#1
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7 Things That Do Not Make Guitars Expensive Anymore
The presenter of this vid talks with electric guitar as example, but wondered if they apply to acoustic guitars too?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoF6zS5PHyA |
#2
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CNC machines have had the greatest impact on speeding up manufacturing and increasing accuracy and consistency of build, reducing man hours spent per unit. However the economies of scale which should result from this and be giving us cheaper instruments, don't appear to apply in the majority of cases. While guitars built in China, Indonesia and elsewhere appear to be getting cheaper, those in the west seem to be getting more expensive every year, and with little logical justification apart from the ususal 'new and improved' claims, (which are seldom the case). If an economy is stagnant and wages remain largely static, why is everything becoming more expensive? I don't pretend to be an economist...
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Faith Mars FRMG Faith Neptune FKN Epiphone Masterbilt Texan Last edited by AndrewG; 01-21-2018 at 05:46 AM. |
#3
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Yes, this is true. Made in USA and Canada acoustic guitars are now far more expensive than they were in 2002 - 2003.
I could have bought a Seagul S6 brand new in the local guitar shop for £150 - £200, and a brand new Martin D15 for £600 in 2002. Now? they are more than double of that price. |
#4
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I think prices are based on what the market can tolerate at the time. The idea of ethical pricing died a long time ago.
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#5
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Quote:
So some of us feel well-off and some don't. For the ones who feel well-off it is not such a big step to spend more for the better instruments, which leads to higher demand for the more expensive guitars. Those that feel insecure will buy the bargain-priced ones if they buy at all. And there are some surprisingly good instruments out there at very cheap prices, better than it was a decade ago. Inflation has been working away all this time. It is not excessively high so it doesn't make the news so much, but it has been creeping steadily along. Raw material prices, electricity and utilities, delivery costs, machine prices and so forth have risen. Wages, not so much, but they too have risen. So it hardly a surprise, when you think of these things, that guitar prices have risen. Most everything else is up as well.
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The Bard Rocks Fay OM Sinker Redwood/Tiger Myrtle Sexauer L00 Adk/Magnolia For Sale Hatcher Jumbo Bearclaw/"Bacon" Padauk Goodall Jumbo POC/flamed Mahogany Appollonio 12 POC/Myrtle MJ Franks Resonator, all Australian Blackwood Blackbird "Lucky 13" - carbon fiber '31 National Duolian + many other stringed instruments. |
#6
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You are kidding, right?
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#7
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You clearly think otherwise. Fine. Why are <insert famous luthier name> guitars the prices they are? Because the market can stand it. This applies to many products.
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#8
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If you work for someone else, are you willing to take a pay cut? And let's face it, the only reason people are in business is to make money. So if you can't make a profit, then there is no point. |
#9
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#10
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Quote:
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A broken angel sings from a guitar Dust off those rusty strings just one more time, gonna make them shine, shine Last edited by Kerbie; 01-21-2018 at 10:37 AM. Reason: Fixed first quote |
#11
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Actually, no, it rises with the successive cost of living (COL) increases; taxes, wages, consumer goods, education, medical care, etc., and all driven by demand. So, essentially, the high cost of a guitar is consumer driven and, as a luxury item, seriously should not be berated in any manner related to acquisition cost. It's a toy for all intents and purposes.
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#12
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I’m not sure ethical pricing has anything to do with guitar prices. Please elaborate on this idea.
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#13
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Anyone who thinks large guitars makers in the US are rolling in profits are simply uninformed. This is not the case, and hasn't been for much of the last 10 years.
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#14
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Capitalist pigs are making our instruments? Smoking cigars on their yachts and laughing at us? Rolling in profits?
I feel a song coming on.
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______________________________________ Naples, FL 1972 Martin D18 (Kimsified, so there!) Alvarez Yairi PYM70 Yamaha LS-TA with sunburst finish Republic parlor resonator Too many ukeleles |
#15
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Thank you for the comic relief! We were risking this thread going to unconstructive places...
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