Why would anyone

if money were no object, I can see myself spending bigger cash on gear, but it'd be stuff that was custom made for me.
like maybe the first really pointy McFeely :wink:
 
Dogsinotpalc said:
While I get your meaning, it's not really about working your ass off, it's about how much you earn doing so. As a librarian, even being an academic one at a rather prestigious university, I don't earn enough to justify $1,000.00 instruments, let alone $3,000.00, but I put in a lot of work.
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My point was that I don't have to justify a gear purchase to anyone at any price, based solely upon my level of ability, because the money I make is hard-earned, and if people don't think I deserve it they can go fuck themselves. :grin: (not talking about you) This would apply whether we were talking about 300 or 3000.
 
Someday, I will fork over the 3k for a new Ibanez Jem in white, but most of my guitars are under a grand. All but one of my RGs I built up myself for an average cost of $250. That's about my range. I did treat myself and spent 700 on an Amer. Std. Strat last month, but that's really a stretch for me.
 
Pride of ownership. There really isn't any other reason.

(disclaimer: The most I've ever paid for a guitar was $800 for a used Martin SWOMGT)
 
Mark Wein said:
Its all what the experience is worth to you. I feel like I can justify a $3000+ instrument because I play for a living, but lately I tend to get my job done with much cheaper instruments. I actually might sell my Suhrs this year if this continues.
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I agree with this totally. Value on a micro level is ultimately subjective. E.g., I'm happy to pay more for a Sadowsky than an Eastman because the Sadowsky is a significant step up and the joy that it brings me to play will make up for that difference in cost.

I doubt anyone here seriously thinks that the price of the instrument effects the player's ability. That's kids' stuff. However, each pricey guitar I've kept I've kept it because it begs me to play it all the time. I get excited commuting home in the evening thinking about spending a couple hours with a Soloway, or Sadowsky, or ES 175, or whatever. It makes me want to play and therefore ultimately makes me a better musician indirectly.

That said, that's totally my own experience and everyone is different so that may sound ridiculous to some. I used to own a bunch of much cheaper guitars and ultimately made myself happy by getting rid of most of them and using that $ to put toward fewer instruments that really excite me. Others might prefer more variety with cheaper instruments.
 
With acoustics, I get it. I would sell my car and walk before giving up my Martin. I think there is that much expert craftsmanship involved with an acoustic to make it worthwhile. I can be pretty happy playing my $360 Seagull too, so I dunno, whatever.

I could also go for it on a really well-done archtop electric.

Solidbodies, I'm less inclined to go there. There might be a difference but I'm not discerning enough on a solidbody to notice it. Plus the fact that my two main solidbodies were assembled from parts with my own grubby booger pickers makes me less respectful of what is involved.

And don't tell me "amazing setup". I know a guy who does amazing setups for about $60.
 
If you're a regular guy, playing in bar bands or for fun, there's little to no practical reason to spend big bucks on an instrument. This has especially become the case in the past 5 years as the bottom end of the market has produced higher quality instruments than in years past. Fender, PRS, and even Reverend have been at the forefront of this movement. So the need to spend like in decades past is removed. You can get a high quality instrument for $1000 or less. And with the massive number of instruments available on the used market, the supply of instruments in the $1500 and under range is more than anyone can fathom.

Now there are plenty of reasons to spend more than $1500. Especially if when talking about the boutique market. But if you're talking about production line guitars, then I agree with the OP's premise.
 
USian Pie said:
With acoustics, I get it. I would sell my car and walk before giving up my Martin. I think there is that much expert craftsmanship involved with an acoustic to make it worthwhile. I can be pretty happy playing my $360 Seagull too, so I dunno, whatever.

I could also go for it on a really well-done archtop electric.

Solidbodies, I'm less inclined to go there. There might be a difference but I'm not discerning enough on a solidbody to notice it. Plus the fact that my two main solidbodies were assembled from parts with my own grubby booger pickers makes me less respectful of what is involved.

And don't tell me "amazing setup". I know a guy who does amazing setups for about $60.
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The thing with electrics, even semi-hollows and hollowbodies is that the amplifier is a MASSIVE part of the equation. And a $3K amp won't make a $300 guitar sound like a more expensive guitar. A crappy little solid state (or tube amp, because their not all magical) will make a $3K guitar sound like crap.
 
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LittleSnakes said:
I agree with this totally. Value on a micro level is ultimately subjective. E.g., I'm happy to pay more for a Sadowsky than an Eastman because the Sadowsky is a significant step up and the joy that it brings me to play will make up for that difference in cost.

I doubt anyone here seriously thinks that the price of the instrument effects the player's ability. That's kids' stuff. However, each pricey guitar I've kept I've kept it because it begs me to play it all the time. I get excited commuting home in the evening thinking about spending a couple hours with a Soloway, or Sadowsky, or ES 175, or whatever. It makes me want to play and therefore ultimately makes me a better musician indirectly.

That said, that's totally my own experience and everyone is different so that may sound ridiculous to some. I used to own a bunch of much cheaper guitars and ultimately made myself happy by getting rid of most of them and using that $ to put toward fewer instruments that really excite me. Others might prefer more variety with cheaper instruments.
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This is always interesting because folks like John Scofield have had the option and opportunity to play great high-end stuff or have a company like Ibanez build them all sorts of custom stuff and even provide and signature model that is gone over with a fine tooth comb. Yet, he still mainly plays his original Artist 200 or an old super simple Tele. Frisell is the same way. He, however, has had lots of boutique and fine jazz guitars built for him over the years, but some of his best sounds were his SG jr., CBS-era Teles, or his even some ESP parts guitars.

There is no right or wrong route to finding the instruments and sounds that you like and inspire your creativity, but that quest is certainly part of the fun for a lot of folks. Mystic can't get enough of the chase.
 
LittleSnakes said:
I used to own a bunch of much cheaper guitars and ultimately made myself happy by getting rid of most of them and using that $ to put toward fewer instruments that really excite me. Others might prefer more variety with cheaper instruments.
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This is one that I go back and forth on... My collection waxes and wanes, but the larger trend has been to reduce it considerably. I used to own close to 30 inexpensive and mid-priced guitars, which was just ridiculous. Now I own about 10, with a few that I absolutely love.
 
My most expensive guitar was around $1700. It does feel and sound great but being worth that much I don't really have peace of mind when I gig with it. I found what I need in a guitar worth roughly a quarter of that new. It does the job very well, it is easily replaceable and I don't have to worry about it getting stolen. Nobody wants to risk jail time or getting the shit kicked out of them over a heavily used MIM Strat.
 
bcryant said:
My most expensive guitar was around $1700. It does feel and sound great but being worth that much I don't really have peace of mind when I gig with it. I found what I need in a guitar worth roughly a quarter of that new. It does the job very well, it is easily replaceable and I don't have to worry about it getting stolen. Nobody wants to risk jail time or getting the shit kicked out of them over a heavily used MIM Strat.
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Yeah, that's the problem I have with my Strat. I have a Squire that'll be my "I'm gigging" Strat.
 
I can relate to that
my SG doesn't get the time it deserves, as I will absolutely NOT touch it if I'm drinking.
and with the amount I drink, well... :embarrassed:

the Riches take a fair bit of abuse, but at $150 a pop new, I'm not overly concerned.
 
Gorgon90 said:
It's a question of priorities and disposable income for me. If I ended up with a 2K+ spare, it's going to go on a holiday for the family, towards a new car, or doing up the house etc, before it goes anywhere near buying an expensive guitar. If I get £200 spare, it isn't going to do that much on those sort of tasks so the chances of spending it on something purely for me rather than looking after my family are higher (should probably say not as low really as they're still not high).

If my income and ability to support my family was based on my guitar playing that would be a different matter as it would be an investment in my tools of the trade.
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Good priorities list there. Also, even if I had 2k plus completely disposable income after those items, I would look first toward a new mountain bike and/or cyclocross bike, as the guitar stuff I have works fine for my needs at much lower price points, and I use the crap out of my bikes, and that is what they cost (and up, frankly). A bike basically is my spring through fall gym.

After all of THAT, and I still had such disposable income, I might consider more than $1500 on a good used HD-28 or similar acoustic, as that would be a lifetime dream guitar, and I think I could justify that much on an acoustic instrument, if all of the above was already covered. Until then, my current acoustic is just fine. I really, really doubt I could justify spending that much on an electric. And of course, I am a hobbyist, not a pro.
 
I just recently paid a little over $1,300 to have a guitar put together to my chosen specs. That's totally worth it to me to get exactly what I want. Do I think that the $3.3k or so for a really nice 6120 is worth it? Absolutely. But when guitars start getting to the $8k, $10k, $15k range that's when I think it's a little crazy.
 
see, now I think $1300 for something YOU designed (or spec'd out, or however you wanna say it) is actually a hell of a deal.

I'd be more than fine paying that.
hell, I'd even be gruntled.
 
I'm pretty cheap. I wouldn't spend more than $1100-1200 on a guitar for any reason.
 
Thanks for the replies. I totally get where most of you are coming from, and to be honest there are a few guitars that if I had the money, I'd pay a lot more than 1500 for.

Just seems from the many GPOTD's that there are a LOT of guitars being pedaled for a lot more than most people here think is reasonable. I consider Weindom to be a very representative cross section of guitarists, from untalented hobbyists like me to amazing professional musicians.

I get the top end Gibbys, Fenders, Shurrs and McFeelys being worth a lot and being of the highest quality. But some stuff Andy posts is ridiculous. And the fender relic line is even worse. 6K for a beat up red over black Tele?
 
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I have both ends of the spectrum.... Each has its own character...

But I can definitely feel the differences between both ends....

Doesn't mean the low end isn't worth it, I find that certain things happen naturally on the low end stuff and its a freaking blast...

BUT I also notice that there are some things that just come way easier on the high end....

But for me, cost isn't as much a factor as how much fun will it be?

I've recorded with a $25 flea market special acoustic and loved it...l Gave it to a needy kid but the wow factor was huge....

Also recorded with a donated inexpensive electric that had a huge wow factor, gave it t0 the same kid.

To me, I love expensive guitars..... but I usually find myself sitting down with the <$200 ones and you couldn't pry them out of my hands....they are THAT much fun...

A guitar is a guitar....they are all great in some way. Just that some ways cost more and I'm ok with that....
 
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