you want to pay a company an extra grand to do it for you, it's strange to me but people do it all the time.
@@allenmitchell09 Hehe, valid points, but have you seen the prices and supply of pups in our market? New, good pups (when available) pretty much covers the distance between the SE and S2. But, as you allude, the 'feel' of the SEs I played was rather meh. Maybe small sample size. Maybe I just don't gel with that particular neck profile. Who knows. If the latter, then s2 wont help me either. Anyway, the ones I played were not 40% nicer than an Epiphone.
@@gideonvanriet8906 I agree that no matter what price the guitar is, you may or may not like the neck profile. Some Players are more sensitive to this than others. That's not really something you can "fix" per se. Unless its a glossy finish and you want a more satin feel. Right? Now, pickups, while being easy to change can be expensive to buy. Pickups are simple devices so it's possible for "cheap" ones to sound good as long as things like the gauge, number of winds, magnet strength and all are working together for you. But, I would suggest living with them a little bit before you decide to change them just because they came in a cheaper guitar. They might grow on you.
I agree with you on the 'luxurification' (there's no such word) and the globalization. But if we go for the 'millenialization' hypothesis, we prophesize the death and burial of rock'n'roll. Although it is possible - especially in the 'global south' where it has never been such a big thing - all signals we get for the moment from the guitar market don't support it. We'll see.
@@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115not doomsday it’s just talking realistically about the state of the world today and the various outputs as a result. There’s a difference between observing and discussing negative energy, and creating it. There’s no negative energy created here friend ✌️
Tastes shift and, to an extent, keep pace with new generations. As a boomer I value my Les Pauls & Strats because they were there in front of me from childhood up and my heroes played them - they appeared everywhere. As a Millenial your leaning towards PRS is perhaps because it is more 'of your generation' (broadly speaking) and I think Smith started making guitars in the '80s, compared to Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch et al from the '50s. I think the move towards more extreme looking guitars is also 'post '50s classic designs' in a sense - Parker, Steinberg and others all the way up to Strandbergs. Shifts in the music also affects things - no-one of my generation would have wanted a '7 String Metal Shredder with a Carbon Fibre Neck etc.' back in my day because that style was not around yet - no demand. Conversely there is increasingly a new generation craving 'authenticity' (and Gibson does not have a patent on that word . . . yet! 😆) so there are plenty of retro influenced guitars, not to mention the endless Gibson / Fender 're-issues'. It's a bit of a moving target, really, BUT all your points are all well made and absolutely valid as an overview. If PRS, Squier, Epiphone et al continue upping their game (and at least try to keep pricing competitive) to stay in the running that's good for all of us, n'est-pas? Cheers.
It’s a different time. Nobody has a stereo system anymore. Baby boomers are nostalgic. That’s what makes vintage guitars expensive. The truth is that they are old used guitars. The guitars from the sixties played a different role. Nothing matches up with the sixties era. Today the guitar is insignificant compared to what was in its infancy. I am a boomer. Soon we will all be gone. The coming generations will have their own experiences. The guitar is becoming ancient tool. My parents nostalgia was around the big band sound. And famous singers (Bing Crosby). Time moves on. I enjoy my guitars. People my age don’t even know how to sign on to CZcams. Good luck to the younger generations. I have no idea what is coming their way. I think globalism might not work in the end.
Possibly true. We are the lucky it’s generation so far. We have a balance of the work ethic and appreciation of art forms. We also lived to see a vast change in technology and lifestyles. Who knows what the future brings but from what we’re seeing the younger generation has a lot of depression and anxiety, in the west. Not sure about the rest of the world. I like to say I’m getting out just in time! Hopefully later than sooner…….and I want another turn!
