Jackson Prices

[Newc]

Re: Jackson Prices

What made Jackson famous in the beginning was exposure from endorsers. That's what Jackson needs again. There was not some great horde of word of mouthers out there pounding the Jackson ethos into America's head - it was seeing people in live/studio shots in magazines and on record sleeves and on a fledgling cable channel called MTV that spread the Jackson name more than their credo of not giving free guitars.
The music market is such now (as well as the gear market) that in order to sell gear, you HAVE to have a name and a face with your product - in magazines, in videos, and on tour.
Jackson cannot survive toeing the "Shredder" or "Hair Metal" heritage, because both shredding and Hair Metal are by all accounts laughed at and considered dead as JFK.
That "heritage" will not raise used market prices, and will not spur the new buyers into buying, and will not sway experienced buyers into switching from Ibenhad or ESP or Gibson, and will not entice new artists to seek endorsements.
Price-Cut endorsements will always lose out to freebie endorsements.

But yeah it's a great time to buy all you can stand to have - but it blows to sell something [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

The layoffs and such are akin to the "crackhead deals" - the crackhead sells his $35,000 rig and guitar setup for $500 just to get a "fix", and someone gets the deal to die for. One wins, one loses.

Newc

[skidd]

Re: Jackson Prices

I own both a retail (brick & moter)and an online hockey store. We are seeing the same thing, low numbers on mid to high end prouduct. The people are afarid to spend or don't have it to spend this year. I agree with New C no high profile guys, plus its a nu-metal world right now, I can't think of one guy waving the Jackson flag out there. Plus it is hard to shake your past (80's hair metal which I'm still A big fan of).Once Fender/Jackson's come out 1 of 2 things will happen, it will be great and the prices will stay or drop lower, or they make a sh#$ guitar and the price will soar out of contral like the san dimas stuff. Just my thoughts.

[Accept2]

Re: Jackson Prices

I wouldn't expect a Pre-Fender craze to develop any time soon. In a few years, maybe they will get up there, but like Fender, everyone will be going after the original San Dimas, just as Fender collectors go after pre-CBS. With Guild, it is slowly happening, that people are looking into pre-Fender Guilds, but its a slow process. Fender bought Guild almost 10 years ago, and the demand for pre-Fender is just starting to trickle in slowly now. So, don't expect any huge jump soon..........

[tonemonster]

Re: Jackson Prices

Wait a while for the prices to go back to "normal". It should rebound. The economy sucks now, its affecting everything. I would love to pickup a few nice Jacksons I have seen here on the classifieds in the last few months but simply don't have the extra $$$$ to spend on guitars now. [img]images/icons/mad.gif[/img] It will turn around, it always does. Just hang in there. [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[ROCKPRO]

Re: Jackson Prices

It is a puzzling [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img] situation and I have noticed it too. My comment:

[img]graemlins/idea2.gif[/img] 1. We can look and see it as a very intricate, combination of uncertain variables which none of us can control.

2. Accept the fact that in ANY economy nothing has any value UNLESS someone wants to BUY it regardless of what it is.

For example, one may have purchased the perfect home, or their dream car. Both are considered the major expenditures anyone will make in their life time.

The home was purchased 25 years ago when the market for homes was low and cost the buyer $695,000.

Today the owner has house and property appraised and is told that in todays market the value of his 25 year old home is now 4,900,000.

Even though he theoretically has a home worth almost 5 Million dollars, technically his home is worth ZERO, UNLESS someone wants to BUY it from him. The same applies to his dream car. It could be the Bat-Mobile but unless someone wants to BUY it it has no value it is worth ZERO!

I choose to simplify the number of pieces in the puzzle and accept #2. Nothing has any value UNLESS some wants to BUY it.

To place value on all guitars as a group or specifically Jackson guitars, or to try to anticipate a value for "Pre-Fender" Jackson guitars at this time, where a market has not been clearly defined, is false economics.

Conclusion: Society considers Guitars as given things, Pop Music instruments that the mass of people really don't know or care if what they hear is a $150 guitar or $15,000. Society takes them for granted, they are all worth the lowest common denominator.

Conclusion: Members of society whom aspire and become accomplished Guitarists on any level know the difference between market/perceived value, current value, and real and true value. REAL and TRUE Value being the dividing line between a guitar that is a work of art, and one that will work as art! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

To play guitar as a stock you will need a large investment bank to cover your loses. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

To play your stock of guitars as an investment banker you will never know when to buy or sell. [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

After you put the guitar in the case and then open it up and play is when the value of your playing sets the market for the guitar.

[img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/blush.gif[/img]

[OnlineStageGear]

Re: Jackson Prices

I think it has alot to do with the economy, but all signs point to a turn around. Day after thanksgiving retail sales up ove 10% from last year. I think it was the GNP or similiar production up 4%.

There is alot of paranoia in the market right now. All that has to happen is the news say that a CEO took an extra hour for lunch one day and the stock will take a 10% dip [img]graemlins/brow.gif[/img] A bomb goes off in Kenya and people decide it's time to sell thier Walmart stock [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

As far as the guitar market and namely the Jackson is concerned I haven't a clue. Guitars I think will go for $300 end up at $700 and guitars that I think should get $900 or better get less than $600 [img]graemlins/scratchhead.gif[/img]

Matt

[pro-fusion]

Re: Jackson Prices

I see a whole lot of factors here, many of which have already been mentioned. Here's a few (hopefully original) thoughts:

1. As far as new instruments go, the guitar market seems to have been going downscale for some years, largely due to the rise of the Korean-made guitar. Jackson's lower cost offerings are meager compared to other companies, in my opinion--no low cost neck thru, for example. Apart from the 'MG' series, low-end Jacksons look and feel more low-end than comparably priced ESP or Ibanez guitars, even if they actually play better.

