'81 Gtr Trader price list

[Baxtercat]

Came across several old used gtr. store mailers this morning...I used to subscribe to the lists.
Here's a partial scan showing when pre-CBS rosewood boards usually ran $1250, maple boards and custom colors went up from there, of course.
Just for a laugh.

[mattoo31287]

Sweet mother of god! If only I had been alive then! I'd buy 2 or 3

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by mattoo31287

Sweet mother of god! If only I had been alive then! I'd buy 2 or 3

Thing about is we had no idea values would get to where there are now then. That and at the time that was quite a bit of money. I recall seeing pre CBS Fender's in the 2-3K range as late as 1990.

[Rockinrob86]

What cost $1500 in 1981 would cost $3550.90 in 2010


So they were alot cheaper, but far from easily affordable to the average person

[Dave2512]

Worth mentioning is back then there wasn't as much of a gap in the value of new compared to what was becoming vintage. My Mom agreed to buy me a new Gibson Flying V in 1984 if I learned the song Dee note for note, it was incentive to practive. Anyway the '84 V was $1050 with a case.

Not sure how much a new Fender was then but I remember paying $340 for a Korean made Squier II Stat in 1989. This will flip some people out. In the mid 80's I traded a '64 Strat for a mid 70's SG Custom and thought I made a good deal. Though that Strat was a dog, at least I though it was then.

[Baxtercat]

I often have to enter numbers/prices into an internet inflation calculator too, just to 'recalibrate'.

I had a Hollywood friend get $1500 for his original Gibson Vee decades ago. We about fell over at the offer!

[loudboy]

I bought my '57 Tele in 1979, for $500.

[tsar nicholas]

Whenever I see this stuff, the song "Born Too Late" by Saint Vitus pops into my head

[todd richman]

I used to get their catalog back in the late 70's. A 59 Burst was $3500 in 1979-too much for a 12 year old kid like me at the time. Had I only known!

[Flogger59]

I'm as far from the purchase price of a Burst today as I was in 1981 when I passed on two for $5k each.

[dmb70]

I started playing in 89 & remember seeing pre CBS Fenders for 2-3k as well, partsocaters were in the 1500 range & late 60's Fenders were about 600-700. Norlin Gibsons were in the 600 range, 60's SG's & 335 were a couple grand in great shape & 50's 335's & LP Customs were about 10k as I recall.

[Jahn]

60s Jaguars and Jazzmasters can still be had for 3-4k right now, less if there are issues. The kids who grew up on grunge and noise rock are JUST about in the disposable income range - now's the time to snap them up, especially in this lowball economy. If you have the scratch. Which I don't. Thankfully for me I need humfree pickups, otherwise I'd be very tempted to snatch up any number of awesome older single coil guitars out there right now. I mean, just check out this baby right now, I'm drooling, and this is a store-bought price too:

http://www.gbase.com/gear/fender-jaz...lympic-white-3



I mean, I could just live with playing in the middle pickup position all the time for hum free playing, right? Right? If I was a "smart collector" I'd just sell my R8 and EC Strat and grab this, but I'm a player - I'm going to get more out of actually playing with a Strat and a Paul than being afraid to cough on this gorgeous JM.

[Baxtercat]

Whew, that's pretty. The matching white head!

[lspaulsp]

I have some of those Guitar Traders some where.

[slider313]

And IIRC, Guitar Trader was one of the more expensive dealers. I believe custom color pre CBS strats were going for $1,200-$1,400 right around 1980.