Post by Tony Ravenscroft on Dec 6, 2020 12:40:37 GMT -6
Most times that I use the term "cheap," I mean "affordable." However, having for years dealt with peddlers of houses and used cars, and similar assorted weasels, I react poorly to "affordable" because that's used to mean "a hazard to health, safety, and common decency." 
Therefore, I'm sticking with cheap. That way, you know what you might be getting, and it's all uphill from there.
I will now define "cheap," in a clear and useful manner. First, let's look at my underlying assumptions
Back in 1974, I was making the minimum wage, $2.00/hour. I worked evenings at a restaurant, following demand but generally ~20 hours a week. Therefore, my typical gross pay was $40/week.
That was about the time I bought my Univox Hi-Flier by mail. As I recall it (subject to age-related slipperiness of memory), the guitar was like $48, the chipboard case an extra $15, then I paid ~$20 shipping-and-handling.
That would come out to about $83 -- really close to 40 hours' gross pay, or a standard full-time week.
There's our starting definition:
By "cheap" we shall mean could be purchased for no more than the gross dollar amount received by a minimum-wage worker for 40 hours of work.
Let's look at how that plays out.
Right this moment, the national minimum wage of the United States is $7.25 -- which is less absurd than disgusting, but let's put it in context. Compared to 1974, that would mean a truly cheap guitar would sell for about $290.
To solidify our definition further, that amount would have to cover all shipping costs. As well, it would need to cover any missing or broken parts, and a new set of strings, and anything else that would prevent the guitar from being immediately playable. It would NOT include shop costs for adjustment, or relatively minor improvement of worn frets.
This will also ignore sheer stupid luck: anyone at any time might happen to stumble across a $20 gem at a garage sale or thrift shop, which takes us into gambling and out of science.
Now, if we were living in a marginally sane world, the Federal-enforced no-benefits absolute minimum wage would be $15/hour. Then, gross full-time weekly wage is $600. In 2022, that will certainly land you a guitar you will treasure for years.
People deserve to be paid even better (in many examples MUCH better). But I am satisfied with my rationale -- yes, a decent guitar is still worth a week's pay.
Let me present an analogy. Back when I bought my Univox (1974), a new Dodge Dart could be had for $3,000 or less, which translates to 1500 hours of gross wages at $2/hour. At the time, we all knew the Dart was intended as a sort of "beginner car," for middle-class teenagers and for families creeping up from close to the poverty line (which is where I come from); the Dart wasn't flashy, but it was solid and reliable.
In 2022, a basic-model Nissan Versa has a sticker price of just over $16,000 -- so would be parallel to the '74 Dodge for anyone making $10.60/hour. Not inexpensive, but certainly affordable.
Therefore, I'm sticking with cheap. That way, you know what you might be getting, and it's all uphill from there.
I will now define "cheap," in a clear and useful manner. First, let's look at my underlying assumptions
Back in 1974, I was making the minimum wage, $2.00/hour. I worked evenings at a restaurant, following demand but generally ~20 hours a week. Therefore, my typical gross pay was $40/week.
That was about the time I bought my Univox Hi-Flier by mail. As I recall it (subject to age-related slipperiness of memory), the guitar was like $48, the chipboard case an extra $15, then I paid ~$20 shipping-and-handling.
That would come out to about $83 -- really close to 40 hours' gross pay, or a standard full-time week.
There's our starting definition:
By "cheap" we shall mean could be purchased for no more than the gross dollar amount received by a minimum-wage worker for 40 hours of work.
Let's look at how that plays out.
Right this moment, the national minimum wage of the United States is $7.25 -- which is less absurd than disgusting, but let's put it in context. Compared to 1974, that would mean a truly cheap guitar would sell for about $290.
To solidify our definition further, that amount would have to cover all shipping costs. As well, it would need to cover any missing or broken parts, and a new set of strings, and anything else that would prevent the guitar from being immediately playable. It would NOT include shop costs for adjustment, or relatively minor improvement of worn frets.
This will also ignore sheer stupid luck: anyone at any time might happen to stumble across a $20 gem at a garage sale or thrift shop, which takes us into gambling and out of science.
Now, if we were living in a marginally sane world, the Federal-enforced no-benefits absolute minimum wage would be $15/hour. Then, gross full-time weekly wage is $600. In 2022, that will certainly land you a guitar you will treasure for years.
People deserve to be paid even better (in many examples MUCH better). But I am satisfied with my rationale -- yes, a decent guitar is still worth a week's pay.
Let me present an analogy. Back when I bought my Univox (1974), a new Dodge Dart could be had for $3,000 or less, which translates to 1500 hours of gross wages at $2/hour. At the time, we all knew the Dart was intended as a sort of "beginner car," for middle-class teenagers and for families creeping up from close to the poverty line (which is where I come from); the Dart wasn't flashy, but it was solid and reliable.
In 2022, a basic-model Nissan Versa has a sticker price of just over $16,000 -- so would be parallel to the '74 Dodge for anyone making $10.60/hour. Not inexpensive, but certainly affordable.
) HSH can be had for 59 + 59. I see Austin and Yamaha, Lyon and Greg Bennett, then Jay Turser and Washburn... and we're still in the $150 range.