price increase for jems? bs

shreddervai · #1 07-27-2004, 01:02 PM

i think this price increase is total bs. jems are already way too overpriced, why make them even more out of reach. There are a few jems in my guitarcenter which have been sitting there forever because they are so expensive. I dont know if this is a result of Ibanez or directly from Steve, but either way i think this is total crap.

whatshisname · #2 07-27-2004, 02:55 PM

The market drives the price. People are willing to shell out what they're asking for them, so they can charge what they are. Too bad that the oppostite isn't true. If people stop buying them, they won't lower the price- they'll just stop making them...

I WISH I could pickup a new Jem for under a grand, but it's not going to happen.

Societysucks · #3 07-27-2004, 03:43 PM

I know exactly what you mean, that kind of stupid marketing killed the 2027.....

bob mclaughlin · #4 07-27-2004, 05:42 PM

Same here, the local guitar store had 3(used) Jems that sat on the shelfs for a year becauce there marked up so much. Had to put them on the bay and didn't get what they wanted............

Given to Fly · #5 07-27-2004, 06:42 PM

I have actually lost all my loyalty to Ibanez because of all the nonsense going on! From my experience, nobody really buys Jems here unless they are on sale or something. There is no logical reason for the price to have gone up. It seems that after Ibanez did that complete overall of their product line, everything has just gone down hill.

**jemsite** · #6 07-27-2004, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Given to Fly

I have actually lost all my loyalty to Ibanez because of all the nonsense going on! From my experience, nobody really buys Jems here unless they are on sale or something. There is no logical reason for the price to have gone up. It seems that after Ibanez did that complete overall of their product line, everything has just gone down hill.

Amen.

Rich · #7 07-27-2004, 08:49 PM

I guess nobody here remembers that 3 years ago the Yen was at 132, and now it's barely 104? Everybody also forget that EVERYTHING MIJ got the increase, for the exact same reason

marianozz · #8 07-27-2004, 09:13 PM

sucks that quality doesnt go hand in hand with price, too...

**jemsite** · #9 07-27-2004, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

I guess nobody here remembers that 3 years ago the Yen was at 132, and now it's barely 104? Everybody also forget that EVERYTHING MIJ got the increase, for the exact same reason

Yen is irrelevant given the hefty profit margin per axe on these guitars.

The problem is the price is very high relative to what little/no VALUE you are getting anymore. Especially when you factor the list prices of prestige non-signature axes.

GtF's post was dead on... the NEW market is dead barring cheap closeouts or anniversary/limited models... glen

Rich · #10 07-27-2004, 10:06 PM

Really? Relative to those new $3500 Charvel EVH's?

If you think the Yen has nothing to do with it you're dumber than I thought

UV · #11 07-27-2004, 10:36 PM

If you look in a Musicians Friend catalog and see what Les Pauls, US strats and Teles go for, the Jems are still a bargain.

U
v

btangel · #12 07-27-2004, 11:06 PM

I strongly recommend buying guitars straight from Japan or Taiwan. JEM7Vs 2003s are new for 1400USD, a lot less than in the US, even after shipping costs. I look at a lot of the list prices on jemsite.com and I can find them for a lot cheaper here. :\

Rich · #13 07-27-2004, 11:08 PM

Maybe Taiwan, but from Japan you're stuck with Itchycrotchy. They're thre only Ibanez dealer that has an export license, and the price will cost you more than in the US.

**jemsite** · #14 07-27-2004, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Really? Relative to those new $3500 Charvel EVH's?

If you think the Yen has nothing to do with it you're dumber than I thought

No need to throw insults.

In your haste to defend Ibanez you overlooked the obvious. The Yen hurts Ibanez bottom line sure, but what hurts their bottom line more is sheer stupidity and lame products.

They could have kept prices stable (or lowered them) and still made profit if they actually sold some MIJ axes. They'd sell more with better pricing (and better models)

Nevermind it would be the stupidist business/marketing strategy ever to compare Japanese made JEMs to USA made Charvel/EVHs nostalgia pieces. Price the VWH at $3300 street and lets see how many Ibanez sells.

Apples vs Oranges.

Quote:

Originally Posted by UV

If you look in a Musicians Friend catalog and see what Les Pauls, US strats and Teles go for, the Jems are still a bargain.

Like the Gibson Les Paul Vintage Mahogany for $798.01
or
Gibson Les Paul Studio Guitar for $1,149.00 - $1,249.00
or
Gibson Les Paul Junior Special Plus Electric Guitar for $1,079.00

The VSBL for $1,794.99 at the same catalog is a real bargain huh

...glen

Rich · #15 07-27-2004, 11:16 PM

Defend common sense? They held the tide for 3 years while it dropped, it wasn't going to last and was fully expected.

And now look who's comparing apples to oranges, entry level student model Les Pauls against a top line signature. Compare that crap to an AR250 at $799 and you still get more guitar with the 250.