Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

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MJW
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by MJW »

Small Law Survivor wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 11:30 am Thinking about a Gibson ES339 right now.
Don't think....just do. :)
pejp
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by pejp »

I do love my 2004 50th Anniversary Deluxe Strat. It cost over 1200 GBP at the time, which was a huge amount of money to me back then, but it plays beautifully. I sent it for a setup and adjustment recently, including smoothing the neck as it felt a bit tacky, and it's just perfect. For an amateur player like me, there is a plateau. You could give me a nice PRS or something, and I wouldn't be able to justify it with my ability, but the difference between a $300 Mexican Strat, and a $1200 American, is just night and day.

The other thing to remember, is that a $300 guitar can play like a much higher end instrument with the right setup.
dknightd
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by dknightd »

I bought an all silver Yamaha flute for my daughter. Via ebay from a foreign country!
I'm so glad I did it. It sounded so much better than her student flute. She played it a lot.
And the better sound was so much easier for my ears to handle.
She still has it. Has since moved out of the house. I don't think she plays it much anymore.
She just got PhD so will likely be busy for at least a few years.
I'm sure she appreciated the gift. I highly suspect she will get what I paid for it, if she decides to sell it, which I think is unlikely.
Every instrument seems to have a sweet spot in price range. There is very expensive, and very cheap.
The sweet spot is in the middle, unless you are a professional.
A good quality musical instrument is so much more enjoyable for both the player and listener.
Retired 2019. So far, so good. I want to wake up every morning. But I want to die in my sleep. Just another conundrum. I think the solution might be afternoon naps ;)
xrvision
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by xrvision »

This thread has me thinking.

I was a pretty competitive violinist in my youth through college. I played on a student violin ($1300 25 years ago, now worth around $3.5-4K). In college I considered upgrading to a $10 range violin, but did not do so as I was not going into music as a long-term career and it would have been a financially difficult purchase for my parents.

Fast forward to now, I do not play much. But I want a better instrument and can afford one. Now my problem is guidance- I find that teachers of competitive players tend to know more about the instrument market and can help find a quality instrument for a decent price. I don't have a teacher now, and I don't know where to start. Curious to see how others have navigated this process.
rjbraun
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by rjbraun »

xrvision wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:09 pm This thread has me thinking.

I was a pretty competitive violinist in my youth through college. I played on a student violin ($1300 25 years ago, now worth around $3.5-4K). In college I considered upgrading to a $10 range violin, but did not do so as I was not going into music as a long-term career and it would have been a financially difficult purchase for my parents.

Fast forward to now, I do not play much. But I want a better instrument and can afford one. Now my problem is guidance- I find that teachers of competitive players tend to know more about the instrument market and can help find a quality instrument for a decent price. I don't have a teacher now, and I don't know where to start. Curious to see how others have navigated this process.
I relied on a good friend when I bought my fully-rebuilt Model A Steinway (early 20th century). He was already in the market, so I think I tagged along with him and then eventually ended up buying a piano myself, with his help. I trusted and relied heavily on him, though I also tried to educate myself by frequenting an online forum (as shown below) and also by reading books, some of which were more anecdotal or "fun" in nature than necessarily technical (though the one shown below may, I think, be viewed as the "bible" for buying a piano). In hindsight, I'm not sure if I would have felt comfortable making such a big-ticket purchase without my friend's help.

http://forum.pianoworld.com/ubbthreads. ... forum.html

https://www.pianobuyer.com/Buy-Books/The-Piano-Book

As for your possible violin purchase, perhaps contact a nearby music conservatory, if you have one, to inquire about faculty or alumni teachers who could help. Admittedly, it's hard to know how objective or knowledgeable they may be. I'm not very familiar with violinist.com, but perhaps you could get some helpful leads or ideas there. Or maybe a former teacher or someone from college could help to provide guidance on how to proceed.

Good luck!
MiddleOfTheRoad
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by MiddleOfTheRoad »

xrvision wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:09 pm This thread has me thinking.

I was a pretty competitive violinist in my youth through college. I played on a student violin ($1300 25 years ago, now worth around $3.5-4K). In college I considered upgrading to a $10 range violin, but did not do so as I was not going into music as a long-term career and it would have been a financially difficult purchase for my parents.

