Post by JDaveG on May 28, 2015 16:20:38 GMT
Cynical version: Purchase a lot of high end gear. Decide you no longer need some of the high end gear. Put a really nice amp and a super nice guitar up for sale. Get trade offers that net you roughly 2/3 of what you wanted to get for the gear you're selling, but also get you some cheap gear in the process. Spend more money fixing up cheap gear. Lose probably a thousand dollars in the process.
Optimist version: Obtain good gear in trade for some older gear you no longer use. Taking into account the value of having used the gear for several years, fair market value indicates $X value. You get $X x .667, but you also get some gear in the process. Trade value for gear received is roughly 2/3 what you could purchase the gear for if you went looking to buy. Specifics are as follows.
1 Vox AC30cc2, trade value $450, fair market value pushes $700 or more. No modifications -- this amp is good to go out of the box.
1 Fender "Traditional Series" Stratocaster, trade value $200, fair market value probably $200 or so as is. The wood is obscenely good for such a cheap guitar. Poplar made in Mexico body, and what appears to be a USA maple/rosewood neck, though it only has 21 frets and the plastic truss rod cover -- it's straight as a board and is very close in feel and finish to my American Standard Telecaster. Replace garbage Asian hardware (bridge, tuners, jack) and electronics (pots, wiring and cap), along with pickguard and the surprisingly good MIM ceramic pickups (replaced with Fralin Vintage Hots scored for a stupid low price on Reverb.com). Total upgrade cost roughly $250 (a little less, but not enough to talk about). Total investment in guitar, $450.00. I can remove everything but the tuners to bring it back to "stock," so I'm out $30 if I ever want to sell it.
For $900 I have a ridiculously good Stratocaster -- I mean one that will put my Eric Johnson signature on the bench most days for gigging, AND a Vox AC30. Perfectly giggable rig. Add a Boss SD-1 and a Boss TU-3 and I can cover just about any ground I'll need to cover, and I'm under $1,000.00 total for the package.
Purchasing similar gear new would cost over double that.
I'm an optimist. I'm calling this a win. Here's the gear:
Optimist version: Obtain good gear in trade for some older gear you no longer use. Taking into account the value of having used the gear for several years, fair market value indicates $X value. You get $X x .667, but you also get some gear in the process. Trade value for gear received is roughly 2/3 what you could purchase the gear for if you went looking to buy. Specifics are as follows.
1 Vox AC30cc2, trade value $450, fair market value pushes $700 or more. No modifications -- this amp is good to go out of the box.
1 Fender "Traditional Series" Stratocaster, trade value $200, fair market value probably $200 or so as is. The wood is obscenely good for such a cheap guitar. Poplar made in Mexico body, and what appears to be a USA maple/rosewood neck, though it only has 21 frets and the plastic truss rod cover -- it's straight as a board and is very close in feel and finish to my American Standard Telecaster. Replace garbage Asian hardware (bridge, tuners, jack) and electronics (pots, wiring and cap), along with pickguard and the surprisingly good MIM ceramic pickups (replaced with Fralin Vintage Hots scored for a stupid low price on Reverb.com). Total upgrade cost roughly $250 (a little less, but not enough to talk about). Total investment in guitar, $450.00. I can remove everything but the tuners to bring it back to "stock," so I'm out $30 if I ever want to sell it.
For $900 I have a ridiculously good Stratocaster -- I mean one that will put my Eric Johnson signature on the bench most days for gigging, AND a Vox AC30. Perfectly giggable rig. Add a Boss SD-1 and a Boss TU-3 and I can cover just about any ground I'll need to cover, and I'm under $1,000.00 total for the package.
Purchasing similar gear new would cost over double that.
I'm an optimist. I'm calling this a win. Here's the gear:
