New nut pricing

[mustache79]

What do you think is a fair price to charge for fitting a 6 string guitar with a new quality bone nut?

No setup, just replacing the stock nut.

Thanks

[clintj]

I had one done for less than $30 on one of my guitars.

[John Arnold]

My price is usually $45.00.

[mustache79]

Well $45 sounds more like it. I just did a few guitars and it took me quite a long time. I'm sure once I gain more experience I will speed it up, but with the tools I have it took a lot of work to get them just right.

Being new to this I charged $30, but I felt the labor was worth more. Maybe I'll change my perspective once I have done this for years to come, IDK
Thanks guys.

I should state that I'm using oversized blanks and shaping them myself. No pre cut stuff just tossed in there.

[charles Tauber]

Originally Posted by mustache79

but I felt the labor was worth more.

Price has two constraints:

1. What the market will bear.

2. what it costs you to produce the product or service you offer: largely what your time is worth.

If the time it takes you to do something brings the price of it, at your hourly rate, above what the market will bear, you'll need to change how you go about doing it so that you can do it within the amount of time necessary to complete it at or below the price the market will bear. In some cases that may be doing the same thing faster as a result of greater skill or familiarity with the task. In other cases, that may mean changing what you do or how you do it.

For example, that may mean starting with partially pre-shaped materials. Other than you, will anyone be aware of a difference if you started with a partially pre-shaped nut, rather than an oversized, unshaped one? Is the "quality" that you are providing by starting with an unshaped blank invisible to the customer? Would the customer know or experience any difference between the two (i.e. is it value-added labor)? What does it cost you - material cost and labour - to do one versus the other?

Where is your time being spent? Which steps in the process can be performed more quickly - either using different methods or by using more efficient tooling/machinery?

Just a few things to consider when pricing your work and determining your methods of work. If this is the means by which you make your living, these things matter. If it is a hobby, and you don't depend upon it to eat, not so much.

[mustache79]

Originally Posted by charles Tauber

Price has two constraints:

1. What the market will bear.

2. what it costs you to produce the product or service you offer: largely what your time is worth.

If the time it takes you to do something brings the price of it, at your hourly rate, above what the market will bear, you'll need to change how you go about doing it so that you can do it within the amount of time necessary to complete it at or below the price the market will bear. In some cases that may be doing the same thing faster as a result of greater skill or familiarity with the task. In other cases, that may mean changing what you do or how you do it.

For example, that may mean starting with partially pre-shaped materials. Other than you, will anyone be aware of a difference if you started with a partially pre-shaped nut, rather than an oversized, unshaped one? Is the "quality" that you are providing by starting with an unshaped blank invisible to the customer? Would the customer know or experience any difference between the two (i.e. is it value-added labor)? What does it cost you - material cost and labour - to do one versus the other?

Where is your time being spent? Which steps in the process can be performed more quickly - either using different methods or by using more efficient tooling/machinery?

Just a few things to consider when pricing your work and determining your methods of work. If this is the means by which you make your living, these things matter. If it is a hobby, and you don't depend upon it to eat, not so much.

I'm just using these blanks because it's what I have. I'm sure I could cut the time down by buying roughed in pieces. I'm just curious about the pricing. It seems even with pre shaped material there is still a lot of time consuming fine tuning. I'm sure with experience one would get more efficient.

I'm simply interested what the work is worth and what people are charging, regardless.

[B. Howard]

Pricing can vary quite a bit by region, I charge $50. I do not use any pre shaped parts. All nuts are custom made for the guitar at hand.

[mustache79]

Originally Posted by B. Howard

Pricing can vary quite a bit by region, I charge $50. I do not use any pre shaped parts. All nuts are custom made for the guitar at hand.

I prefer this method as well. I just did a few guitars including a 1980 Les Paul Custom. Since I'm new to charging for my work I asked $30 each. I also polished up the frets for free with this awesome flexible paper I got from Stew Mac. Everyone seems happy with my work, and I feel great about it. Down the road I will however charge a little more.

Thanks guys.

[bnjp]

Mine come out to just over $60 with Tennessee sales tax.

[mustache79]

Some of my work. I did this using 220 grit sandpaper, a mill file, stew mac gauged slotting files, needle files, and touched up and polished with a variety of flexible abrasive paper.


030 by Bohdan79, on Flickr


002 by Bohdan79, on Flickr


015 by Bohdan79, on Flickr