Activism Change

Gibson Les Paul prices and inflation

Question:

We still live in a free-market society? Just a thought to ponder… — – Brandon Combs

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I see a lot of posts where people talk about the 70’s and 80’s when they could buy a new Les Paul Standard for under $1000. In the early 80’s when players were rushing out in flocks to buy super-strat’s because of VanHalen, Les Paul prices plumetted.  I know of a guy who has an ‘80 Les Paul with a gorgeous top that he paid in the $600 range for new back then.  The same guitar today would probably be over $3000. These days, of course, you need at least $2000-3000 to buy a new Les Paul Standard. This is not quite accurate.  You can buy a brand new Standard with ebony finish for around $1500 – $1700.  Bursts of course will be more. My question is this – inflation goes up at an AVERAGE rate of 2% every year, a rate that even Alan Greenspan cannot be expected to reduce, so with that in mind, are Gibson Les Pauls overpriced due to inflation or due to Gibson’s greed? They get the $ because people are buying them.  If sales fell off (as they have in the past on a few occasions), the prices would naturally drop due to the laws of supply and demand in a free-market society. From what I understand, Les Pauls these days are NOT being made better than what they were in the 60’s and 70’s, so Gibson can’t claim that the price raise is due to a signifant improvement in quality, right? The quality is hit and miss, but you can find a really nice one still. That said, I bought a new Les Paul Classic in Honeyburst for $1329 delivered to my door.  The only differences between it and a standard are pickups and the 1960 neck profile (which I prefer). Regards, Jeff

Response:

These days, of course, you need at least $2000-3000 to buy a new Les Paul Standard. This is not quite accurate.  You can buy a brand new Standard with ebony finish for around $1500 – $1700.  Bursts of course will be more.

I agree.  I just bought a LP Classic from a store which also had a Standard in Cherry Sunburst with some nice grain figures for $1950.  That isn’t cheap but it isn’t $3000 either. Jim

Response:

Hey ,you pay it one time ,you now have a guitar that is very high quality,that will last a lifetime. A little pricey,yes ,indeed. But then consider youre preception of guitar playing. Is this just a passing thing to be replaced by another hobby ,or are you IN(for life).Hell ,i like the best of all things in life and deserve it!!!  &3,Mike

Response:

ahaha, four telecasters HAHAH…er….four…telecasters….  *zips to

store* The original poster mentioned $2000-$3000. I got my Am. St. Tele for just under $700. Four of those would be under three grand. Mike Sandler

Response:

Gibson prices their products as high as they possibly can and still make sales quotas.  It’s basic to capitalism which is the free market economics our country (at least my country – USA)  has built upon.   Unfortunately, our school systems don’t seem to educate the populace regarding this most basic principle. If I were in Gibson’s shoes, I’d price them as high as possible too. How about you? Amen to capitalism brother!

Response:

Gibson prices their products as high as they possibly can and still make sales quotas.  It’s basic to capitalism which is the free market economics our country (at least my country – USA)  has built upon.   Unfortunately, our school systems don’t seem to educate the populace regarding this most basic principle. If I were in Gibson’s shoes, I’d price them as high as possible too. How about you?

Yep, and if everyone who thought Gibson’s prices were ridiculous yet paid their money anyway had chosen NOT to do so the prices would be much lower. Of course that would probably make them more attainable and popular and thus less prized. Personally, I’m just not going to pay that for their guitars. I could afford to but I just choose not to afford it.

Response:

Your country was once my country. Today’s version was built upon genocide, slavery, the oppression of women, and environmental destruction.

Yeah, true.  Pretty much like most wealthy countries in history. There’s a lot the governmental schools don’t educate the populace about. That’s why I teach my children at home during the grade school years.

If the government would let us pick, that wouldn’t be needed, and I respect your decision and efforts. No thanks, I like to think I still have a conscience. Sorry about the disappearance of yours.

I would price them reasonably, but still make a good profit, especially if demand is high.  But making sure my customers today don’t feel like they got milked is a good way to make them a customer tomorrow, too.  And it’s just plain good business and good ethics. Matt I. speaking only for myself

Response:

Ah, yes, good old corporate greed in action.

Yeah, that’s what corporations are created to do, make money. Find me a non-profit guitar maker. Your country was once my country. Today’s version was built upon genocide, slavery, the oppression of women, and environmental destruction.

