What is the best deal you ever made on gear?

[Robert****]

I got a pretty good deal on my Richard guitar. I payed $300 plus a really beat-up Lab Series L5 amp.

I could start a new thread on the worst deals I've made. I could list way too many stories there... don't even wanna think about it.

[marnold***]

Actually both of my guitars were screaming deals. The Fender listed for $899 (selling for $699) and I got it for $249. The Floyd listed for $499 (IIRC) and I got it for $149. New pickups and a rewiring later and it's still cheaper than it was originally selling for!

[Spudman***]

$80 for a new hand picked Aria STG8 which was around $600 retail. Also a brand new Hagstrom Viking Deluxe Natural for $135 which is $697 retail.

[hubberjub***]

I bought a brand new autographed Ernie Ball/Music Man John Petrucci Model guitar with piezo pickups in it for $600 on Ebay. I played it at two gigs and decided the neck was too skinny for me. I put it back on Ebay and sold it for $1800. I also bought a used Electro Harmonix Micro Synth for $118 on Ebay. I thought it was a reissue but when I received it it was a 30 year old pedal that had never been used and was in it's original box. I loved the sound of the pedal but could not put it on my pedal board where I knew it would get beat up. I put it back on Ebay and sold it for almost $750. I've had quite a few good deals.

[sunvalleylaw]

Probably my Hagstrom. Not quite as good a deal as Spud, but still a good deal. Followed closely by my deal on my strat. I love that strat. And although I have yet to truly get to know my Viking, I am sure I will love it too. The other "best" deal in my opinion is my $25 Bad Monkey. Or maybe my Fullerton ST-4 fat strat for only $45 plus shipping. That was another great deal. My $350 Peavey C-30 was not too bad either. Hey, you guys have helped me make lots of good deals. Oh, and also, I got this killer deal on a custom built Rat Clone that has like 12 dirt modes between distortion and overdrive. That was great deal too. Contact this guy that calls himself, Duhvoodooman.

Lots of good deals. :

[SuperSwede]

I bought a old Sigma LP copy and got a free pedal many years ago.

The pedal was a green pedal from Ibanez called TS-808 (the original first version).

Price? About 100usd for the guitar, pedal and hardcase.

[tunghaichuan***]

Jim Kelley FACS amp: $50 for a non-working chassis and hardwood cabinet. $200 to have the transformer rewound and the amp fixed. Sold it for $800 about ten years ago.

Original TS-808 Ibanez Tube Screamer, paid $32.

Ibanez Artist, paid $130.

Traded a guy a pickguard for some tubes. I made the pickguard by using the original as a template. The lot of tubes came from the storeroom of Ball Aerospace for when they still used tubes in some of their equipment. In the lot were about 25 6V6GTA tubes, 20 Amperex 6922 gold pin tubes that I sold on eBay for $400, a bunch of 12AU7s and some various other assorted oddball tubes.

tung

[Glacies]

This thread makes me sick.

[jpfeifer]

The best deal I ever had on a gear purchase was my Hamer Newport. For some odd reason Musician's Friend was having a difficult time selling them when they first came out. The Hamer USA guitars are really good guitars, on par with PRS in terms of their quality. I was trying to buy one on Ebay, used for $1200 and lost several bids. Then I checked Musician's Friend and they said to "call for price". So I did, and they were blowing them out for $599, I couldn't believe it. I snagged one. I should have bought 2. It's still my favorite guitar.

-- Jim

[Spudman***]

This thread makes me sick.

Uh oh, someone has been paying retail.:

[ShortBuSX]

My MIJ Strat for only $100 was a pretty damn good deal...its been my goto guitar and beater ever since, this will be my workhorse that I just wont mind what happens to it, the more character the better.
Although, I think my 410 Hotrod Deville for $400 was a pretty good deal too.

