Cheap prices in United States and americans average gear

[pklima]

Gear is generally much cheaper in the US than here, too.

This might be interesting: my drummer makes his living mostly running sound, and according to several Polish bassists he's talked to, the best thing to get from America is Acoustic Image amps. So, there you have it.

[boynamedsuse]

It's a matter of prioritization. Consumption is an addiction in the USA and low prices enable people to buy more stuff more frequently.

The Millionaire Next Door was a very revealing book in that it disclosed that the "average" millionaire in the USA had less than $100,000 a year income. The secret is not in the earning, it is in the control of spending.

[leobajista]

Originally Posted by boynamedsuse

It's a matter of prioritization. Consumption is an addiction in the USA and low prices enable people to buy more stuff more frequently.

The Millionaire Next Door was a very revealing book in that it disclosed that the "average" millionaire in the USA had less than $100,000 a year income. The secret is not in the earning, it is in the control of spending.

Well that's true.
On my last trip to USA there was no more space in my luggage. They were full of electronics and even clothing. There are significant discounts and it was hard for me to control spending.

[NYCbassist]

Most Men in USA who work with their hands have a pretty rough time making ends meet. It's hard to justify 3 weeks pay for a Bass Guitar. Many wives now have to go out and work too. I buy expensive basses because I have always held 2 or 3 jobs at once. Where there's a will there's a way.

P.S. It's all relative. What's expensive for me might be Cheap for someone else. I do consider a Ric on the expensive side but now you can spend $2200 on a Fender Marcus Miller Mexican bass. I guess The Marcus Miller is considered an expensive bass.

[BawanaRik]

Most VATs are 20 to 25% Go to Paris and see what an American Standard Strat goes for.

Originally Posted by uOpt

Don't forget that many states have sales tax.

And unlike in most other countries the sales tax is not included in the displayed price.

[BawanaRik]

One of the factiods that pops up every once in awhile is what car do most American Millionaire drive? Ford Focus. I know people who have made more than I ever make and they are in debt up to their ears.

Despite what some people think your life is a function of your choices.

Originally Posted by boynamedsuse

It's a matter of prioritization. Consumption is an addiction in the USA and low prices enable people to buy more stuff more frequently.

The Millionaire Next Door was a very revealing book in that it disclosed that the "average" millionaire in the USA had less than $100,000 a year income. The secret is not in the earning, it is in the control of spending.

[oldcatfish]

I'm not sure that I get what you are asking.

--If you are asking why everyone in America doesn't have expensive gear instead of cheap gear, the answer is simple (at least for me). Priorities...I don't make my living with music, it's just a hobby. I can get 90% of the tone I like with 10% of the price. The cheap gear doesn't sound quite as good as the expensive stuff, but it's quite close, and certainly good enough for me.

--If you are wondering why so many American's do own expensive gear when they don't make their living playing music. That's simple too...for them "close to the perfect tone" isn't good enough for them. They are more picky than I am.

[ERJuanca]

I'm from Argentina too, and I used to think the same as the OP.
Even more, I've bought two fenders in different trips for less than half the price in Argentina.
But I moved to the US almost five months ago and now I can see where is the difference. I think, as many others stated, that it relies on the instrument value/salary relation but also on the amount of money from your wage that you have to spend in rent/car/services/food... After all that, it's really difficult to buy a $1000 instrument for most people.

[BawanaRik]

Without sounding cynical allow me to point out that a Gibson is a better investment than a musical instrument. Some of the gear I've bought has appreciated. I look at good gear as a 2 teir investment. One, it sounds good and 2 it might be worth more 20 years down the pike.

Originally Posted by oldcatfish

I'm not sure that I get what you are asking.

--If you are asking why everyone in America doesn't have expensive gear instead of cheap gear, the answer is simple (at least for me). Priorities...I don't make my living with music, it's just a hobby. I can get 90% of the tone I like with 10% of the price. The cheap gear doesn't sound quite as good as the expensive stuff, but it's quite close, and certainly good enough for me.