Well if Gore wins the White House I’m moving to Mexico where a man can still have some freedom. Exactly how was the country built on the oppression of women? Women were oppressed throughout all of recorded history with the largest gains towards equality coming this century (when the USA has emerged to the forefront) and most starting in the USA. BTW, contrary to the twisted romantic notion that women "won" their rights, the reality is that the greedy, white, male, corporate pigs GAVE them those rights. I don’t recall hearing of any armed revolution by women to secure their rights. Power was given away by people who could have just as well NOT done so. Stop all the damn whining about the past and at least have the decency to be historically accurate. Its like when I hear black people claim that the white man enslaved them. Well, it was white men that ended slavery as well. Not to mention the people whining about it never were slaves and the people they direct their whining at never were enslavers. There’s a lot the governmental schools don’t educate the populace about. That’s why I teach my children at home during the grade school years.

A socialist agenda that is all emotional dribble? Let’s go get the rich folks! That’s why life sucks, because THEY are rich! If anything they need to teach less of some things, especially the US Constitution. I mean damn, what do they expect when they teach you that you have these rights and then time and again they blatently violate them. No wonder why there are so many right-wing wackos running around, THEY CAN READ and don’t get why they were told they had rights that they do not possess. Its very frustrating, no wonder people are blowing up buildings! No thanks, I like to think I still have a conscience. Sorry about the disappearance of yours.

For crying out loud we’re talking about this thread is talking about the prices of guitars here not food and basic life-sustaining necessities!!! But let me guess, to you a guitar is a life-sustaining necessity that you have a right to. I suppose you have a right to a nice house and car too and cable TV as well and the right to not have to see other people surpass you. I’ll bet you immediately identify yourself as a "have-not" when you hear that expression, right?

Response:

I’m watchin’ you Nortin’! —- KNIGHTRANGER – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Gibson prices their products as high as they possibly can and still make sales quotas.  It’s basic to capitalism which is the free market economics our country (at least my country – USA)  has built upon.   Unfortunately, our school systems don’t seem to educate the populace regarding this most basic principle. If I were in Gibson’s shoes, I’d price them as high as possible too. How about you? Amen to capitalism brother!

Response:

One can also buy at the bottom of the line.  I haven’t played many guitars that are comparably priced to my Les Paul Special ($529 new) that I liked as much.

Response:

I should also point out that there is a reason why the Les Paul, and of course the Stratocaster, are so popular: they are great guitars that people just keep coming back to.  Both have been around for around 50 years, and both have been copied so much that it tells of what classic designs these are.  Many guitars have come and gone, including some pointy, droopy headstock guitars of the 80’s, and yet Les Paul’s are in more demand than ever. Given that, one has a few choices: – Pay the $ for a new LP – Pay the $ for a used LP – Buy a copy – Have one custom made – Go with a completely different guitar I have yet to play one that was either custom made or a copy that felt, played, or sounded like the original, including Epiphone. Jeff

Response:

It’s called supply and demand. When the demand is higher then the supply you raise the price and try to get a good balance between the two. This is how most businesses operate. Try to order a new Les Paul, they are back ordered for 45 to 90 days. If you walk into almost any music store you will most likely see a wall of Fenders. Their supply is high so their prices are lower.

I’ve seen walls of untouched Les Pauls, too.  And companies like PRS and such have 9 *month* waits no new orders.  Sure, their prices aren’t cheap, but they haven’t gone up the way Gibson’s have. I think Gibson may be overpricing its supply, and causing some buyers to go elsewhere as a result.  But only time will tell if the Gibson name is enough to get them past this dark period in their history. Matt I. speaking only for myself

Response:

They are not worth what they are selling for. You could get a hand made custom guitar for what Gibson wants for their mass produced machine made guitars. I think what makes the guitar so expensive is the Gibson logo on the head stock. Take that off and you got a guitar that would easily sell for under a thousand bucks. Fender falls into the same category of making over priced mass produced guitars. Michael – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This may be a stupid question to some, but here goes… I see a lot of posts where people talk about the 70’s and 80’s when they could buy a new Les Paul Standard for under $1000. These days, of course, you need at least $2000-3000 to buy a new Les Paul Standard. My question is this – inflation goes up at an AVERAGE rate of 2% every year, a rate that even Alan Greenspan cannot be expected to reduce, so with that in mind, are Gibson Les Pauls overpriced due to inflation or due to Gibson’s greed? From what I understand, Les Pauls these days are NOT being made better than what they were in the 60’s and 70’s, so Gibson can’t claim that the price raise is due to a signifant improvement in quality, right? I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high. I have nothing against them, in fact I’d love to own one! I am in my early twenties now, so maybe I might actually save enough to get one before turning 30! Yay!

