On November 3, 2026, Thomann had 877 guitar and bass models in stock in two or more finishes, 2,418 listings in all. We left out left-handed versions, bundles, and aged or limited editions, which are different guitars rather than different colors.
256 of the 877 cost exactly the same in every color. In the other 621, the cheapest and the most expensive color are a median 6.6% apart, and 60 of them 20% or more.
| Models in several colors | Same price in every color | Median gap when they differ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric guitars | 528 | 150 | 6.1% |
| Electric basses | 257 | 87 | 7.4% |
| Acoustic guitars | 92 | 19 | 7.4% |
Same guitar, five prices
Yamaha Pacifica 112J, Old Violin Sunburst, $279
Thomann lists the same alder body, walnut fingerboard and HSS pickups for all five colors of the Pacifica 112J. #12 of 620 ST style guitars.
| Color | Price |
|---|---|
| Black | $246 (€219) |
| Lake Placid Blue | $257 (€229) |
| Red Metallic | $262 (€234) |
| Yellow Natural Satin | $274 (€244) |
| Old Violin Sunburst | $278 (€248) |
In August 2025 all five cost €249. Since then each color has moved on its own: Red Metallic was cut three times in late October, Black once on October 31. The gap isn't the paint; it's how fast each color sells.
That happens often. In 77 of the models whose colors now differ, every color cost the same on August 17. PRS cut the Slate Blue SE Paul's Guitar from €1,049 to €929 on November 3, and the Teal Black one stayed at €1,099.
Black is usually the cheap one
314 of the models come in black and at least one other color. In 203 of them, about two in three, black is the cheapest or tied for cheapest. In 75 it is the most expensive.
Sunbursts and other bursts carry no steady premium. Among the 150 electric guitars that come in both a burst and a solid color, the burst costs more in fewer than half, and the median difference is zero.
When the color changes the wood
Fender Player II Stratocaster, Aged Cherry Burst, $923
The black, white, blue and orange Player II Stratocasters with a maple fingerboard cost $863 (€769) and have an alder body. The Aged Cherry Burst has a chambered ash body, and the Transparent Mocha Burst a chambered mahogany one, both at $919 (€819). #1 of 620 ST style guitars.
A transparent finish shows the grain, so the body has to be a wood worth seeing. In 82 of the 621 models with different prices per color, Thomann's description lists a different body wood for some of the finishes.
When the shine costs more than the color
Martin D-28, Sunburst, $4,844
A solid spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, an ebony fingerboard and a 25.4-inch scale. #2 of 282 dreadnought acoustic guitars.
The D-28 Satin has the same woods and hardware in Thomann's listing, but a satin finish instead of a glossy sunburst, and costs $3,924 (€3,499), almost $900 less. A satin finish takes less sanding and buffing, and on an expensive guitar that work shows in the price.
The widest gaps
PRS lists identical specs for the black and the Hunters Green Myles Kennedy model, a swamp ash T-style with a maple fingerboard. The black one arrived at Thomann in September at $3,027 (€2,699), while Hunters Green has cost $3,811 (€3,398) since August, 26% more.
If the color doesn't matter much to you, check every finish of the model before you buy. The median saving is 6.6%, about $66 on a $1,000 guitar, and the cheapest color is often the one that was just reduced.
Where the numbers come from. Every electric guitar, electric bass and acoustic guitar Thomann had in stock on November 3, 2026, from its partner feed. Listings count as one model in several colors when their names differ only in the finish code or color name; left-handed, bundled, aged, relic and limited versions are left out. Colors and woods are taken from Thomann's descriptions. August prices are from our nightly price records, which started on August 17, 2026, with one earlier snapshot from August 2025.
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Denis Kataev runs AudioFu. Every night the site records the prices of more than 38,000 instruments and studio tools at Thomann, and he writes about what those numbers show: what got cheaper, what just arrived, and which discounts are real.
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