The Ramble gear index
What 2,539 musicians say their gear is worth
The values 2,539 Ramble members declared for 17,707 pieces of gear. Data as of 10 Oct 2026.
- Median collection value
- $2,880
- −$20 since 10 Sep
- of collections are worth more than $2,000
- 58.9%
- −0.3 points since 10 Sep
- own one item worth more than $2,000 by itself
- 36.7%
- −0.3 points since 10 Sep
- of collections are worth more than $10,000
- 18.5%
- +0.1 points since 10 Sep
- Median value of a pedal owner's pedals
- $700
- No change since 10 Sep
- own something made in 1985 or earlier
- 17.0%
- −0.1 points since 10 Sep
01 Collection value
Most collections are worth more than $2,000
Collections by total declared value · coloured columns are over $2,000: 1,495 of 2,539 · 10 Oct 2026
- $500 or less: 383 collections (15.1%)
- $500 to $1,000: 271 collections (10.7%)
- $1,000 to $2,000: 390 collections (15.4%)
- $2,000 to $5,000: 625 collections (24.6%)
- $5,000 to $10,000: 400 collections (15.8%)
- $10,000 to $25,000: 314 collections (12.4%)
- $25,000 to $50,000: 93 collections (3.7%)
- Over $50,000: 63 collections (2.5%)
See the collection values as a table
| Collection value | Collections | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $500 or less | 383 | 15.1% |
| $500 to $1,000 | 271 | 10.7% |
| $1,000 to $2,000 | 390 | 15.4% |
| $2,000 to $5,000 | 625 | 24.6% |
| $5,000 to $10,000 | 400 | 15.8% |
| $10,000 to $25,000 | 314 | 12.4% |
| $25,000 to $50,000 | 93 | 3.7% |
| Over $50,000 | 63 | 2.5% |
02 Gear types
Median value of one item, by type
17,707 items · 10 Oct 2026
Wind and brass
102 items, 51 owners
$1,900
DJ gear
188 items, 92 owners
$1,000
Electric guitars
4,157 items, 1,472 owners
$950
Acoustic guitars
1,255 items, 688 owners
$900
Bass and bass amps
1,123 items, 483 owners
$700
Guitar amps
1,415 items, 669 owners
$650
Keys and synths
476 items, 227 owners
$650
Studio and recording
951 items, 310 owners
$450
Drums and cymbals
1,373 items, 346 owners
$400
Live sound
598 items, 220 owners
$400
Ukuleles, mandolins and other strings
202 items, 122 owners
$400
Microphones
562 items, 169 owners
$200
Headphones
145 items, 90 owners
$200
Pedals and effects
3,868 items, 727 owners
$130
03 Brands
Declared value by brand
Total declared value of members' gear by brand · brands with 20 or more owners · Martin includes items listed as C.F. Martin & Co · 10 Oct 2026
Gibson
427 owners, median item $2,200
$3.02M
Fender
782 owners, median item $850
$2.13M
Martin
135 owners, median item $2,000
$553k
PRS
171 owners, median item $1,200
$510k
Yamaha
304 owners, median item $500
$461k
Ibanez
343 owners, median item $500
$456k
Taylor
116 owners, median item $1,500
$283k
Gretsch
119 owners, median item $800
$273k
Epiphone
278 owners, median item $600
$269k
DW
49 owners, median item $800
$265k
04 Models
The most-owned models
Members who own each model, with its median declared value · models with 20 or more owners · 10 Oct 2026
Fender Stratocaster
median $700
105
Gibson Les Paul Standard
median $2,200
83
Neural DSP Quad Cortex
median $1,600
50
Gibson Les Paul Classic
median $1,600
42
Gibson Les Paul Custom
median $3,900
38
Boss TU-3 Chromatic Tuner
median $85
36
Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster
median $200
34
Fender Standard Telecaster
median $700
33
Boss DS-1 Distortion
median $50
32
Fender Player Telecaster
median $700
32
Gibson SG Standard
median $1,250
32
Fender Jazz Bass
median $800
29
05 Vintage
Older gear is declared above its new price
Median of declared value divided by the same model's current new price · the line marks 1.0x, the new price; coloured bars are above it · 11,584 items with a catalog price · 10 Oct 2026
1985 or earlier
393 items, 74% above new price
1.60x
1986 to 1999
446 items, 53% above new price
1.05x
2000s
1,041 items, 41% above new price
0.89x
2010s
4,831 items, 40% above new price
0.90x
2020s
4,873 items, 50% above new price
1.00x
06 Main instrument
Share of collections worth more than $2,000, by main instrument
Main instrument is the type holding the most value in the collection · groups of 20 or more · 10 Oct 2026
Live sound
n = 40 collections
95.0%
Studio and recording
n = 55 collections
83.6%
Wind and brass
n = 38 collections
79.0%
DJ gear
n = 35 collections
77.1%
Keys and synths
n = 63 collections
76.2%
Guitar amps
n = 119 collections
61.3%
Ukuleles, mandolins and other strings
n = 41 collections
61.0%
Electric guitars
n = 1,106 collections
60.7%
Drums and cymbals
n = 259 collections
59.5%
Acoustic guitars
n = 305 collections
58.7%
Bass and bass amps
n = 204 collections
55.4%
Pedals and effects
n = 162 collections
44.4%
07 Year made
When members' gear was made
Items with a year of manufacture, 1910 to 2026 · n = 17,666 · coloured bars are the 1980s and earlier
Before 1940
median $5,000
35
1940 to 1959
median $4,000
83
1960s
median $1,800
209
1970s
median $1,200
315
1980s
median $1,100
339
1990s
median $625
650
2000s
median $500
1,638
2010s
median $315
6,459
2020s
median $400
