PRS Guitars - Hard to sell?

Jay100 · September 2023

Evening all, I hope everyone is welll.

I had an interesting chat with a well-known ‘bedroom’ dealer this week which I thought might make for an interesting discussion.

I won’t name names, but I was discussing a potential trade/purchase when I made a comment around the many beautiful PRS’ they had in stock.

Said dealer then mentioned that although beautiful, play great etc etc - they were having a hard time shifting them, particularly the more expensive ones and they weren’t keen on taking any more into stock at the moment. Apparently there isn’t much appetite for PRS (or higher-end PRS) in the UK - at least right now.

There’s a couple of PRS guitars I’d love to own at some point and I think they make some fantastic instruments. However - as someone who likes to change guitars every now and then (life’s short!) I’d be a little worried about re-saleability when sinking in some considerable dough, especially compared to the somewhat better residuals on the big G and Fender. They seem to take quite the hit when bought new too.

I know PRS is a somewhat divisive guitar brand, but what are everyone’s thoughts on them - any simillar experiences when trying to sell or trade?

Anyone else like me think too much like an accountant when making gear purchases?

Thanks

*edited for grammar

roberty · September 2023

Haven't had any probs shifting mid-price PRS but it is definitely easier to sell Gibson and Fender. Just take your time buying and selling imo you'll be reet

ICBM · September 2023

Buy second hand and don’t pay dealer prices, then they won’t be hard to sell if you want to.

Jay100 · September 2023

ICBM said:

Buy second hand and don’t pay dealer prices, then they won’t be hard to sell if you want to.

Agreed. It was more this particular dealers reluctance to accept any in as trades or purchases which made me question how easy they are to sell on.

monquixote · September 2023

The popular ones like the DGT sell well with good residuals, but some of the weird ones that weren't so popular can take a big hit

Whitecat · September 2023

Jay100 said:

ICBM said:

Buy second hand and don’t pay dealer prices, then they won’t be hard to sell if you want to.

Agreed. It was more this particular dealers reluctance to accept any in as trades or purchases which made me question how easy they are to sell on.

Is said dealer asking wildly unrealistic prices for them as many/most/all bedroom dealers are though?

Grampa · September 2023

Anything is easy to sell at the right price. Half the problem is with people having an inflated view as to what the market value of the item they're selling actually is.
I've never had a problem moving on a PRS, core or SE, but then again I try to buy at a sensible price and never look to make a profit.

Sassafras · September 2023

Bedroom dealers aren't known for their realistic pricing policy.
i've seen actual shops selling brand new stuff for less than most bedroom dealers selling used items.
And they wonder why they're not selling?

Halls66 · September 2023

^this. Seen new guitars on sale in shops cheaper than “famous” bedroom dealers offering… and having the choice I can’t see why anyone should not prefer to deal with a proper business

BigPaulie · September 2023

You can buy most Maryland built, solid colour PRS S2 guitars for around £600. That is unbelievable value!

Just try selling one for significantly more than that..

Norlin4life · September 2023

PRS have a pretty divisive range and lots of models. Add on top of that things like wood library where the dealer gets to play with the specs, and the many many core colour combos, and you can def end up waiting a while for the right buyer.

The really good ones sell fast or as fast as any Gibson or Fender though… I suspect the dealer you are referring to has one too many lime green or Neapolitan ice cream inspired PRS. Those might be slow out the door.

guitars4you · September 2023

If I was selling apples and pears I might be worried about how long it takes to sell my stock - Guitars never worry me - They can take as long as they wish to - As always I've seen some colours, models that sell instantly and others can take a while to sell but as an overview that applies to most brands - However this summer has been slow on most sales for one reason or another

impmann · September 2023

A great deal of the secondhand PRS guitars advertised for sale, especially by the bedroom dealers are too expensive. They’ve over paid for them on buying them in and are trying to make their (very fixed) margin on that - as a result they aren’t selling.

