All them Special, Limited guitars?

[lex666]

Hey guys,

When i buy guitars I often buy guitars that are “limited edition”, specials, and often store specific specials. Are these guitars more valuable than their standard counterparts? I tried to sell some guitars and regardless of the make-up he still compared mine to a similar guitar currently in production.

 

[PFDarkside]

The value is what the buyer will pay abs what the seller will accept.

On the Guitar Nerds podcast they were talking about how at the shop a bunch of people would come in to sell a Strat, and say “see, it’s a 60th anniversary!” Yeah, yours and every other Strat made in 2014.

 

[beaubrummels]

If I buy limited edition, it's because it has specs I want. If a guitar turns out to be rare or valuable, I just got lucky.

 

[JOLLY]

I remember back in the early 2000s when it seemed like every single Epiphone Les Paul was a limited edition.

 

[Mincer]

If it is a numbered limited edition of a blue chip brand, like Gibson and you have verification, it can add to more money. If it is signed by an artist (like 2/100 or something) it can also retain value. But I don't think special limited models by Guitar Center will attract more money on the used market unless the buyer really wants that particular color or features. These days the 'limited edition' term gets thrown around a lot, and sometimes it only means a different color only available at that retailer.

 

[Bogner]

Define Limited Edition and then who is selling who. What I call true limited editions are far fewer than marketing tag line attached to most production models. On a side note, I will say that Wildwood spec guitars are nice if that is what you are looking for guitar and spec wise. Their guitars are typically good players with nice specs. The typical Gibson Les Paul that is that special Georgia peach iced tea slow roasted summer time high humidity with splenda special slow fade burst is tough to tell from iced tea burst...lol.

 

[Masta' C]

Many times when you buy a "limited edition" production guitar or a store-specific model (i.e. a "Sweetwater exclusive", etc), you experience increased desirability through the guitar's uniqueness, but not necessarily an increased value at resale.

Desirability is sort of a hidden influence in the traditional "Supply and Demand" model. It makes your option potentially more attractive to buyers, but doesn't necessarily serve to increase demand (and thus price) for that particular item.

Often, these types of guitars, unless they are a true limited edition (signed and numbered, etc), sell initially at prices that are very competitive to "normal" models and may even sell for less on closeout, so there's rarely much other than features or finishes to differentiate them and increase their demand compared to others models from the same line.

 

[jeremy]

like everyone else said, basically no. unless is a very rare guitar, its not worth any more than any other similar model.

 

[Mincer]

It takes a lot of money and time to come up with unique 'limited editions'. Usually, it is just paint color. But I've gotten so used to the phrase 'limited edition' on every Reverb ad, that these days it doesn't mean anything to me anymore. Companies over-use that phrase, and so do people trying to add 'value' to their Reverb and Ebay ads.

 

[devastone]

I remember back in the early 2000s when it seemed like every single Epiphone Les Paul was a limited edition.

Yet, in the end, they are all still Epiphones.

 

[eclecticsynergy]

I remember back in the early 2000s when it seemed like every single Epiphone Les Paul was a limited edition.

When Epiphone says Limited Edition, the "Limited" doesn't mean that only a limited number were built.
It means "slightly different from the stock edition."

I once called Epiphone about a specific 2010 LE model, to ask how many had been made. Their answer?
"Oh, probably not more than a few thousand. Less than ten thousand, anyway."

 

[Mincer]

When Epiphone says Limited Edition, the "Limited" doesn't mean that only a limited number were built.
It means "slightly different from the stock edition."

I once called Epiphone about a specific 2010 LE model, to ask how many had been made. Their answer?
"Oh, probably not more than a few thousand. Less than ten thousand, anyway."

Ha! Great story!

 

[Securb]

I never buy gear as an investment. I buy gear because I need it, like it, don't need it, tripped over it at Guitar Center, it was a cool color, saw a 60-year-old YouTube video with a cool amp, realized I didn't have a blue amp or I break a string on a guitar and I am too lazy to change it. But I never and I repeat NEVER buy gear as an investment.