Fast forward to now, I do not play much. But I want a better instrument and can afford one. Now my problem is guidance- I find that teachers of competitive players tend to know more about the instrument market and can help find a quality instrument for a decent price. I don't have a teacher now, and I don't know where to start. Curious to see how others have navigated this process.
Play as many as you can regardless of price to find the sound/tone you desire. Then look for an instrument made by an award winning contemporary maker (check violin society of America website). 15-40k. Personally, I like Kelvin Scott work. (Ksviolins.com). <20k
SixAlpha
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by SixAlpha »

Many years ago when I still played' I purchased a used clarinet from a family member for $75. I discovered after the fact that it was a sweetheart deal. It’s a very rare, very high-end clarinet and the music stores fawn over it when I take it in for repairs.

I recently loaned it (long term) to my middle-school-aged niece, after showing her how to properly care for it, figuring she deserved something a little nicer than the fleet of band rentals. Her band instructor was duly impressed with the instrument. She has enjoyed it immensely, and is becoming quite skilled. Wherever nervousness I felt by entrusting such an expensive instrument to a middle schooler has been far outweighed by the joy of watching her progress as a musician with an instrument that won’t let her down.
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WestUniversity
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by WestUniversity »

Yes. A Taylor guitar. Don’t ask what it cost. :shock:
scooterdog
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by scooterdog »

My own story. Father passed away when I was young, the youngest of four. Strong interest in music, student trombone held me back when I reached 12, it was clear a student model prevented me from getting better. There's only so much you can do with a student instrument.

Was brought to a discount music store, and shocked to walk out with a $444.xx instrument. This was over forty years ago.

Still play that instrument, moreso now DD and two DSs are taking lessons and getting better at it. Found out that new Bach Stradivarius 36B's now run $3.5K - $4K.

DD (now 16yo) a few years ago outgrew her student flute, got her a $1.1K Di Zhao. No regrets as she sounded a lot better, and grew leaps and bounds in performance, getting into honor groups etc. Have just finished auditioning flutes in the $3K - $9K range through her private teacher, and have decided to go for a $5K one called a Miyazawa. Interesting to hear the difference in character and tone between instruments at these levels, no substitute for trying them out yourself.

Fully recommend an investment in this according to how you can appreciate the quality. DD isn't planning a career in music, but it will be something she can enjoy - and work at - the rest of her life.

DS is just starting out on the French Horn. No regrets. 8-)
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Tyrobi
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by Tyrobi »

4 grand for wife's piano.
2.5 grand for my guitar.
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investingdad
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by investingdad »

It certainly sounds like many BHs have invested in better instruments (there's that word again) with no regrets.

Like others, we upgraded my daughter to a solid silver flute. Hers is a Gemeinhardt and was around $1400 I believe. That was on the recommendation of her tutor after playing for 3 years. We'll see what happens with my son and his student sax. He's been playing for almost two years.

It's funny with my son, his tutor advised he change from a 2.0 to 2.5 reed (full disclosure... this means nothing to me). When he switched this summer he announced that they sounded the same and didn't see the point. Fast forward about 8 weeks and he's down to his last 2.5 reed. I told him just to use one of the unused 2.0 reeds until we got more 2.5 reeds. He replied, "Dad, the 2.0 reeds suck, they make everything sound fuzzy."

:) Funny how that worked.

For now my plan is to continue sampling my luthier's inventory until I find a nicer violin that I really like. He has a solid representation in the community. I'm going to keep my target in the 4k to 7k range.
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Summit111
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by Summit111 »

Retired engineer and Semi professional musician here. I find in that there reaches a point of diminishing returns past a certain cost. I’m a drummer, and my traveling kit costs approximately $2500, but I’ve seen and played on $25,000 kits. They might look flashier than mine, but don’t sound any better. It’s all in the tuning... After all, they rely on a solid PA system for the audience to hear...

But, I do believe in top quality sound systems....JBL, Crown, Presonus, Shure...

Now, major touring and recording acts, is totally different story... 8-)

Summit
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nimo956
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by nimo956 »

xrvision wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 1:09 pm This thread has me thinking.

I was a pretty competitive violinist in my youth through college. I played on a student violin ($1300 25 years ago, now worth around $3.5-4K). In college I considered upgrading to a $10 range violin, but did not do so as I was not going into music as a long-term career and it would have been a financially difficult purchase for my parents.