I think that as the baby boomer generation becomes less active overall, we'll see a move away from traditional instruments to more specialized forms. I see it already with guitars like the Strandberg. As you know I lost all my guitars, which was very sad. Thankfully I was able to buy another guitar. Now I can play again thank God. But that guitar is truly remarkable. It's specialized in almost every way. It has every feature I desire, including a somewhat niche color. If you look at what Dean guitars is producing. They are going straight for their marketing research. This is what guitarists want. This is what we're making.
So right about Luxurification, also, things in the guitar world are also starting to take from another thing you briefly touched on: Drops. Like the damn sneaker market with the absurd Limitification of things. PRS and Gibson are doing limited runs, and these become desireable, not because they are any better than the normal stuff, but because they are limited. Look at the Mayer Nebula Silver sky. It's just a differnt color, and yet it's worth > 3x the price as a new one. Taste is going to have a massive impact. I don't like sunburst guitars because they make me think of a certain type of player, and I don't want to associate with it.
A major reason why inexpensive guitars are getting better is because of the increasing use of CNC machines to do much of the work. They're quicker, more consistent and overall, probably cheaper than people. That raises its own problems of course.
@@latheofheaven1017 CNC machines have been used to make guitars since the 1970s Its very very very old news It’s like someone in 1966 saying the increasing use of the assembly line to do much of the work makes cars better Yeah…
Overwhelming food for thought. Boomer here. My impression is the cheaper brands are getting more expensive but are still cheaper. The well-off boomer may be able to buy a top of the line guitar, but like the porsche you mention, is really on a status symbol or rock fantasy if the individual isn’t gigging (which I personally believe is the reason to have a top of line guitar; durability through materials and craftsmanship for the professional). As for the rock genre, it’s not dead, but like jazz, it’s there; it exists. It motivates us boomers to buy guitars to live our fantasies in our basements. Seriously, ever other rock and roll song is a poignant anthem to bygone youth of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
More cnc work should allow for more time for fretwork and consistency for it to go quicker. I think is helping produce better guitars. Ive gotten some cheaper stuff that is great and I play as often as my expensive stuff. Stability & reliability will see in time. Cheaper Wood quality or greener woods are probably still also part of this price point. But will these cheaper guitars become throw aways instruments later due to poor wood and cheaper truss rods … Guess we will see. Great content
Very good explanation, approach, expression. Maybe one day a video about the second hand market? 🤔 For me, I personally would like to play many different guitars and try them for a while, but I refuse to pay a lot of money for second hand guitars with high prices. And even more so if they are in the stores or at home for a long time without being used. No care for maintenance. An example a PRS SE custom with new price of about 1000 euros n would buy it for more than 500 second hand. The same for any well-known brand. As an investment? In the very long term maybe, but I think there are better investments. An LP from the 60's, 70's for a lot of money ... is fine to sell, not to buy. Well, if you have time and desire ...... the second hand marker ..... the real one. The real one with the dead ones hanging in the stores or somewhere at home. Greetings from Gran Canaria Christian
I've always valued functionality over brand/style. More and more, I think I'm in a minority. For instance, I have a Mexican Fender Strat with a retro-fitted True Temperament neck. I wouldn't swap it for the most expensive Les Paul on the planet (except so that I could sell it, put together another Strat with a TT neck and pocket the change). That guitar is perfect for me. But I accept that luxurification is a thing.
KPop and Taylor Swift's fanbases are mutually exclusive with Rock-n-Roll enjoyers. Their success will never threaten the wellbeing and greatness of Heavy Metal.
The improvement in higher end guitars is directly due to the newbies, eart, firefly, Harley Benton, cort, etc. Gibson and fender both have cutting edge ( for 2020) electronics but the quality in build is marginal.
@@danpowell5286 When you make a ridiculous comment based on your own personal belief not backed up by any facts or even reality, then sport, you are not worth the effort to educate. You work on imagination, whatever sounds good to you without any reality. If you look at my comments, I looked up the numbers first and got information to base them on. Give that a try. So should the guy running this channel.
