Another Dickhead

[David Schwab]

I would'nt be too concerned about the CHEAP prices. The price will define the product.

This is very true... usually. If you study marketing they teach that setting your price too low will give the impression of poor quality, even if it isn't, while setting it too high will will give an elitist "only the rich" can afford it stigma.

I have a good story for this too... years ago when I was first learning lutherie, a friend who worked for Tobias Guitars (when they were in Florida) offered to do a refret for me on my guitar player's vintage Jazzmaster. I had been doing refrets with no problem, but wanted to watch my friend, who had taught me a lot of stuff.
Of course he did an excellent job... absolutely perfect. A few weeks later I overheard my guitar player saying to someone "yeah it's an OK fret job... but what do you expect... it was free" So that was the "perceived value" based on what he paid for the work, and not the actually quality.

The trick is being able to make your pickups as cheaply as possible, which then gives you a greater profit margin if you price them competitively.

Having said that, my wife commented to me this past week that it was taking me so long to make a set of pickups for someone that if I figured my time against the price of the pickups... I'm not making that much per hour!

Also... a year for a guitar? I hope that's because of a waiting list. Shouldn't take more than 3-6 months, and that's a lot of time.

[Phil m]

Also... a year for a guitar? I hope that's because of a waiting list. Shouldn't take more than 3-6 months, and that's a lot of time.

Nice story and very true about the refret job. I got my basses down to 50 to 60 hours each. 6 months is a lot of time to build one of course there's a lot of time wasted waiting for the gluing and lacquer to dry.
The biggest problem though is my day job keeps me away from building them faster! so in the end they do get built in 4-6 months

[David Schwab]

...of course there's a lot of time wasted waiting for the gluing and lacquer to dry.

I used to work on three at a time... gives you something to do while waiting!

The biggest problem though is my day job keeps me away from building them faster! so in the end they do get built in 4-6 months

Add a wife and 2 kids to the mix! I used to get all my building done on weekends mostly...

[NightWinder]

Crumbhorn.....I'd like to buy some pickups. Contact me. I also think you are makeing a "Nitch". I'll use ripple. Amazing to me that you found this place, and your ripple reached this far, and a reponse form you in your defence.....Ah go figure.

[Ruel]

Crumbhorn.....I'd like to buy some pickups. Contact me. I also think you are makeing a "Nitch". I'll use ripple. Amazing to me that you found this place, and your ripple reached this far, and a reponse form you in your defence.....Ah go figure.

Just like what I said in another thread. somebody ought to try the other guy's pickups to see how "crappy" they are. But some think it's a waste of time. Crumbhorn, you may be wrecking the pricing by selling cheaply, but what the heck. They're your pickups. Nobody can do anything even if you give them away.

[Crumbhorn]

Picture the scene ; Just me and the cat in the shed, wax pot bubbling away, winder whirring around, steady drizzle outside. I think to myself, don’t forget to find some seven string covers for that guy’s specials – stick a note in your brief case and surf around when you get into work on Monday. Anyhow, first things first, sling these in the wax and lets’ get Saturday night’s curry going.

Monday. Nuts, are GJ the only ones who do these?!. But Lo! What is this? A pickup makers forum!

Well, the rest is history and very entertaining too. Some very sensible comments on one side and a lot of sphincter rattling on the other.

We all make pickups for financial reward as much as the enjoyment of it and we all have the same threats to face and brick walls to scale.

Can I suggest that we start a new thread on pickup making costs/ marketing/ strategies/ ethics? I am perfectly happy to contribute to something proactive and constructive but I am not going to get further involved in this thread and certainly not under the “Dickhead” banner. Let respect reign.

By the way, anyone know where I can get a set of 7 string Strat single coil covers in white? – Quickly.

[NightWinder]

GJ seems like the right place to start looking.....Welcome to the forum too. Nice to see you strap your nuts on and comment on the forum.
Oh, and just a thought......maybe you should have special priceing for americans. The pound is strong and is equalling out to 1.80 american per pound. For marketing over here, you may have better luck selling them @$100.00 american. ie what ever the pound equals out ......

