I;d like some opinions. Is this a fair trade?

AndrewM

Hello. It's my first post outside of trading. I normally just lurk and read advice on music forums. Hi! (mods, if this is inappropriate or in the wrong place, pm me and let me know )

Anyway, I'm hoping to get a couple of objective opinions if possible!

I've got a PRS CU24 with Indian Rosewood neck. I've been offered the following:

2016 USA Std Strat, Olympic White
2016 Les Paul Studio, Faded Cherry (T)
2016 Gibson Explorer, Cherry (T)

All absolutely mint. The guy wants £200 his way.

My guitar is on this site in the following thread:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/90973/ft-prs-cu-24-rosewood-neck-10-top-in-mccarty-burst#latest

I'm really tempted, although I am not sure if I would keep the LP or trade/sell it. 

Any advice, please? I find valuing guitars on the current market extremely hard

Richardj

Are you saying all three for your PRS and £200?

ICBM

Yes, that is a very fair trade. Even if the three guitars are only worth £500 each and you're going to sell all of them, it will be easier to sell them individually than getting £1300 for a PRS in today's market, even one with a RW neck. The Strat and the Explorer might be worth slightly more than £500 each.

If you're thinking about keeping one of them it's even better.

guitars4you

I can't see a price on your PRS Custom 24 - but with the r/wood neck version like yours, If it was my guitar in the store I would not do such a deal  - I suspect the high value from the potential buyer is based on his been 2016 models - So granted as new and clean but to sell realistically they need to be at least 30% below current web prices

So Explorer around £699 - so £489 to sell
LP around £699 (Think some still might be £599) - so again £489
Strat - sell for £999 - so £699
So total around £1650-1690 and he wants £200 from you as well

So on paper it might not be a bad deal, but I would not do it - plus then you have the potential of 3 guitars to sell - so 3 times the hassle - I'd prefer 1 guitar and more cash or 2 guitars and some cash my way

Strangefan

I personally dont think their worth as much as yours, especially with the £200 on top the faded LP is very much low end of gibson, the explorer well not really desirable these days , and a Strat is a strat. 
Les Paul: £450
Fender Strat £500
Explorer £500 to £650

Minus £200 = £1550 for yours, I personally wouldn't as for me its 3 Meh guitars for one stunner.

AndrewM

Thanks for the feedback! My plan was to pimp up the strat with an anodised pickguard and definitely keep the Explorer (wanted one since I was 15 - Hetfield was my idol back then).

Probably shift the LP on.

I have three PRS, and I feel that's too many. I don't really pick that one up to play it. I tend to gravitate towards my Studio or my Tele with SD Blackouts when I want a humbucker tone. I also have a gorgeous ME1 that I am keeping for a while.

I knew I'd get differing opinions. BTW, I've had the PRS on Gumtree for ages now, tried it at all sorts of price points and no one seems to want it. 

AndrewM

Richardj said:

Are you saying all three for your PRS and £200?

Yes, exactly. I pay £200 and give my PRS, I get the other three guitars.

Richardj

Ultimately, do you want to keep any of the other guitars and if you don't are you prepared to try and sell them in a fairly stagnant market? 

AndrewM

I will prob be happy with the Strat once I've pimped it up. Definitely keep the Explorer and might like the LP.

guitars4you

AndrewM said:

I will prob be happy with the Strat once I've pimped it up. Definitely keep the Explorer and might like the LP.

If you are happy that is all that matters - it ain't a crap deal, just not what I'd say was a great deal IMO

Voxman

  Does each of the 3 guitars being traded come with a hard case?  

The trades are not exceptional guitars and are all readily available so G4U's values seem to me if anything a little generous  - there's also a difference as to what a shop might sell them for used and how much they'd fetch privately.  By my arithmetic that's a total resale value by G4U of £1,677, but I think Strangefans values of around £1,500 might be nearer the mark.  Bear in mind that Explorers are quite 'quirky' guitars and a bit like marmite in that you either love or hate them.  Accordingly, they can be harder to move on - and it's vital to have the case because these are big guitars and a case is likely to et you back £100 for one. 