Help explain why the Les Paul body is not popular in Asia-Pacifica region? I see more strats in guitar cover videos from that general region. And how can Gibson change that buying behavior?
The world is getting to a point where it’s preference. Manufacturing is reaching a place where all countries have skilled labourers. Having said that, you are talking about a musical instrument. The good ones are just good.
Quality control lags in countries like Indonesia. Also when someone is in a developing country working in a factory building soemthing they have no idea how works or what the finished product should be like, ther is no way they can or wil perform as wel. That's reality
The big changes in the Guitar industry are going to be AI, and how it is going to make the guitar obsolete. Rick Beato did a video on this not long ago. Fully AI songs are being played right now. No need for a guitar or player when you can just use AI to get what you want.
Probably wrong. As wages have risen in China, prices for guitars have declined, not risen. The labor inputs are not that large, and laborers are being replaced by robots and 3D printers.
First: I googled electric guitar sales figures and found that according to manufacturer's data tracking sales demographics, 60% of ALL current guitar players are UNDER 35. Boomers are a SMALL slice of the current guitar market. The cohort you claim will changes sales is already right now the market driving sales. Also guitar sales are robust increasing over 10% yearly since..forever almost.
@@rilmehakonen9688 OMG think BRO, manufacturers collect data on their sales. No sport they don't know every guitar player on earth.DUHHH. but they do know who is buying the bulk of the new product. I trhink this you tube channel is for the mentally challenged. ugh
I don’t think Milennials are into guitar centric music like Boomers and Gen X which I think is going to impact the guitar industry. I see fewer guitars being sold compared to for past generations
Comletley FALSE do a websearch on the topic. Data from manufacturers show that sales have increased and average of 15% each of the last ten years. That sounds like booming not bust. According to the data Fender collects, 60% of all guitar players are under 35
Of course the world's most cartoonishly material-oriented clone of reagan would pitch prosperity as impending doom. Yeah, guy. We need the poors to be poorer uh huh
Costs of things throws me. CNC machines should make stuff with less labor more accurately. We know through time how to do things more effectively and efficiently. Thus stuff should cost less not more. Secondly with the internet you've diffused much of the pack mentality potentially. If you want to learn Gregorian chant, surf guitar and pursue that or baking muffins you can find a group of others all about love for near any subject. People need to just unlearn pop culture because they now can reach out into their existential bliss
Good points. Just adding more issues for the sake of constructive discussion. Mechanisation is also a more general problem. The world can I'll afford to shed even more jobs. Suppose, the dynamics discussed by the speaker might lead us there anyway. If trade regimes were different, the East might not have been this competitive today. But, that's a different (normative) debate.
Guitars were sold on merrit. Nowadays they sell a brand or make. Why are there so many good sub $1000 guitars of non big brands? Because Fender, Gibson etc. have become slaves of Thomann etc. The big ones now sell guitars due to spreadsheets, 1000 guitars an hour as an example. The shops have a contract with Fender , Gibson et al. and want a delivery as agreed. Now shidt hits the fan and quality control is ditched (not as intended) and rejects go to the shops (in particular the little ones) deluting the brand name. Now other makes step in with QC ok and fair after sales for customer as reseller. Et voila your brand is downhill, try stop this...
Bet your wrong. West specifically, the U.S. is pulling back from being the police for global trade. NATO may collapse due to its expansion away from the North Atlantic into Europe. Yeah, get ready and the draft isn't a thing kids.
I don’t think he’s miserable , he’s a realist. Too many fools live in fantasy land and feel entitled nowadays. They’ll all unfortunately have to learn lessons in life the hard way.
Some great points. I’m 59 and started recognizing these things about 10 years ago and saw things slowly trend this way and then with the “pandemic ” lockdown it accelerated at a rapid pace. I began trying to explain these things to my American contemporaries without much success or concern on their part. It’s only been recently that I notice it starting to finally sink in and I have started seeing comments from others that I was making 3 or even more years ago. Thanks!! Love your channel.
