Light
New member
Supercreep said:
Well, I just saw this guy and his well over one million dollar (probably over two million dollar) violin at a recent performance of Carl Nielsen's Violin Concerto:
Light
"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Well, I just saw this guy and his well over one million dollar (probably over two million dollar) violin at a recent performance of Carl Nielsen's Violin Concerto:
Light
"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
D
darknailblue
New member
2 mil? wow.... thats pretty amazing... maybe in about 300 years a gibson les paul will be worth that much... I'm going to have to agree with Light saying that everyone is bitching too much. I just paid 2,600 for my PRS and maybe its overpriced, but I love it. I love the way its sounds, the way it feels under my fingers, and I also love the way it looks.
Also... I don't think I saw anyone make a remark about how the electric guitar is only about 50 years old. Its still a baby compared to the violin. Also a strativarius can never ever, ever be duplicated because of the type of wood that was around in those days. Lots of those instruments were crafted out of diseased wood, and what not which will never be found again. Wood also sounds better with age. I have a clarinet that I adore thats made with 300 year old grenedilla wood, found only in Africa. It sounds godly.
Also as far as paying for good sound goes... I don't think I saw any comments on this... but the electric guitar is just that... electric!!! No matter how good the wood is, or what kind of finish is put on the guitar, most of the sound comes from the pickups... Thats not to say that the wood doesn't play a solid role in the instrument but its electric for a reason... That maybe has some kind of correlation as to why guitar players... or maybe eletric ones at least buy with their eyes.
Lastly... No matter what kind of instrument you play or amp you use, or what kind of wood or how old blah blah blah... you will only sound as good as you do, and what I mean by that is that your sound comes from your fingers. If that isn't up to par, you'll make a strativarius sound like a 2 dollar hooker.
~darknail
P.S. Everything is overpiced by the way... Light being a luthier... how much does one of your guitars cost before you factor in labor, inflation, taxes, and all that other good stuff? Myself having a backround in carpentry wouldn't answer that ? if I were you...
Also... I don't think I saw anyone make a remark about how the electric guitar is only about 50 years old. Its still a baby compared to the violin. Also a strativarius can never ever, ever be duplicated because of the type of wood that was around in those days. Lots of those instruments were crafted out of diseased wood, and what not which will never be found again. Wood also sounds better with age. I have a clarinet that I adore thats made with 300 year old grenedilla wood, found only in Africa. It sounds godly.
Also as far as paying for good sound goes... I don't think I saw any comments on this... but the electric guitar is just that... electric!!! No matter how good the wood is, or what kind of finish is put on the guitar, most of the sound comes from the pickups... Thats not to say that the wood doesn't play a solid role in the instrument but its electric for a reason... That maybe has some kind of correlation as to why guitar players... or maybe eletric ones at least buy with their eyes.
Lastly... No matter what kind of instrument you play or amp you use, or what kind of wood or how old blah blah blah... you will only sound as good as you do, and what I mean by that is that your sound comes from your fingers. If that isn't up to par, you'll make a strativarius sound like a 2 dollar hooker.
~darknail
P.S. Everything is overpiced by the way... Light being a luthier... how much does one of your guitars cost before you factor in labor, inflation, taxes, and all that other good stuff? Myself having a backround in carpentry wouldn't answer that ? if I were you...
M
mge80
New member
Artist Unknown said:
I don't play Carvin almost exclusively, I play them 100% exclusively . No better guitar anywhere. There are equals, and alot of people throw "for the money" in there...but to me, they simply are the finest. Great materials, superior craftsmanship, excellent playability and unparalleled customer service.
I have been playing almost 40 years, and I will ONLY play Carvin guitars, basses and amps.
dtb
Well-known member
spoonie g said:
and don't even think about checking what they are doing in the mandolin market. it may be some magical plan in the end, I don't know, but screw'em. I just can't imagine what Gibson's profit is on a 10,000.00 NEW mandolin.
Light
New member
darknailblue said:
There is NOTHING special about the wood in a Strad, or any other old violin. There is nothing weird or special about the varnish. It is no longer possible to get the QUALITY of wood, in the species he used, but that is not why they sound the way they do. They sound that way because they were exceptionally well made instruments, and because they are OLD. They have been vibrating as an instrument for hundreds of years, and when that happens, wood changes. THAT is why they sound the way they do. Nothing else.
It is, however, impossible to recreate the sound of age, so they are irreplaceable, of course.
As for the cost of materials for my guitars, I would say it is about 1/4 of the final cost. You are not paying for the materials (or, you are mostly not paying for materials, I do get some markup on hardware and such, though not nearly MSRP). You are paying for my labor, my knowledge, my design skills, and my experience. You are paying for ME, not the materials.