7,938
08 Strings
The electric guitar string gauges members use
Gauge of the favorite string set members picked for an electric guitar · n = 568 members · 10 Oct 2026
10-46
244 members
43.0%
9-42
86 members
15.1%
10-52
75 members
13.2%
11-49
55 members
9.7%
9-46
34 members
6.0%
9.5-44
28 members
4.9%
11-56
22 members
3.9%
09 Insured gear
The gear members insure
Gear on members' approved Ramble applications, against every member's catalog · 10 Oct 2026
Median value of the gear one member insures
$15,925
Members who insure gear, against every member
Median collection value
Members who insure gear
$18,692
All members
$2,880
Collections worth more than $2,000
Members who insure gear
98.8%
All members
58.9%
Median value of one item
Members who insure gear
$650
All members
$400
Items made in 1985 or earlier
Members who insure gear
5.9%
All members
4.8%
Where the insured value is
Share of the declared value of all insured gear, by type · types insured by 20 or more members · 10 Oct 2026
Electric guitars
17.6%
Acoustic guitars
13.2%
Studio and recording
11.0%
Live sound
9.9%
Bass and bass amps
5.3%
Guitar amps
4.6%
Keys and synths
4.5%
Microphones
3.6%
Pedals and effects
3.0%
Everything else
27.4%
Median value of one insured item, by type
Types insured by 20 or more members · 10 Oct 2026
Electric guitars
$1,900
Acoustic guitars
$1,600
Guitar amps
$1,099
Bass and bass amps
$1,000
Keys and synths
$1,000
Studio and recording
$640
Live sound
$600
Microphones
$250
Pedals and effects
$220
10 Method
How we measured
- Source
- Values that Ramble and Gear Collection members declared for gear they cataloged. A collection is everything one member cataloged.
- Updates
- Changes compare with the members' catalogs a month earlier. Each edition is a frozen copy at its own URL.
- Who is counted
- 2,539 members with at least one item. Ramble staff accounts are left out.
- What is left out
- Items valued under $1 or over $250,000, and years of manufacture before 1910, which are mostly placeholders.
- New price
- A model's current new price comes from Ramble's gear catalog, which draws on retailer listings. Custom and one-off items have none.
- Carried gear
- Types people usually take to gigs, lessons and sessions: guitars, basses, pedals, microphones, cymbals, wind and other string instruments, DJ gear, headphones and MIDI controllers.
- Insured gear
- The items on each member's latest approved Ramble application, valued as members declare them in their catalogs. Shown only as medians, shares and comparisons.
- Privacy
- Only totals, shares and medians. No group smaller than 20 members is shown.
- Limits
- Values are what members declared, not appraisals. Members who catalog gear may own more than musicians in general.
- Homeowners limits
- Standard homeowners and renters policies typically cap musical instruments at around $2,000 unless you add a rider. Gear used mainly for a business has its own cap: the standard form sets it at $2,500 at home and $1,500 away (2011 edition; $3,000 and $1,500 in 2022), and some insurers set it lower. Source for the business caps: ISO HO 00 03 05 11, Homeowners 3 – Special Form
11 Citing
Use these numbers
Cite an edition so your number stays on the page.
Source: Ramble gear index, Fall 2026 edition (therambleco.com/gear-index/2026-fall), based on 2,539 member collections, data as of 10 Oct 2026.
12 Worth insuring
When gear is worth insuring
- of collections are worth more than $2,000.
- 58.9%
- n = 2,539 collections
- of cataloged items are each worth more than a $100 deductible.
- 80%
- n = 17,707 items
- of all declared value is gear people carry out of the house.
- 68%
- n = 17,707 items
- of collections hold more than $2,000 of gear that leaves the house.
- 47.4%
- n = 2,539 collections
What one theft or break costs
Median declared value of one item · the lighter part is a $100 deductible · 10 Oct 2026
Electric guitar
$850 more than the deductible
$950
Acoustic guitar
$800 more than the deductible
$900
A pedal owner's pedals
$600 more than the deductible
$700
Bass or bass amp
$600 more than the deductible
$700
Guitar amp
$550 more than the deductible
$650
Microphone
$100 more than the deductible
$200
Most declared value is gear people carry out of the house
Share of all declared value · carried gear is guitars, basses, pedals, microphones, cymbals, wind and other string instruments, DJ gear, headphones and MIDI controllers
68.2% carried to gigs, lessons and sessions
31.8% stays home: amps, drum kits, studio and live sound
Check your gear
$2,900
About 50% of members' collections are worth less than that.
If you earn money with your gear, that's $400 more than the $2,500 a standard homeowners form covers for business property at home, and $1,400 more than the $1,500 it covers away from home.
$13,780 in coverage with a $100 deductible costs just $175 per year.
Get a quote in minutes.
Ramble policies start at $175 a year, plus a $10 fee, and approval takes one business day or less.