Xotic guitars

hotpickups

So why are they so damn expensive 
. I mean they’re only bolt on guitars aren’t they

Kittyfrisk

Careful, the fendermentalist's will be monitoring your transmissions 

DrBob

hotpickups said:

So why are they so damn expensive 
. I mean they’re only bolt on guitars aren’t they

Yes but so are Fender CS, most Suhr’s etc etc 

stonevibe

I suspect the answer is time.

As in low production, made by few people using choice cuts of wood. Takes longer to build when a factory isn't churning out a few thousand a week and it is more expensive to build them.

Time = Money.

hotpickups

Kittyfrisk said:

Careful, the fendermentalist's will be monitoring your transmissions 

Ha ha I did think that lol. 

hotpickups

stonevibe said:

I suspect the answer is time.

As in low production, made by few people using choice cuts of wood. Takes longer to build when a factory isn't churning out a few thousand a week and it is more expensive to build them.

Time = Money.

But at that price one could commission a build exactly to your own spec/colour. 

Th4fonz

That seems to be the standard price for the boutique brands all competing with each other.  I played one it didnt do anything for me. 

grungebob

stonevibe said:

I suspect the answer is time.

As in low production, made by few people using choice cuts of wood. Takes longer to build when a factory isn't churning out a few thousand a week and it is more expensive to build them.

Time = Money.

True but what about PRS, they only make around 90 a day. 

GoldenEraGuitars

Numerous bolt on neck guitar builders fall into the £2000-3500 price bracket. Not just Xotic. 

prlgmnr

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

richardhomer

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Numerous bolt on neck guitar builders fall into the £2000-3500 price bracket. Not just Xotic. 

Schecter started the posh/expensive Fender thing in the 70s and a host of others followed. 

With a name like ‘Xotic’ - you wouldn’t expect them to be cheap, would you?

meltedbuzzbox

hotpickups said:

stonevibe said:

I suspect the answer is time.

As in low production, made by few people using choice cuts of wood. Takes longer to build when a factory isn't churning out a few thousand a week and it is more expensive to build them.

Time = Money.

But at that price one could commission a build exactly to your own spec/colour. 

Why would you when you can assemble one yourself with relatively little skill?

Not that I personally ever buy a guitar with resale in mind. If I had that thought whilst trying a guitar, it's not the right guitar.

The thing is a fender will retain a chunk of it's value and you have a tonne of examples to choose from to find the right one.

Suhr and co retain less value and have a smaller selection available to try

Then you have your luthier build. Pay 2500k? You'd be lucky to get 500 back the moment you cross that luthiers threshold.

Also it's hard to know what neck profile you really want, what radius etc. I've owned a lot of guitars and played even more but I have no definite favourite profile or radius.

GoldenEraGuitars

prlgmnr said:

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

richardhomer said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Numerous bolt on neck guitar builders fall into the £2000-3500 price bracket. Not just Xotic. 

Schecter started the posh/expensive Fender thing in the 70s and a host of others followed. 

With a name like ‘Xotic’ - you wouldn’t expect them to be cheap, would you?

All of the above. The way the neck is attached shouldn’t determine the RRP of the guitar. 

@richardhomer “you cheap bastard guitars” doesn’t have the same ring as “Xotic”. I can see why they chose the latter.

stonevibe

grungebob said:

stonevibe said:

I suspect the answer is time.

As in low production, made by few people using choice cuts of wood. Takes longer to build when a factory isn't churning out a few thousand a week and it is more expensive to build them.

Time = Money.

True but what about PRS, they only make around 90 a day. 

Good point.

I suspect that PRS hardware is pretty bespoke and they have their own non standard finishes on 10 top flame maple etc. This will all add up to a higher cost, along with paying a decent wage to the workers, plus taxes and business running costs like advertising, warranties etc

hotpickups

prlgmnr said:

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

I needn’t be judged on a flippant statement. I am very aware of the artistry involved in building a guitar but I’d rather go to a lone luthier who I’d know will be making it personally than go to a large company churning out loads a year for the same money 

GoldenEraGuitars

hotpickups said:

So why are they so damn expensive 
. I mean they’re only bolt on guitars aren’t they

Okay, I’ll be the bad guy here. The following question is needless nitpicking....