Fast forward to now, I do not play much. But I want a better instrument and can afford one. Now my problem is guidance- I find that teachers of competitive players tend to know more about the instrument market and can help find a quality instrument for a decent price. I don't have a teacher now, and I don't know where to start. Curious to see how others have navigated this process.
You want to play as many instruments side by side as you can to get an idea of what kind of tone, projection, etc. you want. Once you've nailed that down you can either buy a completed instrument, or work directly with a luthier to build a violin to your specifications. I'm not sure where you're located, but there are countless luthiers in the US as well as abroad. There should be violin forums where you can look up lists.

Guy Rabut in NYC is one I know offhand: http://guyrabut.com/index.html
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TheAccountant
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by TheAccountant »

Phil Rudd's drumset. I've been playing for 16 years and to me it was worth every penny.
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JupiterJones
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by JupiterJones »

TheAccountant wrote: Wed Jul 18, 2018 9:48 am Phil Rudd's drumset.
Seriously? That's pretty cool.
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getthatmarshmallow
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by getthatmarshmallow »

Yes, a quality upright piano for around $5000. I played nearly everything for sale within 100 miles from old refurbished uprights to a concert Bosendoerfer and practically memorized pianobuyer.com.

In my experience I found that there are bands of quality: entry-level, mid-level, and professional. There's almost always a nicer piano. For me, it made sense to upgrade because my son was taking to lessons, I was getting back into playing, and the $300 keyboard was hindering my ability to develop a good touch. But that last bit is key; I knew what I was looking for in an upgrade.

If we're still playing and improving in a decade I'll start my Mason Hamlin baby grand hunt.

So my advice would be to upgrade when you can tell how your current instrument is holding you back. Until then, upgrade the player, not the instrument.
kaneohe
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by kaneohe »

Many decades ago, bought a higher grade violin for daughter who requested it. Forget exactly how much but I remember thinking I could buy a new car for that price. Years later, daughter moved to LA area and then joined local symphony orchestra. Within wks, she met her now husband there and some yrs later, we got our precious granddaughter. Best investment I ever made......

I think she still has the violin tho symphony activities are on hold due to busy schedule w/ kid,etc.
MandyT
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by MandyT »

getthatmarshmallow wrote: Thu Jul 19, 2018 10:17 am So my advice would be to upgrade when you can tell how your current instrument is holding you back. Until then, upgrade the player, not the instrument.
This is almost exactly what I was going to say. It's not a matter of your somehow not "deserving" it now; it's more that it may not make a difference now and, by the time it does, you might find that you prefer some other instrument at the same level.

I am not a professional musician, but I'm a very good amateur. I played on a decent upper-student-level flute from 1989 until I decided to upgrade in 2002. I tried many different manufacturers and options; it turned out that a certain make with a certain head joint improved my lower register without hurting anything else, and also gave me the ability to tongue much more quickly and cleanly. I paid $7250, which is more than I ever thought I'd spend on an instrument, but I think it's been well worth it. There were some more expensive optional features, but they didn't make a difference in my playing. It's still a joy to play after all these years. The moral of the story is that I could have paid as much or more money for a flute that was less suitable for me if my playing had been less developed.

I've also spent lower four figures on two other instruments that I play a fair amount--I'm happy with them and do not intend to upgrade them. (I originally put more details, but decided that they would pretty much identify me uniquely, which wouldn't be the end of the world, but I'd still prefer not to get too granular publicly. The OP or anyone else is welcome to PM me if interested in more details.)
Jags4186
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by Jags4186 »

While I can't speak for string instruments, I can speak for brass instruments and piano.

With regards to brass instruments, unless you're playing a real dud or are getting into professional caliber playing, nice student models will suffice for personal enjoyment. Yamaha or similar will do the trick 99.99% of the time. Your technique will determine 90% of the quality of your sound and the 10% improvement from the instrument won't happen unless you're already maxing out your technique.

For pianos, unless you are playing the absolute most difficult of reperatoire in a performance hall setting, which I can almost guarantee you no one on Bogleheads is, there is no real advantage to getting a grand or baby grand piano other than personal pride. You really can't max out great Yamaha/Boston/Essex etc. uprights. Find an instrument that has been well taken care of, get it tuned, make sure it's action doesn't stick, has a soundboard that creates timbre you like and enjoy. FWIW the "most difficult" piano pieces are not only obscure but also not all that enjoyable to listen to. They also require technique well beyond what any amateur would likely have.
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by madbrain »

I bought a Schimmel K280T 9'2" piano for about $60K. And a French double harpsichord for $9500. I am playing the later much more these days.

