Most areas have been topic to cost hikes in recent times, and the guitar business isn’t any exception.

Whereas paying hundreds of {dollars} for a dream guitar has develop into the norm for some, one YouTuber is drawing consideration to what he calls “unusual” pricing methods from a few of the greatest names within the business.

In his newest YouTube video titled Guitar Costs Don’t Make Sense Anymore, guitarist and content material creator KDH highlights how “nearly each model has needed to increase their costs for 2025,” largely as a consequence of inflation and provide chain disruptions. Nonetheless, he factors out that some worth will increase are tough to justify, notably when there are minimal upgrades in return.

KDH factors out a key instance: Marshall amplifiers. The brand new JCM900 Mini Head, priced at €1,179 at Thomann, is considerably costlier than earlier mini fashions (just like the Mini Silver Jubilee), which had been priced round €839, regardless of having related specs.

“It’s roughly the identical spec. It’s made in the identical place by the identical individuals however one is €340 extra,” he says. “I’m undecided that makes a lot sense apart from it’s new so that they really feel like they will cost much more for it.”

“However what I discover most attention-grabbing is that with some issues and a few manufacturers the pricing has gone so excessive that issues simply don’t even make sense anymore.”

Particularly, KDH calls out Japanese guitar producer ESP, which he argues has blurred the traces between its finances and premium ranges: “I perceive the costs are steadily rising for the whole lot however when your finances model is costlier than your commonplace vary, it begins to [become] a bit laborious to grasp. It’s a bit unusual,” he says.

Based on KDH, the once-obvious distinction between the agency’s supposedly budget-friendly LTD line and high-end ESP model has all however disappeared, with LTD guitars now starting from low-cost choices to devices priced close to $3,000.

In actual fact, KDH factors out that some LTD signature guitars are actually priced increased than sure E-II fashions (ESP’s Japanese-made manufacturing fashions, previously known as ESP Commonplace), in addition to higher-end fashions from manufacturers like Gibson and Fender. As an example, an LTD Alex Skolnick signature guitar prices €2,333, which is identical as an Japan-made E-II seven-string mannequin. Much more hanging, some LTD guitars exceed €2,750 – costlier than comparable ESP E-II fashions and even some premium American-made Gibsons and Fenders.

“It simply appears like ESP are form of abandoning ESP,” KDH says. “I haven’t seen any reside band apart from ESP artists play with an ESP guitar – a guitar with ESP on the headstock, I haven’t seen it ever with my very own two eyes. LTDs certain, nevertheless it feels now that LTD aren’t a finances model or a sub model LTD are simply the model they usually’ve bought the whole lot from the bottom newbie guitars all the way in which as much as a close to three grand guitar.”

Watch the complete video beneath.