Know Your Gear Podcast – Episode 451 (Feb 13, 2026)

Main Theme: Surging Used Guitar Prices & The State of Gear Culture

Phillip McKnight delves into the current chaos of used guitar pricing, answers listener questions on gear, repairs, and market trends, and introduces a new segment highlighting other creators in the guitar YouTube community. The episode balances practical advice, musings on the gear economy, and behind-the-scenes insights from the industry and content creation worlds.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Split (Mixed) Speaker Cabinets

• Topic Introduced (00:01):
  • Listener asks about thoughts on split or mixed speaker cabinets, specifically the Bogner 212 Helios (Vintage 30 & Creamback).
  • Phil explains he calls them "mixed" speaker cabinets: using two different speakers within a cabinet for tonal balance.
• Benefits (00:04–00:10):
  • Mixes can provide punch from one speaker and clarity from another.
  • Practical for miking: "If you have a Creamback and a V30, you can mic each one up…maybe you like the mic sound of a Creamback, but like the throatiness or power of a V30."
  • Speaker wattage matters: the lower-wattage speaker restricts the cabinet's rating; affects tone and safety.
• Phil’s Experience:
  • Prefers Creambacks lately for clarity but notes V30s for their "thump."
  • Recommends buying the Bogner 212: “That's a cabinet that was on my wish list for a long, long time.”

Notable Quote:

"You should buy that cabinet. I like the Bogner cabinets a lot."
— Phil (00:15)

2. Starting a Restring & Basic Setup Business

• Listener Idea (00:16):
  • Question: How to price restringing and simple setups in a 55+ community?
• Phil’s Advice (00:17–00:30):
  • Undercut Guitar Center slightly; GC charges ~$20–25 for a restring, $50–100 for setups.
  • Upcharge for 12-strings, Floyd Rose, or classical.
  • Suggests buying strings in bulk to offer spares retail to forgetful clients.
  • Have some way to invoice (cash, Venmo) and hand over paperwork for peace of mind.
  • “Always have a menu... so [clients] understand what you do—and what you don’t!”
• Restring Business Tale (00:32):
  • Phil recalls charging for restrings: tried to discourage business by raising prices, but demand only increased!
  • Restringing became unexpectedly lucrative: “I purposely put the price to discourage people from paying us. And yet they all did.”

Notable Quote:

“Everyone always had us do it. No one did it themselves… The bigger the Internet got, the more people came into the store for restrings and it just started choking us.”
— Phil (00:35)

3. What Guitars Will Be Future Classics?

• Listener Asks About “The Next ‘59 Burst” (00:47):
  • Phil’s blunt take: “I believe there is no classics. It’s just Fenders and Gibsons, for the most part.”
  • Artist signature guitars may hold value due to limited runs & artist legacy, evolving tastes.
  • Youth "like the same music we do… New artists always pay homage to the old artists” — driving classic gear appeal.
  • Advice: “Buy what you love. Absolutely. You will not keep it if you don’t love [it].”
• On Gear Hoarding vs. Simplicity:
  • Some are fascinated by those with huge collections; others by people with just one or two beloved guitars.

Notable Quotes:

“Buy what you love. Absolutely… it’s not the best playing guitar… it’s just this guitar I’m attached to because it’s so special to me.”
— Phil (00:53)

4. Affordable, Quality Brands: Why Reverend Rules

• Listener Suggestion (01:01):
  • “What’s the most serious, affordable quality brand, and why is it Reverend?”
• Phil’s Industry Analysis (01:02–01:16):
  • Reverend praised for consistent Korean production (MIR factory), balancing quality with attainable pricing.
  • Schecter and Ibanez, while once reliable, now vary more in quality due to spreading production.
  • Key to Reverend's position: Stable factory relationship, product consistency, not chasing extreme low price points.
  • “I don’t think there’s a bad model in the Reverend line. There’s always going to be an example of a bad guitar… but I’ve never come across a bad Reverend.”

Notable Quote:

“The one thing I can’t show you on YouTube through this screen is quality… I respect the companies that hold quality, knowing that we’re living in a world where price points and fads really cash in fast.”
— Phil (01:11)

5. Are Used Pedals Really Hard to Get?

• Listener Frustration with Sweetwater Back Orders (01:17):
  • Phil’s personal experience: opposite—pedal market flush with deals right now (especially from small shops).
  • “I started collecting pedals again… they’re dirt cheap again. I’m finding smoking deals left and right.”
  • Small dealers may list new pedals as "used" for inventory & cash flow reasons.
  • Sweetwater’s bulk-buy ordering model can lead to long waits for restocks; try independent shops and Guitar Center.

Notable Quote:

“In a market like this, which is a soft market… people scrutinize their purchases. So good things still sell, that’s why you can’t find certain things... but there’s product that was less desirable sticking. And so there’s deals to be had.”
— Phil (01:25)

6. Fender’s Future Under New CEO

• Listener Asks About Fender's Next Steps (01:28):
  • Phil hopes for a sharper focus on quality, not just “market optimization.”
  • Observes that seven years ago, “everyone said Gibson quality was shite and Fender’s was great. Now… Gibson quality is better and Fender’s is shite.”
  • Wish: To once again confidently recommend Mexican Fenders for quality and value.

7. Gear Geekery: Versatility, Fretwork & Acoustic Innovations

• Tone King vs. Synergy Amps (01:42):

  • "Totally different animals.” Synergy 20 watt head is highly recommended for versatility and ease of use with IRs.

