Is it me, or has anyone else noticed signature guitars rocket in price?

[Cam_H]

I wondered if anyone else has noticed this? It seems to be signature guitars I've noticed more than any sky rocket in the last couple years.

The Steve Vai Jem used to be around the £1600-1700 mark, now its clearly past £2k. The same can be said about the Ibanez EGEN18. I remember it was only around £1500 when I used to want on. Now its shot up way past the £2k mark as well.

Another guitar which I've noticed (reason for starting this thread) is the Fender Yngwie Strat. It was around £1149 a year ago and was like that for years before that. I look today as I'm interested in one, and its now shot up past the £1.5k mark.

[Dave Sloven]

On the other hand a local shop was asking $10K (AUD) for a 2000 Gibson Custom Shop SG Townsend signature and after having it there for over a decade dropped the price by half.  I still don't have $5K to spend on a bare-bones SG Special with P90s a thinner neck and Grovers and a nice case and some scribble on the headstock

Still on sale if you want it.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gibson-SG-Pete-Townshend-Custom-Shop-SG-NOS-2000-MODEL-247-ONLY-250-/160728550010

You can only get what people are prepared to pay

[JJretroTONEGOD]

I like the malmsteen strats because of the scalloped neck, I bet there's some guy who spends ages scalloping them all day and hates his low paid job, he probably complained and they raised the price. ?

[JJretroTONEGOD]

On the other hand a local shop was asking $10K (AUD) for a 2000 Gibson Custom Shop SG Townsend signature and after having it there for over a decade dropped the price by half.  I still don't have $5K to spend on a bare-bones SG Special with P90s a thinner neck and Grovers and a nice case and some scribble on the headstock

Still on sale if you want it.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gibson-SG-Pete-Townshend-Custom-Shop-SG-NOS-2000-MODEL-247-ONLY-250-/160728550010

You can only get what people are prepared to pay

I'd rather have a custom les paul black beauty with gold hardware for that kind of money and I'd still have $2000 left over to buy an amazing 4x12 and valve cab. LOL it doesn't look worth 10k

[Dave Sloven]

The worst part is that it was never 'museum stock'.  It's been hanging on the wall with the other guitars for thirteen years, and every Gibson head in Adelaide has had his mitts on it.  Thankfully it is not the kind of guitar to attract kids though as it looks too plain.  Also it is lucky that there was no special signature on the truss rod cover or else that would be gone.  One of the guitars hanging near it is missing its truss rod cover and the guys in the shop claimed not to have noticed until I pointed it out.  Someone obviously cracked one and instead of buying a replacement just made a trip to Derringers with a screwdriver in their pocket

[Philly Q]

On the other hand a local shop was asking $10K (AUD) for a 2000 Gibson Custom Shop SG Townsend signature and after having it there for over a decade dropped the price by half.  I still don't have $5K to spend on a bare-bones SG Special with P90s a thinner neck and Grovers and a nice case and some scribble on the headstock

Still on sale if you want it.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Gibson-SG-Pete-Townshend-Custom-Shop-SG-NOS-2000-MODEL-247-ONLY-250-/160728550010

You can only get what people are prepared to pay

I had the non-limited version of that Pete Townshend SG - without the two cases, certificates etc.  It was a bloody good SG, I kind of wish I hadn't sold it.

But no, I hadn't noticed this phenomenon of signature models getting more expensive.  Interesting.

[Dave Sloven]

I had the non-limited version of that Pete Townshend SG - without the two cases, certificates etc.  It was a bloody good SG, I kind of wish I hadn't sold it.

I didn't play it through an amp but the neck felt REALLY nice and I liked the Grovers.

[dave_mc]

I just thought everything was getting more expensive...

[Cam_H]

Another couple I've noticed: The Jackson Soloist is now over the £2000 mark; and the RR1 is over a staggering £2.5k. I remember being into Bullet and wanting an RR1 and they was around £1800 at the time. I think I'd be happier with a Daemoness V for that price.

[dave_mc]

GAK had a couple of good deals on USA Jacksons recently (around £1500 IIRC). They might all be gone by now, though. EDIT: and just to clarify, I haven't tried them, I just noticed them on their website.

[Philly Q]

I suppose in recent years I've been working my way slowly up the price scale, like buying Gibson custom shop models rather than US production ones, so I haven't really been aware of the effects of inflation on guitar prices generally.  But I happened to notice the other day that a Fender Classic Player Strat now costs around £600; I bought a new one five years ago for £360!

There can't be many things which have gone up nearly 70% over that period.  Except maybe electricity and gas...  :? 

[Telerocker]

The Mexicans have gone up in price quite dramatically. I rather would buy a Classic Vibe.

[Philly Q]

The Mexicans have gone up in price quite dramatically. I rather would buy a Classic Vibe.

You know what I'm going to say:  the CV necks are too skinny.  :lol:

[Andrew W]

The last new guitar I bought was a Highway One Strat in 2008 and I paid £450 for it from Anderton's. They're now £650 apparently. Some of that will be the stronger pound back then but even so it is a heck of an increase. I don't recall seeing a proportionate hike in second hand prices, even of guitars that are only a year old or so. I reckon I'll stick to buying second hand guitars for the foreseeable.

[Cam_H]

Well I got an Ibanez EP-5 Acoustic (Steve Vai sig) a couple months back for £369 from Gak. Now they're around the £415 mark.