Perceived value

Modulus_Amps

crunchman said:

I don't think anyone in the UK could make a good living from handbuilding amps and selling them for less than £1500.

Thats true to a point, but the main problem is demand for higher priced amps is low and dominated by US brands

If you told me you could sell 100 units a week and you needed me to supply parts/cabs/pre-fabricated boards then I could gear up to achieve that and meet a price point by using increased buying power and production techniques, done it before in other industries and you will be surprised what can be done.

So instead a lot of builders are only selling a couple amps a month and they need to charge £3k each to actually be able to live in this country

ICBM

Modulus_Amps said:

So instead a lot of builders are only selling a couple amps a month and they need to charge £3k each to actually be able to live in this country

And that’s hardly going to make you rich, even if the profit on them is 50% once the materials and overheads are deducted, let alone all the other work of marketing etc, which takes time and money away from production.

That's the reason I don’t build amps. I have enormous respect for anyone who does and can make it viable. A decent job in an office pays more, with a lot less investment and risk. (Albeit other downsides...)

hotpickups

My pennies worth. A bespoke guitar of 4K has been hand carved, made to your hand shape, your colour choice and made very unique to you. Essentially for me an amp is a design that’s basically glued parts together so less of an emotional attachement etc.  A good amp build is imperative imo though and I’ve had some of the best but I have a ceiling of 2k for one personally 

Modulus_Amps

hotpickups said:

My pennies worth. A bespoke guitar of 4K has been hand carved, made to your hand shape, your colour choice and made very unique to you. Essentially for me an amp is a design that’s basically glued parts together so less of an emotional attachement etc.  A good amp build is imperative imo though and I’ve had some of the best but I have a ceiling of 2k for one personally 

LOL, I hope you have not bought any amps that are basically glued parts together, that does describe a guitar more so though. There is a lot more art and science involved in a really good amp than you are giving credit.

@ICBM Wisd, one of my amp building clients was told by his accountant to stop selling amps and just service them as he would make more money... but it is not just about the money

hotpickups

Modulus_Amps said:

hotpickups said:

My pennies worth. A bespoke guitar of 4K has been hand carved, made to your hand shape, your colour choice and made very unique to you. Essentially for me an amp is a design that’s basically glued parts together so less of an emotional attachement etc.  A good amp build is imperative imo though and I’ve had some of the best but I have a ceiling of 2k for one personally 

LOL, I hope you have not bought any amps that are basically glued parts together, that does describe a guitar more so though. There is a lot more art and science involved in a really good amp than you are giving credit.

@ICBM Wisd, one of my amp building clients was told by his accountant to stop selling amps and just service them as he would make more money... but it is not just about the money

Not dissing the art of amp building of course. I'll always buy hand wired, made from a builder I trust and have met tbh whenever I can. There is skill in putting together amps of course. I'm just saying there is a unique artistry when one is working with wood for a guitar build for example imo. Invariably putting an amp together albeit a re designed circuit one in some cases, has a skill level all by itself, but isn't always known about fully by the end user/purchaser and taken for granted in some cases. With a guitar it's immediate and visual that one can immediately connect with and so we part with our cash more readily. We are simple creatures us guitarists and like the shiny beautiful things. Although personally I get very excited when I see a nicely hand wired gut shot of a boutique amp. It's just something that many don't do i.e. getting under the hood and taking a look at the wiring etc

57Deluxe

guitartango said:

I would love to know how an amp like this is worth almost the cost of an car ? 
https://www.coda-music.com/bartel-amplifiers-roseland-1x12-combo-with-reverb-and-tremolo-due-early-summer.html

Is it hand wired by Virgins ?

I think that model was done by eunuchs

hotpickups

57Deluxe said:

guitartango said:

I would love to know how an amp like this is worth almost the cost of an car ? 
https://www.coda-music.com/bartel-amplifiers-roseland-1x12-combo-with-reverb-and-tremolo-due-early-summer.html

Is it hand wired by Virgins ?

I think that model was done by eunuchs

Strewth I know what you mean

Modulus_Amps

hotpickups said:

57Deluxe said:

guitartango said:

I would love to know how an amp like this is worth almost the cost of an car ? 
https://www.coda-music.com/bartel-amplifiers-roseland-1x12-combo-with-reverb-and-tremolo-due-early-summer.html

Is it hand wired by Virgins ?

I think that model was done by eunuchs

Strewth I know what you mean

Yes but you earn "4699 Points for purchasing this product" so it must be worth it.

