Posted on 06/22/2017 4:29:03 PM PDT by Drew68
The convention couldn’t sound less rock-and-roll — the National Association of Music Merchants Show. But when the doors open at the Anaheim Convention Center, people stream in to scour rows of Fenders, Les Pauls and the oddball, custom-built creations such as the 5-foot-4-inch mermaid guitar crafted of 15 kinds of wood.
Standing in the center of the biggest, six-string candy store in the United States, you can almost believe all is well within the guitar world.
Except if, like George Gruhn, you know better. The 71-year-old Nashville dealer has sold guitars to Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift. Walking through NAMM with Gruhn is like shadowing Bill Belichick at the NFL Scouting Combine. There is great love for the product and great skepticism. What others might see as a boom — the seemingly endless line of dealers showcasing instruments — Gruhn sees as two trains on a collision course.
“There are more makers now than ever before in the history of the instrument, but the market is not growing,” Gruhn says in a voice that flutters between a groan and a grumble. “I’m not all doomsday, but this — this is not sustainable.”
The numbers back him up. In the past decade, electric guitar sales have plummeted, from about 1.5 million sold annually to just over 1 million. The two biggest companies, Gibson and Fender, are in debt, and a third, PRS Guitars, had to cut staff and expand production of cheaper guitars. In April, Moody’s downgraded Guitar Center, the largest chain retailer, as it faces $1.6 billion in debt. And at Sweetwater.com, the online retailer, a brand-new, interest-free Fender can be had for as little as $8 a month.
What worries Gruhn is not simply that profits are down. That happens in business.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
You went to the wrong artist.
Go to a Melody Gardot concert and see who is there.
I know a lot of HS kids that play classic rock as well as we did when it was new rock.
BUT I agree with the shrinking market, as today’s music is more electronic techno and that there are many manufacturers and Chinese made imports that have created downward price pressure. Just not the demand for a high Strat, Les Paul, or PRS.
I see guitars where function meets form and therefore “art”
Demographic change and the fact that CNC routers have made it so easy for relative amateurs to make high quality instruments.
I’ve never seen that decline associated with the British Invasion before. I’ve always heard that the cause was kids not getting started, mostly due to the emergence of video games in the 1980s.
But yeah, being part of a band doesn't seem to be such a big thing now.
Maybe rappers and DJs have replaced guitarists nowadays.
all we have are divas and fruits.
Those, along with control-line planes, tether cars, slot cars, chemistry sets, erector/meccano sets, etc.
I used to occasionally have meetings with a guy who had formerly worked for Monogram back in the day, and he laid out a convincing case along with not a little bitterness.
Mr. niteowl77
In the sixties every one of my male friends played guitar.
Same here with my kid.
I’m 66 and find the new American folk and bluegrass by young bands to be largely excellent. As always there hits and misses, but the genre is really good. I’m listening to lots more custom music lists thanks to Spotify, Pandora and Tidal. I bought a BlueSound Node 2 streamer and love it.
It’s a different era without a few channels on AM and FM dials picking winners. Now you have thousands of crystal clear channels at your beck and call.
Any idea the market value on these right now?
That’s a thing?
I love a good guitar solo, or better yet, 3 guitars in harmony (Iron Maiden).
Good stuff.
Beatles weren’t rock and roll, there were pop.
The rest of the list looks decent.
One of the other contributors is cable tv. Average bill is 110.00 per month and I have friends who pay 250.00 per month.
I tell people that the reasons I don’t have cable is that
1.You can buy a Stratocaster every six months if put that money in an envelope.
2. Cable tv is basically a process of watching other people have fun. Not my favorite thing to do. A waste of time. I spend a good deal of time in the garage having a good time.
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