Reverb's most sold product in 2024 was the NDSP Quad Cortex

[Lysander]

And that's among all categories, not just guitar gear. Congratulations!

Guess Doug will be ordering the expensive ceramic tiles for the Helsinki office this year

 

[Jambi]

 

[Lysander]

Does that mean people buy it and flip it?

...possibly? They haven't released the details, but i presume most gear sold and bought on Reverb is used.

It's not like the first year when the QC launched and the thing was impossible to buy direct.

 

[Karl Houseknecht]

Unfortunately for NDSP, they don’t make money on sales of their used product. Congrats are likely not in order here.

 

[Sleezy E]

 

[Lysander]

Unfortunately for NDSP, they don’t make money on sales of their used product. Congrats are likely not in order here.

Well now, an used sale is still a product that went out of the factory line at some point.

 

[Stone]

Meh McShiit Sells Billions of Burgers compared to my local small Family owned Burger joint, and well my Local burger joint is like 10 better and tastier than any McShit Hamburger

 

[MirrorProfiles]

Well now, a used sale is still a product that went out of the factory line at some point.

If they are selling well used, then the demand would suggest new units are probably shifting a good amount as well (especially as they are readily available without a wait etc).

 

[laxu]

If they are selling well used, then the demand would suggest new units are probably shifting a good amount as well (especially as they are readily available without a wait etc).

Yup. By comparison I don't think I have seen a single Fractal FM9 on the used market here in Finland, whereas FM3 and Axe-Fx 3 Mk1/2 pop up every now and then. Which probably means people are keeping them, or not willing to put down the hefty 2420 € ($2505 USD incl VAT) price...

 

[Jarick]

I watched the interview with Rhett, Zach, and the analytics guy from Reverb (coincidentally while building out a BI report) where they discussed the sales numbers. It's really interesting and would be fun to look through those reports as a data and guitar nerds.

Anyways, my guess is QC is the highest grossing product (not necessarily units), for a few reasons:

1. Modelers are way easier, cheaper, and lower risk to ship than tube amps or guitars
2. Modelers are pretty expensive (compared to pedals), so will of course generate more total dollar sales
3. Modelers are gaining popularity and adoption across the board
4. Quad Cortex is newer and more attractive than a lot of popular modeling options
5. Quad Cortex has more units in circulation than the Fender Tone Master Pro

Conjecture, but I think devices like Kemper and Helix have been out so long that they aren't as attractive to your average guitarist just getting into modeling, compared to new units like Quad Cortex and Fender TMP that have big color touch screens. And I don't think Fractal is all that attractive to technophobes.

I'd be curious to see how the sales look in a year. Fender had a big marketing blitz early but nobody seems to be using the TMP. But if I were an average guitarist going into Guitar Center, it would be the most attractive modeler if they were all set up side by side.

 

[Lysander]

Conjecture, but I think devices like Kemper and Helix have been out so long that they aren't as attractive to your average guitarist just getting into modeling, compared to new units like Quad Cortex and Fender TMP that have big color touch screens.

FWIW, the (full) Helix Floor was Reverb's overall #3 seller for 2024.

#2 was the Spark Mini.

 

[Jarick]

FWIW, the (full) Helix Floor was Reverb's overall #3 seller for 2024.

#2 was the Spark Mini.

Is there a full list for 2024 anywhere? I don't see "amps" for 2024, just for 2023.

Interestingly, in 2023 the only floor modeler in the top 20 was the Kemper Stage.

I'm guessing there's some data quality issues at play...

 

[laxu]

I watched the interview with Rhett, Zach, and the analytics guy from Reverb (coincidentally while building out a BI report) where they discussed the sales numbers. It's really interesting and would be fun to look through those reports as a data and guitar nerds.

Anyways, my guess is QC is the highest grossing product (not necessarily units), for a few reasons:

1. Modelers are way easier, cheaper, and lower risk to ship than tube amps or guitars
2. Modelers are pretty expensive (compared to pedals), so will of course generate more total dollar sales
3. Modelers are gaining popularity and adoption across the board
4. Quad Cortex is newer and more attractive than a lot of popular modeling options
5. Quad Cortex has more units in circulation than the Fender Tone Master Pro

Conjecture, but I think devices like Kemper and Helix have been out so long that they aren't as attractive to your average guitarist just getting into modeling, compared to new units like Quad Cortex and Fender TMP that have big color touch screens. And I don't think Fractal is all that attractive to technophobes.

I'd be curious to see how the sales look in a year. Fender had a big marketing blitz early but nobody seems to be using the TMP. But if I were an average guitarist going into Guitar Center, it would be the most attractive modeler if they were all set up side by side.

I'd add that marketing might play a big part. Not everyone reads guitar forums, but might get their news from Instagram, Tiktok and whatever where you are likely to see NDSP marketing too.

I think the QC is the modeler that will stand out in a lineup because of it's "Apple-ish" design, where it might be viewed as more "premium".

 

[Jarick]

I'd add that marketing might play a big part. Not everyone reads guitar forums, but might get their news from Instagram, Tiktok and whatever where you are likely to see NDSP marketing too.

I think the QC is the modeler that will stand out in a lineup because of it's "Apple-ish" design, where it might be viewed as more "premium".

Yeah 100%. Guitar nerds like us will hate the marketing but it's really effective.

 

[Lysander]

Is there a full list for 2024 anywhere? I don't see "amps" for 2024, just for 2023.

No, they haven't published a list for amps this year. This comes from a Rhett Shull interview with Cyril Nigg, senior director for analytics at Reverb.

Another interesting tidbit was no tube amps, at all, cracked the top 20 list last year. The closest was Fender's Tone Master Deluxe Reverb.

 

[BahamaDada]

QC is considered a sexy product here in Europe. Tone Master Pro? Most people never even heard about that around here. Haven't seem any in the wild. QCs? Every party band, that had a L6 product or a Kemper is now switching to QC land bc it fits their workflow (many different styles to cover, good sound and good flexibility when it comes to connections).

 

[Jarick]

No, they haven't published a list for amps this year. This comes from a Rhett Shull interview with Cyril Nigg, senior director for analytics at Reverb.

Another interesting tidbit was no tube amps, at all, cracked the top 20 list last year. The closest was Fender's Tone Master Deluxe Reverb.

Something seems off with their numbers. Look at their top 20 for 2023 and the only big modeler is the Kemper Stage. No Line 6 or Quad Cortex at all. I've been in reporting and analytics for most of my career and when there's a change that big it's usually a data or reporting issue.

Or maybe he was reporting on gross sales and not unit sales. Still kind of odd.

 

[deadpool_25]

Lots of people buying new, lots of people selling used, lots of people buying used. High supply and high demand.

 

[Sascha Franck]

Thomann lists sales rank of everything.

Just fwiw: Thomann is only listing items they sell. Which are most but not all. For example, no Fractal products at all.

 

[laxu]

Thomann says their top lists are per day sales based on availability. The QC has been on the top of its category for a long time afaik.

That does not of course include how many people end up returning it, but I think most people will be happy with it because they are not the level of sticklers about it like we are. It sounds good, it's easy to use.