Its got nothing to do with PRS being unpopular, it’s got everything to do with price.

spark240 · September 2023

Unless you are buying a real collectors piece, why would you be worried about resale value ?…it’s an instrument with a purpose…folks will happily pay 30k plus for a car that that they know will be worth 10k in a few years no problem…

Strat54 · September 2023

guitars4you said:

If I was selling apples and pears I might be worried about how long it takes to sell my stock - Guitars never worry me - They take as long as they wish to - As always I've never some colours, models sell instantly and others can take a while to sell but as an overview that applies to most brands - However this summer has been slow on most sales for one reason or another

Sales are slow whilst we try to get our heads around the £1000 increases on a used piece. For example that £3169 2000 '56 NOS Strat you have would have been £2200 not long ago. Used guitars at retail just look way too high right now as they mirror the slightly crazy new price rises. It was always bound to happen but still.....

thermionic · September 2023

Are you sure that you’re advertising them in the right place?

imalrightjack · September 2023

monquixote said:

The popular ones like the DGT sell well with good residuals, but some of the weird ones that weren't so popular can take a big hit

There was one in the classifieds last I looked at a great price that hadn’t sold.

I’ve habitually bought and sold in an ADHD quest for something that will sit with me (it’s pointless and will never work, so I’m finally trying to deal with it!) and stuff isn’t moving anywhere near as quickly as it did, at what I’d consider pretty fair prices.

Jay100 · September 2023

imalrightjack said:

monquixote said:

The popular ones like the DGT sell well with good residuals, but some of the weird ones that weren't so popular can take a big hit

There was one in the classifieds last I looked at a great price that hadn’t sold.

I’ve habitually bought and sold in an ADHD quest for something that will sit with me (it’s pointless and will never work, so I’m finally trying to deal with it!) and stuff isn’t moving anywhere near as quickly as it did, at what I’d consider pretty fair prices.

I’ve noticed this on both eBay and the classifieds here too. To everyone above mentioning pricing - this dealer (and those both on eBay and here too) seem to be selling at sensible, or certainly market value pricing…

guitars4you · September 2023

Strat54 said:

guitars4you said:

If I was selling apples and pears I might be worried about how long it takes to sell my stock - Guitars never worry me - They take as long as they wish to - As always I've never some colours, models sell instantly and others can take a while to sell but as an overview that applies to most brands - However this summer has been slow on most sales for one reason or another

Sales are slow whilst we try to get our heads around the £1000 increases on a used piece. For example that £3169 2000 '56 NOS Strat you have would have been £2200 not long ago. Used guitars at retail just look way too high right now as they mirror the slightly crazy new price rises. It was always bound to happen but still.....

You’re right . But if I had to buy it today to sell for around £2200 again, then I’d be needing to pay 1500/1600 to buy it and maybe 1800 to trade . Neither will happen as the owners are not willing to accept such figures

As you say , used prices are mirroring current new prices hence rapid increases

crunchman · September 2023

Strat54 said:

guitars4you said:

If I was selling apples and pears I might be worried about how long it takes to sell my stock - Guitars never worry me - They take as long as they wish to - As always I've never some colours, models sell instantly and others can take a while to sell but as an overview that applies to most brands - However this summer has been slow on most sales for one reason or another

Sales are slow whilst we try to get our heads around the £1000 increases on a used piece. For example that £3169 2000 '56 NOS Strat you have would have been £2200 not long ago. Used guitars at retail just look way too high right now as they mirror the slightly crazy new price rises. It was always bound to happen but still.....

Those prices aren't sustainable long term though - especially with tens of thousands of expensive guitars being manufactured every year. There will be more guitars than there are buyers for them at current prices. Prices will have to come down.

The other thing to bear in mind is that there are guitars at a fifth of the price that are actually very good. 10 years ago I bought a CS Fender Tele, which I sold on after 2 or 3 years. I actually prefer the £750 Schecter I have now.

thomasross20 · September 2023

It's a tough market.

It's even harder to shift acoustics.

