Vintage PRS - value down?

TMeury

TMeury

Ah jeez.
Joined
May 2, 2012
Messages
80
Location
O-town
It is just me or is the used guitar (especially vintage) market down? With this ‘booming’ economy I thought the used guitar market would be back up.

I’ve got a couple of my 87s on Reverb that I thought would sell quick but, it’s crickets out there.

I’ve toyed with putting my 85/86 up as a feeler to try to get a temperature of the market.

What do you all think?
 
Yeah, I see a lot guitars sitting that would’ve sold in a heartbeat 10 years ago. Not sure why. Cycles?
I had 1 of my Archon’s up for sale so I could try to buy back an old amp I sold several years back and could hardly get a sniff. I eventually just gave up. You probably have an old standard or 2 I wish I was in the position to grab.
 
Consider the post-Xmas buying slump. People spent their cash on the holidays and are celebrating when others are hosting. Better to wait until the end of the month, or after the Feb/Mar tax season.

The uptick is that some working musicians may see your sale as an opportunity for a tax season write-off for their business/career, and may buy your gear.

I usually don't post on seller's sites until mid or end of the month, when bi-weekly paychecks go out.
 
The very top of the market is booming. Are you and your friends doing substantially better?
 
sergiodeblanc said:
Yeah, it’s been kinda slow and low for the old pieces for awhile. Bad time to sell, great time to buy.
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Indeed. I am considering buying another while the market is how it is. I may have more money later, but they may cost more money later. So, if I see the right instrument, for the right price, I may have to pull the trigger.
 
It could also be that over the last 10 years or so, PRS has been making so many desirable guitars with top pickups all starting from when the 57/08s were introduced. Honestly, to me I have no interest in paying a premium for a PRS prior to this period when I'd rather have one from after.
 
dogrocketp said:
The very top of the market is booming.
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Ok, ya lost me. I'm only aware one one market. Are you referring to the 16 different exchanges or is this just political commentary in the sub-text?

dogrocketp said:
Are you and your friends doing substantially better?
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Much. And job opportunities everywhere.

TMeury said:
It is just me or is the used guitar (especially vintage) market down? With this ‘booming’ economy I thought the used guitar market would be back up.
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Me too, brother. I listed my Fire Red 1990 on TGP last week. Not even a nibble at $2k. Asked for offers and got crickets. That really surprised me.
 
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Yeah, a buddy of mine listed an early 90s really nice condition PRS for $2K and got zero offers. Several lookers made comments like ‘why would I pay $2k for that when I can buy a new SS for damn near same money’. Basically, the old PRS would need to be either unique or have the specific finish they want or something, otherwise why not buy a new PRS.

My local shop recently had to mark down a gorgeous Custom 24 (late 90s/early 2000s) to $1200 just to move it along.
 
..... That's the downside of continuously improving and innovating. The old stuff doesn't hold its value. If there was a perceived time in the past when PRS made it's best instruments of the like that you just could not buy anymore there would be demand, but unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) there isn't
 
Tone-y said:
..... That's the downside of continuously improving and innovating. The old stuff doesn't hold its value. If there was a perceived time in the past when PRS made it's best instruments of the like that you just could not buy anymore there would be demand, but unfortunately (or fortunately depending on your point of view) there isn't
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And there’s very little, or no collectors out there disputing or combating that perception too. The culture just isn’t there like it used to be.

I personally believe there are some desirable attributes to some of the old ones but, since there’s still a few I’d like to eventually purchase.... it doesn’t pain me to see people passing on them.
 
Tone-y said:
Desirable, sure, but it's whether it's enough to pay a premium purely because the guitar is now 'vintage'.
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Agreed, but the point I believe this thread is making is that folks aren’t buying the guitars for a premium because they’re ’vintage’.

If people are instead buying (and they are) new CE’s for the same price as @]-[@n$0Ma☩!© 1990 Standard with a Brazilian board and a Milcom trem... then there’s something going on with the perception of the old guitars.
 
sergiodeblanc said:
Agreed, but the point I believe this thread is making is that folks aren’t buying the guitars for a premium because they’re ’vintage’.

If people are instead buying (and they are) new CE’s for the same price as @]-[@n$0Ma☩!© 1990 Standard with a Brazilian board and a Milcom trem... then there’s something going on with the perception of the old guitars.
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PRS old guitars are in a bit of a no man’s land.

They aren’t old enough to be mythical. Heck, they didn’t even exist when the baby boomers with good investment portfolios were lusting after sh!t they couldn’t afford when they were kids.

Unlike some manufacturers, the quality never went backwards, so there is no golden era in the past when they were noticeably better. Basically the old ones are just older. Who would buy a two day old loaf of bread for the same price as a fresh loaf.
 
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There are 1 or 2 people I know that like 'old' guitars as they feel played in and/or have accumulated 'mojo'. However most I know wouldn't pay a premium just because its old or pre-new factory unless its something really special like the first Dragon's or one of the first 100 to come off the production line - looking for a potential collectors piece for the future.

The majority of players want the newer models with newer Pick-ups and don't want rotary switches either. They can get that for reasonable money so not going to pay the same or more for older models. The quality hasn't dropped or some 'undesirable' changes made so that the 'older' guitars are somehow better (or even perceived as better) and people know that PRS are a company that is always looking at ways to improve any aspect. As such, the general perception is that the newer guitars are fundamentally 'better' - even if its just the pick-ups or just changing to a blade switch. The fact that we also have Gen III Trem and Phase III locking tuners also indicates that they are a generation above what came before.

Unless it really appeals to collectors, an out of production model or has something uniquely special, its just an old guitar where the modern ones are [perceived] as better. Its a 'niche' market that will pay more just because its old and I think most would rather spend $2k on a much newer PRS. As such, you are relying on those niche buyers unless you drop the price and make it affordable to those that can't afford the newer models. It depends on whether you want to sell quickly or happy to wait. I know someone that only looks at pre-91 PRS's because he only likes guitars that are ~30yrs+ old but he is certainly the exception amongst the guitarists I know.
 
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