Keyboard Gear Prices

[Polkahero]

I keep tracking of what I've paid for all of my gear in spreadsheets, and I'm in shock at how much prices have gone up in just the last several years.  I paid $223 for a Gator TSA 88-key case back in 2016, now that same case is $600!  Paid $190 for a Gator 88-key gig bag in 2018, now that bag is $400!  Paid $450 for my Kurzweil KA-90 that same year and now that board is retailing for a grand!  Those are insane markups in a relatively short time period.  Good thing is I can sell most of this gear and not lose any money on what I paid for it brand new!

[Docbop]

Prices of everything from fast food on up is skyrocketing.   

[Doerfler]

6 minutes ago, Docbop said:

Prices of everything from fast food on up is skyrocketing.   

[Morrissey]

So far, my prediction last month hasn't aged well: 

 

[bill5]

Weird. I haven't noticed the big price hikes, either in keyboards or mostly much of anything else. 

[Ledbetter]

I waited weeks to buy a Nord Stage 3 Compact, finally snagged one in May, as I recall. A week after Sweetwater and the other usual outlets took care of their waiting list customers, the price went up $500 or so, more than 10%. It’s a different world now, between fuel prices and chip shortages.

[Al Coda]

Use what you have and don´t buy,- it´s easy.

 

I myself, I try to buy used in good condition WHEN I need something-

 

☺️

 

A.C.

[Dockeys]

I’ve noticed a huge increase, particularly in some boards even over the last few months. I was seriously considering a Kurzweil PC4 recently at €1750/1799 and a few days after I went back it was retailing at €1999…..ah no thanks. 

[yannis D]

With all due respect, I think fellows in the USA are now learning what we've learned in our southern European poor countries since at least a decade: shortage of money there is.

Only known remedy: use your acquired gear and try to squeeze the maximum out of it. With the war going on in Ukraine things are only going to go bad.

 

 

[DeltaJockey]

I've always been puzzled how the US has had such cheap prices for gear. Living in Australia, prices have always been a bit more, partly due to exchange rate, and partly market size. It surely couldn't be due to shipping, as much of the gear is produced geographically closer to us here than US or Europe. As they say...go figure🤔

[ABECK]

By December, it'll be cheaper to burn my gear for warmth than using natural gas.  😖

[ProfD]

4 hours ago, yannis D said:

With all due respect, I think fellows in the USA are now learning what we've learned in our southern European poor countries since at least a decade: shortage of money there is.

Only known remedy: use your acquired gear and try to squeeze the maximum out of it.

Yep.  It's an unfortunate by-product of a 1st world mentality. 

 

Here in the USA, many of us don't know how good we have until the truth/reality is exposed. 

 

Even with prices increasing, many Americans will grunt and grumble and continue to consume.😁😎

[cphollis]

I don't think prices for keyboards (and most everything) won't start to stabilize until rising prices create "demand destruction": which is when buyers decide either hold off or do something else.  As an example, grocery steak at $22.99 a pound won't find as many buyers, so the people who produce steak will have to adjust to the new reality.   

 

So far, that hasn't happen with gear AFAIK, and isn't likely to happen soon.  

[Jose EB5AGV]

I had a really bad GAS episode, which lasted from 2018 to about mid 2020. I bought plenty of synths, keyboards, monitors and other studio gear, lots of it surplus to my needs. I even got a lovely acoustic upright piano. And, as I use to do, kept most of the gear 😬

 

Looking in perspective, I have done better than investing on the share market. My wife should be proud of me, instead of recrimitating my buyings 🤣

[Docbop]

Buying gear can be a good investment its a bit luck and a bit buying already deemed popular gear.    A couple of my friends I grew up with still have every piece of gear they ever bought.  Now that we're OLD they are starting to sell off some of the gear and their investments have proven wise.    

 

I inherited some money and for a couple years bought a bunch of guitars (my pre-KB days)  now regretting it a bit and also hitting the SAG age SAG=Sell All Gear.   Also I personally feel if I'm not playing it someone should be, instruments are meant to be played not collect dust.  

[yannis D]

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

Yep.  It's an unfortunate by-product of a 1st world mentality. 

 

Here in the USA, many of us don't know how good we have until the truth/reality is exposed. 

 

Even with prices increasing, many Americans will grunt and grumble and continue to consume.😁😎

I wouldn't say it's first world mentality as I'm taking about first world countries that suffer from the crisis, especially in Europe 

But yes, USA is a rich country and this kind of mentality is well established even amongst lower income citizens - money was cheap, but this is changing.

 

But there's a good side in it, which requires a more philosophical approach to consumerism. In any case, most of us have more gear (of any kind) that our parents could even dream of, we should be ok 

 

[ElmerJFudd]

Our monthly CC bill for normal things like gas (which has been dropping since) and groceries has increased significantly.  That’s a very quick way to dry up discretionary spending funds for non essential instrument replacement.  I’ve no idea how MI is going to fair this holiday season. 

[DeltaJockey]

I'm torn between keeping gear for the long term investment, and the psychological burden of having to keep it in serviceable condition. A lot of stuff I've bought and sold over the past few years is a product of our online culture now, where you can't just go into a music store and try things out before you decide to purchase. You are restricted to reviews and opinions, including your own and hopefully make the right decision. Unfortunately where I live, the option to try and return is too costly because of my remote location and the cost of freighting.

On the up side, I'm a lot more immune to some of my general living cost increases. I don't use gas for heating and have recently upgraded my solar with battery storage, so can run my studio with my own energy without fear of electricity costs. I never use grid power now, and have my own water supply too, so wouldn't notice the world coming to a stop until my food ran out

[eric.B]

Yes, prices are rising quickly, inflation over here in The Netherlands has gone up over 10%.

