Respectfully, that's true for vintage Gibsons, and it's true for some Custom Shop, limited edition, and reissue Gibsons.
Like the rest of the guitar industry, there are so many more guitars being made now than in the past that guitars aren't always a good investment. eBay has thousands of mint Gibson guitars, from a month to a couple of years old, that have already lost hundreds to over a thousand dollars in value.
It's not just true of Gibsons, it's generally true of new guitars.
I speak as someone who's been a serious collector of guitars for 40 years this year. Tiny things make a difference. You bought a 2010 sunburst Gibson ES-339? You'll be losing money. You bought a Custom Shop 2010 Gibson ES-339 in Pelham Blue or Inverness Green? Hold on to that puppy.
My electric Gibsons (all vintage, Custom Shop, reissue, or limited edition) have gained value except for two - but none except the vintage ones have appreciated more than 5% a year.
The Gibsons have held their value much better than my Fenders, except for a few reissues and some Custom Shop models.
Acoustic Gibsons don't hold their value as well. I own a Southern Jumbo, a Custom Shop Hummingbird, a J-200, a J-45 (incredible guitar), and a L-200 (incredible guitar), all mint, which are worth less today than when I purchased them within the last twelve years. Eventually, they'll climb back - but they'll never be priced like a 1942 J-45 or a pre-war D-45.
Don't get me wrong; Gibsons don't tank in value like Taylors.
Some of my Martins have lost value, most are stable, but most Martins I've purchased in the last decade are worth more today than when I purchased them. Several have double or tripled in value in a decade. A couple of Custom Shop guitars and one standard Martin have more than tripled in value in less than a decade.
Collings are also good at holding their value, as are 'one of' guitars like and Olson or other guitars made by small, excellent luthiers.
I have good hopes for things like Gretsch Jet Duo reissues and the "English Gentleman", and Rickenbacker artist model limited editions, and some special Goodalls, old Gallaghers, Froggy Bottoms, highly inlaid Larrivees, etc.
Some of the guitars I owned that are documented to have been owned by and played by famous guitarists are good investments, I think.
But not all Gibsons (or Martins, or any other guitar) is as good an investment as gold, respectfully. They aren't making any more gold. They're cranking out Fenders, Gibsons, Taylors, and Martins daily.
What are your thoughts on Mossman and Santa Cruz acoustic guitars as investments?
I’ve got a 1990 Les Paul Standard, cherry sunburst, that I bought a couple years ago. I bought it as a player, not as an investment, but it seems to be holding its value pretty well.
I've only held one other guitar I've felt like that besides my first Fender and that was about 25 years ago I played with a guy's Les Paul. My gawd, it sounded like molasses and velvet. The action was so perfect that if I thought of the note or chord it just seemed to play itself.
I had to just put it down after awhile cause I thought I'd be tempted to steal the dang thing. It had to have been tainted with heroin and cursed by the devil, I just wanted it SO MUCH. It was just too much money and it wouldn't have been played as much as my acoustic or Fender.
THis is just my opinion, but you buy a guitar and ya gotta play the thing. That's why I never got into collecting them. Felt almost silly to me to have all these beautiful works of art and they're just hanging there with nobody playing them.
I think I'm older now and would play the Les Paul and I'm almost positive that a Greenfield Baritone would get most of my attention.... but I can only dream of that stuff so far. hahahahahaha