Question Used EBMM Pricing in Sub's justify a comeback?

[Smellybum]

A BP Question I guess, but I'm sure everyone will chime in.....

Whilst doing some christmas shopping on ebay (for the office secret santa) I got bored and went to the guitar section.

I noticed some SUB guitars and basses going for around the £400 mark - Pretty good residual value given the list was what - £599? - so I did a completed listings search and got plenty of hits for sold items around that price and beyond - 3 of which went for £550 !!

Totally blown away (Given I bought a NOS Sub 2 years ago for £139) I went to ebay US and found a similiar tale.

Now don't get me wrong, I know that Sterling guitars are great, and probably do very well - but I'm a snob -I want my amps made in England and my guitars man in San Lious obispco I've tried some sterlings and they're lovely - just not made in usa.

So I guess my questions are: -

With semi proven (all be it in a half-assed way) sales of used SUB's is there a market?
Would it be possible in this climate to produce another SUB type guitar?

Or is it the case that the £ & $ are so weak that we're reliant on the far east for the sub £1500/$1200 premium guitar market and only those willing/able to pay over that to look at buying premium USA instruments

** DISCLAIMER - I obviously love EBMM guitars, I'm posting this as a true fan and Sterling knows this - please don't bring other guitar brands into this thread, it's not what I wanted to generate as part of this - thank you.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hi Smelly. I also noticed that Subs were going for a lot. laws of supply and demand I guess makes the price go up.

I just got get me a Gamechanger Silo when they come out .
Gamechanger = game over!!

 

[Smellybum]

I agree spud - and I've replaced all my PC's with apple stuff so my ipad, iphone and imac will sync with icloud so I can take my patches with me - but it's still going to be a 'premium' guitar and a similar price tag - I reckon there's a market for american made guitars and korean made money.... discuss ;-)

 

[Jimmyb]

imac? Isn't that a hair removal cream?

 

[DrKev]

Well, there was shop in France earlier this year trying to move a NOS Sub1 for 900€. It may still be unsold! The impression I got (when looking before I bought my Silhouette lthis year) was that used Sub asking prices were often higher than most of the final prices of EBay finished auctions - i.e. Unrealistically high. Too many people look at what was the MSRP, rather the normal selling price, and set their asking price perhaps a few hundred too high as a result. I could be wrong but that was my impression from earlier this year.

 

[Richiesos]

I noticed this too. I even went as far as to send a message to an eBay seller saying that for the price he was asking for his sub, someone could get a brand new silhouette. I don't think the appreciated that.

 

[Luc]

I bought a NOS SUB1, 2 hum hardtail back in 2006 for 440 Euros (absolute bargain). Sold it in 2008 for 500 Euros. Kept everything stock except for schallers locking tuners. Even though I felt kind of a thief asking the price I payed for it new (including the tuners), I still think it was a heck of a deal at that time. Mind you, the Subs were going for approx. 600-700 euros that time. Plus I sold it within a week..

OT: I think the guitar market isn't really waiting for a new Music Man budget guitar. At least here in the Netherlands, people who know about Music Man think of the EVH, Petrucci and Luke models. Those are really expensive and legendary guitars, with fancy tops and worn in feeling necks. The SUB was, to be honest, not the most attractive looking EBMM, with the textured finish, diamond plated guard and finished neck. In fact, not many people know Music Man at all and spending 800-900 Euros on a basic looking guitar of a brand anyone hardly knows could be hard. Plus, the SBMM line fills the gap a bit right now.

Nevertheless, I LOVED my SUB and would buy another one (be it NOS) in a heartbeat. The size, materials, sound and weight were top notch, especially fot the price.

 

[straycat113]

The Sub is the only EB guitar I have never had in my hands or played. I think there is a very small market for them, and guys who originally owned one more than likely enjoy the simplicity and bare bone looks. Believe it or not I saw a similar post on another forum talking about the same thing.With anything that gets discontinued guys on the bay with mint models can afford to ask for more. I would not hold my breath waiting for another budget EBMM ax in the future. The companies following is that now of top shelf guitars, that border on boutique quality build that average at around a very affordable 2K price point.

 

[Smellybum]

Good to know I'm not going mad -and that some of you are seeing the same thing! - BP - what say you then? - are we mad or market visionaries?

 

[fbecir]

I agree with Smelly. Good tone woods and the "Made in USA" sticker are still strong selling points.
Besides the resale value of a US guitar is always higher. Eastern guitars can be very good but they do not inspire the same mystic !

 

[fbecir]

I don't want to hijack Smelly's thread, but today I was browsing the guitar shop sites and it was quite surprising to see the different strategies used by the two big players of guitar manufacturing :

• the big F sells now some Chinese made F guitars (not Squier) for 399 € (the Modern Player)
• the big G sells some US made guitars (Melody Maker) for 399 €

I believe that the big F is doing a big mistake (F guitars were made in the US, in Japan and in Mexico). F guitars made in China ? Well, I am not sure Leo would appreciate.

Normally I am not really fond of the big G (the CEO seems really weird) but for once I think they are on the good track.

The SUB was really a great guitar. I really love mine !!!

 

[Spudmurphy]

Well the one good thing is that prospective buyers of the big F and big G guitars should expect much better Tone woods, electrics blah blah blah than their much cheaper Chinese counterparts.

I remember Smelly getting that SUB for that ridiculous price and I was hoping to see many more SUBS at that price - alas not!!

 

[Big Poppa]

It doesnt matter we cant make the sub at anything close to the price....it was a good run but labor and costs kust killed us...I just got my health insurance renewal....21% the way things are going up I dont know where my market is.

 

[paranoid70]

Insurance premiums are just out of control. I can't believe how much more I am paying compared to about 10 years ago.

 

[fsmith]

I'm just glad I was able to get one before they were discontinued... It's a great guitar.

 

[Spudmurphy]

Hey Fred I just noticed from your sig - you just need a Morse for the "full set" !!

 

[Smellybum]

It doesnt matter we cant make the sub at anything close to the price....it was a good run but labor and costs kust killed us...I just got my health insurance renewal....21% the way things are going up I dont know where my market is.

Cool Bp - is that a 21% increase? - OOOOF - I've opted to take my company pension early to boost my salary for the next 2 years as the comapny (which is japanese) reckon we'll not be sharing the rewards internally for a while..... but that's super high... CNN doesn't paint the real picture when I watch it in the mornings over here! Hope things get better over there all over.

As for the SUB, maybe one day, when balance is restored who knows?

 

[zovanou]

The sub was too good for its price