Where to draw the line for prices?

[Jimi75]

Hey folks,

Where do you draw the line regarding what you spend on guitars, amphs and equipment/accessories?

I personally have a maximum of 1,5K€ ~ 2,2KUSD that I am willing to spend.
As a father of two kids I have to safe money and put it aside until I can fullfil my wish. Putting money aside means in my case that the biggest part of the money should be money that I earned with music through giving lessons and playing out live / studio jobs or either selling an instrument.

Of course I could safe up to 10K, but my conciousness would tell me that there might be more important things in the moment and it would stand in no relation paying 10K or 5K for my "hobby".

I stay more with the cheap stuff. The last two guitars, my Paul and my Takamine were gifts in a way so I was darn lucky to get them without spending the money.

How about you guys?

[oldguy]

Jimi, are you talking about a dollar amount limit on each piece of gear?

I doubt I'd spend over a grand on something unless it was really special.
(The last electric I bought cost me twenty-five dollars, I bought it for salvage then decided to try and make it playable.)

[Jimi75]

Jimi, are you talking about a dollar amount limit on each piece of gear?

I doubt I'd spend over a grand on something unless it was really special.
(The last electric I bought cost me twenty-five dollars, I bought it for salvage then decided to try and make it playable.)

Yes, I am talking amounts.

[Algonquin]

Good post Jimi! Like you, I have kids so I'm not about to blow all of our disposable income on my personal interests... not sure if my wife believes that though.

I won't buy anything that I can't afford to pay cash for, so if it takes time to save for an item it gives me lot's of time to do research. I truly find this part (research) to be as enjoyable as the purchase itself.

I'd love to add a 335 someday, and would probably even save for a used Gibson... so maybe $1,500 would be the max for a guitar for me. Fantastic Amps can be had anywhere from $450 to $1,500, so I think $1,500 would me my top end there as well.

I've bought some good equipment this past year for less than half of my 'upper limit', and I'm pretty happy with that gear.

Guitars for most of us are just one of our hobbies, so we have to be responsible with our $$$.

In the end I realize buying gear doesn't make you a better player... time and a lot of practice do! Even then some seem to excel faster.. but's it's the journey, not the destination that's truly important.

Cheers!

[marnold***]

I have to be able to justify every last dollar. The most I've spent any any single piece of gear was the $250 for my Fender. I just don't have large quantities of disposable income. Some day I'd like to get a really nice (read: ~$1,000) guitar, but that day probably won't come until the kids are all out of the house. By then, I don't know if I'll care anymore.

[sunvalleylaw]

Good post Jimi! Like you, I have kids so I'm not about to blow all of our disposable income on my personal interests... not sure if my wife believes that though.

I won't buy anything that I can't afford to pay cash for, so if it takes time to save for an item it gives me lot's of time to do research. I truly find this part (research) to be as enjoyable as the purchase itself.

I'd love to add a 335 someday, and would probably even save for a used Gibson... so maybe $1,500 would be the max for a guitar for me. Fantastic Amps can be had anywhere from $450 to $1,500, so I think $1,500 would me my top end there as well.

I've bought some good equipment this past year for less than half of my 'upper limit', and I'm pretty happy with that gear.

Guitars for most of us are just one of our hobbies, so we have to be responsible with our $$$.

In the end I realize buying gear doesn't make you a better player... time and a lot of practice do! Even then some seem to excel faster.. but's it's the journey, not the destination that's truly important.

Cheers!

I am in the same boat, and would set at least the same limits on myself, though it would have to be a pretty big deal for me to spend $1500. I basically need to save my personal "allowance" if you will for such things, or sell other toys in stock. Electric guitars for me might even be limited to $7-800 and amphs to 1 thousand. I keep thinking my top end amph might be one of those Hughes and Kettner Statesmans, or a Fender 'Verb or Bassman re-issue. The one exception to that dollar limit might be a fine acoustic. One that would re-sell for the same or more down the line. But that likely would not happen for about 10 years or so. Until then, family matters are more pressing.

[Mr Grumpy]

As a divorced father of 5 (!!) paying support for 3 of them as well as a large mortgage, I find it hard to justify spending ANYTHING on hobbies! but you have to have some sort of space for pleasure in life I suppose, so such gear as I have is either the best budget stuff I can find or used (ebay usually). Judicious bargain hunting sometimes pays off, the only new guitar I have is my Gordon Smith which cost me £450 uk (about 900 USD) which I sweated blood to get for my 40th birthday, helped by wife and family as a present. This makes it all the more special to me. My Vox AD30 came from ebay, the Ovation swapped with a friend for a (ebay sourced) pacifica, my bass cost me £25 off ebay (soon to be replaced with a STEAL of an ebay deal - watch this space). My Marshall MB15 bass amp was a present at Xmas. Thats pretty much my gear, and even that humble kit took a good deal of struggle to acquire!. One day......