Also have a $3K double manual digital organ with MIDI pedalboard, but I haven't gotten around to learning to play with my feet yet. Not sure if I ever will successfully. My favorite baroque repertoire doesn't fit the C to C range of the organ manuals also, so I barely play it.
youngin87
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by youngin87 »

Kawai Rx-2 piano $16000 including tax and bench

I spent 9 months looking at pianos before settling on this one.
cordanmom
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by cordanmom »

A grand piano came with our home. The owners didn't want to move it and the soundboard was nearing the end of its life. We also left the piano with the home when we sold and purchased an electric keyboard (3K). The oldest child played piano thru high school. I gave the keyboard away to a charity when she graduated from college and moved across the country.

The youngest child began music instruction with piano and switched to lever harp (Lyon & Healy Prelude). We rented for 6 months and then purchased for 5.5K. Three years late sold the lever harp for the $5K and purchased a pedal harp (Salvi Diana) for $8.5K.

No regrets in the least. A home filled with beautiful music and children who excelled academically was a fantastic return on investment.
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A440
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by A440 »

I purchased a new Kawai baby grand as a reward to myself for winning a piano scholarship competition in college. I paid $6,500 for the piano (purchased at cost) at a time when most students at that age were buying a used car. I drove my parents old clunker until it wouldn't run anymore. $6,500 may not be pricey, unless you were a broke college student in the 80's. :D
I have had several cars since then that have come and gone, but I still play the same piano everyday and it is valued at or above what I paid for it in 1988.
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scottgekko
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by scottgekko »

I bought myself a Fender American Special Strat for apx $1000 for my birthday this year. It's fiesta red w/ mint green pickguard and anitqued pickups/knobs. Best playing guitar I've ever had.

Back in college I purchased an ice blue American Vintage re-issue '62 Fender Jaguar for about $1400. I still have it and although I don't play it that much I can't bring myself to sell it just because it looks so cool and I know I'd end up buying another Jaguar anyway...so it stays. I guess if I'm ever in dire straits it'll be handy to offload it for about $1600.
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by JupiterJones »

scottgekko wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:04 pm Back in college I purchased an ice blue American Vintage re-issue '62 Fender Jaguar for about $1400. [...] I guess if I'm ever in dire straits it'll be handy to offload it for about $1600.
If you do ever find yourself in Dire Straits, you'll probably need all your guitars. :D
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scottgekko
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by scottgekko »

JupiterJones wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:29 pm
scottgekko wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:04 pm Back in college I purchased an ice blue American Vintage re-issue '62 Fender Jaguar for about $1400. [...] I guess if I'm ever in dire straits it'll be handy to offload it for about $1600.
If you do ever find yourself in Dire Straits, you'll probably need all your guitars. :D
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investingdad
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by investingdad »

JupiterJones wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:29 pm
scottgekko wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:04 pm Back in college I purchased an ice blue American Vintage re-issue '62 Fender Jaguar for about $1400. [...] I guess if I'm ever in dire straits it'll be handy to offload it for about $1600.
If you do ever find yourself in Dire Straits, you'll probably need all your guitars. :D
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by A440 »

investingdad wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 4:53 pm
JupiterJones wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:29 pm
scottgekko wrote: Fri Jul 20, 2018 1:04 pm Back in college I purchased an ice blue American Vintage re-issue '62 Fender Jaguar for about $1400. [...] I guess if I'm ever in dire straits it'll be handy to offload it for about $1600.
If you do ever find yourself in Dire Straits, you'll probably need all your guitars. :D
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And microwave ovens...
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investingdad
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by investingdad »

Part of the challenge is not knowing what the limits of my current violin really are. I haven't had my teacher play it in over a year and that's probably the best way to hear what it's capable of.

In fact, I should ask her what she plays as it really has a lovely tone.

On the other hand, one of her students whom she's said is pretty good has an obnoxiously squeaky, high strung sounding violin. I think that's a case of the kid needing a better instrument to unlock his potential.

