Do We buy more Acoustic Guitars Nowadays?

guitarjack66

This is not an electric v acoustic question but more in line with a post I wrote within the 'How many electric guitars have you owned?' thread on the Guitar section. Do you believe this is due to the lack of physical shops and ease of returning the guitar online or do you believe Acoustic players are more discerning in their purchases? Ergo buy after trying more than the average electric player?

Soupman

It's a long time since I bought an acoustic, but I don't see how anyone could buy one without trying a few out first. As we all know, two identical instruments can sound different.
That's not to say I'd never buy a guitar untried - deals like that GG Taylor deal mentioned in a recent thread for example; or a well received (by forum members) example like maybe Dowina, Avalon or Larrivee (I'm thinking of @thomasross20 ;; there!) 

Looking at the question from the other end - if there were fewer guitar shops would acoustic sales fall then I think yes.
We've all been in the situation where we've gone in to a shop to kill time or just look and exited with something we didn't expect to buy.
In my case it first happened when I went out for a loaf and bought a car. Mind, it was a long time ago and was a Fiat, so the loaf would probably have been the better buy....
 
 

TTony

guitarjack66 said:

Do you believe this is due to the lack of physical shops and ease of returning the guitar online or do you believe Acoustic players are more discerning in their purchases? Ergo buy after trying more than the average electric player?

You can't really change the sound of an acoustic as easily/extensively as you can an electric, hence the greater importance of play-before-you-buy.

And - massive generalisation ahead - I tend to think of acoustic players as being more discerning and aware of their instrument, compared to a plug-in-and-turn-up-to-11 electric players   Acoustic playing *tends* to be more intricate and "personal" somehow.  More likely to be played solo than an electric (which would be more often found in a band context).

And - most importantly - the damn things are a lot bigger, so a lot harder to hide them around the house.  

Tannin

What is the question? 

bertie

always been a 50 / 50 split  with me

oh and @TTony have a wiz for your second paragraph  

guitarjack66

Tannin said:

What is the question? 

I'm sorry to make you cast your mind back to younger days but try to remember how avid a buyer you were/are.

guitarjack66

I have to be honest and say that I only ever tried one acoustic before buying and that was a used purchase. 

Tannin

Ahh, OK, I se what you are asking now. 

Well, yes, I've bought a heap of acoustic guitars in the last few years, but this is due to:

* (a) I have some spare money. Until I retired, most of my spare cash was tied up in my business.

* (b) But until I retired and had time to play guitar a lot, buying more instruments wasn't on my radar. when I had spare cash, I bought lenses, or cameras. 

* (c) Canon fucked it up  right royally. I used to buy pretty much every new mid-range and higher-end camera Canon brought out, not to mention a great big pile of lenses. But then Canon switched over to their mirrorless shit. I bought one (the top of their mirrorless range) just to try it out, and it was awful. Truly awful. After persevering with it for 18 months and honestly doing my best to love it I spat the dummy and sold the bloody thing. It was crap. I haven't bought a camera or a lens since.

Instead of spending most of my disposable income on photographic equipment (nearly all of  it Canon) I've spent the whole lot on guitars (none of them made by Canon).

TTony

Tannin said:

Instead of spending most of my disposable income on photographic equipment (nearly all of  it Canon) I've spent the whole lot on guitars (none of them made by Canon).

Have you seen Canon's new acoustic?

mo6020

I've been playing for nearly 30 years and over the course of that time I have bought 4 acoustic guitars, and 8 electric guitars.

I don't know what, if anything, this means, but other than a vague desire for a vintage LG to pair up with my J-45 I have no plans to buy anymore acoustics any time soon.

stickyfiddle

I build more electrics than I buy anything else, but I buy more acoustics than I do ready-made electrics these days. 

I very nearly bought a gorgeous black Atkin 43 last week. I still might… 

For anyone wondering why? Its because JUST LOOK AT IT…!! 

mo6020

stickyfiddle said:

I very nearly bought a gorgeous black Atkin 43 last week. I still might… 

You should. I love those things. 

stickyfiddle

Yeah, I already have a 47 and adore that. I love the idea of a J45 style to sit between that and my Bourgeois D18-style...

Kurtis

My first acoustic was bought in a shop after trying a bunch of different ones.
My second was from Ebay untried. 