Response:

The definition of predictability . — – Brandon Combs – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – For all that money you could buy four Telecasters. Mike Sandler

Response:

Gibson prices their products as high as they possibly can and still make sales quotas.

Ah, yes, good old corporate greed in action. It’s basic to capitalism which is the free market economics our country (at least my country – USA) has built upon.

Your country was once my country. Today’s version was built upon genocide, slavery, the oppression of women, and environmental destruction. Unfortunately, our school systems don’t seem to educate the populace regarding this most basic principle.

There’s a lot the governmental schools don’t educate the populace about. That’s why I teach my children at home during the grade school years. If I were in Gibson’s shoes, I’d price them as high as possible too. How about you?

No thanks, I like to think I still have a conscience. Sorry about the disappearance of yours. — Todd Tamanend Clark Poet/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Activist Autonomous American Indian Movement of Pennsylvania West Virginia Native American Coalition http://www.infoteam.com/nonprofit/wvnamco http://www.annihilist.com/cgi-bin/profiles.cgi?step=view_all http://www.guitargeek.com/layouts/display.php3?id=236 Before you buy.

Response:

I see a lot of posts where people talk about the 70’s and 80’s when they could buy a new Les Paul Standard for under $1000. These days, of course, you need at least $2000-3000 to buy a new Les Paul Standard. My question is this – inflation goes up at an AVERAGE rate of 2% every year, a rate that even Alan Greenspan cannot be expected to reduce, so with that in mind, are Gibson Les Pauls overpriced due to inflation or due to Gibson’s greed?

A little bit inflation, a lot Gibson’s greed. From what I understand, Les Pauls these days are NOT being made better than what they were in the 60’s and 70’s, so Gibson can’t claim that the price raise is due to a significant improvement in quality, right?

Right. I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high. I have nothing against them, in fact I’d love to own one! I am in my early twenties now, so maybe I might actually save enough to get one before turning 30!

What I personally plan to do is get a Les Paul Studio Gothic Edition for somewhere in the $800 range. I like its nasty multitone black on black design, and it is relatively almost as good a guitar as the Les Paul Standard. I still wish Les Pauls were currently being offered with whammy bars, however, and that Gibson would discontinue those ugly orange and pink cases. At least Gibson Les Pauls and SGs will fit in the black and gray Epiphone cases, although Flying-Vs will not. — Todd Tamanend Clark Poet/Composer/Multi-Instrumentalist/Activist Autonomous American Indian Movement of Pennsylvania West Virginia Native American Coalition http://www.infoteam.com/nonprofit/wvnamco http://www.annihilist.com/cgi-bin/profiles.cgi?step=view_all http://www.guitargeek.com/layouts/display.php3?id=236 Before you buy.

Response:

You might also consider finding a luthier whose work speaks for itself,

and commissioning a "one off" custom Les Paul copy of your own.  You’ll end up with a nicer instrument than you’ll ever get from Gibson for less than you would pay for a Gibson Les Paul custom.  Go figure.  Good luck. Peace,  Dennis Before you buy.

Response:

ahaha, four telecasters HAHAH…er….four…telecasters….  *zips to store* Brian – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –   I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high. I have nothing against them, in fact I’d love to own one! I am in my early twenties now, so maybe I might actually save enough to get one before turning 30! Yay! For all that money you could buy four Telecasters. Mike Sandler

Response:

  I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high. I have nothing against them, in fact I’d love to own one! I am in my early twenties now, so maybe I might actually save enough to get one before turning 30! Yay! For all that money you could buy four Telecasters.

There a lot of Les Paul-alikes you can get for lots less. One of my current faves is the Guild Bluesbird, but Hamer and Heritage also make some fine, fine guitars…and there are other brands out there. I go think Gibson is coasting on the Gibson name. Don’t pay more just because it says Gibson on the headstock! Dan

Response:

Todd Clark responded: to: are Gibson Les Pauls overpriced due to inflation or due to Gibson’s greed?

 with:  A little bit inflation, a lot Gibson’s greed. Gibson prices their products as high as they possibly can and still make sales quotas.  It’s basic to capitalism which is the free market economics our country (at least my country – USA)  has built upon.   Unfortunately, our school systems don’t seem to educate the populace regarding this most basic principle. If I were in Gibson’s shoes, I’d price them as high as possible too. How about you?   Joel

Response:

