Tell me again why Gibson get stick over pricing?

Modellista

^ very true.  I maintain that a £100 Squier '51 is all anybody needs.  Looks cool, sounds fine, plays great.  Of course it's just a bit of wood and some wires made by a machine so there's no surcharge for "mojo", but it'll do the job as an instrument.  Certainly leagues ahead of the Woolworths specials of a couple of decades ago.  I've spent most of my playing life on Far Eastern guitars, and I can honestly say they've all been great.  My most complimented guitar is a £300 Gretsch Streamliner in bright red.  No layperson knows how much it costs, it just looks cool and flashy.  A £2k Japanese one wouldn't be any better in that regard, although technically it might be made of better materials and perhaps play a tiny bit better.

That might sound daft having just splurged on an R8.  But the R8 won't make me play any better (actually I'm secretly hoping it will but hey ho!).  I'm just intrigued to see what an instrument of that calibre is actually like, just to experience it.  It's probably going to be a beautiful object, but in all honesty almost certainly less useful as an instrument.  Like the fine china your Gran used just on Sundays.  There's no way I'll be scraping it against an amp or letting it drop to the floor as has been known to happen to more functional instruments.  I don't think I'll even want to get it sweaty, won't the hide glue melt or something?

So expensive instruments are pointless, basically.  I'll get my coat.

musicman100

If you think guitars are bad then don’t look at good watches. Ha ha 

Legionreturns

musicman100 said:

If you think guitars are bad then don’t look at good watches. Ha ha 

Yes but a good watch will tell you the time so much better than a cheap one! 

OilCityPickups

Modellista said:

^ very true.  I maintain that a £100 Squier '51 is all anybody needs.  Looks cool, sounds fine, plays great.  Of course it's just a bit of wood and some wires made by a machine so there's no surcharge for "mojo", but it'll do the job as an instrument.  Certainly leagues ahead of the Woolworths specials of a couple of decades ago.  I've spent most of my playing life on Far Eastern guitars, and I can honestly say they've all been great.  My most complimented guitar is a £300 Gretsch Streamliner in bright red.  No layperson knows how much it costs, it just looks cool and flashy.  A £2k Japanese one wouldn't be any better in that regard, although technically it might be made of better materials and perhaps play a tiny bit better.

That might sound daft having just splurged on an R8.  But the R8 won't make me play any better (actually I'm secretly hoping it will but hey ho!).  I'm just intrigued to see what an instrument of that calibre is actually like, just to experience it.  It's probably going to be a beautiful object, but in all honesty almost certainly less useful as an instrument.  Like the fine china your Gran used just on Sundays.  There's no way I'll be scraping it against an amp or letting it drop to the floor as has been known to happen to more functional instruments.  I don't think I'll even want to get it sweaty, won't the hide glue melt or something?

So expensive instruments are pointless, basically.  I'll get my coat.

I'm perfectly happy to gig with my Squier Indonesian made Vintage modified 70s Strat ... it's light years ahead of any copies available in the 70s ... and actually damn fine for a Strat from any country of origin. 
There's only one way I'd pay over three grand for a guitar ... and that's if it were made for me (moot point ... I'm a pickup maker so can't afford a three grand guitar anyway :-) )

jeztone2

I don’t have a problem with PRS prices. Because I think the effort has gone into the QC. Whereas I struggle with Gibson. Simply because they aren’t as consistent. 

darthed1981

musicman100 said:

If you think guitars are bad then don’t look at good watches. Ha ha 

They make my wrist uncomfortable so I'm ok!

terada

jeztone2 said:

I don’t have a problem with PRS prices. Because I think the effort has gone into the QC. Whereas I struggle with Gibson. Simply because they aren’t as consistent. 

The inconsistency is part of the charm to be honest.

Humans love to rummage through stuff to find 'the one'.

Legionreturns

terada said:

jeztone2 said:

I don’t have a problem with PRS prices. Because I think the effort has gone into the QC. Whereas I struggle with Gibson. Simply because they aren’t as consistent. 

The inconsistency is part of the charm to be honest.

Humans love to rummage through stuff to find 'the one'.

The converse of that is that I find PRS a bit sterile and vanilla. There are some good ones, clearly...but for me they're a bit soulless and with the clown tops, look like they're trying too hard. 

darthed1981

Modellista said:

^ very true.  I maintain that a £100 Squier '51 is all anybody needs.  Looks cool, sounds fine, plays great.  Of course it's just a bit of wood and some wires made by a machine so there's no surcharge for "mojo", but it'll do the job as an instrument.  Certainly leagues ahead of the Woolworths specials of a couple of decades ago.  I've spent most of my playing life on Far Eastern guitars, and I can honestly say they've all been great.  My most complimented guitar is a £300 Gretsch Streamliner in bright red.  No layperson knows how much it costs, it just looks cool and flashy.  A £2k Japanese one wouldn't be any better in that regard, although technically it might be made of better materials and perhaps play a tiny bit better.

That might sound daft having just splurged on an R8.  But the R8 won't make me play any better (actually I'm secretly hoping it will but hey ho!).  I'm just intrigued to see what an instrument of that calibre is actually like, just to experience it.  It's probably going to be a beautiful object, but in all honesty almost certainly less useful as an instrument.  Like the fine china your Gran used just on Sundays.  There's no way I'll be scraping it against an amp or letting it drop to the floor as has been known to happen to more functional instruments.  I don't think I'll even want to get it sweaty, won't the hide glue melt or something?

So expensive instruments are pointless, basically.  I'll get my coat.