In 57, what I’ve noticed in my life is that when I was young it was luxury items that were expensive: watches, cars. Now it the essentials that have become expensive: food, houses, health care. Again, accelerated by the pandemic. I think there is a fourth reason: the loss of care and reduction of social responsibility
I think this gentleman is spot on. As a late boomer, agree with his summation of our generation. He is also spot on about South Asia/The Global South being the big growth area. More and more companies are looking to move from China. The handwriting is on the wall re Taiwan. However, the real reason is that labor costs have risen substantially and the Chinese will no longer work for low wages. Also labor unrest and the younger generation "lying flat" as the Chinese would say. Going to be interesting times for sure. Great work with the Channel!
Will bounce back to China. Moves in cycles.
Not only guitars but everything else.
Absolutely 💯 indeed
My most expensive guitar (PRS Studio) had to be shipped back to the factory TWICE to fix a bridge pickup grounding issue. Even PRS USA screws up sometimes.
Oh ya , like when ? An example please.
Any manufacturer can have an issue with a guitar. What matters is what they do when there is a problem. Gibson, Fender, PRS..stand behind their guitars. Defective models get replaced or repaired no hassles. The cheap guitar off Amazon, or AliBaba etc..good luck. you have a problem? too bad.
@@benallmark9671
He literally just gave an example.
Musical tastes and A.I. collaboration will decide if kinetic instruments will be included in the future. You can ask A.I. to create just about anything. Just enjoy playing and remember, they play Harp in Heaven! Thanks for your time and insight.
The world and big companies will ruin all human creativity and art... Unless people start doing something about it.
Stop buying crap.
I won’t e holding my breath.
I build a few guitars a year purely for the art so I appreciate the way you think.
What are you talking about ? It’s the small companies coping everything the big companies are doing.
Companies copy with a fender single coil or Gibson humbucker .
Then the small companies copy a fender design or Gibson design.
Do tell us how Gibson Fender Prs etc are ruining creativity..This should be interesting..Oh btw..someone COPYING their products is the opposite of creatitivity. Creativity is coming up with something new on your own.
I love my cheap EART T380 from Amazon.
Totally functional (with bonus of ss frets, rolled edges etc) for very affordable price.
Trickle down effect is happening for sure.
Also Chinese-made guitars are also improving, this is not magic, but the quality of Chinese-made products are being improved in all sectors.
I got two very affordable guitars (€800 combined). The only guitar I can think of is a resonator. Ry Cooder and the blues guys 😅
Sliding up & down and making a pleasant noise 🤠
Fender has such guitar at about €500 (PR-180E). 😎
Next year I will think of a Gretsch I want (G 5622T) 🤠
Well-stated and insightful observations, but the main takeaway for me isn’t that guitars are going to be overall more expensive, but that the world’s populations are becoming more prosperous. That’s a great thing in principle, but problematic if population growth doesn’t taper off dramatically this century. There already aren’t enough resources, they say, to support a global middle class.
Great talk. Thanks for your work...
I predict Ai will enable end to end automation of the production of cheap guitars, its already about 75% there. The cost of nice guitars made overseas however is only marginally less than US or European made guitars.
Great video! One point on which I disagree is the functionality of the Core PRS over the SE version. Aesthetics aside, one major factor that separates the two from a manufacturing perspective is the preparation of the woods. Core PRS woods go through a long process of drying and preparation before the guitars are built. Doing so ensures the finished guitar is as stable as possible. Other manufacturing details down the assembly line also add to the instruments longevity and durability that the SE line skip-- as those guitars are built to a much lower price point. Granted, the SE line feature some fantastic guitars, but if long term dependability is important, the Core line has the edge. That said, the Indonesian made instruments are absolutely fantastic for the price.
Do they hold their value like the core models do ?
I have never had a guitar break due to wood drying issues. Don't drink the PRS CoolAid. Piece of wood and metal the guitars are made from are not going to break down during your lifetime.