It’s called supply and demand. When the demand is higher then the supply you raise the price and try to get a good balance between the two. This is how most businesses operate. Try to order a new Les Paul, they are back ordered for 45 to 90 days. If you walk into almost any music store you will most likely see a wall of Fenders. Their supply is high so their prices are lower. Jerry Buseck

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – This may be a stupid question to some, but here goes… I see a lot of posts where people talk about the 70’s and 80’s when they could buy a new Les Paul Standard for under $1000. These days, of course, you need at least $2000-3000 to buy a new Les Paul Standard. My question is this – inflation goes up at an AVERAGE rate of 2% every year, a rate that even Alan Greenspan cannot be expected to reduce, so with that in mind, are Gibson Les Pauls overpriced due to inflation or due to Gibson’s greed? From what I understand, Les Pauls these days are NOT being made better than what they were in the 60’s and 70’s, so Gibson can’t claim that the price raise is due to a signifant improvement in quality, right? I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high. I have nothing against them, in fact I’d love to own one! I am in my early twenties now, so maybe I might actually save enough to get one before turning 30! Yay!

Response:

I see a lot of posts where people talk about the 70’s and 80’s when they could buy a new Les Paul Standard for under $1000.

In the early 80’s when players were rushing out in flocks to buy super-strat’s because of VanHalen, Les Paul prices plumetted.  I know of a guy who has an ‘80 Les Paul with a gorgeous top that he paid in the $600 range for new back then.  The same guitar today would probably be over $3000. These days, of course, you need at least $2000-3000 to buy a new Les Paul Standard.

This is not quite accurate.  You can buy a brand new Standard with ebony finish for around $1500 – $1700.  Bursts of course will be more. My question is this – inflation goes up at an AVERAGE rate of 2% every year, a rate that even Alan Greenspan cannot be expected to reduce, so with that in mind, are Gibson Les Pauls overpriced due to inflation or due to Gibson’s greed?

They get the $ because people are buying them.  If sales fell off (as they have in the past on a few occasions), the prices would naturally drop due to the laws of supply and demand in a free-market society. From what I understand, Les Pauls these days are NOT being made better than what they were in the 60’s and 70’s, so Gibson can’t claim that the price raise is due to a signifant improvement in quality, right?

The quality is hit and miss, but you can find a really nice one still. That said, I bought a new Les Paul Classic in Honeyburst for $1329 delivered to my door.  The only differences between it and a standard are pickups and the 1960 neck profile (which I prefer). Regards, Jeff

Response:

From what I understand, Les Pauls these days are NOT being made better than what they were in the 60’s and 70’s, I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high.

You dare question the almighty Gibson juggernaut? Don’t you know that you’re just suppose to keep your mouth shut and pay whatever they tell you to? You sir should be caned for your impudence! Crushed like a bug under the weight of Gibson’s fabulousness (is that a word?) and swept aside so that you can’t currupt others with your "commie" attitude! Of course I kid you. I too am trying to start a revolt against our cruel master, but we must be careful not to draw attention to ourselves lest we be tortured and killed for our beliefs! There are those who would go to extreme measures to silence the likes of me, but my voice will be heard even if it makes me a martyr! So fight the good fight brother and hit Gibson where it will hurt them the most… Buy Fender!!!! If you don’t hear from me again comrads, you know what happened to me… — FutureFrog; The most advanced frog there is, yet still in touch with the common frog… now let’s all sing together! "Hello My Baby, Hello My Honey, Hello My Ragtime Gal…"            - Axeman Before you buy.

Response:

  I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high. I have nothing against them, in fact I’d love to own one! I am in my early twenties now, so maybe I might actually save enough to get one before turning 30! Yay!

For all that money you could buy four Telecasters. Mike Sandler

Response:

This may be a stupid question to some, but here goes… I see a lot of posts where people talk about the 70’s and 80’s when they could buy a new Les Paul Standard for under $1000. These days, of course, you need at least $2000-3000 to buy a new Les Paul Standard. My question is this – inflation goes up at an AVERAGE rate of 2% every year, a rate that even Alan Greenspan cannot be expected to reduce, so with that in mind, are Gibson Les Pauls overpriced due to inflation or due to Gibson’s greed? From what I understand, Les Pauls these days are NOT being made better than what they were in the 60’s and 70’s, so Gibson can’t claim that the price raise is due to a signifant improvement in quality, right? I hope someone can explain to me why Gibson Les Pauls are priced so high. I have nothing against them, in fact I’d love to own one! I am in my early twenties now, so maybe I might actually save enough to get one before turning 30! Yay!

Response:

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