| Author | Message | ||
| bigideas
Junior Username: bigideas Post Number: 28 Registered: 1-2004 |
why do purpleheart neck lams cost so much? i bought a piece that was 1x12x36 (inches) and it cost me a little over 30$ (that's canuck bucks). i figure it's enough for about 2 necks (i realize you'd need a longer piece, probably another foot). all that to say..... why 600$ for the upgrade? just nitpicking | ||
| bsee
Senior Member Username: bsee Post Number: 609 Registered: 3-2004 |
Total cost is a combination of wood cost, likelihood and quantity of waste, possibility and cost of a ruined piece that needs to be redone, amount of labor to execute (different woods have different work/glue properties), and who knows what else. That said, I hold the unpopular belief that some of the pricing structures Alembic uses aren't particularly fair on the surface. For example, the quote generator will tell you it is $800 to add tulipwood in place of a flame maple top, or $1000 for cocobolo. Why, then, would it be $800 to replace a piece of cocobolo on a Signature Deluxe bass with tulipwood? I suspect that some of these things are just the simplistic implementation of the quote generator, but I have never tried to place such an order with Alembic to know how it would actually be treated. Then there's always the srtaight capitalism answer. The price is impacted by demand, so popular options can provide better profit margins. In any case, and while I disagree with several aspects of the pricing model, I respect the right of Alembic to set pricing as they see fit. Many people must think it's a fair deal since they continue to churn out basses with a several month waiting list. As a side note, do you have any idea what it costs a fast food restaurant to serve you that 20oz soda for which they charge you $1.39? 20 years ago the answer was $.04, so it could be as much as $.15 these days. You want to complain about a profit margin, take a look at that one... | ||
| bigideas
Junior Username: bigideas Post Number: 29 Registered: 1-2004 |
ok, let me first start with an oops on my part. the essence options sheet states purpleheart neck lams as a 400$ upgrade. purpleheart IS a bag to work with. it's basically natures graphite and dulls tools much quicker than most woods.. so i can understand that part of it (i think my planer is gonna need a re-sharpening pretty soon because of it.) i certainly agree that Alembic has the right to charge whatever they want, and due to the quality of the instruments i wouldn't see it as a deterent to buying one.... it's still interesting |