If anything, the core models will break down sooner, due to using nitro lacquer as opposed to poly.
@@zyzzyx3160 Everyone has their own experience. I've been playing for over 40-years and have had necks twist and warp over time-- mostly Gibsons believe it or not. Most common failures I've had are in the twisting of necks and poor quality fret wire that wore down after just a few years. Also, being a woodworker myself, I know first hand the importance of preparation before building. Regarding finishes, I have a 1st-year Carvin SC90 that developed some funkiness under its poly finish. A repair on that guitar would require a full strip & refinish, where nitro could be repaired easier, but it doesn't affect function, so it doesn't bother me. Naturally YMMV~
I have tested two SE's in my life. Both were fine, but I wasn't swayed to buy one. Where I live in South Africa, they are not THAT affordable, taking into account the purchasing power we have. Moreover, I am not paying that for something that says 'student edition' on it. One would be forgiven if one finds that slightly insulting (to be clear, I am not saying you have insulted me - it's more the situation). It might be entry level money elsewhere. Not here. The nuances of purchasing power in particular contexts are important, but does not detract from your general point or the absolute joy of finding your channel😊
Your loss
@@juanvaldez5422 Happy to be convinced, try a few others etc. Was thinking of saving up and in a year or two try the new s2 range. A lot of money, but possibly a better value play, given the older SEs I have tried.
There are cnc machines on every continent making highly precise bodies and necks. The things that make expensive guitars expensive are just a persons time. If you have a few basic tools like a fret rocker and some files, a dremel, etcetera, you realize that you can take just about any guitar and have it play and feel as good as any of those behind Utkarsh. So you got it playing great, but it doesn't sound good? Well, swapping pickups is easier than the fretwork that you can do yourself. But, if you want to pay a company an extra grand to do it for you, it's strange to me but people do it all the time.
@@allenmitchell09 Hehe, valid points, but have you seen the prices and supply of pups in our market? New, good pups (when available) pretty much covers the distance between the SE and S2. But, as you allude, the 'feel' of the SEs I played was rather meh. Maybe small sample size. Maybe I just don't gel with that particular neck profile. Who knows. If the latter, then s2 wont help me either. Anyway, the ones I played were not 40% nicer than an Epiphone.
@@gideonvanriet8906 I agree that no matter what price the guitar is, you may or may not like the neck profile. Some Players are more sensitive to this than others. That's not really something you can "fix" per se. Unless its a glossy finish and you want a more satin feel. Right?
Now, pickups, while being easy to change can be expensive to buy. Pickups are simple devices so it's possible for "cheap" ones to sound good as long as things like the gauge, number of winds, magnet strength and all are working together for you. But, I would suggest living with them a little bit before you decide to change them just because they came in a cheaper guitar. They might grow on you.
I agree with you on the 'luxurification' (there's no such word) and the globalization. But if we go for the 'millenialization' hypothesis, we prophesize the death and burial of rock'n'roll. Although it is possible - especially in the 'global south' where it has never been such a big thing - all signals we get for the moment from the guitar market don't support it. We'll see.
Everyone forgets GenX- don’t worry about it we prefer it that way.
Not Fender , they made a made in Mexico Mike McCready strat with made in US price tag for us ;)
You should rename the channel to "Doomsday prediction guitars", all your video titles are dramatic with kind if a negative tone.. 🤪
@@jfn467 is he in the wrong?
@@nosotrosloslobosestamosreg4115not doomsday it’s just talking realistically about the state of the world today and the various outputs as a result. There’s a difference between observing and discussing negative energy, and creating it. There’s no negative energy created here friend ✌️
For those of us with the capacity to see the truth it’s merely reality.