Paid about £3.5k for my Cu24 satin flamed maple neck, orange burst + 57/08 (their BEST pups and I've tried them all) limited edition about 10 years ago and despite the fact it's been a case queen for 5 years now, can't bring myself to sell as new is £5k+ and it is a BEAST. I read that cheaper guitars are as good but I'll tell you, I've played a LOT of guitars for 20++ years and the cost justifies it, it is way better than the lower end models. Same re the Suhr Pro S4 I got - it is 100% worth the money. The only thing I can imagine would be better is a 22 fret model for the pup spacing / tone but then would have to put up with the heel... Similar is now going for £5.5k at GG, or £4.5k on sale here:

https://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/product/210304367283003-6698631--prs-wood-library-custom-24-10-top-orange-fade-0322854?gclid=CjwKCAjwjOunBhB4EiwA94JWsPJsF5ozxEB5c5AlsOd8xTMf85xhgi81WN9nmfQjjJgDKVQaNjAbuxoCvPsQAvD_BwE

This is my original thread. @ICBM has heard me play this live:

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/74555/prs-custom-24-2013-experience-model

I actually bought pretty much the exact same model but purple burst & different pups, as I loved that model so much... Magnus bought it from me as tbh having two of the same way a bit crazy and as some will know I needed the money owing to personal circumstance around the time. That wood library purple model was a looker.

Prices for all guitars are just through the roof but I would always prefer to play in person and if it felt and sounded right, I've no issue paying full price in store for the guitar that resonates.

Martin acoustic price rises are shocking and iirc is largely down to distributor cut. Shame.

I am glad I got these when I did..... Even though they presently aren't getting played.

thomasross20 · September 2023

Honestly those 57/08s are absolutely fantastic

crunchman · September 2023

thomasross20 said:

Martin acoustic price rises are shocking and iirc is largely down to distributor cut. Shame.

Westside have always been appalling. When they first introduced the D18 re-imagined, it was around £2100 here and £1800 at several major dealers on the continent.

Strat54 · September 2023

guitars4you said:

Strat54 said:

guitars4you said:

If I was selling apples and pears I might be worried about how long it takes to sell my stock - Guitars never worry me - They take as long as they wish to - As always I've never some colours, models sell instantly and others can take a while to sell but as an overview that applies to most brands - However this summer has been slow on most sales for one reason or another

Sales are slow whilst we try to get our heads around the £1000 increases on a used piece. For example that £3169 2000 '56 NOS Strat you have would have been £2200 not long ago. Used guitars at retail just look way too high right now as they mirror the slightly crazy new price rises. It was always bound to happen but still.....

You’re right . But if I had to buy it today to sell for around £2200 again, then I’d be needing to pay 1500/1600 to buy it and maybe 1800 to trade . Neither will happen as the owners are not willing to accept such figures

As you say , used prices are mirroring current new prices hence rapid increases

Absolutely....I smiled as I saw the latest new NOS CS guitars arrive on sale at £4299...ouch! Guitars are certainly sticking, although interesting and rare stuff still sells quickly, I always favourite guitars like that on Reverb and notice they are gone within the week usually.

chris78 · September 2023

I've bought and sold a fair few PRS. I've done the same with Fender, Gibson etc.

PRS are no harder at all to shift than a Fender or Gibson.
They depreciate like a Fender or Gibson, possibly a touch more but not that much.

A core PRS is going to be £4kish new these days. If you put it up at £2k, it'll fly, £2,500 it'll sell but be patient.
That's no different to a CS Fender, though I've noticed those CS Fenders pushing above £5k now.

If you're looking at wood library, you'll pay £5,500, but don't expect to get much more back than the £2,500 unless its a really desirable spec.
Private stock, you'll pay £11k and sell at £6k, which is possibly a little more than a Masterbuilt Fender, where you'll pay £11k and sell at £4-5k.

Where PRS is different is that the older guitars don't gain in value, unless you have any early early one. That's because the new guitars are better than the old ones due to Paul's constant desire to improve.

guyinlyon · September 2023

Jay100 said:

Said dealer then mentioned that although beautiful, play great etc etc - they were having a hard time shifting them, particularly the more expensive ones and they weren’t keen on taking any more into stock at the moment. Apparently there isn’t much appetite for PRS (or higher-end PRS) in the UK - at least right now.