For the moment, I'm playing around with higher quality strings. Next restring I may opt for gold wound to see what I think.
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by getthatmarshmallow »

investingdad wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 8:02 am Part of the challenge is not knowing what the limits of my current violin really are.
Then you're not ready to upgrade, at least not for musical reasons.
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by MandyT »

investingdad wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 8:02 am Part of the challenge is not knowing what the limits of my current violin really are. I haven't had my teacher play it in over a year and that's probably the best way to hear what it's capable of.
Your teacher is probably well placed to give you input regarding whether/when it's time to upgrade the instrument. You mention upgrading the strings; I've also heard string players talk about upgrading their bows.
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investingdad
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by investingdad »

She's actually the one that suggested trying the strings I just changed to. She uses them; she also thought I may want to try the gold wound version at some point.

They do sound richer and more complex.
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investingdad
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by investingdad »

getthatmarshmallow wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 10:17 am
investingdad wrote: Sat Jul 21, 2018 8:02 am Part of the challenge is not knowing what the limits of my current violin really are.
Then you're not ready to upgrade, at least not for musical reasons.
My desire to upgrade isn't entirely for musical reasons. It's also for the pleasure of owning a fine instrument.
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investingdad
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by investingdad »

I'm resurrecting this thread.

After trying a lot of violins over the last two years with the luthier I go to (he let me borrow a lot with no time limits), I found one I liked immediately last month.

Most of the ones I brought home would end up having one or two things I just didn't like. And I ended up taking them back. Luthier said no worries, it takes time to find the right one and you'll know it when you play it.

Side story...i dropped off my composite bow for a rehair last Fall and borrowed an old wooden bow. Wow. I loved it before I left his shop. Did it make me better? Yes, absolutely... it felt like I had an instant upgrade in control. I never returned it, bought it instead.

So yeah, found a wonderful French violin that I really like and I love to play. Hot iron branded inside but label long gone. Between 100 and 130 years old. It sounds like my student violin (warm, rich) but without any twang or whiny sound. Rings where I want it to and I can hear a lot of nice things below the surface. I was having a good practice the other night and getting more aggressive on the strings, it really responded in a way my other doesn't.

It was tough to write out the check...$9000. But I knew it wasn't going back. I added it to our insurance policy, luthier wrote an appraisal for 12k.

It's a wonderful instrument.
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by lazydavid »

I haven't yet, but probably will next year. My son switched from Clarinet to Tenor Sax after two years, and so far he's really loving the Tenor. The place we rent from allows you to spend every penny you've ever paid in rental fees towards the purchase of up to 50% of a new instrument. Assuming he still loves playing the Tenor as much next year as he does today, we'll be at the point where we'll be able to use that to maximum benefit when looking at Saxes in the $5k range.
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by RubyTuesday »

Have purchased multiple relatively expensive instruments, including some vintage and some custom small builder instruments. Ultimately, I sold most Of these instruments, keeping only a couple that were my favorites to play. Most sold for slightly less than acquired, a couple for more.

GAS - gear acquisition syndrome, can become a problem for many musicians.

I’m all for buying quality instruments, but If you spend more time lusting after instruments online, reading reviews, following instrument forums and classifieds, etc, than you spend playing, you’re probably buying for the wrong reasons and experiencing GAS.

Just my $0.02
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

pejp wrote: Tue Jul 17, 2018 12:27 pm I do love my 2004 50th Anniversary Deluxe Strat. It cost over 1200 GBP at the time, which was a huge amount of money to me back then, but it plays beautifully. I sent it for a setup and adjustment recently, including smoothing the neck as it felt a bit tacky, and it's just perfect. For an amateur player like me, there is a plateau. You could give me a nice PRS or something, and I wouldn't be able to justify it with my ability, but the difference between a $300 Mexican Strat, and a $1200 American, is just night and day.

The other thing to remember, is that a $300 guitar can play like a much higher end instrument with the right setup.
I started playing guitar again after 30 years off. I got in a worship band (think Skillet, U2 kinda stuff) and wanted to learn about guitars more. I'm an electric player. Since used is so much cheaper, went through a number of used stuff from Jackson to Line 6. Started to better understand the used market. Rule #1: there are a ton of fake and rip off guitars out there. Lots of American strat necks on Squier bodies. I specialized in Mexican strats and teles and learned to identify the fakes. I also learned how to work on guitars. Use the Ron Kirn method for fret leveling. I roll fingerboards. I repaint bodies and do any pickup, tuner, electrical work needed. Eventually, I would buy a used guitar on craigslist or in a pawn shop and fix and or modify it to my own liking. I'd play it for a while then put it up for sale. People on craigslist would follow my stuff and several contacted me to work on their guitars.