And just so as you know, I would say the most important components of a guitars sound are:
- The scale length, which gives an inherent character to an instrument that is hard to explain, but I can ALWAY tell the scale length of a guitar by the sound
- The woods used for the body
- The woods used for the neck
- The TYPE of pickup (humbucker, Strat, P-90, etc.)
- The model of the pickup
Light
"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
F
Frank Story
New member
If your travels take you to Nashville, stop by the Opryland Mall. Gibson has a great store there and their employees make mandolins and banjos by hand in full view of the customers. You can view the whole process from beginning to end. It's facinating to watch the meticulous young craftsmen they have and might give you some insight into why Gibson instruments cost what they do. Having said that, a mandolin that sells for ten grand should have Bill Monroe's fingerprints on it somewhere.
T
trahx
New member
I'll vote for Gibsons right after I sell my 76 LP Custom lefty 
philboyd studge
New member
Supercreep said:
$2000 won't buy a decent bow for a violin, viola, cello, or bass at the professional level.
Supercreep
Lizard People
Light said:
/yawn/
He's welcome to it. I'd much rather build a really nice studio or several thousand other useful things.
Supercreep
Lizard People
philboyd studge said:
That's ridiculous.
Supercreep
Lizard People
Garry Sharp said:
/yawn/
Yes, I've heard the damn things play. And if I hadn't, I'm still entitled to think(and even say) that anyone who pays 100,000 dollars or a million dollars or twenty bajillion dollars for a single musical instrument is an ass.
You're an ass for posting a dead link.
ass.
HangDawg
bUnGhOlIo
My new Les Paul Supreme is mahogany, AAAA maple, with ebony fretboard and mother of pearl/abalone inlays. It was $3000 and in my opinion worth every damn penny. The first time I heard it I said to myself, "there it is". It's that sound I've been hearing for all these years and never could reproduce it. Until now that is.
I also have a very nice American made Strat($2000) and a custom shop ESP($2800). Each are very nice guitars and have their own purpose/sound. I feel I have most all my electric guitar bases covered.
I also have a very nice American made Strat($2000) and a custom shop ESP($2800). Each are very nice guitars and have their own purpose/sound. I feel I have most all my electric guitar bases covered.
jimistone
long standing member
philboyd studge said:
Guess that means that classical violinists are the ultimate gear snobs then huh?
Garry Sharp
Lost Cause
jimistone said:
LOL. Most of them are broke, classical music being as financially rewarding as most of the other types, many of them have patrons who "lend" them instruments.
Supercreep - sorry about the link, worked when I put it there, but doesn't sound like it would interest you anyway
philboyd studge
New member
Supercreep said:
You sir get a Cleveland Steamer in honor of DavidK.
philboyd studge
New member
jimistone said:
The whole viol family is expensive and classical guitars are a relative bargin in that $6000 can get you in the door.
Supercreep
Lizard People
philboyd studge said:
Well, I suppose I earned it.
Is this the same Mr. K who is tonight topping the bill, taking ten somersets on solid ground and lastly through a hogshead of real fire?
Supercreep
Lizard People
Artist Unknown said:
Now we're cooking with gas. If I had a dollar for every talentless hack I've met with expensive gear, I'd be able to afford one of philboyd's violins.
Supercreep
Lizard People
Garry Sharp said:LOL. Most of them are broke, classical music being as financially rewarding as most of the other types, many of them have patrons who "lend" them instruments.
Supercreep - sorry about the link, worked when I put it there, but doesn't sound like it would interest you anyway
It would interest me, and I clicked on it because it did. I don't mean to insult and I apologize for my tone in my earlier post, I just didn't appreciate being told to shut up. Not one of my strong points, shutting up. Anyway, I agree with Light that the quality of an instrument is the quality of it's maker, and for that alone, I suppose one should charge what the market will bear for the work of a luthier of great skill.
I learned to play on whatever I can afford, and while I will pay 3-5k for a chopped B3, or 2k for a nice 'Paul, I can't fathom spending enough money, invested wisely, to care for myself and my family for life, on a violin bow - even if it sounds great, does laundry, blows me and cooks.
foo
Active member
philboyd studge said:
My 2 cents:
If you think Gibson guitars are over-priced, don't buy one!
I have played several PRS guitars and every one was a really nice guitar.
But I don't own any, 'cos the Gibsons and Fenders that I do own all cover the same territory very well.
I do own a Collings 000-2h which seemed very expensive at the time I bought it ($2,400 in 1992 I think) - but I would happily pay a lot more for it now - it has really opened up in sound and is incredible. Well worth the money.
I have to agree with Light - you get what you pay for and $2,000 for a professional instrument is not a lot of money.
. . . and if it is, then maybe you need to re-evaluate your priorities.
I think the cost of cheaper guitars gets you the quality up to the last 20%. The cost really goes up to get that last 20% increase in quality.