The Streamliners are a brilliant example of a quality Far Eastern guitar for very fair money.  I should have bought the one I tried last year, damn my being sensible

I would have been tempted by one of the R8s if I'd got on the bus in time, not because I think they are worth £2500 but because they are beautiful bits of craftsmanship and it's nice to own an "elite product" because, well, of course it is.

One of the nicest things about guitars is that you can spend that money and in ten years it will STILL be a brilliant guitar, spend £1200 on the latest iPhone and it's landfill in three years.

I guess I do understand the complaints over price, especially the hikes each year from Gibson.  I just have to choose with my money what I want to do.

I do know however I have all the gear I need (except a mini-pedalboard of course) to progress as a player, but that has little to no bearing on my purchasing of stuff!

guitars4you

darthed1981 said:

One of the nicest things about guitars is that you can spend that money and in ten years it will STILL be a brilliant guitar, spend £1200 on the latest iPhone and it's landfill in three years.

that is so true

Spend that £1200 on a guitar - equates to £120 a year based on your 10 year plan - equates to 33p a day - That is less than a Mars Bar - how cheap does  a guitar need to be - Granted you need to have the £1200 to start of with

Double the above example for an R8 on offer and a touch more for a Custom Shop Strat

darthed1981

guitars4you said:

darthed1981 said:

One of the nicest things about guitars is that you can spend that money and in ten years it will STILL be a brilliant guitar, spend £1200 on the latest iPhone and it's landfill in three years.

that is so true

Spend that £1200 on a guitar - equates to £120 a year based on your 10 year plan - equates to 33p a day - That is less than a Mars Bar - how cheap does  a guitar need to be - Granted you need to have the £1200 to start of with

Double the above example for an R8 on offer and a touch more for a Custom Shop Strat

Yes, though on the other side of it, you can also get a perfectly servicable smart phone for < £200, so "premium product" syndrome is still very much in effect.

I think, well I hope, a lot of people will really love their R8s and be very happy to have them and play them.

Having the £1200 to begin with, and being free to drop it on guitars, is one of the reasons I reckon you will start ot see a git-ton more finance deals for guitars.  £100 a month for three years sounds a lot less than £3600.

jeztone2

terada said:

jeztone2 said:

I don’t have a problem with PRS prices. Because I think the effort has gone into the QC. Whereas I struggle with Gibson. Simply because they aren’t as consistent. 

The inconsistency is part of the charm to be honest.

Humans love to rummage through stuff to find 'the one'.

I just prefer stuff that works. If I’m onstage playing a guitar that doesn’t intonate, or hold its tuning, the audience won’t realise that’s part of its charm & think I’m not very good. 

I played a gig the the other night. I don’t think I touched the tuners once. The gear was in a cold outbuilding before it went into a warm venue. No problems. Sounded great. My Custom 22 is about the same weight as a Les Paul, so it has its quirks. But it delivers. 

impmann

jeztone2 said:

terada said:

jeztone2 said:

I don’t have a problem with PRS prices. Because I think the effort has gone into the QC. Whereas I struggle with Gibson. Simply because they aren’t as consistent. 

The inconsistency is part of the charm to be honest.

Humans love to rummage through stuff to find 'the one'.

I just prefer stuff that works. If I’m onstage playing a guitar that doesn’t intonate, or hold its tuning, the audience won’t realise that’s part of its charm & think I’m not very good. 

I played a gig the the other night. I don’t think I touched the tuners once. The gear was in a cold outbuilding before it went into a warm venue. No problems. Sounded great. My Custom 22 is about the same weight as a Les Paul, so it has its quirks. But it delivers. 

THIS. In spades.

I love my SG - but during the summer, the heat made it unplayable. Yes, I could have tweaked the truss rod, but it would have needed tweaking back as soon as the heat dropped.

It sat next to the PRS and yet the PRS' tuning hardly changed, let alone the neck needing a tweak.

I've gigged the PRS and recorded with it - it just *works*.

DrJazzTap

It's whatever you're comfortable paying I think. Over three grand for a new PRS does sound a lot...but then you can pretty much guarantee a corker of a guitar. whereas if I spent that on a Gibson i would be paranoid about getting a lemon. 
I just don't have that much faith in the gibson brand. For a run of the mill standard over two grand is crazy. I guess because Henry comes across like a bit of a dick.  Whatever your thoughts on PRS as a person, you cannot deny that he is passionate about the quality of his guitars.

Three grand for a heavy reliced strat is a lot of money imho.  But if you can afford it and it makes you happy.

clarkefan

guitars4you said:

darthed1981 said:

One of the nicest things about guitars is that you can spend that money and in ten years it will STILL be a brilliant guitar, spend £1200 on the latest iPhone and it's landfill in three years.

that is so true

Spend that £1200 on a guitar - equates to £120 a year based on your 10 year plan - equates to 33p a day - That is less than a Mars Bar - how cheap does  a guitar need to be - Granted you need to have the £1200 to start of with

Double the above example for an R8 on offer and a touch more for a Custom Shop Strat

To keep the idea going, if after 10 years you sell the 1200 guitar, you'll get most if not all of your 1200 back, model - dependent of course

Bridgehouse

clarkefan said:

guitars4you said:

darthed1981 said:

One of the nicest things about guitars is that you can spend that money and in ten years it will STILL be a brilliant guitar, spend £1200 on the latest iPhone and it's landfill in three years.

that is so true

Spend that £1200 on a guitar - equates to £120 a year based on your 10 year plan - equates to 33p a day - That is less than a Mars Bar - how cheap does  a guitar need to be - Granted you need to have the £1200 to start of with

Double the above example for an R8 on offer and a touch more for a Custom Shop Strat

To keep the idea going, if after 10 years you sell the 1200 guitar, you'll get most if not all of your 1200 back, model - dependent of course

If you stay off the Mars Bars tho...