Guitar things that cost more than they should....

[Mincer]

This is a thread about stuff made for guitar that, for some reason, cost a whole lot more than it should:

- tools (and shipping) from Stew Mac.
Certainly they are made well. But no reason some of that stuff should be that expensive.

- aluminum pedalboards
A few painted rails of aluminum shouldn't cost as much as it does. I own a few PedalTrains, and in no way they should cost as much as they do.

-Gracie Stands
A tripod stand with some lucite on top shouldn't cost that much to make.

-FU Tone's Pickup Mounting System
This is a way to wood mount pickups using a piece of milled brass screwed into the wood. It is a really cool system until you find out it costs $50. Per pickup.

Many times they can justify the price because 'it is the only game in town'. Well, it won't always be that way.

 

[beaubrummels]

There's also the flip side:

 

[playas]

The stand-out winner has to be Gibson branded products.

I have no idea how much it costs to manufacture, but scratch plate material always struck me as something that should be way cheaper, especially if it is tortoise shell/pearloid/patterned.

+1 on anything Stewmac.

I was also thinking recently of buying a freeway blade switch, and may do anyway, but the price makes me think twice.

Also in Europe a lot of US made products are pretty expensive, even cheap stuff...and yes I'm talking before the import tariffs go way up.

 

[ICTGoober]

If you want StewMac stuff - buy it off eBay or Reverb. It will be cheaper than off the website. Or look for other sellers with the same tools & supplies for less. StewMac hasn't done me any favors in a long time.

 

[Mincer]

If you want StewMac stuff - buy it off eBay or Reverb. It will be cheaper than off the website. Or look for other sellers with the same tools & supplies for less. StewMac hasn't done me any favors in a long time.

I know they make some things you can't get anywhere else...but for things like rulers, fret rockers, neck cradles, notched straight edges, etc, there are much cheaper alternatives.

 

[Securb]

Guitar, mic and speaker cables are ridiculous. There is probably a couple of bucks' worth of materials in a high-end cable. The cheap cables are probably sub1$ in materials.

 

[Artie]

Distortion and/or fuzz pedals. I can buy a nice Yamaha 100 watt/ch stereo receiver for $200. How the heck can a distortion pedal be $200 or more?

And I do understand basic economic principles of volume and margin.

 

[uOpt]

Good quality cases.

 

[beaubrummels]

Rickenbacker guitars. They are really neat guitars, but they are not really nice instruments, per se.

 

[ICTGoober]

^^^ I disagree! ^^^

They are essentially a boutique company now, with low production numbers and a lot of hand work by real craftsman. The ones I've owned and worked on have all been nice stuff. I think the high price they charge is probably worth it.

 

[beaubrummels]

Agree to disagree. I've had several for 20-30 years. Also been consistently treated like trash by their staff. They make a specific sound, but they play like bricks. You don't play them, they play you. But at least the action is low.

 

[Chistopher]

Also Ricks are inherently expensive. Even if you wanted to make a clone, there aren't too many corners you can cut due to all the weird design decisions.

Pedals are crazy expensive. Amazon pedals are priced roughly where guitar pedals would be if they weren't basically a luxury.

 

[ICTGoober]

What "weird" design decisions, pray tell?

 

[80's_Metal]

Good cables

 

[justFred]

:wrf:

 

[Mincer]

I get paying that for some high end technologically-advanced one-off. A relic Strat is worth $2k on a good day no matter who builds it.

 

[playas]

I get paying that for some high end technologically-advanced one-off. A relic Strat is worth $2k on a good day no matter who builds it.

For that price it should be an original '69, not reliced.

 

[hamerfan]

Duncans own Triple Shots ? - 44 bucks for a pickup frame and some whimpsy wire'n'switch

 

[ehdwuld]

Just like everything else in a free market

The price is subjective

"What ever the market will bear" is the moto

You have seen the commercial some years ago
with a lady pacing back and forth saying
"When is a weight loss drug worth $400 a month..... when its worth it"

This was the set up for the following commercial that offered the same drug at $200

Marketing does that
1. set the value....
2. discount the inflated value
3. customer thinks he's getting a deal
4. Customer buys a bunch at the higher discount
5. Business makes profit

Stewmac is there to set the value
the other retailers use this as the benchmark for their discounts

You have an option
DONT BUY THE EXPENSIVE STUFF

The price will go down. Or the business will fold

 

[solspirit]

:wrf:

No thanks. . ...... I'll beat up my own gear.

This shit is insane.