What makes a guitar SO expensive?

[antispatula]

I've never really gotten that. They're pretty simple instruments. Is it more machanical, or cosmetic?

 

[boingoman]

Guitars are cheap. Cellos are expensive.

 

[ggunn]

Is it more mechanical, or cosmetic?

Yes. ;^)

It's a supply and demand thing that drove up the price of vintage guitars, which raised what the market will bear on the rest. I am so glad that I bought my Les Paul and Strat 25 years ago!

 

[leddy]

Guitars are cheap. Cellos are expensive.

Cellos are cheap. My double bass was expensive.

 

[GONZO-X]

it's all about time.

how much time, it takes, to craft something that's worthy.

it's easy enough, to buy cheap wood, cheap necks, cheap electronics, and slap it all together..

it's a whole 'nother level, to get an instrument that's really worthy, and that takes time.

time to do the grain filling, rough and fine sanding, primer, paint and finishing, routing for electronics and bridge/trem, wiring, neck finishing, fret dressing, neck joint work, nut cutting, bridge setup, intonation, all that....

if you've ever watch someone put together a really nice instrument (or done it yourself) it's pretty obvious why they're expensive.

now, another question might be: why are PRS, Gibson, Suhr, etc, SO expensive?

 

[noisedude]

People are willing to pay for what they consider to be an extra level of refinement. Whether that's justified or not isn't really important cos people are happy to pay it!!!

That said, I had a Korean G&L Tribute ASAT Special Premium in the other day that was just superb ... swamp ash body, superb neck, really great pickups, and I sold it new for about 25% more than a Mexican Tele.

But as has already been mentioned, guitars are not an expensive instrument. A great violin is far more pricey than a great guitar ... but then guitars have only been made for a short amount of time.

 

[antispatula]

Guitars are cheap. Cellos are expensive.

true that my friend......

 

[boingoman]

Cellos are cheap. My double bass was expensive.

Double

 

[Zed10R]

I've never really gotten that. They're pretty simple instruments. Is it more machanical, or cosmetic?

Neither. People pay for what they like. And what people like is based on their personal set of values. Some value words. For some people attaching terms like "vintage" or "cutting edge" to a $50 piece of gear will turn it into a $1000 bargain. Down at my local G.C. they call every used and blemished piece of gear "vintage" and sell it accordingly.

Some people value what they are told to value. Hence signature models at absurd prices.

And then, some people value what SOUNDS good to them. Those people can be perfectly satisfied and even thrilled with gear they can get for pretty cheap.

Everyone ends up with what they feel is the best for them, and that's all that really matters.

 

[tourettes5139]

A great violin is far more pricey than a great guitar ... but then guitars have only been made for a short amount of time.

Totally. My dad actually is actually a luthier, and his violins that he built generally go for around $5000-$7000. And he his not a "big" violin maker. Just think how much violins go for that are made by famous luthiers.

The amount of time thing still very much applies, though.


PS, if anyone ever has $7000 to spend on a violin, let me know.

 

[goodbyebluesky]

Its like many other fine things in life.
Why does Patron or Don Julio Tequila cost 3 times what a bottle of cheap Jose Quervo cost?
Supply and demand are a factor, but primarily a lot more labor/material cost go into something thats of finer quality.
Inflation doesn't help either. Just think how much a guy getting paid to spray guitars costs the company in wages, social security, benefits, training, meeting safety codes, and insurance- and compare that with what it would have cost 20 years ago. Thats the driving force for more technology and automation, which also costs a lot of money, and for manufacturers to move work overseas which leads to lower quality guitars and thus further inflates the price of a well-made American guitar.

 

[flamin-gitaur]

I would like to say its all bout the "precision and craftsmanship" but now a days its probably more about the NAME. Of course a hand built instrument is gonna cost $$$$ just because of the time spent on making the thing, that doesn't necessarily make it a better instrument. But typically someone who is going to spend hundreds OR thousands of hours hand building an instrument, is more likley to pay more attention to detail than any factory. Now a days most guitars are made on CNC mlling centers, which pretty much takes care of all the geometry and profiling in the instrument. But depending on how tight the tolerances are held in these milling operations determines how well it all goes together. So an instrument that goes together better usually sounds and performs better.

