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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:42 pm
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I just love hearing people compare cheap guitars to more expensive ones. While I do agree not all expensive guitars are worth it but cheap one are just that cheap.


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 7:48 pm
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Market research is a science, no doubt.
I don´t think I can add much to the very clear scripts
on this thread.
My experience in 30 years of playing has been,
I could only dole out small amounts, and I would
fall in love with an "attractive" guitar every couple of years.
I ended up accumulating inexpensive instruments, and
they became a testament of my impulsiveness and
actual limited buying power.

Finally I got rid of a lot of stuff, including non-musical items.
I managed to aquire an expensive electric guitar and sort of clean up my act.
I´m so much happier now.

So what is an informed purchase decision?
How long do you expect to have this guitar?
Do you want to tamper with it?
I think common sense tells us $800 dollars to $1200
will yield a guitar that will last and will not dissapoint.
Anything less expensive, I think you will soon be deserving of something
better, or maybe fall again for another "attractive" inexpensive guitar.

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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Mon Jun 17, 2013 10:42 pm
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tbazzone wrote:
I just love hearing people compare cheap guitars to more expensive ones. While I do agree not all expensive guitars are worth it but cheap one are just that cheap.


I get you on that one.

I went looking at acoustic guitars today and I noticed a few Guilds on the rack. I must say considering the quality of wood on their tops were great and the finish of the instrument was impeccable, for $1600 I wasn't expecting a 'Made in USA' but 'Made in Japan' on the ticket in the soundhole. Instead, it was 'made in China' which to me- kind of made it loose its appeal that Guild has generated a heritage of American acoustics and that a $1600 price point of a Chinese instrument is pushing the boundaries of that which seems to be a lower level of craftsmanship to the Japanese equivalent.

Let me explain- I have a Takamine G series EG341sc. Being this brand is well known for quality Japan made acoustics, after playing a number of Takamine Pro series guitars I can't help but feel that the workmanship on my acoustic is very generic, somewhat of a guitar that was made at the same factory as other instruments, manufactured for other companies also. It lacks the tonal qualities that I've since found in certain Ibanez Artwood and Yamaha FG and LS guitars. in fact, I had to question to myself- are the Guild guitars made at the same factory as PRS SE acoustics? Perhaps even Takamine D and G series.. They look VERY similar :? So what's with the price- $1600 to have 'Guild' on the headstock? Lord knows nobody would shell hat money if it didn't have a brand at all.

Yet, this price point enters the Takamine Legacy / Pro series or K Yairi acoustics in Japan which to me, are made at their respective factory by craftsman who are in my hands & eyes, making a far superior product handsomeness to the Chinese contractors. I'd much rather see a 'Guild Customshop' than a 'Fender Acoustic Customshop'.

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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 12:10 am
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Not mentioned is the substantial difference between the Fender and Squier warranty. That is a built in expense also.

You get a far better $200 guitar now than you did 10 years ago. But it is still pretty low quality compared to a $1500 one. Is it 7 to 8 times better? Don't know. The Asian ones can be real hit & miss, except Japan which every single one appears to universally delight all their owners...except me.

You also get better USA and MIM ones today. You can't say all USA or all China or all Japanese ones are the best. You have to play a bunch and judge them individually and not collectively. There are duds out of every plant. The way my luck runs if there is 1 in 1,000 that is a turkey then that is the one that gets shipped to me if I order online.

To the people rating Fender Japan and China so high, I must ask this. Did you leave it completely stock?


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:46 am
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brotherdave wrote:
Not mentioned is the substantial difference between the Fender and Squier warranty. That is a built in expense also.

You get a far better $200 guitar now than you did 10 years ago. But it is still pretty low quality compared to a $1500 one. Is it 7 to 8 times better? Don't know. The Asian ones can be real hit & miss, except Japan which every single one appears to universally delight all their owners...except me.

You also get better USA and MIM ones today. You can't say all USA or all China or all Japanese ones are the best. You have to play a bunch and judge them individually and not collectively. There are duds out of every plant. The way my luck runs if there is 1 in 1,000 that is a turkey then that is the one that gets shipped to me if I order online.

To the people rating Fender Japan and China so high, I must ask this. Did you leave it completely stock?


All the above.


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:14 am
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brotherdave wrote:
To the people rating Fender Japan and China so high, I must ask this. Did you leave it completely stock?

How many forum fiends can leave a MIM or MIA well alone?


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:31 am
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I would have to say that there are duds no matter where they are made, whether it be the US, Mexico, or China.


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 4:31 am
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Quote:
What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?


Freight? :D

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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 4:59 am
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Drubbing wrote:
brotherdave wrote:
To the people rating Fender Japan and China so high, I must ask this. Did you leave it completely stock?

How many forum fiends can leave a MIM or MIA well alone?

Haha - this Forum Fiend, as it happens! :D

All my US, Korean and Japanese Fenders remain stock. I like 'em just as they are. (I don't own a Mexican Fender, though there's one I currently have my eye on...)

My modding madness takes place on guitars bought or built with that intention in mind.

Cheers - C

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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 7:44 am
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Miami Mike wrote:
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What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?


Freight? :D


Well played, sir!

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Before the adult world strings you up and skins your skinny bones clean to the bone."

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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 9:52 am
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My 57 Hotrod and the 04 Deluxe that I gave away are completely stock.

Even Fender strings on em

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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 10:32 am
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chrisconsin wrote:
Miami Mike wrote:
Quote:
What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?


Freight? :D


Well played, sir!


That might have me scratching my head. The one dirty little secret about my FSR MIJ '52 Tele is that it didn't come with a case, or even a gig bag. When I asked the sales clerk about how it got here he said it came in a very nice cardboard box. I still bought it because of how well it played. For a lot of people though that might have been a deal breaker.


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:30 pm
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My mother always used to say that "you don't always get what you pay for, but if you get it...you pay for it". That was true many years ago when everything you bought was made here. Not true anymore. All manufactures have to compete in a global market, so an inexpensive USA guitar is a cheap guitar. A good quality east rim guitar can put it to shame and be on par with any US made one. Labor costs have a lot to do with it, but I bet image is mainly what your paying for. Materials are not hard, or costly, in themselves, any country can make a comparable product. Guitars are not rocket science. I bet Fender's profit margin is many, many times more for their USA "Custom Shop" then their foreign made products only because they can say "Custom Shop" on the piece of paper you get with it.
All this is called Capitalism.


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 2:59 pm
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That's what makes Fender so great. They use the most basic stuff to make a great instrument, and they're still the best at that.


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Post subject: Re: What TRULY drives the price of a new guitar?
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 4:44 pm
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Toronado wrote:
....The one dirty little secret about my FSR MIJ '52 Tele is that it didn't come with a case, or even a gig bag. When I asked the sales clerk about how it got here he said it came in a very nice cardboard box. I still bought it because of how well it played. For a lot of people though that might have been a deal breaker.


TRUE. My Fender Japan basses came in a cardboard box. Apparently Fender Japan has no trouble making decent looking instruments, but their cases for some reason look exactly like shipping cartons. Well they are shipping cartons. Furthermore, I haven't gotten any truss rod or bridge hex keys with my Fender Japan basses either...much less a strap or even a manual! Nothing in the boxes but the axe itself. That was a real surprise the first time.


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