How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

[gOgIver]

I'm building a time machine with cereal boxes and magic markers and want to know how much cash to bring back with me. J/K

Seriously, I'm just curious.

[Bludave]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

A Les Paul Flame top in 1959 sold for $375.00. A Broadcaster in 1949 sold for $165.00, a 1954 Strat sold for About $200.00. Hard to imagine that those great guitars by Fender were consider crap back then. Today a '59 LP will sell for over $200,000, a good Strat from the 50's will sell between 30 and 50K..... Who new!!

[B2D]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

Is there like an inflation scale that we can use to compare the prices accurately to the prices of today? Remember the 50's was a time when $10 would buy you a HUGE meal at a restaurant.

[aleclee]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

Is there like an inflation scale that we can use to compare the prices accurately to the prices of today? Remember the 50's was a time when $10 would buy you a HUGE meal at a restaurant.

You can use the "Inflation Calculator" link on this page.

[Curly]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

It's weird to us now, but the Les Paul went out of production because it wasn't "popular"

the production numbers were way down on strats before Hendrix came along, too

[kmcguitars]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

From what I've been told ? $250 was the magic number in the 60's
for most Fender guitars & Amps. I've had more than one person
from this era tell me this ?? My father included. Sounds kinda right??

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

That movie 'Back to the Future' made me have dreams about going back to that era with cash.....for buying guitars and gambling. Imagine what you could do with a suitcase of cash in 1960! I'd come back to the future with about 50 guitars, a bunch of stock certificates, driving a 57 Corvette, pulling a trailer full of amps.

[Budweiser]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

My older brother told me back in the mid 70's, he would have 10 bucks to blow on a Friday night. He would buy a dozen beer, a pack of smokes, put gas in his car & have some change left from the $10! Yes, times they have changed.

BTW gOgIver, keep us updated on the cereal boxes & markers project.

[Norman_T]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

A Les Paul Flame top in 1959 sold for $375.00. A Broadcaster in 1949 sold for $165.00, a 1954 Strat sold for About $200.00. Hard to imagine that those great guitars by Fender were consider crap back then. Today a '59 LP will sell for over $200,000, a good Strat from the 50's will sell between 30 and 50K..... Who new!!

So my '59 LP would be worth that much? Jesus Christ why the f**k did I sell that thing so many years ago for next to nothing and also did the same with my '62 strat. I needed my head examining at the time when I did it and should have kept them (and to this day regret it) but that's another story. Incidentally I was in a Vintage & Rare guitar shop in London today and they had a very nice '63 strat which would have cost somewhere in the region of $11,000 - very nice!!

[Jeff5]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

It says in 1959 $375 would equate to about $2442 dollars today. So I guess a Les Paul standard hasn't "technically" gone up that much in 35 years? hehe.

[Boston Joe]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

It says in 1959 $375 would equate to about $2442 dollars today. So I guess a Les Paul standard hasn't "technically" gone up that much in 35 years? hehe.

That's really the equivalence of most products that are priced on an inflationary scale. Fenders these days are priced equal to if not cheaper in comparison, but the wood and hardware used on a Strat these days is subpar compared to what was used 40 to 50 years ago. The same can be said of automobiles and homes.

[Jeff_H]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

Actually, the November 1959 Gibson pricelist offers the Gibson Les Paul Sunburst for $280, which when adjusted for inflation equates to $1875 (in 2002). I have a book around here somewhere with all of the Fender prices by year as well.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

You wanna hear the sickest Gear Aquisition story ever?.....I met a guy who started talking to an old man. The old man said his son died during military training exercises, but was almost a pop star before he left, and had a lot of nice gear. The guy befriended the old man, and the old man offered to sell his deceased son's gear.....
From the old man's attic came something unbelievable to my friend.
1. 69 Marshall Plexi still in the box, shipped but after his son's deployment.
2. 60 Les Paul Std. In the case with original reciept.
3. 50's Tele (don't remember year)
3. Martin acoustic (probably early 60's)

My friend made a deal with the guy, based on the reciepts in some of the cases, and paid their full price. He called in sick to work, went to his bank, and came back to pick it all up, and didn't even realize himself how great he'd scored. I told him roughly what I thought everything was worth, and he almost had a heart attack. I said "you can't tell anyone, not ANYBODY." People would kill you for this stuff. Don't sell this stuff now, find a way to securely store it, and someday, when you want to retire, you can sell it all at a big auction. He paid around $1600 for it, but it was worth a quarter of a million.
So, this guy I met, who feels like he should pay the old man more, is actually sitting on this treasure. I only wish it were me, but this guy really scored, and hopefully does what I said, and doesn't sell it early. I didn't believe his story, till I saw the Plexi, with it's original carton and his 1960 Les Paul. It was real.

This whole situation had me so envious. He lives in a rural area, and met an old man through some fluke incident, then ends up with this unholy treasure in his lap. Damn!

[Guitarist]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

Everyone keep in mind that gas was what...5 cents a gallon?

[Panzer]

Re: How much did Les Paul's & Strats cost back in the late 50's

That's really the equivalence of most products that are priced on an inflationary scale. Fenders these days are priced equal to if not cheaper in comparison, but the wood and hardware used on a Strat these days is subpar compared to what was used 40 to 50 years ago. The same can be said of automobiles and homes.

Actually automobiles are much better now then they were back then. New methods of creating materials make materials lighter weight and stronger. Not to mention automotive manufacturers didnt know anything about crumple and impact zones. Theres a reason cars these days crumple up like they do in accidents, So the people inside dont take the damage. Not to mention cars are safer at faster speeds, shorter breaking distances. etc. I dont really know about guitars though, But I still prefer that stuff shiny new.