• Hemispherical Fret Ends (01:52):

  • Not necessary for most players; difficult to do post-installation; mostly a selling point on mass-produced guitars to eliminate fret sprout.

• New Taylor Acoustics (01:57):

  • Phil praises Taylor’s innovation, saying the new models make him “feel really, really safe” from future structural issues common to high-end acoustics.

8. YouTubers Using Guitars as Set Dressing

• Listener Critique (59:39):

  • Phil notes he doesn’t love clutter in his own videos, keeps backgrounds professional to maintain some privacy, and because “some of you are crazy.”

• Industry Reality:

  • Most companies don’t care about product placement in the background; most YouTubers highlight gear from companies they value or have partnership with out of goodwill, not requirement.
  • Friendship & professional obligation sometimes overlap, but audience value comes first.

9. New Segment: Know Your Gear Meets — Featuring "Buddy Blues"

• Debut Interview with Buddy Blues (66:46):
  • Goal: Each month Phil spotlights a sub-100K-subscriber YouTube channel that he genuinely enjoys (not a personal friend).
  • “Meet” format—three questions:
    • Gear channel inspiration: RJ Ronquillo, especially his Duelist demo (67:41).
    • Why make videos? Started with pedal curiosity during lockdown, now finds joy spotlighting small businesses (69:43).
    • Current favorite piece of gear? Victory MKX amp (72:04).
  • Buddy's Notable Quote:

    "I ended up paying [Victory]…and I'll do it again. Remarkable cleans, remarkable overdrive, heavenly reverbs. I'm in love with [the amp]. I can't stop playing it."
    (73:07)

  • Direct encouragement for listeners to check out Buddy Blues’ channel.

10. Gear Q&A: Power, Repairs, & Sourcing

• Pedal Power: 18V vs 9V (01:16:50):

  • 18V gives “more headroom,” making some boosts and drives bigger/fuller.
  • Try both voltages if available; difference is real and noticeable.

• Korean Parker P38s & Piezo Care (01:19:15):

  • Piezo systems are delicate, require care and cleaning; Korean Parkers are solid instruments.

• Ibanez Blazer Truss Rod Rescue (01:24:00):

  • If single-action truss is maxed, try tensioning straight for weeks, or (with caution) use heat/steam. Last resort: remove fretboard, replace truss.

11. On Used Gear Market Madness

• Listener Asks About Buying Used on Reverb (01:32:00):
  • Phil's Rant: Shipping, sales tax, and platform fees have driven used prices up so much “you might as well buy new.”
  • “I think people have lost their damn minds...If I look at a product on Reverb…somebody’s selling [it] for 500 and Guitar Center wants 454—you’re out of your goddamn mind" (01:35:10).
  • Frustration as both seller and buyer: Impossible to get reasonable cash offers on Craigslist/OfferUp; fees and costs eviscerate profit selling online.
  • Only feasible option: local shop consignment, but profit still slim.

Notable Quotes:

"[On Reverb pricing:] I think people have lost it…It's a little bit of a mess just to say the least. I don't have an answer for it."
— Phil (01:40)

"Maybe we can build back community purchasing again…I don't know what the answer for Craigslist is..."
— Phil (01:44)

Memorable Moments & Characteristic Tone

• Phil’s anti-hoarder yet gear-lover “confessions,” acknowledging the contradiction of loving simplicity but being steeped in gear culture.
• Down-to-earth, sometimes self-deprecating, always detailed and transparent.
• Guest segment with Buddy Blues balances camaraderie and honest admiration.
• Engages viewers by pulling them into policy and process — e.g., how video comments are treated like a “community board.”
• Repeatedly stresses the importance of loving what you play and resisting the pressure for "investment" logic in gear.

Timestamps Quick Guide

• 00:01 – Mixed speaker cabinets: why/when to use them.
• 00:17 – Starting a restring/setup service in a retirement community.
• 00:47 – Future classic guitars: “It’s just Fenders and Gibsons.”
• 01:02 – Affordability & quality: Why Reverend stands out.
• 01:17 – Used pedal market & advice on where to buy.
• 01:28 – What should Fender focus on under new CEO?
• 01:41 – Versatile amps: Tone King Imperial vs Synergy 20.
• 01:52 – Hemispherical fret ends—necessary or overhyped?
• 01:57 – Taylor’s new acoustic guitars: Innovation done right.
• 59:39 – Guitars as set dressing on YouTube channels.
• 66:46 – New segment: Know Your Gear Meets (Buddy Blues).
• 01:16:50 – 18V vs 9V in pedals—does it matter?
• 01:19:15 – Parker P38 piezo care and Korean build quality.
• 01:24:00 – Saving a badly bowed Ibanez neck.
• 01:32:00 – Used gear insanity: Why selling is so tough now.

Final Takeaways

• Used gear prices are all over the map—often irrationally close to new.
• Find value in what you love, not what you think might “appreciate”—buy for joy, not speculation.
• Quality matters more than ever, but is increasingly hard to guarantee from big brands.
• The guitar community thrives on transparency, sharing, and supporting each other—whether on YouTube or local shops.
• Check out and support genuine, creative voices in the gear space—like Buddy Blues.

For More

• Visit: Buddy Blues on YouTube
• Check out Know Your Gear's second channel for longer interviews and extra content.
• Community Q&As, Patreon, and more resources at Know Your Gear’s main channel.