<figure id="attachment_385996" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-385996" style="width: 5234px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="df74a339"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/6705ea826ff557a5413d0c82cb2439c4.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-385996" class="wp-caption-text">Prices of vintage guitars have skyrocketed, and it is not uncommon to see prices increase by as much as 10 times!</figcaption></figure>
<p> Unlike the piano or violin, the guitar is a relatively inexpensive instrument that is easy for beginners to get their hands on. Many of you may have started practicing guitar as a student because you admired rock bands or movie characters.</p>
<p> The price of such guitars is now rising tremendously, with some recently exceeding 100 million yen.</p>
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<p> What is happening in the guitar industry? We interviewed Mr. Shunya Kumoi of AMUSE GUITAR, a company that buys and sells vintage guitars.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> The recent rise in guitar prices is partly due to the rising cost of living, but I think the biggest factor is Corona. Because you can&#8217;t go outside because of Corona, people who used to play guitar are starting to play again, and the number of new guitar players has increased, resulting in a sharp rise in demand. The price of guitars from the hard-to-find era has doubled to five times the price in recent years.</span></p>
<p> Among these, so-called vintage guitars made up to the mid-1970s have seen particularly large price increases. Guitars that are close to their original state, with no modifications, parts changes, or repainting, command a premium, and their prices sometimes rise even higher.</p>
<p> However, what you may be wondering is whether older guitars sound better. When asked if this is not the case with musical instruments, he replied, &#8220;In general,&#8221; he continued, &#8220;the value of old guitars increases with time.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Basically, I think a big factor in the price increase of older guitars is their scarcity. For example, one of the most expensive guitars today, a Gibson Les Paul made in 1959, is called a Burst, and there are only a limited number of these guitars available.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> However, it is said that the wood used in guitars dries out over time and makes them sound better. So it is often said that older guitars sound better,&#8221; said Kumoi.</span></p>
<p> Perhaps because of these circumstances, some people buy vintage guitars for resale.</p>
<p> However, now not only vintage guitars but also new guitars are going up in price. The reasons for this are related to the rising price of lumber and the weak yen.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> Even for guitars made in Japan, many of the parts are imported from overseas, so the exchange rate has had an effect on prices,&#8221; he says. In addition, the price of wood used for guitars is also rising, so even new guitars are often 1.5 times more expensive than they were in the past few years,&#8221; Kumoi said.</span></p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" On the other hand, there are cases where the prices of guitars that were popular are going down."></div>
<p>Although prices for guitars are rising overall, some used guitars are declining in price.</p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> Guitars that sold well during the anime boom have been on the market for quite a long time, so it&#8217;s hard to sell them even at throwaway prices,&#8221; he said. For example, the character from the anime &#8220;K-ON! For example, a copy of the Gibson Les Paul guitar used by the character in the anime &#8220;K-ON!</span></p>
<p> Even guitars that were not that expensive may fetch a high price if there are only a few on the market, while even good guitars may not fetch a price if there are too many on the market.</p>
<p> If you have a guitar sitting at home, it might be a good idea to take it to a local store and ask about the price.</p>
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<figure id="attachment_385995" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-385995" style="width: 6909px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="87b9e3f0"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/2dba4a174e4a909ea408cac02e814ca0.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-385995" class="wp-caption-text"> 1966 Fender Jazz Bass (1,880,000 yen)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_385994" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-385994" style="width: 6935px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="ab0ba08e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/928a444da7c46f7cb0b14fadac39b25d.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-385994" class="wp-caption-text"> 1969 Fender Maverick (750,000 yen)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_385993" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-385993" style="width: 5541px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="db71a0f6"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2024/08/5135091791cc0c09ce3b84904cb25934.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-385993" class="wp-caption-text"> Some peripherals have also gone up in price, and this amp (Fender Vibrolux) costs 650,000 yen.</figcaption></figure>


 The rising cost of living and the weakening of the yen have driven up the price of many things, but one of the most striking is the rise in the price of used guitars. What is happening in the guitar industry? We asked the owner of a vintage guitar store why!

Some of them exceed 100 million yen. &#8230;&#8230;The surprising reason why the price of &#8220;used guitars&#8221; has increased &#8220;10 times&#8221; in the last 10 years.

Some of them exceed 100 million yen. ……The surprising reason why the price of “used guitars” has increased “10 times” in the last 10 years.

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