[duhvoodooman***]

I really haven't bought all that much gear, because I only got back into guitar in late '05. But a couple come to mind:

• That MIK Squier Strat I bought for $86 + shipping on eBay was just a fantastic deal. The thing plays as well as my MIA Strat, I swear. Fabulous neck and very fast action. Pickups aren't as good, but that's a fairly cheap upgrade. I ended up selling it to a guy here at work so I could get the Surf Green Xaviere XV870 Strat copy, and he just loves the guitar.
• The Epi '56 Goldtop LP I got on eBay was another great deal. Got a 20% refund on the deal when I discovered that the guitar was actually a factory second and not represented as such. The only defects were minor cosmetics--nothing wrong with the functional aspects of the guitar. They go for $500 and I got mine brand new with a new HSC for $295 delivered.
• And there's always the eminently playable Fullerton ST4 "Fat Fully" that I got during the Music123 closeout deal for $24, delivered. Yeah, you read that right....

[Rocket]

Freebies: Ovation Deacon, Ovation Custom Legend, Ovation 12-String Glen Campbell Special.

[evenkeel]

Two stand out.

Found a 70's reissue MIM Strat in a pawn shop. Near mint, other than a serious need for a cleaning. Paid $100 (with a case) and sold it for just over $300 if memory serves. I think even the buyer got a pretty good deal.

The 00 Dean Sweetwood I currently own. Also a pawn shop buy. Never in a million years would have thought I'd own a Dean. But this 00 is a real sweetie. All solid, spruce and rosewood. Very much a Martin knockoff. Terrific sound and I love the slot head oldtimey look. Paid about $275.

[Spudman***]

And there's always the eminently playable Fullerton ST4 "Fat Fully" that I got during the Music123 closeout deal for $24, delivered. Yeah, you read that right....

Oh ya. I forgot all about the three that I got. $24 was a good deal.:

[aeolian]

The best deal I ever had on a gear purchase was my Hamer Newport. For some odd reason Musician's Friend was having a difficult time selling them when they first came out. The Hamer USA guitars are really good guitars, on par with PRS in terms of their quality. I was trying to buy one on Ebay, used for $1200 and lost several bids. Then I checked Musician's Friend and they said to "call for price". So I did, and they were blowing them out for $599, I couldn't believe it. I snagged one. I should have bought 2. It's still my favorite guitar.

-- Jim

Others posted killer deals, but this one is most interesting to me because this is one guitar that I would love to have.

I've had some good, but not outrageous, deals. I picked up a used Ampeg BA115 bass amp for $175, looks and works great except for making a pop when turning off. My Heritage H535 was bought used for $775; I don't think I've seen one for under $1000 anywhere. Early this year I got a US-made G&L L-2000 bass in excellent condition with wood body-binding for $450, that is about half the price of used ones I see on eBay, and less than a new equivalent G&L Tribute import L-2000.

[Brian Krashpad]

Honestly, every guitar I've got (and I've got a few) was at least a good deal, and some were GREAT deals!

I start with the real cheapies, all for around a Benjamin:


$120 shipped, new:



$99 new on closeout, + shipping:



$100, VG+, pawnshop:



$100 +shipping, VG+, came with original scratchplate (single bridge humbucker and single volume pot), P-90's are GFS, new pots are CTS, Ebay:



$100 +shipping, G, Ebay:

[Robert****]

Nice floor, Brian!

[Brian Krashpad]

Nice floor, Brian!

Thanks. Mrs. Krashpad and I put that in oursleves.

It took the better part of a couple years, but our entire downstairs has that flooring now. I always photograph the guitars in the kitchen though.

My basses and my acoustics include some gifts, which may be the best "deals" of all.

For basses, both of mine are cheapies. '80's MIJ Squier P-bass, $100:



'90's MIM Fender Jazz, $250 w/ohsc:



Of my acoustics, the 6-string guitar is a MIJ '70's no-name, gift, the mandolin in a German '60's Framus, also a gift, the banjo is a long-neck (Seeger-style) MIJ called Pirles, also a gift. All from my dad. The ukelele is a $20 MIC Johnson, the 12-string is a '70's Yamaha, $150, all cheapies:

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