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Fender Bass prices???

#203
Ultimately, anything can be claimed to be overpriced by a potential buyer that can't afford what they want. Its all relative to the person making the claim and therefore a fools argument.
I think I got a great deal on my new fiat a couple of years ago, but I'm sure there are others that can't afford $18,000 out the door with zero interest and some of them would be the ones to claim its overpriced. Now why the OP (who claims to have $36,000 in the bank) feels USA Fenders (that are selling quite well vs more expensive competition) is over priced has me baffled. Go figure.
 
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#204
GBassNorth said:
Ultimately, anything can be claimed to be overpriced by a potential buyer that can't afford what they want. Its all relative to the person making the claim and therefore a fools argument.
I think I got a great deal on my new fiat a couple of years ago, but I'm sure there are others that can't afford $18,000 out the door with zero interest and some of them would be the ones to claim its overpriced. Now why the OP (who claims to have $36,000 in the bank) feels USA Fenders (that are selling quite well vs more expensive competition) is over priced has me baffled. Go figure.
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I don't own a house maybe it makes sense now.

As for the American Special bass why take it out of production? Cutting into profits?
 
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#205
Metalbasspro said:
I posted among other information a web site selling raw kits to construct. Prices under 200 dollars. My points was the costs of the guitar are marked up drastically while they take advantage of among the lowest labor market in the nation. I never bothered to post the profit margins of Fender as my point in this thread was not to slag Fender for making money just asking why they don't want to sell more then they do.

Ever see a sale go on at a store, that's why stuff starts to sell because prices are lower. Lower prices = more sales. It's elementary.
Fender as people go out of their way to inform me as IF I DID NOT KNOW, as if I was born yesterday but I promise you I was not and no one's telling ME anything I don't already know here that Fender is in it to make money.... I just want to know why they are not also interested in putting their American basses in the hands of American bass players and not just the pros.

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Final word, you say all of this like you have full financial statements from Fender. If you think that only pros have Fender American Standard basses, you live a very sheltered existence. I actually believe at this point though that you are more adjusting the "facts" in your head to fit your feeble argument than anything else. Not everything in this world is a conspiracy, although it seems that most of the people today would have you believe otherwise. Good luck bringing Fender down because they don't sell basses at prices that make a metalbasspro happy...its elementary.
 
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#208
Metalbasspro said:
I posted among other information a web site selling raw kits to construct. Prices under 200 dollars. My points was the costs of the guitar are marked up drastically while they take advantage of among the lowest labor market in the nation. I never bothered to post the profit margins of Fender as my point in this thread was not to slag Fender for making money just asking why they don't want to sell more then they do.

Ever see a sale go on at a store, that's why stuff starts to sell because prices are lower. Lower prices = more sales. It's elementary.
Fender as people go out of their way to inform me as IF I DID NOT KNOW, as if I was born yesterday but I promise you I was not and no one's telling ME anything I don't already know here that Fender is in it to make money.... I just want to know why they are not also interested in putting their American basses in the hands of American bass players and not just the pros.

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That is not true but since it's actually extremely complex, and not very elementary at all, I don't think that point would possibly come across. I don't think you have a very good grasp on economics. More sales at a lower price could actually provide considerably less profit than reduced sales at a higher price.
 
#209
I don't think it's been pointed out yet that Fender may also be the silliest company to make this sort of complaint about. Because so little of Fender's designs are protected, anyone who wants to can start making Fender clones in the USA, and many have (see Carvin, for example). Fender may have the most recognizable name in basses, but if its prices don't stay reasonable, someone will steal a painful amount of sales away from it.
 
#211
DiabolusInMusic said:
That is not true but since it's actually extremely complex, and not very elementary at all, I don't think that point would possibly come across. I don't think you have a very good grasp on economics. More sales at a lower price could actually provide considerably less profit than reduced sales at a higher price.
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Like how my buddy who makes custom guitars raised the prices double and triple then started selling more with no additional over head costs? You mean like that? That's true enough because that is what he told me but then I'll never afford one of his guitars.
 