Ten bucks Swami here also has a "Climate Change" fear porn channel too 😅
@@scottdunn2178 what an ignorant statement in SO many ways
Tastes shift and, to an extent, keep pace with new generations. As a boomer I value my Les Pauls & Strats because they were there in front of me from childhood up and my heroes played them - they appeared everywhere. As a Millenial your leaning towards PRS is perhaps because it is more 'of your generation' (broadly speaking) and I think Smith started making guitars in the '80s, compared to Fender, Gibson, Epiphone, Gretsch et al from the '50s. I think the move towards more extreme looking guitars is also 'post '50s classic designs' in a sense - Parker, Steinberg and others all the way up to Strandbergs. Shifts in the music also affects things - no-one of my generation would have wanted a '7 String Metal Shredder with a Carbon Fibre Neck etc.' back in my day because that style was not around yet - no demand. Conversely there is increasingly a new generation craving 'authenticity' (and Gibson does not have a patent on that word . . . yet! 😆) so there are plenty of retro influenced guitars, not to mention the endless Gibson / Fender 're-issues'. It's a bit of a moving target, really, BUT all your points are all well made and absolutely valid as an overview. If PRS, Squier, Epiphone et al continue upping their game (and at least try to keep pricing competitive) to stay in the running that's good for all of us, n'est-pas? Cheers.
It’s a different time. Nobody has a stereo system anymore. Baby boomers are nostalgic. That’s what makes vintage guitars expensive. The truth is that they are old used guitars.
The guitars from the sixties played a different role. Nothing matches up with the sixties era. Today the guitar is insignificant compared to what was in its infancy. I am a boomer. Soon we will all be gone. The coming generations will have their own experiences. The guitar is becoming ancient tool. My parents nostalgia was around the big band sound. And famous singers (Bing Crosby). Time moves on. I enjoy my guitars. People my age don’t even know how to sign on to CZcams. Good luck to the younger generations. I have no idea what is coming their way. I think globalism might not work in the end.
Possibly true. We are the lucky it’s generation so far. We have a balance of the work ethic and appreciation of art forms. We also lived to see a vast change in technology and lifestyles. Who knows what the future brings but from what we’re seeing the younger generation has a lot of depression and anxiety, in the west. Not sure about the rest of the world.
I like to say I’m getting out just in time! Hopefully later than sooner…….and I want another turn!
@JacobS-q7c
Rebea is cool. He got an old Les Paul custom at Normans
Makes a lot of sense. Thanks, Utkarsh.
I think that as the baby boomer generation becomes less active overall, we'll see a move away from traditional instruments to more specialized forms. I see it already with guitars like the Strandberg. As you know I lost all my guitars, which was very sad. Thankfully I was able to buy another guitar. Now I can play again thank God. But that guitar is truly remarkable. It's specialized in almost every way. It has every feature I desire, including a somewhat niche color. If you look at what Dean guitars is producing. They are going straight for their marketing research. This is what guitarists want. This is what we're making.
It start in the shops. Out of four shops at proximity three are a very bad experience to go to.
So right about Luxurification, also, things in the guitar world are also starting to take from another thing you briefly touched on: Drops. Like the damn sneaker market with the absurd Limitification of things. PRS and Gibson are doing limited runs, and these become desireable, not because they are any better than the normal stuff, but because they are limited. Look at the Mayer Nebula Silver sky. It's just a differnt color, and yet it's worth > 3x the price as a new one.
Taste is going to have a massive impact. I don't like sunburst guitars because they make me think of a certain type of player, and I don't want to associate with it.
A major reason why inexpensive guitars are getting better is because of the increasing use of CNC machines to do much of the work. They're quicker, more consistent and overall, probably cheaper than people. That raises its own problems of course.
