Guitar prices

[peacock1987]

just a quick thread on guitar prices. What exactly constitutes a more expensive guitar in a particular series e.g. the gibson les paul studio is obviously cheaper than its standard counterparts so why is this? Is it simply the lack of binding and a different pickup? What features make certain guitars stick out and cost so much more. Fender is another make with sooooo many different variations on strats its hard to know exactly why a particular wood or aspect of guitar is better than another. Discuss...

[guitargeek62]

studios also often have 2 or even 3 piece bodies and a less fancy top.... not that gibby are ever really consistant with their figuring!!


Most of the time, cosmetics like bindin etc are rather time consuming, especially on LPs where they use the fret nib process rather than a straight line. With fenders, you tend to pay for different finishes/pickups more than quality tbh as theyre fairly consistant from the base range up untill the custom shop ones where things get noticeably different - usually in a good way

[Skodster]

The bit that confuses me is when they kick a perfectly good guitar around the workshop floor, call it a 'relic' and charge three times the price!!

The irony of it all is that the most valuable 'real' relics are the ones that have been looked after impeccably.

The world really doesn't make sense. There was even a reviewer in last months 'Guitarist' who got fed up of the immaculate appearance of the long term test Gibbo 335 so, what did our hero do?

...sanded off the gloss finish and threw a set of keys at it!!

...all he did was reduced its value for the future and it wasn't even his!!!

[bertie]

Originally Posted by peacock1987

Discuss...

will take until next xmas

[wilber]

I think guitar are too cheap and people have come to accept lower quality than they should unless you go custom. If i'm spending serious money I want everything right and not to have to change anything or live with pokey fret ends.
But i also love crap guitars in a punkish rtro way and can't afford a custom....

[guitarcookie1]

Originally Posted by Skodster

...all he did was reduced its value for the future and it wasn't even his!!!

I think it is Nev's guitar... but I did wonder why he did that to a £2K guitar (must be a 'keeper').

[peacock1987]

But why exactly does a 2 or 3 piece guitar lower its value. It's precisely these things that I dont quite get. I can walk into a shop and try a guitar and know if i like it but I'd like to understand the concept of finishes and build quality so I can really get to know a guitar. Any help??

[evilmags]

Originally Posted by peacock1987

But why exactly does a 2 or 3 piece guitar lower its value. It's precisely these things that I dont quite get. I can walk into a shop and try a guitar and know if i like it but I'd like to understand the concept of finishes and build quality so I can really get to know a guitar. Any help??

More wood joins and glue does not resonate.

What you pay for:-

1) Quality of wood. The wood on a custom shop guitar costs more than the entire build on a Standard production libe one.
2) Hardware.
3) Build time. A custom shop guitar will be more carefully put together than a standard issue one, with neck joins and such like done to better tolerance levels.

basically too much glue, finish, pieces of wood are all bad.

[artiebear]

Originally Posted by guitarcookie1

I think it is Nev's guitar... but I did wonder why he did that to a £2K guitar (must be a 'keeper').

2K and the rest ! Nev's 335 is a custom historic '63. These are significantly more expensive (and harder to get hold of) than the Gibson Memphis production ES guitars. I should know I have a beautiful blonde '63 historic from the Nashville custom shop. While I would like it to darken slightly (right now it's still a bit pale !) I was surprised to read of Nev's attempts at relicing the thing !

In the context of this thread, I ended up with this guitar despite trying to convince myself that I could save a huge amount of money and go for a standard Memphis model, unfortunately it really was that much better.

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Originally Posted by evilmags

More wood joins and glue does not resonate.

I remain unconvinced by this.

Look at those basses with 11-piece necks. They're hardly duff sounding.

A glued joint is stronger than the wood.

LPs have glue holding the top on and glue holding the neck on, and they're hardly short of sustain or resonance.

I reckon glue is largely irrelevant, assuming it's there in appropriate quantities.