 

[Editor]

The comments about cellos & double basses are interesting. I bought a cheap violin ($100) a couple of years ago just because I like music & always wanted to try & play one. The second time I tuned it, the neck snapped off & most of the body disintegrated into dust! I wasn't mad -- I got what I paid for. I mean, with acoustic instruments, workmanship, craftsmanship & engineering are utmost in determining sound ... and I suppose, durability

Is it just me? Am I getting old or wasn't music-making always fun? Seems like there's a lot of snobbery around now. I mean, I actually heard an argument between 2 afficianados about which Les Paul had the best tone ... the '57 tobacco sunburst or the 59 cherry sunburst hanging on the music store wall. (obviously, these guys hadn't seen Spinal Tap The music store guy just ate it up -- he couldn't lose!

The best guitar I ever played was a Telecaster in Pete's Guitars (Minneapolis). Pete told me "I don't paint them, I just make sure the electronics, the neck & and the intonation are perfect." They were. The thing would play itself but I didn't buy it because it didn't look cool. Still kicking myself in the arse -- $150 !!!

Anyway, don't buy names. Pick it up, try it out. Let THEM explain why it sounds so good

 

[whjr15]

I bought a cheap violin ($100) a couple of years ago just because I like music & always wanted to try & play one. The second time I tuned it, the neck snapped off & most of the body disintegrated into dust!

hahahahahahahaha!!!!!! oh maaaan, that had me cracking up!!!! not at the fact that that happened to you, but as you were saying that i got the mental picture o go along with it!! hilarious!!!

 

[TheGuitarMan]

Rare woods and craftsmanship...

...or a famous name on the headstock.

 

[noisedude]

Totally. My dad actually is actually a luthier, and his violins that he built generally go for around $5000-$7000. And he his not a "big" violin maker. Just think how much violins go for that are made by famous luthiers.

The amount of time thing still very much applies, though.


PS, if anyone ever has $7000 to spend on a violin, let me know.

That's a perfect example ... meanwhile I sell horrible Chinese-built starter fiddles for like £50 ($80) in my shop every day of the week.

I'll tell you summat though - it takes a lot more skill to be a good violin maker than it does to be a good guitar maker. That's not doing anyone down, but I could get a hunk of swamp ash and drill it to a bit of maple with rosewood on the top ... all you have to do is get the dimensions and components right and you've got yourself a top-flight Tele.

 

[Light]

I've never really gotten that. They're pretty simple instruments. Is it more machanical, or cosmetic?

There is nothing simple about making a great guitar.



Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Light]

I'll tell you summat though - it takes a lot more skill to be a good violin maker than it does to be a good guitar maker.

Flat out bullshit.

It is a different skill set to be sure, but to say any one set of skills is "better" or "more" or "harder" is absolute bullshit. Sure, I may not know how to carve a violin top, but I've never met a violin maker who could dress frets properly. Or, for that matter, design a safe and functional shaper jig. Or spray a decent lacquer finish (and I'm not much good at varnish or french polish). Craftsmanship is not about better or worse. It is about having the right set of skills to create the end product you are after, and they are usually not as transferable as people believe.

I'm always hearing people saying that what I do as a guitar maker is a "higher art" than a cabinet maker (or a boat builder, of a framing or finish carpenter). But it is just flat out not true. Yes, I probably COULD make an amazing chest of drawers. But it would take me about 5 times as long as it would for someone who does it all the time. Similarly, James Krenov probably could have made a fine guitar, but it would have taken him a LOT longer than it takes me.

Any CRAFTSMAN who thinks what they do is harder than what any other craftsman does is an asshole and an idiot. We're not artists, and none of us hold the secret to the universe in our tools. We are simply craftsmen plying our trade. Anything else is just ego.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Editor]

hahahahahahahaha!!!!!! oh maaaan, that had me cracking up!!!! not at the fact that that happened to you, but as you were saying that i got the mental picture o go along with it!! hilarious!!!

It WAS funny I laughed too. What was I gonna do?

"Honey, my violin disappeared."
"Where did you last see it?"
"Well, it was in my hands and then it just wasn't."
"Sure, sure. Have another drink Dear."

 

[philboyd studge]

The cost of guitars relative to the cost of living hasn't changed much over the years, in fact I'd say it's less. What has changed is variety and quality...which has vastly improved. It's truly a golden age of guitar making with entry level acoustics and electrics being produced at a quality level that was unimaginable in the '60's, and on the higest end we're seeing guitars being built at a level to that of the finest classical instruments.

It's that upper middle class that seems to get everyone huffed up. Is that Gibson worth $3000?