I don’t think Fender pricing compares to Prada or Rolls Royce in any meaningful way.
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Is Fender overpriced?
- Thread starter Malva kid
- Start date
Depends I'm not consider Squier as Fender...
A used MIM is not a bargain but if is not too expensive and plays well is a certain good money value.
A new Custom Shop cost a lot but is wery well made
A used Custom Shop payed right is an investment
In my opinion new and used MIA with a lot of remake of liuthers and little makers don't represent the best in terms of value for money. But in terms of reselling only Fender can do the certain for example of a permute with another instrument some big producer for example don't, some sellers refuse to discount in exchange for some models and It is for other brands but with Fender is difficult that a seller don't exchange.
A used MIM is not a bargain but if is not too expensive and plays well is a certain good money value.
A new Custom Shop cost a lot but is wery well made
A used Custom Shop payed right is an investment
In my opinion new and used MIA with a lot of remake of liuthers and little makers don't represent the best in terms of value for money. But in terms of reselling only Fender can do the certain for example of a permute with another instrument some big producer for example don't, some sellers refuse to discount in exchange for some models and It is for other brands but with Fender is difficult that a seller don't exchange.
Well, I wouldn't say the price is way off, but you are paying at least a little bit for the name. Of course you'll probably get that back on resale so it is a wash?
I prefer the Fender tone and overall shape but there are too many things I want changed with a Fender bass that I've instead moved to Warmoth. I get the same basic Fender shape and tone but with USA made necks and bodies that are equal or better than Fender. I am able to then choose tuners, bridges, pickups, etc. to get what I want with usually less weight and better balance then the Fender equivalent.
All for less up-front cost due to the effort I put in to assembling them.
Of course I take a hit on resale.
So is Fender overpriced? For my $$, I say yes. I get more bass for less $ by going elsewhere.
They compare exactly in relation to their price against competitive producers. Their advantage is their branding and that makes them more expensive than their competitors.
I’d say that these are boutique items in a stratified level of pricing that do have competitors ala Hermès and Bentley. I’d say Alembic or Fodera are more similar. Fender is mass produced, and isn’t selling for a 5x or 10x multiple versus mainstream alternatives.
Not really. Artefacts have no inherent value only inherent properties. Value is determined intersubjectively, or by what various folks are willing to pay. They must be moving products or they would adjust their prices downward.
The all-in cost of making goods plus the margin set a practical floor for how low prices will go. If a company cannot produce something in a profitable way, they will just stop making it. You can’t lose money on every sale but make up for it in volume.
I understand your point but I'm not comparing price brackets. All these examples have heritage in common and all use their label to increase actual value over competitors... including Fender.
I hear that new guitar sales have declined by approximately 30% over the last ten years. I am sure the folks at Fender are all too aware of this and that’s probably one reason behind the creation of the Vintera series—a high-quality line of Mexican-made instruments at the sub-$1,000 price point.
Agreed! I think a vacuum cleaner of washing machine is a much more practical engagement gift than a ring...
I sure hope so.
The advent of CNC machining nicely offsets the $8,673 that Fender is forced to pay in Health Benefits for each employee.
Those and the Road Worn series are some of the best quality-bang-for-buck instruments out now. They're at least as good as, if not better quality than many of the Fenders made in the 70's.
There ARE a whole lot of Fender copy makers that many swear by.
They make some extremely cheap copies.
Should Fender contend with their prices?
Official Exquisite/Glarry/Burning Fire Bass Club?
They make some extremely cheap copies.
Should Fender contend with their prices?
Official Exquisite/Glarry/Burning Fire Bass Club?
The 1970s might be the most unpredictable decade for quality of Fender instruments. I have played some wonderful basses from that period (1978 seems to have been a particularly good year for basses, go figure) and some pretty iffy ones. I say choose carefully.
Here's the thing. Cheaper instruments have been really good for a couple decades now. Import axes are much much better than the old days (there were always good imports but lots of trash too... now even cheaper imports are generally pretty good).
For USA, peavey really changed the market... huge quality, cheaper prices, usa made.
For USA, peavey really changed the market... huge quality, cheaper prices, usa made.
I still disagree. I don’t believe Fender’s price margins are substantially different from their contemporaries.
The American Pro series is price consistent with Fender over their entire history. Lower priced models are competing in the race to the bottom, whereas Custom Shop is competing with boutique brands for both clones and exotics.