The costs of gas for heating and electricity have tripled or quadrupled to an extent the government has taken measures to prevent a large part of the population not being able to pay for it anymore.

Crazy times.

 

About gear: I have noticed a lot of gear is out of stock and when the estimated 'in stock date' is reached, it gets postponed again.

The prices of the gear still seem to remain the same but I expect they will go up considerably once they are available again.

 

I have been keeping an eye on Fantom-07 boards and they have gone out of stock almost everywhere.

Still doubting if I want it and should buy now or wait and accept to pay a couple of hundred more in the future.

[rickzjamm]

Wish somebody would enlighten venue owners, they seem stuck in the 1970's when it comes to paying musicians.  

[Outkaster]

Things are expensive but I never pay MSRP or list price as I know some people at the music retailers.   Leslie parts are different, especially tubes, tires, and mounting hardware.  Belts are also expensive as well. 

[KuruPrionz]

1 hour ago, rickzjamm said:

Wish somebody would enlighten venue owners, they seem stuck in the 1970's when it comes to paying musicians.  

In between a rock and a hard place. Running a venue is not inexpensive. 

Quite a few venues in this area have gone belly-up, it's not an easy business to run at any sort of profit and I have no idea why anybody would even try to do so. 

 

In California, we played a couple of places that had a cover charge and that's what you got paid (after tipping the doorman). If you were popular (we were), you could do well. If not, then you nose-dived on your own. 

 

Up here, you need a tip jar and you better have a scan patch for Venmo on it or nearby since many people no longer carry cash. 

[Legatoboy]

who owns the Fed anyway? ...  I have noticed the rise in Gig bag/case prices myself .... in line with what was mentioned ... 

[Julius D Majestic Studios]

On 9/23/2022 at 3:51 AM, Al Coda said:

Use what you have and don´t buy,- it´s easy.

 

I myself, I try to buy used in good condition WHEN I need something-

 

☺️

 

A.C.

This is the key, but it's FAR from easy.  Lol

[Al Coda]

1 hour ago, Julius D Majestic Studios said:

but it's FAR from easy.  Lol

 

What´s really easy in these times ?

 

Patience and tenacity was the primates´ success story already,- and we´re the successors of primates.

Still owning a lot of gear from 70s, 80s, 90s as also what we call "modern gear", highly depending on DSP and computer technology,- I always found ways keeping the stuff in working condition, often w/ minor, sometimes major modifications, all combined w/ learning and the patience necessary to ressource rare parts or rare used items needed to cannibalize parts/components or simply bring those items back to life.

Now in my age, it is still fun making it possible,- all in the hope the world appreciates not producing too much electronic scrap by buying keyboards, modules and computers every 3 years or such.

Manufacturers use too much plastic for MI production meanwhile, just only to keep the gear lightweight.

Consumer electronics like stock computers (Apple and PC manufacturers), tablets and smartphones need too much of rare ressources too.

It´s a crime these are throwaway products which cannot be repaired except replacing a mainboard,- if at all,- and when recycling is too expensive or only possible at low percentage rates.

It might be good for the customers in need to schlep the gear themselves to underpayed gigs as also for the manufacturer himself because he´s selling more.

But it´s a global desaster for nature protection.

 

I was and I am a fan of component-system rigs.

Because my intention is always being able to use live what I use(d) for recordings in studio(s), there was the rule,- for gigs/ a tour,- collect from what you have, put it in a rack and choose controller(s), then do THAT job.

Back home, put all back into the main system, plug in the cables and do the work at home again.

Yes,- because of planning and organization, it´s some amount of work in the beginning,- but later, not so much,- except you change that main system significantly.

But what for ?

These "old" components all make noise and creativity doesn´t need the "latest greatest",- and when it comes to software and plugins,- 32Bit and 64Bit doesn´t sound different.

Audio signals don´t need 64Bit at all,- it´s just all about loading more or larger samples,- all at the same time and together w/ tons of tracks and plugins inserted before you render.

My main DAW machine is still Win7 and I don´t upgrade OS and applications just only because these are available,- and I don´t hang out in the web w/ this machine.

And when I switch DAW machine,- let´s say a new Mac M1 processor based one,- I do because these now consumate much less energy than my current DAW machine while offering more CPU power.

Nonetheless I´m still shocked these machines aren´t repairable and user-upgradable the way I imagine.

 

☺️

 

A.C.

 

[ElmerJFudd]

If we follow what’s happening with cars - those who can afford new are placing orders and waiting, depending on certain factors - a few weeks, months a year. And the value/sale price of second hand has increased.  At some point borrowing money will become unattractive, and budgets for items bought paid-in-full will dry up.  At which time we are on the path to the interest rates and buying habits we knew for most of our lives. As opposed to the cheap money and cheap goods we have become accustomed to the last decade.  Clearly there are downsides to being dependent on other nations for energy and manufacturing which have become highlighted during covid, the conflict in Ukraine and other destabilizing forces across the globe.  
 

And following AC’s comments above - we need to be happy with less as resources become more scarce. The world is always changing and we must show the  resilience to change with it.  New things don’t ultimately make us happy. What we do with what we have makes all the difference. 

[Adan]

Everyone knows we're in a period where demand is exceeding supply in almost every area of manufacturing (not the case for every item at retail but more generally at supplier level).  Unless something newly horrible happens on global stage, things will get back closer to normal.  Will list prices come down?  Maybe not, but we'll at least start to see more temporary price reductions.  When will that happen?  You're guess is as good as mine.  All we know for sure is that this is a particularly bad time to be buying stuff -- any stuff.

 

Virtually every piece of music gear I've bought in the past several years has been a "demo" at 15-20% off.  Never had a problem with any of it.

[Outkaster]

I wish I could say the same.  I have bought things, even new and have inherited a problem.  Its especially true of vintage things.