The second is by far my favourite.
Make of that what you will. 

mo6020

stickyfiddle said:

Yeah, I already have a 47 and adore that. I love the idea of a J45 style to sit between that and my Bourgeois D18-style...

Not to derail this thread too much, but I have an OM37 which is outstanding, and the only reason I haven't gone for a 43 is because I already own a decent vintage J-45. I still want a 43, tho 

stickyfiddle

mo6020 said:

stickyfiddle said:

Yeah, I already have a 47 and adore that. I love the idea of a J45 style to sit between that and my Bourgeois D18-style...

Not to derail this thread too much, but I have an OM37 which is outstanding, and the only reason I haven't gone for a 43 is because I already own a decent vintage J-45. I still want a 43, tho 

Aararraaarrragghhghhhhh!!  

DavidR

Only in retirement when I had more time.

I think there is anecdotal and actual evidence that stores were selling a lot of instruments during the Covid; and less since things have gone back to normal i.e. people gone back to work/into work and not wfh.

In recent years I bought an acoustic 2018 and then every year between 2020 and 2022 (so 4!). None this year and haven't had G.A.S. this year. Also don't really need any diferent sorts of acoustics just now as have 1 of dread, OM, Parlor(ish), archtop, resonator and am happy with them all. Might buy an 0 sized guitar in 2y when I'm 70 and will need a treat!

Have also sold 4 since 2018 including 1 classical.

btw Industry figures are available. Guitar Sales Statistics (USA National Survey 2023) (pianodreamers.com)

guitarjack66

TTony said:

Tannin said:

Instead of spending most of my disposable income on photographic equipment (nearly all of  it Canon) I've spent the whole lot on guitars (none of them made by Canon).

Have you seen Canon's new acoustic?

Is it just a copy?

guitarjack66

DavidR said:

Only in retirement when I had more time.

I think there is anecdotal and actual evidence that stores were selling a lot of instruments during the Covid; and less since things have gone back to normal i.e. people gone back to work/into work and not wfh.

In recent years I bought an acoustic 2018 and then every year between 2020 and 2022 (so 4!). None this year and haven't had G.A.S. this year. Also don't really need any diferent sorts of acoustics just now as have 1 of dread, OM, Parlor(ish), archtop, resonator and am happy with them all. Might buy an 0 sized guitar in 2y when I'm 70 and will need a treat!

Have also sold 4 since 2018 including 1 classical.

btw Industry figures are available. Guitar Sales Statistics (USA National Survey 2023) (pianodreamers.com)

Interesting. It would seem us more senior players buy the least and the 18-24 year olds the most. I'm glad to see that us oldies are holding on to them the longest and not being as harmful to the environment as maybe our younger players are? I hate to see guitars just thrown away as I believe most can be recycled.

bertie

guitarjack66 said:

Interesting. It would seem us more senior players buy the least and the 18-24 year olds the most. I'm glad to see that us oldies are holding on to them the longest and not being as harmful to the environment as maybe our younger players are? I hate to see guitars just thrown away as I believe most can be recycled.

perhaps, once you get to a "certain age" you've had the opportunity to try, learn, and discover the acoustic for you.
 As has been said, they tend to be much more personal and "organic" ? than electrics, where you might want or want to try lots of different variations.  An acoustic is pretty much an acoustic, save body size extremes (SJ to parlor)

I think its "easier" to find a keeper acoustic than electric, based on length of time playing, number tried, and what suits your style of playing (sound and ergonomics)

rustneversleeps

DavidR said:

Only in retirement when I had more time.

I think there is anecdotal and actual evidence that stores were selling a lot of instruments during the Covid; and less since things have gone back to normal i.e. people gone back to work/into work and not wfh.

In recent years I bought an acoustic 2018 and then every year between 2020 and 2022 (so 4!). None this year and haven't had G.A.S. this year. Also don't really need any diferent sorts of acoustics just now as have 1 of dread, OM, Parlor(ish), archtop, resonator and am happy with them all. Might buy an 0 sized guitar in 2y when I'm 70 and will need a treat!

Have also sold 4 since 2018 including 1 classical.

btw Industry figures are available. Guitar Sales Statistics (USA National Survey 2023) (pianodreamers.com)

I thought I was too old for Gas.(retired).This year I’ve never brought so many guitars (7).Before had  couple of Martins quite happy for years.So you never know when it can hit.I blame F.B.