The problem is that your "dealer" hasn't found enough doctors, lawyers and City bankers, as they are the natural market for PRS guitars.

imalrightjack · September 2023

guyinlyon said:

Jay100 said:

Said dealer then mentioned that although beautiful, play great etc etc - they were having a hard time shifting them, particularly the more expensive ones and they weren’t keen on taking any more into stock at the moment. Apparently there isn’t much appetite for PRS (or higher-end PRS) in the UK - at least right now.

The problem is that your "dealer" hasn't found enough doctors, lawyers and City bankers, as they are the natural market for PRS guitars.

I don't think there's a more tedious loads of bollocks rolled out on here that fucking 'dentist' comments. Admins should start banning people for a failure of imagination.

Halls66 · September 2023

"unplayed" second hand guitar:
https://www.squealingpigguitars.co.uk/product-page/prs-usa-paul-reed-smith-modern-eagle-v-charcoal-burst-rosewood-2023

same model but new and from reputable shops:

https://www.peachguitars.com/prs-modern-eagle-v-charcoal-burst.htm?opt=38116&gad=1?gclid=CjwKCAjwjOunBhB4EiwA94JWsBcmv3WTscD6SZOcSZD3KWgRd1AEtbhlsT1poJVUWIRi5MeXU4I5bBoCgzUQAvD_BwE

https://www.gak.co.uk/en/prs-modern-eagle-v-charcoal/961116?gclsrc=aw.ds&&gclid=CjwKCAjwjOunBhB4EiwA94JWsDUN7pniy7dQo164SSJ6m11V62fHUVzWv2jw-piY7KidVWhpJv9iexoCkDAQAvD_BwE

Nothing against squealingpig, but I'm not sure that 10% is a large enough discount for people to not prefer the 'safety' of a shop and warranty of a new item.

thermionic · September 2023

This is getting a bit Zen - how can they say that it "sounds the part" when nobody's played it to find out?

OilCityPickups · September 2023

imalrightjack said:

guyinlyon said:

Jay100 said:

Said dealer then mentioned that although beautiful, play great etc etc - they were having a hard time shifting them, particularly the more expensive ones and they weren’t keen on taking any more into stock at the moment. Apparently there isn’t much appetite for PRS (or higher-end PRS) in the UK - at least right now.

The problem is that your "dealer" hasn't found enough doctors, lawyers and City bankers, as they are the natural market for PRS guitars.

I don't think there's a more tedious loads of bollocks rolled out on here that fucking 'dentist' comments. Admins should start banning people for a failure of imagination.

Quite right .... it's almost impossible to find a dentist these days ;-)

guitars4you · September 2023

Strat54 said:

guitars4you said:

Strat54 said:

guitars4you said:

If I was selling apples and pears I might be worried about how long it takes to sell my stock - Guitars never worry me - They take as long as they wish to - As always I've never some colours, models sell instantly and others can take a while to sell but as an overview that applies to most brands - However this summer has been slow on most sales for one reason or another

Sales are slow whilst we try to get our heads around the £1000 increases on a used piece. For example that £3169 2000 '56 NOS Strat you have would have been £2200 not long ago. Used guitars at retail just look way too high right now as they mirror the slightly crazy new price rises. It was always bound to happen but still.....

You’re right . But if I had to buy it today to sell for around £2200 again, then I’d be needing to pay 1500/1600 to buy it and maybe 1800 to trade . Neither will happen as the owners are not willing to accept such figures

As you say , used prices are mirroring current new prices hence rapid increases

Absolutely....I smiled as I saw the latest new NOS CS guitars arrive on sale at £4299...ouch! Guitars are certainly sticking, although interesting and rare stuff still sells quickly, I always favourite guitars like that on Reverb and notice they are gone within the week usually.

I have to admit that it is hard to keep up to-date these days - To many brands, to many models within the brands, add to that umpteen years of history, yet I'm still expected to know the market and its value - I regularly get gob smacked about prices on certain models - Noticed a MK Strat sold via auction this week that went for something like £1950 + fees so £2200/2300

I tend to stay safe these days within my comfort zone - If the price or model scares me I tend to back off - But fine for me as I slowly wind it all down to a semi retired mode

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PRS Guitars - Hard to sell?

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