An Xotic guitar is “expensive” but a sole luthier made one at the same price isn’t?  

richardhomer

hotpickups said:

prlgmnr said:

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

I needn’t be judged on a flippant statement. I am very aware of the artistry involved in building a guitar but I’d rather go to a lone luthier who I’d know will be making it personally than go to a large company churning out loads a year for the same money 

I never really get the ‘luthier’ thing. I’m not convinced someone who builds small numbers of guitars personally is inherently likely to build one that is better than one made by a company that builds hundreds or thousands. The best ‘high end’ makers (eg PRS, Tom Anderson, Suhr, et al) produce exceptional quality and consistency.

hotpickups

richardhomer said:

hotpickups said:

prlgmnr said:

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

I needn’t be judged on a flippant statement. I am very aware of the artistry involved in building a guitar but I’d rather go to a lone luthier who I’d know will be making it personally than go to a large company churning out loads a year for the same money 

I never really get the ‘luthier’ thing. I’m not convinced someone who builds small numbers of guitars personally is inherently likely to build one that is better than one made by a company that builds hundreds or thousands. The best ‘high end’ makers (eg PRS, Tom Anderson, Suhr, et al) produce exceptional quality and consistency.

The personal involvement is what I loved when I commissioned my luthier made guitar recently l. My spec exactly, colour, woods, neck etc and I liked the fact that I was helping a small uk company thrive etc. 

However i totally get the import taxes aren’t cheap these days and on top of that the dealers take their share of course. Everyone has to make a bit to survive as I do also. I’m just illustrating we have choices now and I’d find it hard to spend cash on a production model that isn’t tailored for me at least. Patrick Eggle is a company of course but even then I feel he would change spec to how I would like it if I’d wanted. Probably would have to pay a bit more though admittedly 

By the way no one said the known brands of the world are lesser quality. But realise resale value will be better I guess if that is a consideration for someone. A lot gets moved on here I notice so one can buy and sell without losing too much money. I realise that I would lose loads if I ever needed to sell my guitar. Maybe that is what one pays for then with a known brand. I get it now

I think I’ve answered my own question

mgaw

richardhomer said:

hotpickups said:

prlgmnr said:

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

I needn’t be judged on a flippant statement. I am very aware of the artistry involved in building a guitar but I’d rather go to a lone luthier who I’d know will be making it personally than go to a large company churning out loads a year for the same money 

I never really get the ‘luthier’ thing. I’m not convinced someone who builds small numbers of guitars personally is inherently likely to build one that is better than one made by a company that builds hundreds or thousands. The best ‘high end’ makers (eg PRS, Tom Anderson, Suhr, et al) produce exceptional quality and consistency.

totally agree, I dont want the surgeon who does a dozen ops a year, I want the fella who has done hundreds

hotpickups

mgaw said:

richardhomer said:

hotpickups said:

prlgmnr said:

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

I needn’t be judged on a flippant statement. I am very aware of the artistry involved in building a guitar but I’d rather go to a lone luthier who I’d know will be making it personally than go to a large company churning out loads a year for the same money 

I never really get the ‘luthier’ thing. I’m not convinced someone who builds small numbers of guitars personally is inherently likely to build one that is better than one made by a company that builds hundreds or thousands. The best ‘high end’ makers (eg PRS, Tom Anderson, Suhr, et al) produce exceptional quality and consistency.

totally agree, I dont want the surgeon who does a dozen ops a year, I want the fella who has done hundreds

Depends who the luthier is 

prlgmnr

hotpickups said:

prlgmnr said:

I'm not sure many things can cause me to disregard a person's future opinions on any topic whatsoever as finding out that they based their view of a guitar's value on the method used to attach the neck to the body.

I needn’t be judged on a flippant statement.

It wasn't directed at you personally, just everyone who's ever said that.