Resale value

Yeah this is spot on. edit: not that I know '93 is the best year, but if they did this for any year, that year would jump up in value like crazy.

I'm being a little bit facetious and just pulled '93 out of my ass because it's probably an inconsequential year, but my point is that if PRS did a re-issue and constructed a really good and believable story around it some people would buy into it.

...that said, with PRS specifically it might be a tough sell because it runs counter to the idea that PRS is a constant evolution and that their best guitars are being produced today.

But who knows.... maybe someday pre-2011 Custom 24s with 5 way rotary knobs and HFS pickups will become a thing.
 
The ‘58, ‘59, ‘60 Bursts became valuable not only because prominent rock stars played them; they were quite rare as well. The total number made in that 3 year period was only about 1700 or so. Less than 600 per year.

And there was an 8 year period when they weren’t making them. To collectors, rarity plus star cachet = Big $$. Big talking points.

Not being a collector, to me they’re just old guitars unless they’re great sounding, in which case they’re just great sounding old guitars. If I had one I’d sell it and buy more PRSes. ;)
 
Ehh... It was more than just a company's marketing hype that made Les Paul's from that era so valuable. Way before then players discovered them and made music that changed the world with them while they were discontinued. Maybe if future generations discover Linkin Park in their dad's record crates and worship them, then maybe PRS and Mesa can hype their reissues. PRS already did a run of "Throwback" CU24's to recreate the magic of those 85-86 guitars, and while prices on those did rise for a time... now not so much.

Not that I'm that into that old music made with LP's, which may be why I don't have any anymore?
PRS make guitars now that are a modern classic. They make guitars in the way that all other instrument makers should. Not only are the materials and hardware are considered of high importance, but their preparation and development. Put that together with the high standard of build quality and quality control, I don’t believe that there is any competition from another guitar maker producing instruments in the same quantity.

In my humble opinion, PRS are making modern day ‘59’s. In 70 years time, hopefully a similar bunch of guys/girls will be raving about PRS in the same manner, as they justly deserve to be.

Also, it’s refreshing to see the constant development that PRS undergo, listening to musicians wants and needs. Other companies would go a long way to follow suit.
 
...that said, with PRS specifically it might be a tough sell because it runs counter to the idea that PRS is a constant evolution and that their best guitars are being produced today.

Talking about marketing... This is the single greatest piece of PRS marketing devised since bird inlays. PRS has always made incredible guitars, they may not have been made to the as precise CNC manufacturing standards as they are (and most guitars are) today but... better and best is highly subjective IMO. I've played plenty of old PRS that are just as rad of guitars as any of the new ones.

I mean, we're talking about +/- varying degrees of Banging'!-ness within a thousand's of an awesome.
 
Scary when Judas Priest is nowadays classified as classic rock. I mean, me listening to Priest, Maiden or Metallica made my parents go grey a couple of years earlier than they would have otherwise.

Grouping that together with CCR is just not right...
 
Scary when Judas Priest is nowadays classified as classic rock. I mean, me listening to Priest, Maiden or Metallica made my parents go grey a couple of years earlier than they would have otherwise.

Grouping that together with CCR is just not right...

My local classic rock station plays Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine, Rob Zombie...
 
Well I don't think it has so much to do with say the 1959 Les Paul being worth much because its better, but because it was a major player in a time music was evolving. It played a big part in that evolution.

I have a 64.5 Mustang Convertible that drives like sh!t compared to modern cars. Manual brakes, Manual steering, wonders on the highway but has a NADA value of $60k. Two to Three times the cost of a new car with voice navigation, Bluetooth and all the latest gadgets. But yet I rather drive my 64.5 any day over my 2017's with all the luxury's. A good example might be my 2016 LP Traditional. Instead of all the latest greatest features it was built to the specs of the old 80's LP's. Plays and sounds like the old 80's LP's as well.

There are a lot of great guitars out there that put the 1959 Les Paul or 1956 Strat to shame as far as tone and play-ability, but they will never achieve the same collector status. PRS's are made to play not for investing.
 
I have a 64.5 Mustang Convertible that drives like sh!t compared to modern cars.

I had a ‘65 Mustang when it was new.

You have described its handling characteristics very accurately. Mine had power brakes and all the options, and it was still a pretty poor handling car.

Have you found the little hidden vent door under the dash where you can hide a bottle of booze?

That was a teenage sneaky thing in the 60s.
 
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Talking about marketing... This is the single greatest piece of PRS marketing devised since bird inlays. PRS has always made incredible guitars, they may not have been made to the as precise CNC manufacturing standards as they are (and most guitars are) today but... better and best is highly subjective IMO. I've played plenty of old PRS that are just as rad of guitars as any of the new ones.

True, but PRS "We make incredible guitars today" strategy is probably better than Gibson's "Whatever we made yesterday is probably better than the one we made today, so good luck!" strategy.
 
True, but PRS "We make incredible guitars today" strategy is probably better than Gibson's "Whatever we made yesterday is probably better than the one we made today, so good luck!" strategy.
Exactly.
How many businesses could get away with saying “We haven’t learned anything in the last 60 years”?
 
Uploading photos of damaged guitars onto their website, hasn’t helped Gibson.
Also, trying to become a lifestyle company isn’t the way to go, imho.
 
I agree completely. PRS makes the best. But will they ever have a $500,000 seller? I know there isn't a guitar made worth near half a million dollars, but people seem to be willing to pay it for an old Gibson.

I collect collectible cars & guitars for my kids future. I just wonder if PRS will or have built such a guitar.
 
True, but PRS "We make incredible guitars today" strategy is probably better than Gibson's "Whatever we made yesterday is probably better than the one we made today, so good luck!" strategy.

Correct! And this also explains Gibson's current major financial issues...
 
Based on my shopping experience, I would never buy a Gibson or Fender without playing it first. Particularly with Gibson. I've played some Les Pauls that don't feel right or have problems. [Full disclosure: I own 5 Gibson guitars, and 3 are Les Pauls.] What they have in common is that I played them and checked them out thoroughly before buying them. If I have to use my imagination to think of what it might be like with a proper set-up, then I don't, and move on.

But with PRS, I would buy one on Reverb, based on photographs alone. I'd also do that with Ernie Ball and Breedlove. I think the smaller companies work harder, because they have to build up their names, while the bigger companies are leaning on their names.
 
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