Pricings, and why?

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

- Pricing -
Body woods Solid               With Laminated Top
Alder           $190.00                 $255.00
Ash           $200.00                 $265.00
Basswood      $185.00                     $250.00
Korina (Black) $235.00                     $300.00
Maple         $185.00               $250.00
Mahogany      $200.00                     $265.00
Poplar           $175.00                 $240.00
Swamp Ash    $200.00                   $265.00
Walnut    $235.00                 $300.00

I'm not trying to be rude, but why does it cost more for the back of the guitar that has a lamtop? Isn't the back just less wood?Or Does the machine that cuts the back of the guitar 1/8'' thinner have to burn off $50 or so bucks worth of energy. Please don't take it the wrong way, but why?

This is just for the flat top LP, but i think it applies to every guitar that uses lamtops.

 

[shanejw]

I think its more for the top wood itself and the extra costs of bookmatching the top, and the extra work it takes compared to a body without a laminated top.  Warmoths prices are pretty reasonable as compared to calling up Fender or Jackson's custom shop and having a guitar made.

 

[Wana_make_a_guitar]

Yeah i guess so, but another extra price, stud installing, i know i'm not going to do it myself but that is like a 5 minute job isn't it. I have no idae how it's done so i'm assuming.

 

[DocNrock]

Warmoth is a business.  Some of what they charge for is for the materials, some of it is labor.  Stud install is a great example.  Sure, it may take them 5 minutes to do it right.  I'm pretty certain it would take me a lot longer than 5 minutes, and risk damaging my guitar body if I make an unforseen mistake.  That said, $10 is a good investment, to me.

 

[SlingBass]

Warmoth is a business.  Some of what they charge for is for the materials, some of it is labor.  Stud install is a great example.  Sure, it may take them 5 minutes to do it right.  I'm pretty certain it would take me a lot longer than 5 minutes, and risk damaging my guitar body if I make an unforseen mistake.  That said, $10 is a good investment, to me.

WORD! It would prove difficult to match the value of what's offered through Warmoth when compared to other USA companies

One of several reasons why many of us are here  :laughing7:

 

[SkuttleFunk]

wanna_make_a_guitar -

wanna come mow my lawn with your mower for free? if no, why not?

the added price for a lamtop is because you have the added expense and labor in preparing that bookmatched top, and extra labor in gluing it to a body blank. I actually consider the $65 mark-up an absolute steal for this option.


you might benefit some to learn what pricing is for materials. if you don't have the raw figured lumber or the capability (tools, skill, time) to bookmatch (BM) a top from it, you're going to need to purchase one somewhere. if you purchase this BM top from a repuitable wood dealer you can expect to pay around $65 plus shipping for a decent (not incredibly figured, but decently figured) top. I understand you can pay less for a BM top on eBay, but then you need to adjust your cost to include the risk for unusable tops you might purchase from a shady eBay wood dealer (don't ask me how I wasted $1500 on a purchase of numerous BM tops from a dealer that disappeared overnight when I complained that they were suitable only for roasting hotdogs!)  you can also expect to pay around $80 plus shipping for a 8/4 body blank that you'll still need to joint, glue, and plane to thickness (all which cost $$ if you don't have the tools, skills, and time to do yourself)  you should also understand that there is an overhead cost associated to having a shop, as somebody needs to pay for rent (or at least taxes if you own it outright), utilities, tools, etc ...

when you add all this up, note that you still haven't started to actually make the body yet ... more cost for tools, utilities, and labor. taking everything into account, even if you pay yourself $10/hour it's still going to be cheaper to buy an unfinished body from W than it will be to make one yourself - when you account for ALL of the hidden expenses that most people conveniently forget to include into the cost of their construction project.

all the best,

R

 

[Orpheo]

Warmoth is a business.  Some of what they charge for is for the materials, some of it is labor.  Stud install is a great example.  Sure, it may take them 5 minutes to do it right.  I'm pretty certain it would take me a lot longer than 5 minutes, and risk damaging my guitar body if I make an unforseen mistake.  That said, $10 is a good investment, to me.

WORD! It would prove difficult to match the value of what's offered through Warmoth when compared to other USA companies

One of several reasons why many of us are here  :laughing7:

agreed. hell, I rather play my warmoth LP's over my gibsons, just because the tone and feel... how about that for bang for the buck?

 

[bpmorton777]

Warmoth's finishes are a good bargain too...Im sure that Ive spent almost $200 on sand paper, solvants, clear coats, and safety equipment.

Brian

 

[DocNrock]

Warmoth's finishes are a good bargain too...Im sure that Ive spent almost $200 on sand paper, solvants, clear coats, and safety equipment.

