jff Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 I've been reading today that Fender is planning on raising their prices by 25%, across the board, on February 1, 2009. If you've been thinking of buying any of their products, you might want to buy in January before the price increase. Some folks are speculating that this is just a Guitar Center ploy to make some quick sales, but apparently reputable guitar dealers are confirming that the price increase is for real. I'm bummed because I'm about $300 away from upgrading to a better Strat. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 Buy used. That's the good news for lovers of Fender and Gibson products: There is a used market chock full of every shape and variety. A motivated shopper can save a lot of money. That, and it is pretty universally acknowledged that most guitars made pre-1980 just play better. A lot more love in those old ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisFFTA Posted January 5, 2009 Share Posted January 5, 2009 smart business move fender... increase prices at a time when noone is buying... the used market is indeed where its (always been) at. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
a.miller Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 Yeah, I heard this too. Big mistake by Fender. Frankly, their equipment is a pale comparison to what it once was. I simply can't justify spending that much cash on one of their models. Anyone who does a little research can put together a far superior sounding instrument out of parts located over the internet. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 just read about this today as well... disappointing considering the state of the economy, personally i think is purely done to follow gibson; the cost of doing business is in fact increasing, but no where near the 25% of the price increase...i dont consider fender guitars higher end gear and if they want to keep their market share, theyd be best advised to reconsider the jump i concur the used market is booming...and its a buyers market at that, i just passed on a mij jazzmaster and a ri jaguar on enay, both under $500 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted January 6, 2009 Share Posted January 6, 2009 the cost of doing business is in fact increasing, but no where near the 25% of the price increase...how do you know this? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 how do you know this? im sorry...how do i know which? I meant cost of production is higher based on increased resources and transport costs...but the secret is out, google it...the american series and higher end fenders will see the highest increase, looks like the date is jan 12 '09 for the price jack Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Jules Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 im sorry...how do i know which?How do you know that their cost of doing business has not increase enough to justify the 25% increase? You seem to know, so I was asking how you know. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 8, 2009 Author Share Posted January 8, 2009 looks like the date is jan 12 '09 for the price jack Where did you get that date? Feb. 1 is the date I've been seeing on the several guitar/music websites I've checked out since hearing of the price increase earlier this week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 How do you know that their cost of doing business has not increase enough to justify the 25% increase? You seem to know, so I was asking how you know. Where did you get that date? Feb. 1 is the date I've been seeing on the several guitar/music websites I've checked out since hearing of the price increase earlier this week. Admit i dont have access to fender's financial documents...but lets look at it this way...material costs are going up, but if it were that much, you'd see congruent price increases in other lines as well...and whille there are some companies that annually up their retail prices (gibson, PRS) most dont...shipping domestically and from mexico is ultimately cheaper than from asia (why fender stopped using Fender Japan and built the modern facilities)...Rickenbacker (family owned company) makes a high quality domestic product and their 2009 MSRPs havent gone up, and Fender's (corporate juggernaut) sales dwarf rick's i really think the increase is to ensure high value 'brand recognition', same thing as Harley (or Gibson), where price jumps out pace the market as production costs actually remain consistent compare a USA strat at $1475 to the MIM guitar for about $700 the only significant differences are the manufactured parts, pickups, tuners and bridge. Shouldnt cost twice as much for parts that only cost $25-30 more. What youre paying for is the more expensive labor, marketing and 'prestige' of the brand; you might not be getting a better instrument. the heads up on the date was from Yarbroughs music here in town; the effective date was Feb 1, but many stores end fiscal year on Jan 15, where the old MSRP would reflect the previous years sales, so the increase would start week one, fiscal 2009, many online sites have already updated... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jff Posted January 9, 2009 Author Share Posted January 9, 2009 compare a USA strat at $1475 to the MIM guitar for about $700 the heads up on the date was from Yarbroughs music here in town; the effective date was Feb 1, but many stores end fiscal year on Jan 15, where the old MSRP would reflect the previous years sales, so the increase would start week one, fiscal 2009, That makes sense. I guess I'll find out what the local stores are doing with their prices soon enough. I don't know the price of a USA Fender, but a MIM Fender is $449 (up from $399), not $700...unless you're talking about an upgraded MIM, like the Jimmy Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat ($699) or the Classic Player '50s and '60s series ($799) which have components equivalent to, or possibly better than standard USA Fenders. The difference is Mexican vs USA labor costs, and the MIMs come with a gig bag rather than a case (which I assume comes with a USA Fender). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 That makes sense. I guess I'll find out what the local stores are doing with their prices soon enough. I don't know the price of a USA Fender, but a MIM Fender is $449 (up from $399), not $700...unless you're talking about an upgraded MIM, like the Jimmy Vaughan Tex-Mex Strat ($699) or the Classic Player '50s and '60s series ($799) which have components equivalent to, or possibly better than standard USA Fenders. The difference is Mexican vs USA labor costs, and the MIMs come with a gig bag rather than a case (which I assume comes with a USA Fender). yea...i was going for the difference between one tier and the next, but didnt explain well enough, but i think you get what i was saying...as mentioned the largest price increase really effects the higher tier instruments of the line...hardshell cases run what, $99? And that's not cost...I wasnt really factoring that in the equation Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Golden Smoghead Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Interesting thread guys, thanks for the info. Sucks though! I thought this might be the year to buy a new mid-level Fender amp. I'm slightly nervous about buying one used but I think that's got to be the way now. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lost highway Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Why is it that Japanese Fenders seem nicer than Mexican ones? I've played a few of the old Japanese ones that seem on par with the U.S. My buddy has a Japanese Jazzmaster, I would be happy to own it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
In a little rowboat Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 Why is it that Japanese Fenders seem nicer than Mexican ones? I've played a few of the old Japanese ones that seem on par with the U.S. My buddy has a Japanese Jazzmaster, I would be happy to own it. Couple of reasons...first, the first post-CBS era facility was in Japan, and Fender didnt keep any USA factories open for years...so all Fenders period came out of Japan for a while... in addition, japanese woodworking, craftmanship and attention to detail is legendary, this carries over into the Fender Japan that we know today, which produces (supposedly) only for the Japanese market, which i dare say, is more particular in its buying habits...Japanese workers are more skilled and paid better than any other than in the USA...Fender Japan also bends over backwards to emulate vintage instruments, where Fender USA is producing today's designs Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LeeT4321 Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Or you can buy a new Squier guitar for the old Fender price. Squier's new Classic Vibe series really aren't bad. Change the pickups and maybe the tuners and you've got a keeper. Fender's best years are behind them. Their new solid-state amps are junk. There's no reason to buy new, especially amps. Craigslist, eBay, come on! Especially for OOP guitars; I found my sought-after 2001 woodgrain LP Special on eBay for under 650 bucks. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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