Olson

[ehautama]

Let me add some balance to the force.

Even with my deep love for Taylors and my habit of spending 3-5K per year on them...I would never be quick to defend their price for their high end instraments. I will pay top dollar and yes, it is my choice to do so, but...let me say it in a parable:

A man walks into the store to by a michigan bachtywobble...He pays 5 ginkles.
A man walks into the same store and buys a custom michigan bachtywobble for 10 ginkles.
A man walk into the same store and buys a AAA grade custom michigan bachtywobble for 40 ginkles.

Who made a wise investment?
Was the AAA grade 8 times more costly? You don't know do you!
You can speculate....But You haven't a clue how much it costs to make a bachtywobble. What was paid for the materials?

But because you and I are Human...We will pay an incredible premium to think we are getting somthing special...it's our choice...but it is often a choice made without consistant financial judgement.

If Phil Keggy, Leo Kottke, James Taylor, Eric Clapton sat in a studio with 10 differnt Taylor, Ten Goodall, Ten Martin, Ten Collins and Ten Olson would you be able to tell by listening what each guitar was?

My point was balance...Olsens for 10k might be great....

But it's still $400 worth of wood and 3 days craftsmanship.

But heck....sign me up!

[trpullen]

Why so pricey?

Maybe this helps....

[TaylorKid]

Originally posted by ehautama

My point was balance...Olsens for 10k might be great....

But it's still $400 worth of wood and 3 days craftsmanship.

But heck....sign me up!

yeah. there is a philosophy i have been using to justify my "craze" i just like to call it...

"denial"

[sakescanner]

I've played a spruce-topped Olson in one of the guitar shops in Tokyo .... the action is smooth ala Taylor, & the sound is well ... normal. I could have bought 2 K14ce with that price tag on the Olson.

Maybe a cedar-topped Olson is different??

[muzz76]

It amazes me how people can judge a guitar simply based on looks, which celebrity musican plays them, and what they've heard.

James is a good builder no doubt, he earned a certain level of reputation through his guitars and a much higher one through hype. Its not his fault, every time he raises his prices, his waiting list gets longer because price is perceived as quality. His core customers I would guess as being with more or less unlimited funds who rather say they own a guitar that cost 10K and a name factor, than something of equal stature and less wow factor. His guitars are no better and no worse than a slew of other builders in the 5K range.

He deserves every penny he gets simply because the market has dictated the value and I don't blame him one bit for being angered by many people who were locked in on the waiting list for 5 to 6K and then selling it for 10K as soon as they'd received it. Olsons ARE nice guitars but I just can't help but liken them to the 'internet stocks' of the guitar world.

[TaylorKid]

personnally, i think taylors are the best looking guitars out there, reguardless of price.

[david_m]

I've played three Olsons (I think). I was going through a LOT of custom made guitars at Luthier's Collection in San Diego one morning. Mike A and Ian Anderson were there also, so they played the same guitars I played. I KNOW we played at least two Olsons and I think we played three. Mike, Ian, your recollection?

Any way, I was not blown away. They were very nice guitars. Not my cup of tea. They had great fit and finish, they played well, they sounded good, but they sort of fell into the middle of the pack as far as sound goes. I played a couple of Albericos I liked better, a couple of Ryans that I liked more and a Traugott or two that were breath taking (one in particular).

The Olson name has a lot of cachet. However, for a lot less money there are a lot of guitars available that will provide you with a "better" sound (note the quotes) at a lower price.

I think Jim Olson deserves what he gets for his instruments. If folks want to pay a premium because of what Taylor and Keaggy and McCartney play then let them. It doesn't make any sense to me though.

David

[muzz76]

Builders definately benefit financially from the exposure that an artist can give them. The reason things tend to get out of hand is that just based on the star appeal alone, one man building guitars simply cannot keep up with the demand. Its not like a factory operation where an appearance on the grammys on friday means little more than a flick of the production line switch on monday.

The sad thing is that it prices fine instruments out of the hands of working musicians and i'm aware of a few builders that are concerned about this. Luthery isn't really something that someone goes into with the thoughts of being famous or rich, its about producing beautiful things that make music and seeing them only in the hands of affluent collectors and/or traded like stocks, no matter what they're getting monetarily, isn't something to make someone put there heart and soul into their work.

[taylor96]

Have a look here. see what the acutal owners have to say.

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Olson/

FYI