The Kenny Wayne Shepherd Strat is MIM, the Murray is MIA. That would be one major factor in the price difference.

John

Actually that's completely true. MIA's usually run around at least 2x the price of MIM's (besides the Highway 1)

Isnt the KWS mexican made?

The Murray strat is based on the customshop clone of his guitar isnt it?.

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No no and no

One piont that every one has overlooked is that the person the guitar is named after is paid for the use of the name and/or has some control over what is actually produced and where.

True but they are not getting a bazzillion dollars though. It is as much a marketing thing for the entertainer to get there name out there as it is for fender to use it. All entertainers want to see there name being used as much as possible.

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The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.

Thomas Jefferson

That extra money I hate to say is in quality. For years Yngwies Strat was on the low end of the artist serires .It was produced in Japan and would have the same price difference with a Clapton strat at the time as a Sheppard and Murray does now .But shred is not dead so Yngwie got bumped to american made and is now the same price as a Clapton so that extra grand has got to do with quality I would believe, then just a switch in what country it is made.Iron Maiden have been around forever where Kenny who I love his playing is one of those artist still on the cusp. He had an addiction problem so he took off a few years and unlike Mayer does not sell a ton of cds so I guess Fender keeps an eye out .Ritchie Kotzen has a nice MIJ tele, and they gave artist series to those 2 guys from I dont even remember the band but they disapeared and so did the teles. I would believe it is like anything else in music you have to move units and unless your a legend, if you are a young guy and your guitar is not selling that contract does not get renewed. I dont mean this maliciously but when Slipknot goes so does that guy Roots tele. Excuse me if I am wrong, I think thats the band he plays for.

You know the real issue here is paying for a name. When Quality should be how they are priced. IMO

Dave Murray is the guitarist for Iron Maiden a more popular band. He used to have a Charvel model but Fender has more money to throw at him.

Maiden are pretty much responsible for the NWOBHM too, along with a few others.

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No no and no

No, it isn't. Go back and read Brad's post, and some others.

The consensus here is that the difference in price is not solely (or even mostly) based on Dave Murray's, or anyone's, popularity.