Brian

Not to mention your time.

 

[Doody]

safety equipment.

safety equipment?

:icon_biggrin:

Doody

 

[rahimiiii]

I can do a finish for around $20 (actually it's enough to buy enough finishing materials for around 4-5 guitars) so my main cost of doing my own finish is my time, but I enjoy doing this so it's not a big deal...

 

[bpmorton777]

you gotta remember that Im a newb and have had to sand my guitar body back like 8 times. :toothy11:

Brian

 

[SkuttleFunk]

I can do a finish for around $20 (actually it's enough to buy enough finishing materials for around 4-5 guitars) so my main cost of doing my own finish is my time, but I enjoy doing this so it's not a big deal...

so you need no tools (spray gun, air compressor, sanders, buffers) or shop (utilities, taxes/rent), or materials (sandpapers, primers, solvents, rags, buffing compounds, polishes) beyond the $20? I find this really hard to believe. as I noted above, when you account for ALL of the hidden costs a DIY body or finish job isn't that inexpensive - and a professional looking job even more so

as one who finishes my own instrument bodies and necks that I build from rough lumber I can assuredly say your cost estimate is way, way under IF you account for all of the hidden costs you're choosing to ignore


and I totally agree with the bpmorton - Warmoth finishes are both killer and an exceptional value

all the best,

R

 

[Alfang]

I partially agree with rahimiii, With a few tools already owned and paid for, you could do a few finnishes for $20.00 or close to it.

And for some of us, doing the finnish is a rewarding hobby,  We'd all love to be able to do a finnish like Tonar does, and that won't happen without practice, even a crappy finnish will still play like a quality W guitar.

 

[Mor Paul]

Uhm.. I spend almost $20 on shipping...

And the rest of the stuff cost about $70. Am I missing something?  :icon_scratch:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

- Pricing -
Body woods Solid               With Laminated Top
Alder            $190.00                 $255.00
Ash            $200.00                 $265.00
Basswood      $185.00                     $250.00
Korina (Black) $235.00                     $300.00
Maple          $185.00                $250.00
Mahogany      $200.00                     $265.00
Poplar           $175.00                 $240.00
Swamp Ash    $200.00                    $265.00
Walnut    $235.00                  $300.00

I'm not trying to be rude, but why does it cost more for the back of the guitar that has a lamtop? Isn't the back just less wood?Or Does the machine that cuts the back of the guitar 1/8'' thinner have to burn off $50 or so bucks worth of energy. Please don't take it the wrong way, but why?

This is just for the flat top LP, but i think it applies to every guitar that uses lamtops.

It doesn't cost more for the back.  There may be confusion on how the chart is read.  For example a solid Alder body is $190, and an Alder body with a laminated top is $255.  It's not $255 just for the back on a lam top.  The $255 includes the Alder back and laminated top wood.  Two different kinds of wood glued together with one of them bookmatched for only $65 more?  What a deal!

 

[rahimiiii]

I already got the spray gun and compressor paid for, sandpaper isn't really that expensive, however finding the right kind of clear coat did take me a few trials and error but they were something like 5 bucks a quart so it's a steal. I probably spend more in thinners anyways. You could use the "right" stuff but they tend to cost more, however I still use 3M fre-cut sandpaper because they last a long time, one sheet good for 4 guitars (I use a quadrant per guitar...)

 

[SkuttleFunk]

I'm seeing more and more of those hidden costs being revealed. sure looks like a "$20 finish" is significantly more than that when all of the costs are accounted for, eh?

now if anybody knows of a free compressor, spray gun, and shop ... I'm sure a couple of the guys here would be very interested  :icon_biggrin:

R

 

[bpmorton777]

a pack of the good 3m sand paper is $8 each grit
a 2 pack of decent dust masks is $10.
some people use resperators for sparying laquer...they need filter changes...these are about $10 for a refill

tools....I dont have a small round file to file out the grain filler from the ferrule holes.. this is one of those hidden costs.

Brian

 

[guitarrick81]

I'm seeing more and more of those hidden costs being revealed. sure looks like a "$20 finish" is significantly more than that when all of the costs are accounted for, eh?

now if anybody knows of a free compressor, spray gun, and shop ... I'm sure a couple of the guys here would be very interested  :icon_biggrin:

R

and then ask yourself... 1: How much is my time worth? and 2: How much time do you think it takes to do a finish? From prep all the way through final buffing?

I bet if you multiply #1 by #2, it will add up to at least the cost of the Warmoth finish, not including materials. Unless you have a severe case of low self worth...