@@latheofheaven1017 CNC machines have been used to make guitars since the 1970s
Its very very very old news
It’s like someone in 1966 saying the increasing use of the assembly line to do much of the work makes cars better
Yeah…
Overwhelming food for thought. Boomer here. My impression is the cheaper brands are getting more expensive but are still cheaper. The well-off boomer may be able to buy a top of the line guitar, but like the porsche you mention, is really on a status symbol or rock fantasy if the individual isn’t gigging (which I personally believe is the reason to have a top of line guitar; durability through materials and craftsmanship for the professional). As for the rock genre, it’s not dead, but like jazz, it’s there; it exists. It motivates us boomers to buy guitars to live our fantasies in our basements. Seriously, ever other rock and roll song is a poignant anthem to bygone youth of the 50s, 60s and 70s.
More cnc work should allow for more time for fretwork and consistency for it to go quicker.
I think is helping produce better guitars. Ive gotten some cheaper stuff that is great and I play as often as my expensive stuff. Stability & reliability will see in time. Cheaper Wood quality or greener woods are probably still also part of this price point. But will these cheaper guitars become throw aways instruments later due to poor wood and cheaper truss rods … Guess we will see. Great content
Just like with turntables automation has taken quality back instead of forward. They sell bullshidt.
My Dad said "all ads are lies" & then died, maybe that's why it stuck. Never have found him to be wrong, in 6 decades, so far....
Very good explanation, approach, expression.
Maybe one day a video about the second hand market? 🤔
For me, I personally would like to play many different guitars and try them for a while, but I refuse to pay a lot of money for second hand guitars with high prices. And even more so if they are in the stores or at home for a long time without being used. No care for maintenance.
An example a PRS SE custom with new price of about 1000 euros n would buy it for more than 500 second hand. The same for any well-known brand. As an investment? In the very long term maybe, but I think there are better investments.
An LP from the 60's, 70's for a lot of money ... is fine to sell, not to buy.
Well, if you have time and desire ...... the second hand marker ..... the real one. The real one with the dead ones hanging in the stores or somewhere at home.
Greetings from Gran Canaria
Christian
Very interesting analysis ! Thank you for sharing !
I've always valued functionality over brand/style. More and more, I think I'm in a minority. For instance, I have a Mexican Fender Strat with a retro-fitted True Temperament neck. I wouldn't swap it for the most expensive Les Paul on the planet (except so that I could sell it, put together another Strat with a TT neck and pocket the change). That guitar is perfect for me.
But I accept that luxurification is a thing.
Love your channel
KPop and Taylor Swift's fanbases are mutually exclusive with Rock-n-Roll enjoyers. Their success will never threaten the wellbeing and greatness of Heavy Metal.
The improvement in higher end guitars is directly due to the newbies, eart, firefly, Harley Benton, cort, etc. Gibson and fender both have cutting edge ( for 2020) electronics but the quality in build is marginal.
Nonsensical
@@markde9904 one is enlightened by these extremely specific comments. Oh wait, one liner euphemisms without content.
@@danpowell5286 When you make a ridiculous comment based on your own personal belief not backed up by any facts or even reality, then sport, you are not worth the effort to educate. You work on imagination, whatever sounds good to you without any reality. If you look at my comments, I looked up the numbers first and got information to base them on. Give that a try. So should the guy running this channel.
Help explain why the Les Paul body is not popular in Asia-Pacifica region? I see more strats in guitar cover videos from that general region. And how can Gibson change that buying behavior?
Strat copies are cheaper and easier to make. Next question
The world is getting to a point where it’s preference. Manufacturing is reaching a place where all countries have skilled labourers.
Having said that, you are talking about a musical instrument. The good ones are just good.
Quality control lags in countries like Indonesia. Also when someone is in a developing country working in a factory building soemthing they have no idea how works or what the finished product should be like, ther is no way they can or wil perform as wel. That's reality
The big changes in the Guitar industry are going to be AI, and how it is going to make the guitar obsolete. Rick Beato did a video on this not long ago. Fully AI songs are being played right now. No need for a guitar or player when you can just use AI to get what you want.
What a great video
Great video
Yep. Expensive brands are much more reliable. Not once did a headstock fall off of my cheap guitars. You only get that with a real Gibson!
