Is there a market for used Warmoths?
- Thread starter Stonker
- Start date
Cagey
Mythical Status
- Messages
- 24,425
Considering resale value is sorta like admitting you can already see where you're not going to want the thing any more. One would hope that if you're building a custom unit, it's pretty much just what you'd want, given a choice. Otherwise, there are literally boatloads of also-rans out there from all the usual suspects.
Keep in mind that I'm really new here and likely you all have discussed this to death, but I'll offer the following.
I see Nash guitars, which are to my very inexperienced mind, much the same as a Warmoth (I think the rumor is, he uses Warmoth parts) only in various degree of aging. And he gets 2K-3K and is always sold out.
I see Nash guitars, which are to my very inexperienced mind, much the same as a Warmoth (I think the rumor is, he uses Warmoth parts) only in various degree of aging. And he gets 2K-3K and is always sold out.
Most new instruments are usually sold for more than the sum of their parts ...
Even when looking at the Warmoth website ... an alder Strat body will cost you, say $165.00. Ask them to do paint, and the price goes up to $300. For a custom burst, say $450.
Time and experience are worth money, but it is potentially money you'll never get back. Unless the buyer thinks he/she cannot do themselves what you have done, resale value becomes very relative.
The same arguement can be made (for example) between US and Mexican made Fenders. Pickups and hardware alone cannot justify the difference in price between the two.
Even when looking at the Warmoth website ... an alder Strat body will cost you, say $165.00. Ask them to do paint, and the price goes up to $300. For a custom burst, say $450.
Time and experience are worth money, but it is potentially money you'll never get back. Unless the buyer thinks he/she cannot do themselves what you have done, resale value becomes very relative.
The same arguement can be made (for example) between US and Mexican made Fenders. Pickups and hardware alone cannot justify the difference in price between the two.
Cagey
Mythical Status
- Messages
- 24,425
AndyG said:
They may be essentially the same guitars with the same quality, but there's a world of difference in the cost of doing business. Between regulatory issues, taxation, and labor costs, it's tough to manufacture anything in the US these days and remain competitive. About all you get for your money - and it's a BIG adder - is the "American Made" label. That's nice, and I'm sure the vast majority of people are with me in wanting to support their neighbors, but they all have to work for a living, too. If I can get a Les Paul of better quality than Gibson offers for 10% of the cost, I would be profoundly stupid to patronize Gibson.
stratamania
Mythical Status
- Messages
- 12,034
ocguy106 said:
The ad is no longer current. But yes, that is what it said but it also said in the title Custom Fender. Looking at the thing as a whole it was in my opinion misleading.
Nightclub Dwight
Hero Member
- Messages
- 689
Hawkeye said:
Nash has built up a name for himself, so people are getting a known product if they buy one of his guitars. If you or I decide to sell a Strat or Tele made from Warmoth parts on ebay, no one knows who we are, or what level of skill we have in assembling the guitars. A Nightclub Dwight branded guitar will not sell for the same amount of money as a Nash, even if we are sourcing the parts from the same manufacturer.
I agree. I did ask and he said that both the body and neck are Warmoth. I'm sure it's a nice guitar but to put a Fender decal on it and advertise it as a custom Fender Strat is clearly wrong. I guess he wanted to get the word Fender in the title but his description should make it quite clear that it is Warmoth body and neck (in my opinion)
DslDwg
Junior Member
- Messages
- 197
I could understand instances where people could take new Warmoth parts and add value in some way. Such as an exotic or unique paint job.
Whatever up-charge to the original parts would justified for the time and material. Again it only works if there is a buyer willing to pay the price.
I stand by my original thought which is unique doesn't easily re-sell.
Whatever up-charge to the original parts would justified for the time and material. Again it only works if there is a buyer willing to pay the price.
I stand by my original thought which is unique doesn't easily re-sell.
I agree! And, quite the niche he has found for himself
I haven't taken the full tour of this site yet, but I'm wondering if anyone has attempted or specialized in "aged guitars". I suspect it is much harder than it seems. I once tried to create a Jackson Pollock like painting using the techniques he said he used. The best response I got was "do you need some help cleaning that up?"
I think I misread one of the posts. Was someone saying that Nash advertised his guitars as Fender or that a Warmoth builder did that on eBay? From my experience viewing the Nash site, he very specifically says they are not Fenders. There is a line in the full text that says, "if you want a Fender, buy a Fender". That said, I much agree, false advertising is very close to fraud. Example: eBay posting titled "Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, like guitar". Clicking the link you find an elderly Global acoustic.
Back to the topic at hand. Fully agree that reputation of the builder is the selling point. I was amazed at how many of Brad Paisley's Tele's are actually look-a-likes. Once you get a guy like that to wear one of your guitars, the world is your oyster. Dr. "Z" amps are built here in my home town. Once they managed to get Paisley and Joe Walsh (and other *Stars*) to use them, they sold like hot cakes. Heck, you have to know somebody just to get a place in line these days!
Super Turbo Deluxe Custom
Epic Member
- Messages
- 8,318
Hawkeye said:
A year ago, I read a response from him about that. He has in the past but I don't think he does anymore.
The ones I've seen up close, the aging looks very fake. Filed, rolled edge fretboards after the finish is applied, wear areas under areas that protect wear, etc. It's not just a finish he does though. Modern radiuses, boutique hardware, etc.
But, you're also paying for his reputation, and not just for him to throw parts together. He's also established good branding. People would rather pay 3 times the price for one of his, and I have to believe it's just because he asks 3 times the price. I don't think he does endorsements, but he will give them away to high profile players; Glen Hughes and the guy from Wilco.
A friend of mine is a Nash dealer, and he can't keep them on the shelves. A little service he offers to his dealers, (for a price) you can send him any guitar and he'll give it the Nash treatment. The kicker is, you have no say in what he does to it. This dealer friend has Gibson Custom Shop Gold Top Les Paul, and he's thinking about doing it. He doesn't just ding it up though. He strips the finish, chooses the best finish, and refinishes it. Send him a gold top, it might come back with a burst.
I think there are 2 separate issues. Perceived/market value and utility value. Both are determined by demand, but that demand is influenced by different things. Market value is heavily influenced by the label or 'name' - if brand X has a reputation as being the thing to have, that will increase its desirability and consequently the price people are prepared to pay to obtain it. Utility value is governed more by how well the item performs/does its job/makes the owner happy. As others say, don't build a guitar as an investment; build it to get exactly what you want and accept that you are paying for the pleasure of ownership and because it's exactly what you want.
It is a tough decision. I play mandolin. Some years back, I decided to treat myself to the F5 I'd always hankered after. An expensive purchase and I really wanted to buy from a builder whose instruments I liked. However, I had to face the fact that I could buy a Gibson for about the same price and that the Gibson would hold its value (which represented a sizeable chunk of my savings) much better because there would always be a ready market for it if I ever wanted/had to sell. After much agonising, I bought the Gibson, not because it was any better, but because, as an ordinary punter, with limited resources, I wanted to try to protect my investment.
It is a tough decision. I play mandolin. Some years back, I decided to treat myself to the F5 I'd always hankered after. An expensive purchase and I really wanted to buy from a builder whose instruments I liked. However, I had to face the fact that I could buy a Gibson for about the same price and that the Gibson would hold its value (which represented a sizeable chunk of my savings) much better because there would always be a ready market for it if I ever wanted/had to sell. After much agonising, I bought the Gibson, not because it was any better, but because, as an ordinary punter, with limited resources, I wanted to try to protect my investment.
Similar threads