[Crumbhorn]

Nice to meet you.

I'll get another thread going and perhaps we can all get some benefit out of this. I for one will not be beaten by the yellow peril.

The 7 string pickups I am putting out at £40 each ($80), so if I have to (and I've done it before) I'll machine some covers up - a bit of a drag but what the hell? Hope this price tag is OK with the Pickup Police.

You're right on pricing for the USA, I sold quite a few pickups over there until the exchange rate switched, but the situation has a silver lining - I Invested $3,000 in parts sourced from the US, so I'm set up for a while yet. If cash flow is OK I may grab some more - the economics stack up as long as you have cash, borrowing is a no-no.

[Phil m]

The 7 string pickups I am putting out at £40 each ($80), so if I have to (and I've done it before) I'll machine some covers up - a bit of a drag but what the hell?

Are you talking about machining that out of plastic? I'd be curious to see how you do that and where you get the plastic, practically all pickups I build are custom and have no existing cover for them out there. My solution for now has been wooden covers. Plastic would be nice. Gotnee pics?

[NightWinder]

Covers for 7 string? I'd actually buy some of them!( you willing ofcoarse). Funny things are happening here. It seems we may incounter a overhaul ....seeing more and more new builders. Attitudes are changing too. I personally can't wait to see what sort of things are going to crawl out of the woodwork. Nice to see you here as a forum member and not just the "unknown dickhead". Continued success. By the way, Spense is a knowledgeable guy, and an excellent builder as well. Shedpickups.com I believe. He's helped me out more than a few times. Strait foreward as hell. You guys should convers. You know, he will stik to his guns as far as your pricing, and I kinda think you should have no problem getting $100.00 american. Up the anny Crumb. By all means brother....

[Crumbhorn]

Are you talking about machining that out of plastic? I'd be curious to see how you do that and where you get the plastic, practically all pickups I build are custom and have no existing cover for them out there. My solution for now has been wooden covers. Plastic would be nice. Gotnee pics?

Phil, I'm sure there must be a way of posting a picture here, but Bill Gates won't let me do it (if anyone can tell me how to - speak up). I'll try to send a picture to you direct. The material is Delrin - ( Acetal Co-Polymer). The pickups in the picture you will hopefully get are some prototypes I'm working on. You can get an excellent satin finish on Acetal quite quickly, gloss needs some elbow grease. If you want some material to have a play with, send your address to me at catswhisker.pickups@virgin.net and I'll bag a bit up and put it on a jet for you.

[David Schwab]

Phil, I'm sure there must be a way of posting a picture here, but Bill Gates won't let me do it (if anyone can tell me how to - speak up).

First I'd say get a Mac! Gates can't do anything but copy them. (like the "new" features in Vista which were in Mac OS X seven years ago... they even copied the Mac "aqua" bubble look for the logo! How original...NOT!)

But all you need to do is click on the "Manage Attachments" button below the text area where you write this stuff. Then a new window will open letting you browse for your file, or by entering a URL where the attachment is. Images attached this way must be no larger than 1024 X 768 px, and no bigger than 250K.

You can also post an image that's on a server by using the "Insert Image" button in the formatting toolbar above.

[Crumbhorn]

Thanks for the info. You are right about old B.G. I did look at Linux last time around (great if you're a computer enthusiast), but we just got hold of a Mac at work and this thing is the dogs's nuts. Next time around.... And yes, he has ripped off quite a lot.

Just posted a thread, "21st. Century Pickup Man"that leads on from all of this. Hope Bob Fripp doesn't claim any royalties.

[Sock Puppet]

Ripped off the Acorn Archimedes RISCOS too, though Apple ended up with the ARM chips.

S.

[David Schwab]

Just posted a thread, "21st. Century Pickup Man"that leads on from all of this. Hope Bob Fripp doesn't claim any royalties.

Ironically, Fripp did some sounds for Windows Vista... but Fripp is a Mac user. He said would have rather done some stuff for Apple if they had asked him!

He also complained that Brain Eno got paid a lot more for the Windows 95 startup sound (which was created on a Mac), even though he did less work!