Nice analysis 👍
Probably wrong. As wages have risen in China, prices for guitars have declined, not risen. The labor inputs are not that large, and laborers are being replaced by robots and 3D printers.
What is the name of your podcast?
His name. See 00:50
Utkarsh mohan
Not a fan of H1-B visas or Amazon for that matter. End of the American empire folks. It was nice while it lasted.
In the history of empires every single empire thought that it will last forever.
First: I googled electric guitar sales figures and found that according to manufacturer's data tracking sales demographics, 60% of ALL current guitar players are UNDER 35. Boomers are a SMALL slice of the current guitar market. The cohort you claim will changes sales is already right now the market driving sales. Also guitar sales are robust increasing over 10% yearly since..forever almost.
Think what you are saying! I'm over 35 and play guitar. "Manufacturers" don't know that.
@@rilmehakonen9688 OMG think BRO, manufacturers collect data on their sales. No sport they don't know every guitar player on earth.DUHHH. but they do know who is buying the bulk of the new product. I trhink this you tube channel is for the mentally challenged. ugh
I don’t think Milennials are into guitar centric music like Boomers and Gen X which I think is going to impact the guitar industry. I see fewer guitars being sold compared to for past generations
Comletley FALSE do a websearch on the topic. Data from manufacturers show that sales have increased and average of 15% each of the last ten years. That sounds like booming not bust. According to the data Fender collects, 60% of all guitar players are under 35
Of course the world's most cartoonishly material-oriented clone of reagan would pitch prosperity as impending doom. Yeah, guy. We need the poors to be poorer uh huh
Costs of things throws me. CNC machines should make stuff with less labor more accurately. We know through time how to do things more effectively and efficiently. Thus stuff should cost less not more. Secondly with the internet you've diffused much of the pack mentality potentially. If you want to learn Gregorian chant, surf guitar and pursue that or baking muffins you can find a group of others all about love for near any subject. People need to just unlearn pop culture because they now can reach out into their existential bliss
Good points. Just adding more issues for the sake of constructive discussion. Mechanisation is also a more general problem. The world can I'll afford to shed even more jobs. Suppose, the dynamics discussed by the speaker might lead us there anyway. If trade regimes were different, the East might not have been this competitive today. But, that's a different (normative) debate.
Guitars were sold on merrit. Nowadays they sell a brand or make.
Why are there so many good sub $1000 guitars of non big brands? Because Fender, Gibson etc. have become slaves of Thomann etc.
The big ones now sell guitars due to spreadsheets, 1000 guitars an hour as an example.
The shops have a contract with Fender , Gibson et al. and want a delivery as agreed.
Now shidt hits the fan and quality control is ditched (not as intended) and rejects go to the shops (in particular the little ones) deluting the brand name.
Now other makes step in with QC ok and fair after sales for customer as reseller.
Et voila your brand is downhill, try stop this...
Guitars have ALWAYS been sold on brand. Certain fetaures, and quality level are associated with certain brands.
good stuff...as usual. you be one smart young fella...clearly would vote GOP (where common sense reigns) were you a 'Merican. LOL
As an aside.......the Global South is rising as the West collapses.
Ya because it’s being forced to happen. Does this make you happy ?
Bet your wrong. West specifically, the U.S. is pulling back from being the police for global trade. NATO may collapse due to its expansion away from the North Atlantic into Europe. Yeah, get ready and the draft isn't a thing kids.
Watch out, Kamala Harris will destroy all electric guitars on the planet!
DELETE WOKENESS ALL ELSE WILL FALL IN LINE
The Ministry of Pessimism more like. Dude are you always this miserable? 🤦♂️
I don’t think he’s miserable , he’s a realist. Too many fools live in fantasy land and feel entitled nowadays. They’ll all unfortunately have to learn lessons in life the hard way.
Yawn.
It's called China