Are We Living in the Era of the Guitar Player?
Why the current era may be the best of times for guitarists, and how to make the most of these unprecedented circumstances
If you play guitar, you may have noticed the prevalence of guitar gear ads bombarding you over the past couple of years (or more). It's not just you, and it's not just the result of social media overload (although that's certainly contributing to it, to at least some degree).
But the bigger reason is that guitar players are buying things, and so if a manufacturer or seller is willing to cater to that then they most assuredly will make money these days. I'm not sure there has ever been a time where for pretty much everything a guitar player would want or need, there are several—sometimes virtually countless—options available to choose from.
I do remember the '80s, and also when I was a kid seeing old guitars from the '60s and '70s, when there were tons of little brands trying to get a piece of the market that Fender and Gibson couldn't quite grab...and of course, out of those grew brands that are now venerable, like Ibanez, Kramer, and Charvel. But even then, the guitar market was very two-sided: you had the couple of big players, Fender and Gibson, and then you had everybody else (some of whom made wonderful instruments that were superior to the big two). The amp market had a higher number of big-name participants that divided up the lion's share of the market, and then there were a handful of little, no-name folks that made some bargain stuff. Accessories and pedals were also the same circumstance, essentially.
But today, the guitar market itself isn't wildly different: Gibson and Fender are the top two, I'm sure, by most (if not all) metrics, and then there are a whole lot of other options—many of whom offer instruments that far surpass the best that the big two can offer. I would guess, personally, that there is even more variety today than before in just the guitar market, but it may be negligible if that's actually the case.
Pretty much everything else guitar-related, though, has seen exponential growth over recent years. Never before have there been so many different companies making picks, and strings, and cables, and pedals, and pick-ups, and amps, and straps, and other accessories and add-ons—some of which are trying to build a better mousetrap (accomplish something that's already been accomplished, but just doing it better) and some are solving for a new or otherwise unaddressed problem.
Much like the craft beer boom in recent years, where there is demand there will be sellers...and much like the craft beer boom's decline after that market hit a certain saturation point, the same will happen to the guitar industry: eventually, some manufacturers and/or sellers will exit the marketplace once either growth slows, or doesn't continue to accelerate at the pace a business needs it to. Others that remain in the industry will feel less competition from other sellers, and will likely offer their customers less. The big two will of course be the likeliest to remain at that point, but there may be some new additions to that semi-permanent club, if some others have grown big enough during these salad days.
So enjoy this veritable wonderland now, while you can...you never know how long it will last, or how quickly it will go away whenever the market does contract again. Plus, there's no guarantee that it will ever be back to this level again, even assuming it does continue to ebb and flow in the future...so capitalize on it while you can! Buy gear that piques your interest, and don't forget to pursue the best in music education while you can, too...call or text Stephen's Guitar Lessons today to set up your free introductory lesson, and see the difference for yourself!
Ready to get started? Give me a call (or send me a text) at VIP-PLAY-GTR (847-752-9487), or contact me through the website to set up your FREE intro lesson today!
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