--If you are wondering why so many American's do own expensive gear when they don't make their living playing music. That's simple too...for them "close to the perfect tone" isn't good enough for them. They are more picky than I am.

[jmverdugo]

Originally Posted by ERJuanca

I'm from Argentina too, and I used to think the same as the OP.
Even more, I've bought two fenders in different trips for less than half the price in Argentina.
But I moved to the US almost five months ago and now I can see where is the difference. I think, as many others stated, that it relies on the instrument value/salary relation but also on the amount of money from your wage that you have to spend in rent/car/services/food... After all that, it's really difficult to buy a $1000 instrument for most people.

Bingo... cost of living is much higher here than in Latin America, on the other hand salaries are higher but if you are not making $25k a year (after taxes) it gets really tough... Then you add kids ... and then you end up pretty happy with your MIM that sounds like a Fodera to your ears.

[drummer5359]

Originally Posted by leobajista

What you are trying to tell me is that the choice is not a matter only of price, but people who have a MIM really thinks it's the same quality as one MIA or a MusicMan?

I mean ... a person who can afford a MIM or a MIA, choose a MIM because "is the same thing"?

I'm surprised. It wasn't any of the assumptions I had.
I can hear when a instrument excels in terms of their price, but I appreciate the difference in quality and durability of an expensive bass.

Welcome to talkbass!

(I like this guy!)

Seriously though, a lot of factors play into why people play what they do, often it is economic reasons. Some people do prefer gear that is not the most expensive and that is cool too.

[uOpt]

Originally Posted by BawanaRik

Most VATs are 20 to 25% Go to Paris and see what an American Standard Strat goes for.

Yes but the point I was making was that if you are in Germany and browse amazon.de the prices displayed include 19% sales tax.

If you are in MessyChusetts, USA, you have to pay 6.25% sales tax but it is not reflected in the prices displayed, neither in shops nor on websites.

So the US isn't as cheap as it looks unless you assume to be in a tax-free state.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by leobajista

It is known that prices in United States are very cheap. So much so, that in my case, with an expensive dollar in my country, it is still cheap for me that price.

I'll give you an example:
I recently bought a used Fender Jazz Bass American Standard; the asking price was approximately USD $1,800.
The price was really cheap, because usually its price is USD $2,400.

Imagine it? The prices for Argentina and USA equivalent is:
Squier / SX -> Fender MIM
Fender MIM -> Fender USA, Musicman
Fender USA / MusicMan -> Rics, Lakland USA, Sadowsky
Rics, Lakland USA, Sadowsky -> I don't know... maybe Carl Thompson.

Here in Argentina the legal minimum wage is $ 528.
What is the legal minimum wage in the United States?

We never can't understand if the difference when it comes to spending on equipment has to do with a matter of wages, or with a common issue: here we know that good things have to pay it expensive and there is no other alternative.

In California, the minimum wage is $8.00 per hour. Assuming a 40-hour work week, that's $320 a week or $1,920 a month. I don't know what period of time your $528 represents, but I can tell you that $1,920 a month is tough to live on in the U.S.

[Caca de Kick]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I don't know what period of time your $528 represents, but I can tell you that $1,920 a month is tough to live on in the U.S.

Leobajista explained it in a later post: $528 is a month, or $3.30 minimum wage per hour. Yikes!
So he's wondering when they're willfully paying $2400 for a MIA Fender in Argentina based on their wage, then why are Americans cheaping out and buying $600 MIM based on our wage.

[Munjibunga]

Originally Posted by Caca de Kick

Leobajista explained it in a later post: $528 is a month, or $3.30 minimum wage per hour. Yikes!
So he's wondering when they're willfully paying $2400 for a MIA Fender in Argentina based on their wage, then why are Americans cheaping out and buying $600 MIM based on our wage.

Because we're buying BMWs and Cadillacs.