...this is a very good point. I don't think I've EVER bought a brand new bass
Also...was I the ONLY one that immediately wanted to see the "mermaid guitar"
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...this is a very good point. I don't think I've EVER bought a brand new bass
Also...was I the ONLY one that immediately wanted to see the "mermaid guitar"
You do realize that a lot of guitars that you hear in many (Corporate) modern productions these days are one of these (Not necessarily this one - I used this as an example because this is the one I use):
amplesound.net
This is interesting that you said this, because I was checking out a new Gibson Les Paul about a year ago and I too noticed a drastic reduction in craftsmanship on the guitar.....many folks have concerning new Gibsons.....and it certainly made me wonder
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Can you grade the article?
Ain't ya heared, everything's dying a slow death.
I used to sell pianos. One of the guys I worked with in that store is a friend and still in piano sales. He gets calls every day from people wanting them to just "come get" their "grandma's piano". Most of them have been trying to sell it for months on Craigslist for even as little as $100. Many times my buddy goes to see the piano and then turns them down. He refuses to take the piano, even for free, because it is....literally....worthless. The disposal of the item costs more than the item is worth. Yes, virtually EVERY household had a piano or guitar at some point. Now they simply don't.
My 8 year old is interested in piano lessons. I wouldn't dream of getting an acoustic piano. Digitals have great actions and sound amazing. Never mind that studies have shown when children are able to practice with headphones they practice longer and stretch themselves more because they are not afraid of anyone else hearing their mistakes.
Back on the more specific topic, I taught bass lessons in the early 2000s. I had 16 slots most of the time but had to expand my lesson times and certain points because I was booked solid. The two guitar teachers were even more booked. These days, the same store still has lessons. The one guitar teacher has 10 students who no-show all the time and he teaches one bass player. That probably says as much about internet lessons as anything. But it says something.
The only thing I do know is that the new guitar/bass market can't simply keep growing. It just can't. Less people are playing guitar or bass. Of those, many of them like "old looking" guitars and basses. Reverb, Ebay, GC used, and Craiglist make it easier than ever to connect with a used guitar or bass of your dreams hundreds of miles away for hundreds less than new. Baby boomers who own a good percentage of the vintage instruments are getting to the age of no longer playing. Those guitars and basses will enter the market in a few years to a decade and we will see a small flood of vintage instruments. In my view, there are thousands and thousands of 60s, 70s and 80s guitars and basses sitting in cases in closets that haven't been touched in years. And when "Uncle Bob" passes away, or moves to the small assisted living condo, those guitars and basses will hit the market like a sledgehammer.
I see the same things happening in the firearms, model trains, vintage/tube electronics/ham radio, vintage cars, and other markets as well in the near future. "Uncle Bob" also has a 67 Nova SS, a WWII M1 Garand, an N scale model train still in the box, a vintage Yaesu tube ham radio, etc. All of these items will be in less and less demand and be "let go of" more and more. My daighter is 8 years old. Virtually NONE of her peers will EVER want a vintage Nova, old military rifle, old train set, old ham radio, old guitar, etc.
These are simply my opinions. Take them for what they are worth.
My 8 year old is interested in piano lessons. I wouldn't dream of getting an acoustic piano. Digitals have great actions and sound amazing. Never mind that studies have shown when children are able to practice with headphones they practice longer and stretch themselves more because they are not afraid of anyone else hearing their mistakes.
Back on the more specific topic, I taught bass lessons in the early 2000s. I had 16 slots most of the time but had to expand my lesson times and certain points because I was booked solid. The two guitar teachers were even more booked. These days, the same store still has lessons. The one guitar teacher has 10 students who no-show all the time and he teaches one bass player. That probably says as much about internet lessons as anything. But it says something.
The only thing I do know is that the new guitar/bass market can't simply keep growing. It just can't. Less people are playing guitar or bass. Of those, many of them like "old looking" guitars and basses. Reverb, Ebay, GC used, and Craiglist make it easier than ever to connect with a used guitar or bass of your dreams hundreds of miles away for hundreds less than new. Baby boomers who own a good percentage of the vintage instruments are getting to the age of no longer playing. Those guitars and basses will enter the market in a few years to a decade and we will see a small flood of vintage instruments. In my view, there are thousands and thousands of 60s, 70s and 80s guitars and basses sitting in cases in closets that haven't been touched in years. And when "Uncle Bob" passes away, or moves to the small assisted living condo, those guitars and basses will hit the market like a sledgehammer.