Could you give us more info please on your PRS - ICBM's figure of £1300 is probably not far off in the current market for an average Cu24.  I would expect something around the £1,500 mark for a good Cu24 - but it depends on the colour, condition, and age of your PRS Cu24, whether it's a 10-top, rotary 5-way, slider 5-way, or push-pull/coil taps, if you have the original tabs/docs,(I assume its not an Artist model), and whether its stock or had eg p/ups changed  - would it be safe to assume it has birds and the original PRS case?  

 One theme to bear in mind is that, love or hate them, PRS' are regarded as a quality guitar that do have a strong following and a more stable market value.  Values do also seem to increase with age.  I have a non 10-top 2002 PRS Cu24 in vintage amber with birds, zebra (stock) p/ups, rotary 5-way & the original PRS case with all the original PRS tabs/docs. Its insured for £2,000 and I was offered £1,500 for it a couple of years back.  Used prices do fluctuate of course.

Personally I wouldn't go for the deal.  If you were keen to offload the PRS because you didn't bond with it, and really liked and wanted all three trades for personal use, then perhaps a straight swap is nearer the mark, provided all 3 come with hard cases.  But I think the Cu24 will hold its value better.  Higher end guitars do move a bit slower as ICBM says, but providing you can wait and don't need to sell it urgently, you'll always get decent money for it and there's always a market for quality guitars. 

AndrewM

Voxman said:

  Does each of the 3 guitars being traded come with a hard case?  

The trades are not exceptional guitars and are all readily available so G4U's values seem to me if anything a little generous  - there's also a difference as to what a shop might sell them for used and how much they'd fetch privately.  By my arithmetic that's a total resale value by G4U of £1,677, but I think Strangefans values of around £1,500 might be nearer the mark.  Bear in mind that Explorers are quite 'quirky' guitars and a bit like marmite in that you either love or hate them.  Accordingly, they can be harder to move on - and it's vital to have the case because these are big guitars and a case is likely to et you back £100 for one. 

Could you give us more info please on your PRS - ICBM's figure of £1300 initially sounds a bit on the low side to me as I would have expected something around the £1,500 mark for a good Cu24 - but it depends on the colour, condition, and age of your PRS Cu24, whether it's a 10-top, rotary 5-way, slider 5-way, or push-pull/coil taps, if you have the original tabs/docs,(I assume its not an Artist model), and whether its stock or had eg p/ups changed  - would it be safe to assume it has birds and the original PRS case?  

 One theme to bear in mind is that, love or hate them, PRS' are regarded as a quality guitar that do have a strong following and a more stable market value.  Values do also seem to increase with age.  I have a non 10-top 2002 PRS Cu24 in vintage amber with birds, zebra (stock) p/ups, rotary 5-way & the original PRS case with all the original PRS tabs/docs. Its insured for £2,000 and I was offered £1,500 for it a couple of years back.  Used prices do fluctuate of course.

If you were keen to offload the PRS because you didn't bond with it, and really liked and wanted all three trades, then perhaps a straight swap is nearer the mark, provided all 3 come with hard cases.  But I think the Cu24 will hold its value better.  Higher end guitars do move a bit slower as ICBM says, but providing you can wait and don't need to sell it urgently, you'll always get decent money for it. 

Hi! The PRS is here:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/90973/ft-prs-cu-24-rosewood-neck-10-top-in-mccarty-burst

It's fairly mint, slight fret wear on the first couple of frets. It's a '08 model with rosewood neck and rotary switch. It has non-stock pickups but I can put it back to stock if that increases the value. Has the outline birds and original case and paper stuff.

Voxman

Sorry, just seen the link to pics & info on your PRS.  My comments still stand.  Not too many similar on EBay currently.  I'd suggest a realistic selling price for yours of £1,500.  

guitars4you

AndrewM said

Hi! The PRS is here:

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/90973/ft-prs-cu-24-rosewood-neck-10-top-in-mccarty-burst

It's fairly mint, slight fret wear on the first couple of frets. It's a '08 model with rosewood neck and rotary switch. It has non-stock pickups but I can put it back to stock if that increases the value. Has the outline birds and original case and paper stuff.

