Yooper - Posted - 05/01/2020:  08:07:40

What do you think, are vintage prices going up or down? Lots of variation out there.

Robert - Posted - 05/02/2020:  05:49:23

The market is interesting. There is a tendency to see asking prices that are too rich. As the recession progresses I think we'll see prices decrease. There is a lot of downward pressure on the market right now but folks are using their found money to buy stuff right now but that will end soon.

Yooper - Posted - 05/02/2020:  06:58:24

As a couple of examples, it seems that Gibson A-2s from the teens have been stuck a bit under $2k for ten years or so. Elderly Instruments has a 1924 Martin AK right now for $1450, and it seems that those were around $2k ten years ago too. Examples of what has gone up?

Robert - Posted - 05/05/2020:  05:59:01

The first question, what is true vintage? What I have seen going up are more recent builds that mirror the price increases the manufacturers have made. So if a say a Collings A comes on the market it is not $2850 now it it is $3200/3100 asking price. With a little looking or the art of the offer most times these prices can be negotiated. Old Harmony and Kay mandolins with asking prices of 7, 8 hundred are well over priced and these asking prices are on online. Most stores sell them for less if they sell them. We are not near rock bottom yet on prices so I would wait and watch. Buying and selling instruments is like fishing, patience, then striking fast is the key.

Yooper - Posted - 05/08/2020:  08:45:24

High demand instruments (e.g., dreadnought Martins and Gibsons) seem to keep going up substantially. Gibson F-4s and F-2s seem to have been fairly consistent, with lots of variation that I can't decipher. I've also been wondering why post Loar-era Gibson mandolins seem to be going for more than pre-Loar era? Snakeheads go for double or triple what the same instrument with a paddle head would sell for. All very interesting.

TSSN - Posted - 05/17/2020:  05:45:44

I watched one of George Gruhn's live streams this past Friday, and he delved into that idea of "What's vintage?" at least for guitars. For mandolins, of course, the gold standard is the Loar-era Gibson, and those are marvelous no doubt. Nowadays, we have mandolins from builders like Gilchrist and McClanahan that start north of $10K, and have many professional followers.

I suppose the only way to know for sure is to gather some data. The Reverb App has a "Sold Listings" feature in the filter section. It would come with a host of limiting factors (limited sales history, single data source, etc) in the Methods section of a paper, but it might yield some insight. (You never should have mentioned you are a scientist!)

 

Yooper - Posted - 05/17/2020:  15:39:46

If I google for various instruments, I get lots of for sale posts at stores, most of which sold long ago. However, stores seem to consistently erase the price after an item sells. And they don't put dates on their posts. That makes researching price timelines difficult. Back when Elderly Instruments sent out paper instrument lists, I had a big stack of them. But now, no record. Maybe Reverb is the best source for that kind of info. I'll poke around.

Robert - Posted - 05/25/2020:  06:53:33

I talked to a friend who sells instruments over the weekend. She told me she can't keep new stuff in stock while the used and vintage bring folks in they are leaving with new instruments. So that is an interesting take on things. I wonder as the drag on the economy continues what the long range effects will be on this market.

mandoist - Posted - 05/27/2020:  01:50:54

Some vintage pieces will always bring top dollar. Recession, imagined recession, or otherwise.
I have one for sale now and it's amazing how many people seriously think they can offer half the asking price!

Yooper - Posted - 05/27/2020:  07:59:29

When I try to explain to friends why I would pay more for an old instrument than for a similar new one, I draw an analogy with cars. Yes new ones are prettier and have various updates. But there is something about driving around in a vintage automobile. Same for playing a 1920 Gibson F-4. It just makes me feel good.