I usually try and save something towards it, but circumstance usually gets in the way. I sometimes feel a little bit humble and envious hanging around (some) forums 'cos of all the great gear other people have (gear envy is a terrible thing).

[Tone2TheBone]

It varies with me. I'm a wheeler and dealer and pretty much everything I've bought I've done so by me selling stuff or trading up for stuff. I also make money on the side doing websites or houseplans and that money is my mad money. I don't take out any funds from our family account ever for my "hobby". The only time funds come from there is if funds are given to me as a gift by my wife or kids etc. If there is something I want or need then I come up with the difference on my own with my side work or dealing. I tend to find bargains too I'm a bargain magnet it seems.

[Gil Janus]

I'm a guy who's re-learning the guitar after 30+ years of not playing. :

I'm also retired now. So I have a some what limited budget to play with. If I wanted something expensive, I'd have to save for it. I've tried to limit myself to good quality, but lower cost guitars.

I'm saving up now to get myself another guitar and a better amp. But again, my particular circumstances dictate what I can do. I have a feeling (especially after reading the thread), that everone's personal life controls what they can do (or not do!).

The upper limit is what can be saved in a reasonable time. But I can't just go and drop a $1000 on gear.

Gil

[R_of_G]

i too have to justify all my expenditures, and as much as i would love to acquire new or "better" equipment, we are expecting our first child in three months and at this point, i couldn't see spending more than a few hundred on a guitar. i am VERY lucky in that my Gibson and my amp were gifts from my very generous parents. the strat i bought for $125. like jimi, i feel i could save enough for a the genuine american tele i want, but i couldn't justify spending that kind of money, and will gladly settle for it's $200-something dollar mexican cousin. now, in the hypothetical world, if i had more disposable income, i'd likely not draw a line. i'd save up for whatever it was i really wanted, however much it was. unfortunately, i live in the real world, not the hypothetical one, but dreams are nice and it's good to want things. good thread jimi!

[hubberjub***]

Lucky for me I'm in a position where I can devote more of my money to equipment. I'm 29 with no kids and my only debt is my mortgage. The most I've spent on a guitar is $2500. That was for a custom built jazz box. I'm getting more and more into the idea of finding a local luthier to build my next guitar. I've found several who haven't made a name for themselves yet but are turning out fine quality instruments so their prices aren't astronomical. At this point I wouldn't want to spend more than $1500 to $2000.

[luvmyshiner]

Great thread Jimi. Since guitar is a hobby, I have trouble justifying spending a large amount of money. That's one of the things I love about my Washburns, you get a lot of guitar for not a lot of money. My first guitar, the D10S was $200 US. I think the most expensive guitar CB and I have was about $600.

Having said that, I paid $1500.00 for the ill fated D'Aquisto Centura that arrived with a cracked top. Fortunately UPS ended up reimbursing that money. However, if I could find another one for $1500.00 I would buy it today. Other than the one I purchased, the lowest I have seen them for was around $2500.00, and lately I haven't been able to find any that are for sale.

[just strum]

My max to date has been $360. I am considering one at a higher price, but up to now that hasn't been the case. My reasoning is 1) I'm cheap, and 2) I determine my spending based on playing ability and It's probably difficult to justify more than $600 at this point. I'm also taking guitar money and investing it into lessons.

As for amp, I have my AD30VT and really haven't considered another at the moment. Again, for the same reasons as noted above.

[ted s]

I seem to have a brain block at the $1000 mark, my most expensive to date would have to be my MIM Nashville Tele.
Prior to starting my first scratch build I was jonez'n pretty good for a Strat in the 1k range, but I'm not now. If my build flops I may be again .

[sumitomo]

I look at it this way or I tell my wife look at it this way guitars and amps are way cheaper than my race cars.Sumi

[Spudman***]

I never dreamt I'd spend more than a $1000 for a bicycle or guitar. I've done the bicycle and yes it makes a difference. Now I'm spending that for a guitar. Never thought I would but yes it makes a difference.

It's not going to happen very often though. I won't ever have a yard full of $1000 plus guitars.

Usually my limit for new has been around $400 and $250 for used.

[just strum]

I look at it this way or I tell my wife look at it this way guitars and amps are way cheaper than my race cars.Sumi

Hmm, never thought of that one before. I'll have to log that in my "Reasons I need another guitar" log for future reference.