So what's the difference between a Mexican strat and a USA strat? It's the detail work. A step further, a custom shop strat......same thing. So with enough sweat equity, some pickup changes and proper adjustments and set up, a Mexican can be made to play like an American. To be closest, a Deluxe Mexican has the wider string spacing to match a US. Like a Powerhouse (like an Eric Clapton) or Jimmy Vaughan (like an SRV). But it is hours of work and $$ for good pickups.

I'm too scared to buy a US strat used as I don't know enough to be absolutely sure it's not fake.

My most expensive guitar purchase: New Music Man Axis, I think. I still have the 69 Guild Studio 302 archtop my parents bought me new and it's likely worth more than anything I bought (about $1600 or so).
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nimo956
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by nimo956 »

I purchased a hand-built classical guitar from a luthier for about $4k. This was for me to play, and I had been taking lessons seriously for about a year and decided to upgrade. The difference in tone and projection between a factory and handmade instrument was remarkable. Luckily for me, professional guitars can be found in the $5k range, topping out around $10k. I'm not sure if I could even find a professional cello bow for $5k, and a top level violin by a current luthier like Guy Rabut is probably $50k. A nice Bosendorfer grand piano probably starts at $80k. I wouldn't feel bad spending $5k on an instrument if music is a serious passion.
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BogleLearner
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by BogleLearner »

Serious musicians would not ask this - so perhaps you are purchasing for a family member?
Playing for 1-1/2 years is not a long time - you would have to do a great deal of practicing
to get the sound that you would like.

As a lifelong pianist, I found a great used grand piano, that I had refurbished. A good
instrument, well maintained and stored with care, should hold its value.
randomguy
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by randomguy »

nimo956 wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:33 am I purchased a hand-built classical guitar from a luthier for about $4k. This was for me to play, and I had been taking lessons seriously for about a year and decided to upgrade. The difference in tone and projection between a factory and handmade instrument was remarkable. Luckily for me, professional guitars can be found in the $5k range, topping out around $10k. I'm not sure if I could even find a professional cello bow for $5k, and a top level violin by a current luthier like Guy Rabut is probably $50k. A nice Bosendorfer grand piano probably starts at $80k. I wouldn't feel bad spending $5k on an instrument if music is a serious passion.
Spending 5k on any hobby is reasonable if you have the money and buying the instrument will bring you joy. It is like buying a luxury car, a fancy vacation, or any other consumption good. There is a hope it might not depreciate a ton but who knows. But the whole point of saving money is to be able to spend it on things that bring you happiness. If I had to guess spending 5k on something you will use 30 mins/day for 10+ years is a no brainer...
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TierArtz
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by TierArtz »

I recently bought a $2400 electric ukulele to keep my $1600 and $1000 acoustic ukuleles company; so far, I can only play one or two string finger style, but I love them all!

I also have a nice American-made Paul Reed Smith P24 electric guitar ($3700) I bought to learn on - still plucking strings and reading tabs.
SueG5123
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by SueG5123 »

I have invested in a Martin concert guitar that gives me great pleasure. DH gave me a Rickenbacker 330 for last year’s anniversary, and it is a beauty. On the ukulele front, I have a 100th anniversary Kamaka concert and a Koaloha tenor. I also have a Mexican Martin tenor uke and several Korean made hollow body jazz guitars, all of which have great craftsmanship if not the USA pedigree. A great instrument speaks to you. (I play left handed, so all of my instruments are pricier than the right handed versions, since many manufacturers add a 15% lefty charge. :( )
Jags4186
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by Jags4186 »

RubyTuesday wrote: Fri Oct 25, 2019 9:10 am Have purchased multiple relatively expensive instruments, including some vintage and some custom small builder instruments. Ultimately, I sold most Of these instruments, keeping only a couple that were my favorites to play. Most sold for slightly less than acquired, a couple for more.

GAS - gear acquisition syndrome, can become a problem for many musicians.

I’m all for buying quality instruments, but If you spend more time lusting after instruments online, reading reviews, following instrument forums and classifieds, etc, than you spend playing, you’re probably buying for the wrong reasons and experiencing GAS.