I appreciate that the used market might not be as buoyant as we want - but you could not buy that PRS today for below £3500 maybe even closer to 4K with that spec - The p/ups are not an issue in my view - as a store I'd probably put back to stock and sell the others on their own or find something for them to go on - How much do you value it at as a 'cash sale' - not that I'm buying it, just an opinion on your value - I'm guessing around £1300-1500 based on your thoughts of a potential exchange and £200

I assume you are not selling it as you need the cash as on that basis you'd not want this deal - so assume part of the sale is based on you are not bonding with the PRS which is fine - But it is still a premium grade guitar - those 3 guitars are regular production models with google littered with them - fine but not outstanding (don't want that to be a snobby guitar statement but probably is - but you know what I mean)

professorben

Oddly if someone offered me that deal I would laugh until the wee ran down my leg, however if I were the guy offering the deal I'd be mad keen, but then I am a prs fanboy. 
Have you counter offered? 
Straight swaps or less cash? 
Maybe offer a pedal instead of cash? 

On in the face of it seems fair 3 guitars for one of yours, but don't forget rosewood necks are gonna become more and more difficult to obtain as restrictions get tighter, personally I'd stick with the other two prs you own and stick the RW in the case for a few years. 

AndrewM

Really appreciate the advice guys. I'm really torn but I think I'm gassing for a new guitar. Might put this PRS away with the ME1 and see if there is any appreciation over the years. 

How much would I expect to get in a decent 'trade in' at a decent dealer for the PRS?

guitars4you

AndrewM said:

Really appreciate the advice guys. I'm really torn but I think I'm gassing for a new guitar. Might put this PRS away with the ME1 and see if there is any appreciation over the years. 

How much would I expect to get in a decent 'trade in' at a decent dealer for the PRS?

You'd need to speak to an appropriate dealer on this - will depend on what it is against and what cash comes in on the deal - Put it this way, with both sets of p/ups, clean frets, case tags etc I'd be happy to allow £1500 against say a 3k or 4K PRS and I dare say many good dealers would do likewise - would it be better than £1500 depends - but it should not be worse - Don't know what you paid for it, expect back for it etc - but to some it is a desirable guitar

I'm still surprised how you can still buy nice ME's for 3K to 4K and would have expected such prices to have risen by some margin - time will tell - In my view these are Paul's 59 LP's

AndrewM

I got the PRS in a trade, for a Mayones Regius 6.

What do you mean by MEs are Paul's 59 LPs? I'm not that clued up on guitar markets as you can tell  

DrJazzTap

AndrewM said:

I got the PRS in a trade, for a Mayones Regius 6.

What do you mean by MEs are Paul's 59 LPs? I'm not that clued up on guitar markets as you can tell  

ME is a modern eagle i believe.

http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_detail.asp?stock=px-NE15JE922

I was thinking about doing something similar to be honest, mainly to clear up space. I bought a Fender American standard Stratocaster with a solid rosewood neck last year. And have been tempted to move it on. But then I think I'm better off just sitting on it. Supposedly it's one of seven in the UK in Daphne Blue.

I would be a bit insulted if somebody offered me two faded cherry T models and a strat for my PRS. I've seen those sell for as little as £349.
Not so sure on the Explorer, I'd say £500?? I don't know why he thinks he should get back £200 either?? Imho it should be the other way around.

I know the PRS guys go bonkers over the solid rosewood necks (that's one of the reasons I bought the strat).

If you're on about fitting a different scratchplate to the strat. I would say, just get a strat you like from the off

guitars4you

AndrewM said:

I got the PRS in a trade, for a Mayones Regius 6.

What do you mean by MEs are Paul's 59 LPs? I'm not that clued up on guitar markets as you can tell  

Just in my view that all the praise that is thrown by Gibson lovers at a 59 LP for all that they possess, then in my view  the PRS Modern Eagle deserves the same plaudits etc

I'm still surprised they are for sale around 3-4K and what have expected prices to be higher tan this - so time will tell

Strangefan

@guitars4you has nailed it, I gotta say we're lucky to have a dealer on here who is down the line and actively contributes without pushing his wares, the forums better for it, ................................now how about a nice discount :P