I see the same things happening in the firearms, model trains, vintage/tube electronics/ham radio, vintage cars, and other markets as well in the near future. "Uncle Bob" also has a 67 Nova SS, a WWII M1 Garand, an N scale model train still in the box, a vintage Yaesu tube ham radio, etc. All of these items will be in less and less demand and be "let go of" more and more. My daighter is 8 years old. Virtually NONE of her peers will EVER want a vintage Nova, old military rifle, old train set, old ham radio, old guitar, etc.
These are simply my opinions. Take them for what they are worth.
iPhone sales are down, maybe it's the end of the cell phone!!!
BS. they said The synthesizer was going to kill rock music and guitars in the early 90's...
Nice.
That reminds me of one of Firesign Theatre's best, "Gas Music from Jupiter". It's from their album "Everything You Know is Wrong". Tough to transcribe, but I got most of it:Attention, humanlings and earthoids.
Stop where you are!
Do not try to (resist).
We have come from the two hundred and eleventh quadrant/sector of what you call the sky.
Our name are Zippo! from Whoarpool.
Surrender, slaves!
You have been the cruel masters of Earth long enough.
Look up and listen to The Law:
A lettuce and a frog shall lead you.
Clothes, the symbol of oppressing, shall be removed.
All must learn to play the piano!
(something about lust and sex)
You must get yourselves together!
Rooms will be vacated at 12 noon.
Nice.
View attachment 1161163
Attention, humanlings and earthoids.
Stop where you are!
Do not try to (resist).
We have come from the two hundred and eleventh quadrant/sector of what you call the sky.
Our name are Zippo! from Whoarpool.
Surrender, slaves!
You have been the cruel masters of Earth long enough.
Look up and listen to The Law:
A lettuce and a frog shall lead you.
Clothes, the symbol of oppressing, shall be removed.
All must learn to play the piano!
(something about lust and sex)
You must get yourselves together!
Rooms will be vacated at 12 noon.
My guitars and basses languish in caves of methane ice, a thousand miles below my fortified palace!
- Oct 22, 2015
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- I am an affiliate for Ari Cap.
+1 to Everything you Know is Wrong. There's a seeker born every minute.
***
What I see "in the wild": acoustic guitars a-plenty. What of discretionary income today? Even on my minimum wage pay as a sixteen-year-old I could afford a couple of LPs on payday.
***
What I see "in the wild": acoustic guitars a-plenty. What of discretionary income today? Even on my minimum wage pay as a sixteen-year-old I could afford a couple of LPs on payday.
In the 80s they were saying the same thing. And yet here we are.
in the 2010s, where the guitar is nowhere near as prevelent as it was in those decades - and when it does make appearances, it is sometimes performed by technology than an actual player? not sure i understand the point
for some reason this article made me think this is the future of music
- Oct 7, 2000
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- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
The electric guitar will never die, but to deny that it's popularity is plummeting one would have to be blind. The article pretty much says it all, as hard as it was to read on that black background with YUGE white letters (am I the only one who was annoyed by that?).
I'll add to the article that once upon a time playing guitar was very freaking cool. I work in a HS. Playing a guitar is not so cool anymore. Kids associate guitars with old men, hippies, and geeks. Seems like a big "Duh" to me that guitars are not selling the way they did in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Another thing the article doesn't mentions, although I pretty much skimmed it, is that I think youtube might be scaring some people away. Who the hell wants to work at playing for years to become competent when you see an 8 year old Asian kid who smokes 90% of the most famous guitarists of the 80s. I don't think that's inspiring anyone. I think it's intimidating them. But that of course is just my opinion. One could argue that with tab and "how to" videos it's also much easier to learn to play.
Truth be told however, it's the fault of these guys:
They're the new guitar heroes.
Ack!
I'll add to the article that once upon a time playing guitar was very freaking cool. I work in a HS. Playing a guitar is not so cool anymore. Kids associate guitars with old men, hippies, and geeks. Seems like a big "Duh" to me that guitars are not selling the way they did in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Another thing the article doesn't mentions, although I pretty much skimmed it, is that I think youtube might be scaring some people away. Who the hell wants to work at playing for years to become competent when you see an 8 year old Asian kid who smokes 90% of the most famous guitarists of the 80s. I don't think that's inspiring anyone. I think it's intimidating them. But that of course is just my opinion. One could argue that with tab and "how to" videos it's also much easier to learn to play.
Truth be told however, it's the fault of these guys:
They're the new guitar heroes.
Ack!
