Gibson’s $20k Back to the Future ES-345 is being listed on Reverb for over $100k – as scalpers look to flip the highly sought-after guitars for mega profit
Limited guitars with sky-high demand – perhaps it was predictable all along that Gibson’s Custom Back to the Future ES-345 and its cheaper Epiphone version would find themselves in the scopes of price scalpers.
The launch last week was hugely successful, with both guitars rapidly selling out. However, it now seems not all of those guitars went to hardcore Back to the Future fans, as some are already being listed on Reverb at vastly inflated prices.
The Epiphone model in particular is highly sought after, and is currently the top selling semi-hollow body guitar on the gear marketplace. The term ‘Back To The Future’ is also the site’s number one trending search.
READ MORE: Online games have been doing it for years – are guitar brands cottoning on to the lucrative nature of crossover collaborations?
The Gibson Custom Back to the Future 1955 ES-345 Collector’s Edition was originally limited to just 88 models worldwide – a nod to the speed needed for time travel in the film – while the Epiphone model was also limited at 1,985 guitars globally, a nod to the year of Back to the Future‘s release.
The Gibson Custom version was priced at $19,999 and is now being listed in one case for over $100,000. The more affordable $999 Epiphone, on the other hand, is now selling for between $3,000 to $7,000.
Cyril Nigg, Reverb’s Senior Director of Analytics, tells Guitar World, “As a big fan of Back to the Future, there have been two items I’ve always wanted to own: a hoverboard and Marty McFly’s red ES-345 from the Enchantment Under the Sea performance.
“The original batch of guitars immediately sold out on Gibson’s site, leaving many unable to get the coveted guitar. Naturally, a lot of folks turned to Reverb to see if they could snag one on the secondary market,” he says.
“Less than an hour after the first Back to the Future guitars went up on Reverb, 10 had sold – and it hasn’t stopped there. Over the past week, ‘Back to the Future’ has been the number one trending search on Reverb.
“What we’re seeing is part of a larger, nostalgia-fuelled trend, as moments from the past continue to drive demand. In fact, the Epiphone edition is the top selling semi-hollow body guitar on all of Reverb at the moment, as buyer demand continues to outpace supply.”
Earlier this year, Gibson launched a worldwide search for the original Gibson Cherry Red ES-345 famously played by Michael J. Fox within the film’s famous ‘Enchantment Under the Sea’ dance scene. When filmmakers began work on the movie’s sequel, the original ES-345 had vanished. Gibson is currently pursuing a number of leads, but the guitar remains yet to be found.
To view the full Back to the Future collection, including accessories and apparel, head over to Gibson.
The post Gibson’s $20k Back to the Future ES-345 is being listed on Reverb for over $100k – as scalpers look to flip the highly sought-after guitars for mega profit appeared first on Guitar.com | All Things Guitar.
Source: www.guitar-bass.net