Mark Bartel is building artisan amps, have you seen his photo's from the build process, I am surprised he managed to build more than a few a year

guitartango

I just don't know many people who could go out and buy a 4K amp ! Imagine trying to hide it away from the Mrs !!!

hotpickups

Modulus_Amps said:

hotpickups said:

57Deluxe said:

guitartango said:

I would love to know how an amp like this is worth almost the cost of an car ? 
https://www.coda-music.com/bartel-amplifiers-roseland-1x12-combo-with-reverb-and-tremolo-due-early-summer.html

Is it hand wired by Virgins ?

I think that model was done by eunuchs

Strewth I know what you mean

Yes but you earn "4699 Points for purchasing this product" so it must be worth it.

Mark Bartel is building artisan amps, have you seen his photo's from the build process, I am surprised he managed to build more than a few a year

Terrible pound exchange rateabd customs on top of that too though. Buy British 

RaymondLin

guitartango said:

I just don't know many people who could go out and buy a 4K amp ! Imagine trying to hide it away from the Mrs !!!

To be fair, a £4k amp looks no different in cost to a £150 Katana.

Modulus_Amps

RaymondLin said:

guitartango said:

I just don't know many people who could go out and buy a 4K amp ! Imagine trying to hide it away from the Mrs !!!

To be fair, a £4k amp looks no different in cost to a £150 Katana.

If that is what your wife thinks you are a lucky man

PolarityMan

guitartango said:

I just don't know many people who could go out and buy a 4K amp ! Imagine trying to hide it away from the Mrs !!!

Mine was 2.8k which is about double what my main guitar costs.

RaymondLin

Modulus_Amps said:

RaymondLin said:

guitartango said:

I just don't know many people who could go out and buy a 4K amp ! Imagine trying to hide it away from the Mrs !!!

To be fair, a £4k amp looks no different in cost to a £150 Katana.

If that is what your wife thinks you are a lucky man

It explains why i am single lol 

Although i don't have a 4k amp, but together they cost more than £4k. £2300 on a Lazy J20, £2000 on a Bogner + Bogner cab.

guitartango

RaymondLin said:

Modulus_Amps said:

RaymondLin said:

guitartango said:

I just don't know many people who could go out and buy a 4K amp ! Imagine trying to hide it away from the Mrs !!!

To be fair, a £4k amp looks no different in cost to a £150 Katana.

If that is what your wife thinks you are a lucky man

It explains why i am single lol 

Although i don't have a 4k amp, but together they cost more than £4k. £2300 on a Lazy J20, £2000 on a Bogner + Bogner cab.

I am afraid that a family of four costs alot to run, you are luckly Just cannot justify 2K+ for a amp. Still selling the Children would rake in a few xtra £££££££

hotpickups

guitartango said:

RaymondLin said:

Modulus_Amps said:

RaymondLin said:

guitartango said:

I just don't know many people who could go out and buy a 4K amp ! Imagine trying to hide it away from the Mrs !!!

To be fair, a £4k amp looks no different in cost to a £150 Katana.

If that is what your wife thinks you are a lucky man

It explains why i am single lol 

Although i don't have a 4k amp, but together they cost more than £4k. £2300 on a Lazy J20, £2000 on a Bogner + Bogner cab.

I am afraid that a family of four costs alot to run, you are luckly Just cannot justify 2K+ for a amp. Still selling the Children would rake in a few xtra £££££££

Kids aren’t with you for long in the big scheme of things. They’ll be gone before you know it and you’ll be able to buy any dream amp/guitar you like. It’ll be just the wife you’ll have to have the support from then though. Thankfully I have one of them..... that’s if we were actually married that is lol. 

grappagreen

Being the sort to want to test a theory I purchased a very used Peavey Blues Classic 50 from TFB yesterday. Cost me about the same as a boutique drive pedal.

Its currently sitting amongst Carr, Louis Electric, Suhr, Cornford amps so not in bad company.

I’m not going to suggest for one moment that the love and attention that went into building these amps is the same level as what went into the Peavey. I would also imagine that component selection was also at the more cost effective end of the supply chain...

Preduces aside however it sounds embarrassingly good.. 

mani

Yep, a lot of really good amps going for so little in the classifieds, bought a Univalve off there, formidable build quality and feature-set for the money and a unique 3D sound.  Half the cost of a Big Trees pedal and does the same.