Definitely, going back even further, to the grunge era and then the start of the nu-metal era, you could pick up a mint condition floral for the price of a new American standard Strat, just by heading to your local guitar store.

But nowadays I'm sure the really good ones are all with collectors, and folks have stopped trading them as guitars and now their value is linked to collectability, not playability.

 

I agree they are getting very difficult to find; especially the ATDs. The JEMs are tough but seem to pop up more frequently. Finding one that is mint is getting very tough though IMO. I think original ATDs probably the most difficult to find from this group, although i've been fortunate to have found a couple recently.

 

I think, that in the last 5 to 10 years the prices for old JEMs, Universes, American Masters and USA Customs rised really a lot, they all do cost the double now.
But that`s allright, they are worth it.
I didn`t notice, that they got more rare, but they got more expensive.

 

YEs, they are definitely harder to find the older collectible guitars. Any thing ATD is far and few between and have definitely landed in the hands of collectors now, since most people that bought them 10-15 years ago actually played them. Now, that generation has given up being rock stars and holding on to them. I'm definitely holding on to mine. Plus, I think with the prices rising, some people are just waiting for the market to peak.

Personally, I understand that guitars can get sky rocketing prices, but I'm really confused by the current guitar market for new guitars. How many of those $4000 guitars that are glorified RG's is Ibanez actually selling. All I see are people trying to off load their guitars now and less of "I'm going to start a band"... Especially with the music scene in the U.S. being as crappy as it is now. I can't speak for other countries, so rock and progressive may be as strong as ever there, but I feel like the U.S. just doesn't have it anymore. When's the last time a hard rock band has been in the Billboard top 20...Plus, when did Imagine Dragons become hard rock?

 

Yes, I have noticed older Jems/UVs have become harder to find and are more expensive when you find them. I actually think this is pretty normal for most high-quality "things." For a long time, there was little doubt concerning what Ibanez was going to do with their lineup year to year. Now, I feel there is a high level of uncertainty concerning everything Ibanez might do with their lineup year to year. (To some degree, this applies to the whole musical instrument industry with a few exceptions.)

With that being said, I think finding a "good, original ATD UV" for sale is just a hard thing to do now regardless of the rest of the guitar market.

 

The teenage boys of the late 80's who drooled over these guitars now have the money to buy some nice ones up. Nostalgia is a great thing. Unfortunately it makes everything 80's for us 45-55 years olds expensive and hard to find.

 

Much harder to find and much more expensive. Still trying to find a '90 UV77MC to go with my '90 BK and PWH. Last one I found had sold for $3700 - with a bunch of scratches, cracks, chips, screw holes, replaced parts, and not the original owner or case. They didn't make many of the ADTs, so they are pretty rare and expensive.