How much did you pay for your most expensive axe?

How much did you spend on your most expensive guitar? (US Dollars)

  • Less than $200 (never buy an axe you couldn't also use as firewood)

    Votes: 7 3.7%

  • $200 - 500 (hey, Ibanez makes some pretty sleek stuff)

    Votes: 19 10.2%

  • $500 - 750 (I wish I was big)

    Votes: 28 15.0%

  • $750 - 1000 (Girlfriends? pfft, guitars are so much more fun)

    Votes: 21 11.2%

  • $1000 - 1500 (Ooo, quadruple digits)

    Votes: 42 22.5%

  • Holy crap, over $1500 (I sold my son into slavery for it)

    Votes: 70 37.4%
  • Total voters
    187
I'm about to sell my most expensive axe, because I don't use it and I want to buy a bass! The guitar cost me £600 second-hand ($925.00 at current exchange rates) and is a Japanese Fender Jaguar. I have absolutely nothing to use it for, so it's going. :) I can't afford the bass I want - a totally black late 70s Fender Precision with maple neck, but I have my fingers crossed for a bargain. :)
 
Bubba po said:
If you say so. :D It's an iconic bass - like Sid's or Paul Simonon's white ones. My personal bass hero is JJ Burnel of the Stranglers and that was his bass in the '78/'79 era.
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I don't say so, it is so. :D

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Cool bass. I love a P-Bass.
 
$700 for a Stratocaster in 1979. It was stolen when I moved to Texas :cursing: After that, never more than $600.

I had a nice Guild Electric. I don't think Guild Electric became very popular. Really had nice sound. About $400 in 84.
 
I have a AUS$1000+ guitar but I didn't pay that. It was an insurance/replacement job after a break in. My original Bruno Royal Artist was taken. the closest the insurance and music stores in Sydney could get to it was an Epiphone Sheraton II which was going for about 1500 to ordinary customers at the time but the insurers only paid $1000 that was directly to the store.
My Fender 12 strings acoustic is probably the most expensive in the house but that was a gift. The most I've paid for a guitar? Aus$360.
 
Prices in Australia are expected to include tax.
Billy Hyde were, primarily a drum store but were seduced by the potential or being ubiquitous as well as merging with the once fabulous Allens which was a sheet music and piano store for most of its existence. They were both pricey & the Les Paul really takes the cake. for that BUT we pay almost double what continental Americans pay. They blame shipping but the reality is gouging.
 
rayc said:
Prices in Australia are expected to include tax.
Billy Hyde were, primarily a drum store but were seduced by the potential or being ubiquitous as well as merging with the once fabulous Allens which was a sheet music and piano store for most of its existence. They were both pricey & the Les Paul really takes the cake. for that BUT we pay almost double what continental Americans pay. They blame shipping but the reality is gouging.
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I think there is some VAT and import taxes that you guys pay that drive up the cost. Shipping couldn't be that bad if you think about the volume and it is probably coming over on a cargo ship.
 
shipping is actually cheap these days ..... there's lots of products that get started in the US ..... get shipped across the world for processing and then get shipped back again because it's cheaper than just finishing it here.
So it ain't the shipping costs.
 
Nice old thread of life. My most was $1360 and Ill never do that again unless I suddenly become rich.
 
Lt. Bob said:
shipping is actually cheap these days ..... there's lots of products that get started in the US ..... get shipped across the world for processing and then get shipped back again because it's cheaper than just finishing it here.
So it ain't the shipping costs.
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My B&W speakers are made in Britain, then shipped and assembled in China, then brought back for sale. They proudly claim 'Made in Britain', but that's not the whole story. Good speakers, though.
 
In Australia there's a 10ish% Goods & Services Tax included in the price as well as the import duty paid by the distributor.
We're told prices vary with the up & down of the AUS$ but that usually shows up in fast off the shelf stuff like TVs not music gear.
Everything is made just a little to the North West of Oz and then goes to the US or UK then finally comes here but even that doesn't account for the prices. We're constantly gouged but have little option as bringing a guitar into Australia is problematic. Last time I did bring one in I had to pay almost 30% import tax after the thing had sat in the postal warehouse for a month & been lost twice by their tracking system.
 
jonny deep said:
My B&W speakers are made in Britain, then shipped and assembled in China, then brought back for sale. They proudly claim 'Made in Britain', but that's not the whole story. Good speakers, though.
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oh yeah .... they make some nice stuff.

---------- Update ----------

rayc said:
In Australia there's a 10ish% Goods & Services Tax included in the price as well as the import duty paid by the distributor.
We're told prices vary with the up & down of the AUS$ but that usually shows up in fast off the shelf stuff like TVs not music gear.
Everything is made just a little to the North West of Oz and then goes to the US or UK then finally comes here but even that doesn't account for the prices. We're constantly gouged but have little option as bringing a guitar into Australia is problematic. Last time I did bring one in I had to pay almost 30% import tax after the thing had sat in the postal warehouse for a month & been lost twice by their tracking system.
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what a PIA!

So is there a domestic git maker they're trying to protect?
Because that's the only legitimate reason to gouge you on imports.
 
The only luthier's business of any size added to renown is Maton.
Mind you we can get ultra cheap things quite easily but from Danelectro, (they start at AUS$629 the cheapest I could locate in a store), up to the big (2016 Gibson Les Paul Standard at AUS$4598) & boutique names it's mega bucks.
SOOOOOOOOOOO that's NO EXCUSE - just gouging.
 
and if I were to buy you a guitar and ship it to you?? What are the import taxes on gifts?

What if I built you a guitar and shipped it to you?

Argentina has some weird import/export rules. They strive for trade balance which isn't so weird in and of itself. BUT, they don't have much to export and a lot to import, so companies that want to bring in stuff, like medical equipment, have to buy export credits from companies who export more than import. Then they have this whole black market thing which meshes with legit commerce. Very weird.
 
A few years back I bought a old guitar on ebay in the US. I had it delivered across a state line or two to a friend in Louisiana. He then repacked it & posted it to me personally - as in a gift.
Guess what? Yep, opened by customs and a 30%ish duty slapped on it regardless of gift status.
I'm sure it can be done with no probs. but my luck was elsewhere that time too.
Net import/export balance is a prob in Australia as no one wants our coal (reasonably enough) or iron ore anymore.
 
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