[thatwebdude]

LOL, $1k on a new Les Paul.

Serious players will still spend serious money on stuff. I think it has a lot do with oversaturation of the market.

In the beginning, when White Stripes/Black keys was still regional and people were getting these unique sounds out of old, unwanted gear the cost was cheap. But that drove Silvertone's/Sears/etc prices out of the ballpark when enough people got the read on where that market was going.