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Warwick vs. Fodera
- Thread starter Thomas Kievit
- Start date
The whole argument is around this phrase:
"Absolutely ZERO of our prices are because we "command a premium a bit beyond [our] top notch build quality."
In MY OPINION charging 4K for this upgrade is commanding a premium beyond their top notch quality, since these parts have absolutely nothing to do with Fodera's build quality and only cost a couple hundred bucks.
I still don't know why people are trying to compare these two brands. Yes, they both make basses. Yes, both brands cater to some of the same people (IE say, a gospel player or maybe a solo artist) but both brands also cater to very different individuals. And as far as the instruments themselves go, they are very different beasts. Honestly a safer comparison would be with Alembic, Ritter, or Warrior, and even then, all three of those instruments are different from themselves and from Fodera.
In the end I'll continue to enjoy both when I can.
In the end I'll continue to enjoy both when I can.
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
But they do not cost us a "couple of hundred bucks." I already explained to you that the charge for those parts were based on what we paid for the parts plus the cost of carrying them in inventory multiplied by two. [Edit: Please see my post #127 for an interesting clarification]
I wanted to check out what a titanium bridge sounded like on one of my own basses (which happens to be a 4-string) and my cost for just a 4-string bridge with zero markup as an owner of the Company was almost $900.
IMHO the Titanium bridge was not worth the money. It is beautifully fabricated but I personally prefer the way my bass sounded with our standard brass bridge. Not everyone hears the way I do and Anthony Jackson is a very strong believer in the tone difference that a Titanium bridge makes (as are others), so we offer one.
I'd be happy to find out who could make one of the same quality for $250. I'd also be more than happy to switch our production of Ti bridges over to that vendor if the quality was equally good. Then we would only charge an additional $500 for the bridge.
I am not sure that you have looked at many of my posts, but I started on TB before I was a partner here at Fodera. I believe in complete transparency and have posted an incredible amount of information about our company, our costs, even our profits. I am not trying to sneak something by you...
Regards,
Jason
I wanted to check out what a titanium bridge sounded like on one of my own basses (which happens to be a 4-string) and my cost for just a 4-string bridge with zero markup as an owner of the Company was almost $900.
IMHO the Titanium bridge was not worth the money. It is beautifully fabricated but I personally prefer the way my bass sounded with our standard brass bridge. Not everyone hears the way I do and Anthony Jackson is a very strong believer in the tone difference that a Titanium bridge makes (as are others), so we offer one.
I'd be happy to find out who could make one of the same quality for $250. I'd also be more than happy to switch our production of Ti bridges over to that vendor if the quality was equally good. Then we would only charge an additional $500 for the bridge.
I am not sure that you have looked at many of my posts, but I started on TB before I was a partner here at Fodera. I believe in complete transparency and have posted an incredible amount of information about our company, our costs, even our profits. I am not trying to sneak something by you...
Regards,
Jason
Just a side note from an innocent by stander. Played a Warwick not too long ago for the first time and I enjoyed it. Sounded great, felt good in the hands. I liked it. Never played a fodera but they look like works of art. Sound awesome on videos I've seen. And seem like we'll made guitars. Both of them great in their own ways I'm sure. And i agree with everyone that if you don't like the marketing then don't buy it. Simple enough. Seems pretty straight forward and professional to me. I guess sometimes people like to argue for the sake of arguing and will find something to nit pick in any statement. Kind of like my lady actually...
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
I am embarrassed to admit this, but there was a mistake in our Price List online. It will be re-posted tomorrow. The correct difference in price for the Presentation Ti with the Ti Bridge and Ti Truss Rod is $2,500, not $4,000. That larger difference included the glossy finish option that we no longer offer. On my ride home from work I kept trying to figure out where MarthaSamira's $4,000 number was coming from and when I got home I checked our online price list.
For better or worse, all of the Presentations that we have sold since I made that mistake have had the regular bridge and truss rod...
Regards,
Jason
For better or worse, all of the Presentations that we have sold since I made that mistake have had the regular bridge and truss rod...
Regards,
Jason
I've been friends with Jason for many years and well before he was a partner, and I have to say he is one of the most honest trustworthy, concerned people you will ever know.. This post right here is so typical of Jason. I can see him riding home in his car through crazy rush hour NYC traffic thinking about where that $4000 number came from in this talk bass thread.
What!!! There were probably a hundred things going on at the shop which would make our heads spin and he's thinking about this.. and then figures it out and apologizes for a wrong price on the site..
Cheers to you Jason.
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
Thanks so much Guy. Actually I was in my NJ office today, so the ride home was not terribly long, but yes, there were a bunch of things on my mind. We have our fist ever Strategic Retreat later this week and getting everything ready for that has been a bit frenetic!
Regards,
Jason
Regards,
Jason
Just Thumpin'
Commercial User
- Mar 7, 2008
- 4,534
- 1,664
- Disclosures
- Manager and Partner, Fodera Guitars (10/14/09 - 12/16/19)
So this 12% profit is after all parts AND labor is paid for? Or just after the material? If the labor is some ridiculous price then I can justify people saying fodera is in it for money. Not to say Warwick isn't tr same. Every business is out there to make money. It'll be stupid to just make basses and file bankruptcy later.
Not to mention I'm sure the cost of operations and living is taken into that 88% cost of build. I think they're overpriced but that's just my opinion.
Awesome basses btw. I played a standard monarch before and it's was very well built but I'm happy with my cheap used warwicks =)
Awesome basses btw. I played a standard monarch before and it's was very well built but I'm happy with my cheap used warwicks =)
Why don't you go tell us what you think the hourly rate should be for a luthier in my other thread? I won't be in to check on it, though.
I admire your openness about the business. I don't know if I could bring myself to disclose that much information about my company on an open forum, although I have said quite a bit about our general business philosophy in other threads.
seems to me that someone is waging a personal vendetta here.
seems out of line, imho . . . and it's showing said person to be rather small. again, imho.
i suggest giving it a rest.
seems out of line, imho . . . and it's showing said person to be rather small. again, imho.
i suggest giving it a rest.
