Be My Guitar Data Hero
July 17, 2019 12:49 PM
I'd like to get some guitar data:
- # sold in U.S. yearly
- # total number of active guitars /guitar players in U.S.
- % acoustic vs. electric
Where can I find such data?
- # sold in U.S. yearly
- # total number of active guitars /guitar players in U.S.
- % acoustic vs. electric
Where can I find such data?
Find a library that has access to Mediamark Reporter and their Survey of the American Consumer data.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 1:30 PM on July 17, 2019
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 1:30 PM on July 17, 2019
Be aware, the used market is *huge* and may be a black box to marketing firms. Fwiw.
posted by j_curiouser at 1:34 PM on July 17, 2019
posted by j_curiouser at 1:34 PM on July 17, 2019
Hi pro guitarist here.... lots of useful stats for you in this 2017 Washington Post article on the decline of the electric guitar market in the US.
The active to non-active player continuum is going to be a lot harder to assess quantitatively. Millions of guitars sit in attics and garages and storage sheds unplayed for years. Players go through phases. I made my living playing guitar in my 20s, would have told you I no longer played by my 40s, and am back to working professionally as a guitarist on a weekly basis now. Along the way I’ve probably owned 20-25 guitars, 16 of which I still have. So take those numbers carefully if your goal is to assess the situation analytically.
Also, there has been a concomitant boom in ukulele and banjo sales in recent years, and acoustic guitars are selling better than they did for a long time. A lot of this has to do with the shifting gender politics of guitar playing and popular music. Almost certainly women will be under-represented in much market analysis.
posted by spitbull at 4:50 PM on July 17, 2019
The active to non-active player continuum is going to be a lot harder to assess quantitatively. Millions of guitars sit in attics and garages and storage sheds unplayed for years. Players go through phases. I made my living playing guitar in my 20s, would have told you I no longer played by my 40s, and am back to working professionally as a guitarist on a weekly basis now. Along the way I’ve probably owned 20-25 guitars, 16 of which I still have. So take those numbers carefully if your goal is to assess the situation analytically.
Also, there has been a concomitant boom in ukulele and banjo sales in recent years, and acoustic guitars are selling better than they did for a long time. A lot of this has to do with the shifting gender politics of guitar playing and popular music. Almost certainly women will be under-represented in much market analysis.
posted by spitbull at 4:50 PM on July 17, 2019
@jonathanhughes: Thanks I've emailed them.
@NotMyselfRightNow: The local library doesn't have access to it. Any suggestions on other ways to access it?
@j_curiouser; spitbull: Thanks!
posted by falsedmitri at 5:08 PM on July 17, 2019
@NotMyselfRightNow: The local library doesn't have access to it. Any suggestions on other ways to access it?
@j_curiouser; spitbull: Thanks!
posted by falsedmitri at 5:08 PM on July 17, 2019
From spitbull's WaPo article I found Music Trades magazine, which has a series of data reports, if you're willing to spend some money on your search.
% acoustic vs. electric
I'm not sure what you're looking for with this - if it's data on % sold, then NAMM should probably get you a workable estimate. But if you're interested in % of players/owners, I'm not sure where you could find accurate data, not least because there's a really really good chance that tons of folks - whether pro, semi-pro, or amateur/hobbyist - will own both.
posted by soundguy99 at 5:39 PM on July 17, 2019
% acoustic vs. electric
I'm not sure what you're looking for with this - if it's data on % sold, then NAMM should probably get you a workable estimate. But if you're interested in % of players/owners, I'm not sure where you could find accurate data, not least because there's a really really good chance that tons of folks - whether pro, semi-pro, or amateur/hobbyist - will own both.
posted by soundguy99 at 5:39 PM on July 17, 2019
I don’t think I’ve ever known an electric guitarist — and I’ve known hundreds — who didn’t also own an acoustic or twelve.
posted by spitbull at 8:02 PM on July 17, 2019
posted by spitbull at 8:02 PM on July 17, 2019
OK to be fair I only have 6 acoustics and 10 electrics.
posted by spitbull at 4:23 AM on July 20, 2019
posted by spitbull at 4:23 AM on July 20, 2019
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posted by jonathanhughes at 12:59 PM on July 17, 2019