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For the record I think Holos are more than hype. Genuinely seem like consistently good to great guitars. But in general if you can get a really great guitar for $2000 used, it's a rough ass market.
It's a deserved hype. For various reasons it's the only maker in the genre that has zero problems finding a home for his guitars. Good for him though.
It's really kind of amazing how many people are making Selmer style guitars, especially if you go back three decades when there were only a few builders. It's a small market, and luthiers want to get their guitars in players' hands, and that drives down the prices across the spectrum. Players in this world seem to change guitars a lot. And it does seem like players in this style generally won't spend for a tip-top quality guitar like they will in the bluegrass and fingerpicking worlds. Wayne Henderson gets $15k+ and can't meet demand. That's a lot, but really it's a fair price for a committed player. A nice motorcycle, a bass boat, a jet-ski, a fine bicycle, and many other adult preoccupations cost at least that much, and the fine luthier guitar? It gets better over time, provides hours of trouble-free enjoyment, goes up in value... Not the case with a Ducati or a boat. I never hesitated when that expensive guitar spoke to me - I found the money somewhere. OK, I did pass on that D'Angelico and regretted it ever since.
I agree about the Holo, very fine instruments. And the only guitars I would have traded my Favino for was either of the Mazaud Vieux Paris guitars I played. I never played a Selmer style guitar I that liked better, and both were equally good. His daughter is making pretty nice guitars, too.
I read that Wayne typically charges less than half that but then people turn it around and resell it for $15-20K and up.
Yeah I’ve played a couple of Holo’s and both were excellent - I wouldn’t be surprised if a fair proportion of the people who snap them up have never played one though, they don’t crop up in the wild that often in my experience.
Funny how a Mazaud thread turned into a Holo thread! I’m not sure how many Holos are out there and how strict he is with the numbering, but #113 is the highest number I see on Michael’s site, from 2023. There hasn’t been anything since then. There just aren’t that many out there.
It is a luthier thing: you take deposits at a given price and have a wait list sometime into the future. When the future arrives, inflation has occured, the market may be hotter and your guitars might be worth more than you are selling them for.
It is a stupid business to be in.
You don't have to worry about that with gypsy guitars though because they sell for small money.
I do notice that people in this community don't generally have multiple guitars. "I already have a guitar" is sort of the thing. Some strat you might have 5 strats.
I remember when I bought my first good camera in my photography days, I paid 3k for a canon 5d in 2006. +Lenses. I didn't think much of it. That camera is probably worth $200 now although I haven't checked. But getting someone to pay 3k for a guitar I spent 2 months making (plus overhead, plus the time learning to do it) isnt easy.
I'm going back to making bizarre shit, it's more fun, even if no one buys it.
This young killer took this crazy guitar I made that no one can play and has bonded with it.
Looks like your guitar found its right buyer. All is well in the world.
What Michael wrote about the Mazaud is pretty enticing:
Sonically this instrument is astounding! One of the rare guitars I get that is full bodied, with a rich bass and thick midrange, but still has the projection of the brighter, brasher Gypsy guitars. The highs are gently rounded, yet have enough pop to allow your leads to sing without much effort. Chords sound huge, as the low end of this guitar is about as good as it gets. Very full, yet clear and not too boomy or muddled.