Have you seen Gibson CS prices recently????!!!!

[Twinfan]

Just browsing a few guitar sites over lunch, as you do, and I'm amazed at the prices of new Custom Shop Gibsons   :o

'54 Custom VOS = £3,250
'56 Goldtop VOS = £2,650
'57 Goldtop VOS = £2,650
'57 Custom VOS = £3,250
'58 Plaintop VOS = £2,650
'59 Flametop VOS = £4,100
'60 Flametop VOS = £4,100

They seem to have gone up by about £500 in the last 12 months?  The regular '59s are almost the same price as my Pearly Gates was!

Wow.

[PPPMAT]

Its a lot - I like how the 59s and 60's are practicaly double. Just got my VOS Beano but thats for another thread - and I paid less than for a standard 60 VOS - its all about knowing where to look................ :P

[Philly Q]

Have you seen Gibson CS prices recently????!!!!

I don't really look at the prices, I just know they're "too expensive".  But those figures you've listed look pretty astronomical!

[Twinfan]

They're crazy.  I thought a £4499 for a Pearly Gates was madness, but a boggo R9 for almost the same money?????

[purpleplexi]

You can get them for less than that in $ - you just need a friend to walk it through customs.....

[FELINEGUITARS]

It makes going to a UK custom builder seem more like a good idea  :D

[sgmypod]

Lol makes going to a custom builder very sensible, unless you thinking for making money, collecting. Personally I buy to keep, selling usually by product of more gas or bad buy

[Stevepage]

I came across an old Guitarist magazine from 2001 and checked out the prices of things.

Les Paul Standard - £949
Les Paul Custom - £1459


Crazy how in 10 years that price is now double. Double the quality? I doubt it.

[Philly Q]

I came across an old Guitarist magazine from 2001 and checked out the prices of things.

Les Paul Standard - £949
Les Paul Custom - £1459


Crazy how in 10 years that price is now double. Double the quality? I doubt it.

I didn't think Fenders had gone up as steeply as Gibsons.  If I remember right an American Series Strat was about £600 ten years ago, and now (I hadn't realised this!) they're around £1,000.   That's a pretty big jump too!

[Dmoney]

wow.

that is a lot!
I could never buy a new gibson, not at those prices. I guess the CS ones don't carry the stigma or being 'hit & miss' like modern standards... you know... having to play a few to get a good one. unless I'm wrong. I would spend £3K on other things though.

[gwEm]

well, if you want a real US gibson, and you want cheap, there is always the faded series i guess, or likewise the highway one with fender

[Dmoney]

well, if you want a real US gibson, and you want cheap, there is always the faded series i guess, or likewise the highway one with fender

I've read a lot of threads on people polishing up the faded models with pretty good results!

[gwEm]

well, if you want a real US gibson, and you want cheap, there is always the faded series i guess, or likewise the highway one with fender

I've read a lot of threads on people polishing up the faded models with pretty good results!

done it myself =) you need to try a few guitars to get a good one (sometimes the fingerboards can be a little dry IMO).

edit: can't compare with CS standards of course! but the fadeds and highways are above average gigging instruments, with the brand names we all aspire to.

[Ian Price]

Ridiculous pricing. I wonder if their sales have dropped over the last 10 years. Possibly.

Custom build is the way to go. At those price points, if I was to buy rather than go custom, I would go for a Collings.

[Stevepage]

For the money you'd pay on a Gibson now days I'd rather spend on a Heritage. They look gorgeous.

As for Fender increasing prices, yeah quite a big jump but I think the quality has improved on those US Standards. Those Mexi Strats have really improved too.