What erks me.

[08 Ric 4003]

I realize guitar makers make sig models to sell. And rock stars and collectors may be the only ones that can afford them. I just looked at the Jeff Beck Strat. How much different are they really from a regular model. A different set of pups, different paint scheme, different nut, different tuners, oh and here is the selling point and aged white switch tip. That makes me play and sound better an aged white switch tip. How much can that really change the price of a guitar A standard american strat is 1300 MSRP and the Jeff Beck is 2100 MSRP. So you are telling me cause Jeff's name is on it and there are a few mods done it warrants a $800 price hike. Now I know we wont pay MSRP so knock a few hundred off each. I like to Pete T quote. I did not get my Ric or my Fenders or my Gibson or my Martin to have them sit in a case and when my buddies come over go look what I got. Like Nigel Tuffnel said - "This one can't be played ever, don't even look at it" All it does is drive up the prices so guys like us who want to play them can't afford them.

[Clint]

So you are telling me cause Jeff's name is on it and there are a few mods done it warrants a $800 price hike.

Yes. As long as people are willing to pay an extra $800 for a Strat with Jeff Beck's name on it, Fender will be selling a Strat with Jeff Beck's name on it. And why wouldn't they?

[jingle_jangle]

That can't be the Sisteen. There's only SIS CANDLES.

[indianation65]

...head in the sand for a while now...I can't believe I typed that without thinking! Grammar and spelling errors "irk" me as well; I usually take pride! There are some things that linger with man. I hope this isn't one of them, but I do deserve the laughs and chiding!

...no wisdom on this day!

[jingle_jangle]

It's cool, Joe. We appreciate your wisdom most days.

[just_bassics]

I guess if you must put a name on it, let's call it Supply & Demand Economics. Simple as that. What irks me is publicly displaying a lack of understanding of the subject. But, hey, I don't have to read it. Just as no one has to buy an instrument they feel is overpriced. JMHO

[bassman7365]

Do you know what irks me? Folks who go on long diatribes using pseudo facts to support their innane arguments.

[jingle_jangle]

Spellcheck is your friend. It would've caught "innane" and avoided irking, as a general rule.

[bassman7365]

Spellcheck is your friend. It would've caught "innane" and avoided irking, as a general rule.

[lennon211]

The Beck Strat also has a special neck heal that's contoured for extra upper-fret access. It's not just the pickups and switch. If there's a demand, then companies will find a way to do these things. The nice flipside of this is that there are plenty of good vintage features that would not usuallyt find their way to the marketplace if some of these signature editions didn't pave the way. I got the Roy Orbison Epiphone 12-string for X-Mas and have to say that it's a great guitar. I'm glad that someone had the idea to do that and that Roy's widow was willing to attach his image and name to something of some redeeming quality for once. Personally I'm willing to look and enjoy some of the signature editions and ignore the bulk that are irrelevant to me based on either artist attachment or pricing. No big deal and it doesn't seem to take away, at least most of the time from the models that I am actually interested in.

[jps]

As long as we are discussing spellcheck:

The Beck Strat also has a special neck heal...

Is it better, yet?

Eye hait et whan eye mzspil, two. And I do it plenty enough!

[ken_j]

As far as the manufacturers figure it most of the signature guitars have little or no increase in cost to build than any other guitar (except maybe the Lemmy due to the carving). There is obvious engineering, design, and programming costs or a different finish, but how much does it cost to wind the pickups different or use a different magnet? or change the heel of the neck? Signature Ricks are limited in numbers so the engineering etc. is burdened upon a low number of instruments. Thus the cost to produce these goes up per unit. Fender and Gibson basically limit their number to as many as they can sell. How many thousands of SRV or EC guitars were built and sold? The added cost per guitar is small.

When I was working in automotive engineering we had an engine that was an upgrade in horsepower. The only difference in the lower output version was a different camshaft and calibration programming. The upgrade was $500. The cams were the same cost to manufacture and the cal was just programming (no parts change). This is the same analogy and it is done everywhere in business.There is a market as long as buyers are willing to pay the additional expense.

[lennon211]

As long as we are discussing spellcheck:

The Beck Strat also has a special neck heal...

Is it better, yet?

Eye hait et whan eye mzspil, two. And I do it plenty enough!

What can I say? It's been a day and I make no claims to being totally with it at this point...whether that's from mental or physical exhaustion or simply having a frosty beverage.

[08 Ric 4003]

As far as sig models, what gets me is just the sheer number that are out there. If you are a pioneer or someone who made a significant mark in the music world there is no reason not to have a company make one or two. Guys like BB, SRV, Clapton ect. But a guy like the bassist for Blink 182. I know they have a fan base, but rock and roll hall of fame or music pioneers they are not. I remember a few months back looking at Gibson's website and there was a new sig model Les Paul out and I had to google the guys name to see what band he was in. Turned out he was in the Cult. Clapton has a sig model Les Paul. Hasn't played a Les Paul since his was stolen back when he was in Cream. Who associates Clapton with a Les Paul? Slash has a sig model Epiphone Appetite Les Paul. Slash doesn't play an Epi. I have absolutely nothing against a well made guitar and if an axe warrants 1300 fine, but jacking up the price hundreds for a few tweeks and a new color scheme is silly. If I spelled anything wrong have a heart. I am a just a regular Joe serving my country in the Coast Guard. Us enlisted guys ain't to smart, we just fix officers mistakes. It takes a college degree to brake it and a high school education to fix it. Thank for teaching me how to spell irk. I sorry.

[jps]

I know a guy up here on Lake Erie who is a Chief on a cutter out of Cleveland, I know what it takes to be in the CG.