Why All The Threads Complaining About Fender Price Increases?

We all like it when we get a raise, that means the cost of whatever goods or services we provide probably went up as well. It's universal.

 

Just so we can both be the people no one wants at parties, the price did actually increase for better or worse.

Losing purchasing power would require real inflation, which has been exceptionally low for the last many years as has wage growth. My $5 can buy the same Big Mac it did yesterday.

Anyway, back to guitars.

 

New prices dictate used prices. They both move up.
Used is often 50% of new ... whatever the new price is.

While taking an economics course during an MBA program, the professor recounted a story of when he was a younger professor in the 80s during those inflationary times and the 'economics professor industry' was scrambling for how to plan what to do or explain it to everyone and he piped up and said 'we just need to interview people who lived during the classic inflationary periods'. They talked with their counterparts in Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Venezuela, and more. They found out that people converted their paychecks into something durable that would keep its value: VCRs (easy resale back then), TVs, microwaves, and more (probably ... guitars! ). If they went the next day their paycheck might only buy half a TV, but next week or next month that TV would still buy several cases of beer. The sad side for all the responsible citizens who maintained savings for retirements, all that evaporated.

.

 

I'd take a road trip for that!

 

It is what it is.

I remember when MIM standards went to $349, and I said “they’re nuts. Nobody is ever gonna pay that for those guitars.” I was wrong.

I remember seeing my first $249 squier and saying “They’re nuts. Nobody is ever gonna pay that for a Squier.” I was wrong.

I remember walking into GC in Dallas in the mid 90’s, and seeing American Standards for $599, $629 for sunburst. I bought two. Those days are over. Forever.

I remember when Les Paul Standards went up to a shocking $1500. We all said “well that’s it for Gibson. They’ve lost their minds!”. We were wrong.

This is just the way the world turns, folks. The only guarantee is that they’ll keep selling these things, no matter what they charge for em.

 

Because I want all the guitars, pedals, and amps that I covet to be available to me for free. It would be the perfect system. I don’t know why they can’t see that.

But as the old man used to say, “Don’t hold your hand on your ass until that happens. It might grow there.”

 

People complain when prices go up much faster than their salaries.

 

The names were changed to protect the innocent. The MIMs are called the Player Series now, a few of the Deluxe models are hanging around, and the classic models fall under the Vintera line, all within that range between Squier and MIA Fender.

 

Yup, I just gotta get with the times- but honestly, I'm thinking my next Fender will have to be a Squier.( which will be fine)

 

This is a valid point. My only exception is that in 2000 the MIM standard tele was only $350- so to get $700 for the “player” series they are outside of inflation by a bit.

However, they still sell the piss out of them so their pricing must be spot on. There is no reason they should sell their product for less then someone is willing to pay for it, we all do the same when we negotiate salaries.

 

Just watch out for the Bigfoot behind the counter. He can get grumpy quick!

 

They have gone up more than one would think *if* they were comparable instruments. I don’t think they are.

Stepping up wood quality (no more veneered 5-7 piece bodies), going to alnico pickups, larger fret wire, two point strat bridges, the addition of a 22nd fret, and some other improvements justify the slight increase from where I’m sitting. I still don’t like them, but they’re better guitars than the old ones.

 

Ah the 80's when house prices could only go up

 

That’s a bigger percentage increase to a $400 guitar than $50 to $700 guitar, but hey, you got your zing.

 

Yeah, but. Whenever the new market goes up 5%, 10%, whatever the percentage is, so does the used market.

That Baja Tele I bought in 2015? Because of price increases, I can now get full price of what I paid for it. 0% depreciation due to price increases. (Well, a shortage of used guitars is also helping.)

 

I didn’t think he was trying to zing anybody. I just thought it was a general truth. Most of the people commenting about the price increases to Squiers and MIM guitars probably are not the market demographic that buys expensive custom instruments. There’s not a lot of overlap in those groups of buyers.

I just checked the price on the Jeff Beck strat, because it’s one I’ve been stalking for a few years, but haven’t bought. Because it’s a “want”, and not a “need”. Looks like I waited too long. That sucker just went up $200.

 

I’ll sell you mine for $700

 

Did everyone's pay go up at the same rate that the guitar prices went up?

That's the real comparison trying to be made here, isn't it?

 

Not at all. But I also don’t think they need to increase in price by $50 a year every year for the last how many years now? Standard Teles were about $350 new when the series came out. Then over time they went up to $500. That was fine. But in the last 2-3 years they have hit $750. I don’t care what argument you want to make. It’s just greed.

I’ll just pay the few hundred extra and get the USA guitar before I pay $750 for the MIM that was $500 a few years ago, but that’s probably what Fender is counting on.