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A Vintage Guitar Joke

mbowen

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Mar 6, 2009
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Hi guys a while ago i was visiting friends who own a guitar shop.We decided to see how much people pay attention to Vintage guitars in a regular music store ,not a Vintage Shop.We put MY 57 LPC up on the rack in a high traffic spot and put a SALE -1957-$1200.00 tag on it .
It was there for most of the day and not one customer asked about a 30-40K guitar being on sale for $1200.00.
We were not overly surprised by this ,most people know very little about vintage guitars.Still in 5-6 hours no one at all asked to see the guitar or picked it up to look at it which any of the customers could have done.
What does this tell us about the future of the Vintage market if anything ,and the average shopper in a guitar shop.Thanks Mike B.




 
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Grandturk

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How much traffic came through? What demographic? Maybe it says more about the store than the vintage market.
 

mbowen

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How much traffic came through? What demographic? Maybe it says more about the store than the vintage market.
I was not conducting a scientific experiment it was a joke to see if anyone would notice.I would say 30-40 customers came through while i was watching -so not a lot.The store has been successful for a long time and does a great volume for the size --about 1/2 the size of the Guitar Center stores in the area.Thanks Mike b.
 

Ken Fortunato

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While it's probably true that the average shopper wouldn't know or even care, I really don't think that little joke really says all that much...

My thinking is... It most likely wouldn't be offered that way and certainly not at that price...

Ya know what I mean?
 

Cogswell

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A local shop has a 1980 black refinished Custom for sale at $4.2K. I thought THAT was a joke, but the store owner assured me it was not.
 

mbowen

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Kenny and Cogs you are both right.I was just surprised that no one even looked at it.Granted the numbers were few but still they are in a guitar store you would think one at least would notice a STEAL????
 

Xpensive Wino

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Kenny and Cogs you are both right. I was just surprised that no one even looked at it.Granted the numbers were few but still they are in a guitar store you would think one at least would notice a STEAL????

I would've grabbed it and run out the door...:hee
 

J.D.

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No question in my mind the vintage guitar market is in decline, generally speaking. But this is shocking.
 
Y

yeti

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Just curious, Mike.
What was the plan if the unthinkable happened and someone walked in, saw it and said "SOLD".
Some places have laws that tie your hands as a commercial seller, if you labeled it incorrectly.
 

chuckNC

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If I had seen it I might have assumed it was some kind of lightly relic'ed RI. Had I plugged it in and heard (what I will assume are) the great tones this axe yields, I would not have cared what it was. My wheels would be turning, figuring how I could get $1200 up quick.

If, at that point, you would have stepped up to let me in on the joke, I would have punched you.:pisd
 

MWR

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Man.......I would have been all over that. If someone would have tried to buy it "then what"? Legally they could hold you to the posted price.
 

Ken Fortunato

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Kenny and Cogs you are both right.I was just surprised that no one even looked at it.Granted the numbers were few but still they are in a guitar store you would think one at least would notice a STEAL????

I agree with that... At $1,200.00, ANY year LPC would've grabbed my attention... :hank
 

mbowen

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It is a hand written sale not on the store's tags and on the back said
Private sale by owner please leave name and # for contact with owner .So it was covered as not being the stores guitar or their sale,
Plus i was 5 feet away and would have grabbed it if anyone had even looked at it.
Free strings with a 1200.00-- 57 custom -Paul you need to go back to the other place for ideas like that --HA HA.
 

mbowen

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Mar 6, 2009
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If I had seen it I might have assumed it was some kind of lightly relic'ed RI. Had I plugged it in and heard (what I will assume are) the great tones this axe yields, I would not have cared what it was. My wheels would be turning, figuring how I could get $1200 up quick.

If, at that point, you would have stepped up to let me in on the joke, I would have punched you.:pisd

Chuck it never would have gone that far ,i was watching the guitar and the customers the whole time it was up.As soon as someone asked i would have explained.Mike B.:dang Point is no one did.
 

ourmaninthenorth

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Mar 28, 2009
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Free strings with a 1200.00-- 57 custom -Paul you need to go back to the other place for ideas like that --HA HA.

Good job I left out the part about offering you a grand then, take it or leave it...? :ha :laugh2:

As to the other place, well I never had any ideas over there, maybe why I did soooo well there....:rofl :rofl Meooowwww
 
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