Just my $0.02
The benefits of playing classical piano...once you get the beast of wood and metal into the house there’s little to no gear to go along with it :moneybag :moneybag :moneybag
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JupiterJones
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by JupiterJones »

Jags4186 wrote: Sun Oct 27, 2019 7:30 am =The benefits of playing classical piano...once you get the beast of wood and metal into the house there’s little to no gear to go along with it :moneybag :moneybag :moneybag
Plus, nearly all the software is free: http://imslp.org

:D
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alfaspider
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by alfaspider »

As far as instruments go (especially strings), the key is to buy something that won't hold you back. Going beyond that is probably not worth it.

In high school, they had a selection of school cellos so that students did not need to bring their instrument back and forth every day (not really practical for those riding the school bus). Those were very basic instruments (probably ~$1k or so), and it was more more taxing to play difficult repertoire because the instruments were much less responsive. You can get cheaper cellos than that, but most are not fit for any purpose IMO. My cello (~4k range) was a very noticeable improvement from the cheap student models. I've also had the opportunity to play pro level instruments ($20k+) and decided that I simply did not stand to benefit from such an instrument. The sound improvement was very minor, and it was no easier to play difficult pieces. But if I were auditioning for a professional orchestra, that $20k+ instrument would likely be mandatory.
toofache32
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by toofache32 »

My college degree is in classical guitar performance. I had a cheap guitar and haven't played it since my senior recital. My love was in steel-string guitar but if you "study" guitar in college, it's classical guitar.

I bought my first hand-made Taylor 810 in college 25 year ago for maybe $2000 and loved it. Still have it. I have been considering an Olson which start in the $15,000 range but I can't justify it yet since I play less these days. For me it would be like a fancy car to get when I can afford it since I don't make a living with it. Someday I hope to make a trip to Minnesota and meet with Jim Olson to build my dream guitar.
Slacker
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by Slacker »

Electric guitar - Jackson "Randy Rhodes" offset V. Played it often, played a few bars. I can't remember how much I paid for it (20+ yrs ago). I no longer have that guitar though. At the time it was the most expensive purchase I ever made. Probably about double the cost of my Peavey amp and assortment of boss effects pedals combined.
BusterMcTaco
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by BusterMcTaco »

Back in high school I paid $1300 of "my money" (most of what I had) for a Buffet R13 clarinet. After high school it sat in its case, mostly undisturbed for 18 years, until I busted it out to play Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for my daughter. But damn that's a fine sounding Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.
Dfree
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by Dfree »

I'm a violin maker and restorer. So of course I encourage you to buy a better instrument! I concur with the posts that argue a better violin will elevate your ability, if it is combined with lots of practice and a good teacher. As for investment value, it's complicated. Violins $6k and up often appreciate in value if you buy a properly identified instrument at fair market value. Almost all violins $50k and up appreciate. Some more than others. Some old Italian, a few old French and very few modern instruments can appreciate spectacularly over 20-30 years, double or triple in value.

The rub is trying to sell it. If you sell it through a shop, you'll get 70-80 percent of the sales price after consignment fees if/when it sells. If you sell outright to a shop or dealer, you'll usually get 50 percent of what the violin is worth. This is how shops/dealers make a living. Auctions aren't much better, although sometimes you can get lucky. Selling directly to a player is the best option -- you can get full market value. But such sales are very difficult. Players are justifiably pickly. So, to make money off a single instrument, you need to purchase wisely and hold it long enough for appreciation to overtake the cost of selling it.

Some advice -- Choose your seller as carefully as you choose your instrument. Reputation is critical because you must trust that your seller is offering a properly identified violin for the appropriate price. Ask other players and luthiers for referrals. And choose a seller with a good trade in policy. This is an indicator of an ethical business.

Investment aside, connecting with the right instrument for you -- be it a $500 or a $500,000 violin -- is a magical experience akin to falling in love. When you play your first note on the right one, you'll know it. Best of luck to you.
JDave
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Re: Have you ever purchased a pricy musical instrument?

Post by JDave »

I've bought quite a few instruments/gear, as at one time I was a part-time professional musician.
My best advice is: buy used. As soon as you get a new instrument home, you invariably dent/scratch it. A used instrument with a few dents/scratches plays and sounds as good as new, and will be 30-50% cheaper.
Second: buy mid quality. There is a huge difference between a cheapo instrument and a mid-quality one. There is a small difference between mid-quality, and top of the line. A while ago a scientific study was done with professional symphony first violinists as subjects. A researcher played a good quality new violin, and a Stradivarius, when the violinists were blindfolded. They couldn't tell which one was the Strad.
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