#212
Metalbasspro said:
I know it has some yes. I am sure they cut some costs somewhere too. But that is called being competitive. Where did the special go?
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To the place where things that don't sell go.

You never answered this question. You said you did and maybe I missed it. Either way, please tell me.......

A Fender American Standard precision costs $1349. You believe that's too much. How much should it cost?
 
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#213
Metalbasspro said:
Like how my buddy who makes custom guitars raised the prices double and triple then started selling more with no additional over head costs? You mean like that? That's true enough because that is what he told me but then I'll never afford one of his guitars.
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Exactly like that. I was told Gibson dropped the price of Les Pauls in the 90s and sales dropped until they rose them, I don't know if it's actually true or not.

Is it the builder's fault that you cannot afford his guitars? Are they over-priced since you cannot afford one? What about those that are buying them?
 
#215
Metalbasspro said:
I posted among other information a web site selling raw kits to construct. Prices under 200 dollars. My points was the costs of the guitar are marked up drastically while they take advantage of among the lowest labor market in the nation. I never bothered to post the profit margins of Fender as my point in this thread was not to slag Fender for making money just asking why they don't want to sell more then they do.

Ever see a sale go on at a store, that's why stuff starts to sell because prices are lower. Lower prices = more sales. It's elementary.
Fender as people go out of their way to inform me as IF I DID NOT KNOW, as if I was born yesterday but I promise you I was not and no one's telling ME anything I don't already know here that Fender is in it to make money.... I just want to know why they are not also interested in putting their American basses in the hands of American bass players and not just the pros.
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Since you have your finger on the financial pulse of Fender, I have a few questions.

1. What is the status of Fender's EBITDA?

2. From their balance sheets, what margin of CF to COGS do they report? Cite their payroll numbers as well.

3. What numbers do they report for FE, VE, AE, and OE? And, are those totals from their itemized profit and loss statements? If so, what are percentages of RoI are adjusted for the above variables?

Thanks in advance!
 
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#216
Metalbasspro said:
Like how my buddy who makes custom guitars raised the prices double and triple then started selling more with no additional over head costs? You mean like that? That's true enough because that is what he told me but then I'll never afford one of his guitars.
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You should tell him that he's priced his instruments out of the affordable range of the "average Jo" like you and that you demand to know why. (And be sure to do it in a condescending tone.) Then tell him how much money you have in the bank. Then buy something else for $500 or so. Then start a thread called "My buddy who makes custom guitars prices???"

We'll go from there.
 
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#217
Metalbasspro said:
Like how my buddy who makes custom guitars raised the prices double and triple then started selling more with no additional over head costs? You mean like that? That's true enough because that is what he told me but then I'll never afford one of his guitars.
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Looks to me like you have enough "inside" information on your buddy's business to start a thread about his business practices but not enough to start one about Fender's actions. Just because your "buddy" has the scruples of a ---- doesn't mean everybody does. Likewise, if I were you I'd be questioning my ongoing "buddy" status with someone that uses his line of thinking when dealing with others - but that's just me.
 
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#218
To be fair to the OP, mass produced guitars / basses are pretty overpriced. However, Fender is one of the best companies when it comes to cost and quality. Why not go after Lakland, a company that sells Indonesian basses for as much as US Fenders? Or Gibson, the worst price offender ever imo. Or like...any boutique maker. Obviously plenty of people are buying American Standards, and most are likely not pro.

Plenty of people with money are fine playing non-American instruments...
 
#220
Binary1 said:
Since you have your finger on the financial pulse of Fender, I have a few questions.

1. What is the status of Fender's EBITDA?

2. From their balance sheets, what margin of CF to COGS do they report? Cite their payroll numbers as well.

3. What numbers do they report for FE, VE, AE, and OE? And, are those totals from their itemized profit and loss statements? If so, what are percentages of RoI are adjusted for the above variables?

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Just called Fender and they don't give out that info. Maybe you can tell us what an entry level production employee makes.
 

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