Limited production run guitars

[000JB]

When a company like Martin makes a limited run of say 75 guitars, would you expect the price to increase in a few years or drop like most other guitars?
I wouldn't buy the guitar expecting to make money down the road but if it did increase in value that would certainly help with the purchase decision.
Any thoughts?
And yes sound and how it plays is more important than future value!

[rmyAddison]

I've downsized for retirement and my Martin keeper collection are all high end limited editions..........it matters not pricewise to the market.

My 2005 OM-45TB is 1 of 29, my CS OM-28 Alpine/Madi is 1 0f 30, my OM-18A is 1 of TBD (but it will be a small number), doesn't matter, they are all basically worth 50% of MSRP.

If anything, in my experience, customs are a little harder to sell, you need to have documentation of the spec changes, and many buyers won't care and value the instrument against the stock model's price.

In general limited runs will price out down the road like any other Martins, which is rock solid in the used market.

The exceptions are "some" signature models that are actually signed. 28 series Claptons are not signed, they are signature stamped, the higher end 42's are actually signed, same with Johnny Cash's (35's not signed, 42's signed and really appreciating). Steven Stills signed models are appreciating also.

A one off from Martins custom shop is not going to appreciate just because its a one off. Again the danger is folks will price it against the standard model and not value the custom shop changes, not always but often.

So no, 1 of 75, any limited edition, in and of itself is no guarantee of any price premium, I have bought/traded/sold a LOT of high end Martins and that's my experience.............

Everybody views their instruments differently. Some believe they are just tools, others believe they are collector's items, many more people fall somewhere in between. For me personally, I wouldn't care one way or the other whether it was a limited run guitar or not, and wouldn't care about its monetary value down the road. I have a small collection of guitars (3) based on their sound, feel and gigging practicality. I do indeed have an emotional tie to all three of them, but I'm not ready to propose to any of them yet lol. My intent is to keep them as long as I play, therefore I'm not that concerned with resale value.

[MFG]

My experience is that some do increase and most at least hold their value very nicely...kind of depends on the guitar and the resale market...

[000JB]

Great responses, thanks.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

...doesn't matter, they are all basically worth 50% of MSRP.

If anything, in my experience, customs are a little harder to sell, you need to have documentation of the spec changes, and many buyers won't care and value the instrument against the stock model's price.

In general limited runs will price out down the road like any other Martins, which is rock solid in the used market.

Nice summary, and exactly my view as well.

[Tony Burns]

A few words of advice - buy something because you really like it -
not becasue it's an investment -remember, if it never increases in value- you'll still like it .

Guitars are a terrible investment -unless you buy them to invest in yourself !

+

[Tahitijack]

I have a PRS 305. This model comes from two elements. Three single coil pups with a five-way switch. PRS only made 305 of them a year for about five years. So, they are somewhat rare but the price has not increased over time. I think the original street price was about $2,200 to $2,600. Today they run around $1,600 more or less depending on condition.

[s2y]

There are probably too many various limited run guitars to gain value by that alone. About the only things that gain value are woods you can no longer legally obtain, acoustic brands like Olson if you buy before anyone famous starts playing them, and/or luthiers who stopped building or died.

I picked up my Taylor LTD because I liked the sound, playability, and it was purdy. Not based on speculation. I'd be surprised if I could sell it for more than I paid.

[GangstaPat]

[QUOTE=rmyAddison;4657850] ..........it matters not pricewise to the market.
, they are all basically worth 50% of MSRP.

If anything, in my experience, customs are a little harder to sell, you need to have documentation of the spec changes, and many buyers won't care and value the instrument against the stock model's price.
QUOTE]

How ironic, I was thinking about PM'ing you to ask your opinion on this.

Thanks Rich

[rmyAddison]

[QUOTE=GangstaPat;4658089]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

..........it matters not pricewise to the market.
, they are all basically worth 50% of MSRP.

If anything, in my experience, customs are a little harder to sell, you need to have documentation of the spec changes, and many buyers won't care and value the instrument against the stock model's price.
QUOTE]

How ironic, I was thinking about PM'ing you to ask your opinion on this.

Thanks Rich

That's my experience, doesn't mean it's written in stone and there certainly will be exceptions.

If you have a custom shop Martin, I've had several, it first will be priced against the closest standard model as a benchmark. Then the seller has to verify the spec changes to justify any price premium, and the buyer has be willing to pay that premium and also want those custom shop changes, sometimes they will be interested, sometimes they won't.

I'm saying nothing against custom shops, one of my lifetime keepers is a CS OM-28, but if I were to sell (I'm not) and want to get that premium over a standard OM-28, I would need to provide MSRP and list the upgrades/changes to any "educated" buyer I know spending that kind of money.

You can look up/price used Martin's without much difficulty, customs and some limited runs that come/go require a little more information (specs and MSRP) to sell "in my experience"..........

[vintageom]

Originally Posted by rmyAddison

I've downsized for retirement and my Martin keeper collection are all high end limited editions..........it matters not pricewise to the market.

My 2005 OM-45TB is 1 of 29, my CS OM-28 Alpine/Madi is 1 0f 30, my OM-18A is 1 of TBD (but it will be a small number), doesn't matter, they are all basically worth 50% of MSRP.

If anything, in my experience, customs are a little harder to sell, you need to have documentation of the spec changes, and many buyers won't care and value the instrument against the stock model's price.

In general limited runs will price out down the road like any other Martins, which is rock solid in the used market.

The exceptions are "some" signature models that are actually signed. 28 series Claptons are not signed, they are signature stamped, the higher end 42's are actually signed, same with Johnny Cash's (35's not signed, 42's signed and really appreciating). Steven Stills signed models are appreciating also.

A one off from Martins custom shop is not going to appreciate just because its a one off. Again the danger is folks will price it against the standard model and not value the custom shop changes, not always but often.

So no, 1 of 75, any limited edition, in and of itself is no guarantee of any price premium, I have bought/traded/sold a LOT of high end Martins and that's my experience.............

+++ This Excellent summary and advice driven by reality. My experience exactly over 44 years of playing, buying, selling, trading acoustic guitars and knowing others who do, and did, the same.

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

A few words of advice - buy something because you really like it -
not becasue it's an investment -remember, if it never increases in value- you'll still like it .

Guitars are a terrible investment -unless you buy them to invest in yourself !

+

Really well said.

[GangstaPat]

[QUOTE=rmyAddison;4658246][QUOTE=GangstaPat;4658089]
one of my lifetime keepers is a CS OM-28, but if I were to sell (I'm not) QUOTE]

Know what you mean about that OM-28. I got one in that run too and it is well out of danger of my current downsizing project.

[guitararmy]

I was hoping my limited run Martins would appreciate some since I bought them in the early 90's...
At least I can enjoy them for what they are--great guitars.