[tbeltrans]

My Cargos were each $799 (or maybe somewhat less than that) back in 2007/2008. I bought two, and then when CA Guitars was going out of business, my wife actually insisted I purchase another, since we didn't think these would ever be produced again. All three of mine are the wine-colored RT finish with no factory electronics. I had K & K pickups installed in all three later on.

If these were selling for $1200, I would not have bought any. I have absolutely no idea how many of those who bought at $799 would have bought at $1200, so I really can't say whether CA Guitars would have sold enough to stay afloat at that price, or speculate on anything else regarding CA Guitars and their marketing practices. A price is set by the seller, and I decide, as consumer, whether that price is worth the item to me.

I think we each establish a sense of what a given item is worth to us. For some, $1200+ for a Cargo is perfectly acceptable, while for others, it would not be. It is just a matter of what something is worth to us individually, and is a purchase decision we each make, separately from what somebody does or thinks it should be. To me, one good measure of what value a given item has for me is to think of it in terms of how many hours I would have to work to earn the money to buy it. Everybody has their own means of making these decisions.

Tony