2. I don't believe the '80s shred backlash is much of a factor anymore. ESP and Ibanez had the same reputation but have gotten past it with slick marketing campaigns that emphasize currently popular artists--no matter how much I think many of those artists suck. Jackson has little-to-no marketing of any kind, in comparison. Further, the '80s are now a long time ago, and the younger guitarists were in nappies when folks like me were busy shredding back in the day--they couldn't care one way or the other. Jackson really just needs more marketing exposure of any and all kinds in order to do better.

3. As far as used instruments go, it's probably a lot of factors, including the economy. But that's not the only thing, I believe. An awful lot of nice Jacksons come up for auction on eBay, so potential buyers may be less inclined to bid high in order to score a particular guitar. Compare the number of USA Jacksons on eBay with the small number of USA ESPs, Kramers, or Hamers on the Bay at any given time. Note how the rare/custom J/Cs are still getting pretty high prices (although maybe not as much in the last couple of weeks). But SL-2H's or RR-1's are hardly rare on eBay. I think that eBay has also conditioned a lot of used guitar shoppers (like myself) to be very price conscious. Every time a Model 6 sells on eBay for $250 or $300, that becomes the presumed acceptable price, even if they would normally sell for more at a retail outlet. All of a sudden, a Model 6 with a $400 reserve or buy-it-now seems like a "rip-off", even though that was considered a fair price not that long ago. Moreover, the fact that you can get a Model 6 for $300 on eBay makes it seem more ridiculous to pay $800-1000 for an SL-1 or SL-2.

4. At Christmas time, a lot of people have to focus on buying gifts for others in their family, which can suck a lot of money out of one's wallet even if you are fully employed and making good money. Further, Jacksons don't benefit as much from the season as gifts themselves because even cheap ones are pricey compared to a gift like a DVD player or a low-end digital camera. Obviously, some are given as gifts, but I don't think that sales of guitars bump up this time of year the way sales of consumer electronics do. I suspect that things will pick up by February or March, once people have shaken off the Christmas financial blues.

Re: Jackson Prices

Great debate guys. I'm thinking it's mostly the economy. I'm one of the many thousands who have lost a good paying job with no hope of finding another in a town basically in a total depression from huge layoffs.

I started my own business buying/selling cars. I now specialize in Camaro's, Firebird's, Corvette's, and little sporty cars. I'm finding that I cannot give away Camaro's and Firebirds, even perfect models for $1000 under wholesale. Corvette's seem to sell if you price them cheap, around wholesale. Nothing else sells, the economy is in the toilet....... just wasn't sure if it was as bad everywhere else.

[facetheslayer]

Re: Jackson Prices

I think those are all good feasible reasons. And I know it probably isnt just one thing but the holidays are having an effect. I saw on the news stores were having insane discounts to encourage the people to buy. I saw one store (Walmart I think) had 80% off or something like that. [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]
But I feel all these reasons are interwoven. Huge price drop for holidays because people dont want to spend (bad economy, loss of jobs, threat of war etc. etc.)
I'm no expert or anything but I think the economy will pick up after the holiday season

[skidd]

Re: Jackson Prices

We did one of those crazy flyers just within the last few weeks, It helped. I think overall things should turn around soon. Plus ebayer's are getting smarter, everyone knows how to snipe now,theres's even a column in Guitar player about it.

[jr73]

Re: Jackson Prices

i think alot of guitars have been going cheap not just jacksons. ive seen a few bcrichs,& an old USA dean go pretty cheap. but the san dimas stuff & certain other guitars still sell for what they should. i only really look at richs deans hamers & Charvel jacksons so dont know about anything else out there

[slayer]

Re: Jackson Prices

I will pay a little more than market sometimes for that just right Hamer USA or Jacskon USA guitar [img]graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] Jack.

[roodyrocker]

Re: Jackson Prices

I agree with Inazone in that most people outside this board don't know anything about Fender owning Jackson now nor AMIC previously. In fact they could care less about it. Also, things may be down on E-Bay but thats a reflection of the used market. How is Jackson doing with new guitars? As far as I know, I thought they were doing pretty well. Two different markets here.

I'm sure the economy has a lot to do with it as far as the used stuff goes. And since prices are down, I notice that there are plenty of Jacksons on E-Bay these days, including some nice USA stuff occassionally, but I also notice a lack of the truly killer axes like RR's with killer graphics or Soloists with the same.

Anyway, since I'm not much of a seller (I tend to keep 'em all for myself) I sort of like the fact that I might be able to get some used USA Jacksons for cheap [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Rudy

[ROCKPRO]

Re: Jackson Prices

In more practical logic I completely agree with all. Pro-Fusion definitely. Face the Slayer, Skidd. Greg Crow I am sorry you lost your job perhaps it is for the best in the long run?

It is not just Jackson all brands seem frozen.

I quote JCF Member "PRO FUSION" below:

4. "At Christmas time, a lot of people have to focus on buying gifts for others in their family, which can suck a lot of money out of one's wallet even if you are fully employed and making good money. Further, Jacksons don't benefit as much from the season as gifts themselves because even cheap ones are pricey compared to a gift like a DVD player or a low-end digital camera. Obviously, some are given as gifts, but I don't think that sales of guitars bump up this time of year the way sales of consumer electronics do. I suspect that things will pick up by February or March, once people have shaken off the Christmas financial blues"- (PRO FUSION JCF Member 227).

I have never felt that the market for guitar ever got a significant boost / bump around the gift giving season. Especially the better quality end of the spectrum.

[kuerbo]

Re: Jackson Prices

To me, Jackson rulz!!!, period. If I had the money I'll be buyin' instead of posting here.

Cheers, Rock on. [img]graemlins/notworthy.gif[/img]