Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

APB_4

New member
Is it just shipping and customs? a $70-$80 pup in america seems to cost £70-£80 in GB.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Everything seems to be more expensive -- at least in terms of music gear -- in England. You're paying about double or even triple for a Gibson of any kind, and from what I hear from my English colleagues, a pretty lousy selection.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

yep, its way too expensive over here - its probably the strength of the pound against the dollar. also, we pay 17.5% purchase tax, and theres probably delivery costs, and every middleman along the way will want his cut.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

$160 for a new Duncan pup here in Canada. :smack:
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

shredaholic said:
yep, its way too expensive over here - its probably the strength of the pound against the dollar. also, we pay 17.5% purchase tax, and theres probably delivery costs, and every middleman along the way will want his cut.

The strength of the pound vs. the $ should be making the price of American goods in England cheaper, not pricier. Now's the time to buy American over there if you want a "deal", relatively speaking. When the dollar gets stronger, the prices will go up.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

I don't want to hear any complaining until I can walk into any shop in the US and play a Laney, Orange, or ENGL amp.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Seems like you have the same problem in the UK as we have in Norway. A Pearly Gates HB costs about $ 285 here, as opposed to $ 130 list price from Warmoth (you can get it for about $ 100 I think).
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Use Lew or Blackrose to get your pups... So much cheaper :)
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

nuntius said:
Use Lew or Blackrose to get your pups... So much cheaper :)

How much does it cost you with shipping etc?
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Zhangliqun said:
Everything seems to be more expensive -- at least in terms of music gear -- in England. You're paying about double or even triple for a Gibson of any kind, and from what I hear from my English colleagues, a pretty lousy selection.

It only seems to be things made in America though. If you look at the swineshead pups they're £39 for a plastic hummer and they're made in England which is an expensive country to manufacture in.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

APB_4 said:
How much does it cost you with shipping etc?

Shiiping was about $20-25 when I brought my 59's from blackrose
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

All I can say is that i can save alot of money when ordering directly from the U.S....
A nickel covered, 4 conductor cable '59 costs
Austria: 119€ + 5€ shipping = 151$
U.S. (Lew): 86$ + 25$ shipping = 111$
This doesn't seem like a huge ammount, but when I buy more stuff at once, it does make a difference...
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Music gear is pretty expensive here too, since we pay 25% taxes on everything we buy.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

I agree that in the UK things like pups are insanely priced! On the european mainland its still a heck of a lot more expensive then what it shoudl and could be. Tax and shipping ontop of the usa price doesnt come close to what shops dare to ask here with the UK being the top of them all.
There has been another topic on this some time back where Evan said some stuff that did make sence about it. ( SD prefers you to buy from your autorised local dealers ) but i dont blame people for using the net for their purchases.

My last buy was a custome floor JB Jazz set with pink bobbins where i actualy have no use for at all :P but i GASSED on them so i bought them of ebay for a Buy it now of 140 bucks. This is less then what people pay for just 1 plain black JB in the uk ( 157 $ ). Shipping was 10$. It may not be the preferd way just with such a difference ill only buy my parts directly from the USA. And isnt just the pups same goes for pickguards and what not.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Budweiser said:
$160 for a new Duncan pup here in Canada. :smack:


huh? where the heck are you buying them, I've never paid that much unless it was an Antiquity
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Budweiser said:
$160 for a new Duncan pup here in Canada. :smack:

Where?! :eek2: I got my Duncan Invader at Long & McQuade (Winnipeg location) for $115 brand new. You're getting awfully ripped off.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

here's the same.. last time I bought pups I got 2 pups with shipping for the price of 1 locally...
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

Hate to say it but EVERY country does not play on a level playing field. Free trade is an illusion of the government of the day, i.e. looking to be re-elecated, A.K.A. How can we screw the people of more money.
Exchange rates have alot to do with it as does tariff protection, I can't build a Race Car Gearbox under AUS$12000 because just about all the good material/base stock I have to get from overseas, JUST DON'T ASK ABOUT ROLLCAGE TUBING. The Aussie government let them ship a plant to Japan and the price tripled!
I have nightmares about my next guitar project.
 
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

This is the reason the most of my stuff (pickups, pedals, the foot controller for my pod) has come from the US, the only thing that came close to UK prices was the pod foot controller, but it was still about £40 cheaper.

I got my Edwards from Japan, and that came to a total of nearly £600, less than a Gibby Studio and much more guitar IMO.
 
Last edited:
Re: Why are SD pups so much more expensive over here?

bluey@sunni said:
Hate to say it but EVERY country does not play on a level playing field. Free trade is an illusion of the government of the day, i.e. looking to be re-elecated, A.K.A. How can we screw the people of more money.
Exchange rates have alot to do with it as does tariff protection

+1000. exactly. i thinked about that almost everytime i buy more expensive stuff, gear or not. it would be perfect to get free trade going but its just nothing but next to impossible. one reason being the difference in living standards in the respective countries. i get what u mean, sometimes u think you can get the exact same thing in another country for half the price, why do u have to pay more? :yell:
 
Back
Top