MOTUnation.com

Just saw this article in the Washington Post... https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics ... ic-guitar/

The guy who turned down the Beatles said guitar groups were on the way out.....

I read the article. Basically, the numbers don't lie. Sales of guitars are way off, but I think much of that is we have a generation of kids that don't aspire to play an instrument in the same way we did.

I got a 1997 Honda from 1 of my students almost 3 years ago, for free but I've had to put money in it. So far there
is a Dave Smith OB 6,a Hammond XK 5 and a Les Paul 1959 reissue in it. But if it stops costing
me a bunch of money then I'll be Rockin'!

I'm curious to know how much the used market affects sales. Also, how do sales of other types of instruments compare? Drums? Keyboards? Brass? Woodwinds? How about bass guitars?

BTW, how about MPC and other *launch type* devices?
Perhaps, you've noticed I didn't use the word *instruments*...

The synth market seems almost completely dead, too, as far as I'm concerned. Basically every company that makes keyboards has had to be financed by consumer DJ and EDM machines, that's where companies make most of their money. I'd be optimistic if synth manufacturer's were bolstered by low-end entry-level keyboards for beginners, but that doesn't seem to be happening. The devices I tend to see are intended for people who aren't even interested in learning how to play. They'll have more rhythm-maker buttons and nobs than keys.

With the economy the way it is, live music has been hit pretty hard. Venue's are stretched pretty thin. So many have kicked out the band in favor of a DJ who can bring in the bodies. Unfortunately, they learn pretty quickly that bodies alone don't sit and drink beer, usually they come already strung out and don't buy much, and the venue's suffer, but then they're too broke to hire back the band. But all those bodies DO see is the guy at the control panel, waving his arms around with naked people all around him, and they want to be like him... so they go get the latest Ableton or Traktor gadget and try to make it big. It's kind of a downward spiral and it hurts everybody.