Anyone following the "Taylor McGrath" debacle on TGP?

[culturejam]

For the price of a custom shop LP I could have Jon at Feline make me a completely one off custom guitar to my specs that's even better.

I agree a lot of the larger brands are over-priced (especially new). The problem with the smaller guys is that if you ever need to sell that guitar/amp, 99% of the buying public doesn't understand the true value of the instrument.

For example, if you approached me with a sweet guitar mad by Jon at Feline, I'd say "Who is Jon and what is Feline?.... Oh, okay. Yeah, $3k is too much for a guitar I've never heard of that was built to your specific interests."

If you never sell gear, then going small-guy custom is the only way to fly. I hope one day to reach a point where I don't have to sell things occasionally to get new things. 

[juansolo]

Totally understand that. Cleggy got my Feline on the understanding that if he ever sells it I get first refusal But yeah, I got that 2nd hand from Jon for about half what it would cost to have it built. Which was a steal, and if I could justify throwing £3k at a guitar, he'd be the only port of call for me based on just how fapping awesome it was.

[marauder]

You'll be lucky

The original owner was Thorpy on the BYOC forum, I found out recently.  Small world.

[GermanCdn]

For the price of a custom shop LP I could have Jon at Feline make me a completely one off custom guitar to my specs that's even better.

I agree a lot of the larger brands are over-priced (especially new). The problem with the smaller guys is that if you ever need to sell that guitar/amp, 99% of the buying public doesn't understand the true value of the instrument.

For example, if you approached me with a sweet guitar mad by Jon at Feline, I'd say "Who is Jon and what is Feline?.... Oh, okay. Yeah, $3k is too much for a guitar I've never heard of that was built to your specific interests."

If you never sell gear, then going small-guy custom is the only way to fly. I hope one day to reach a point where I don't have to sell things occasionally to get new things. 

Yeah, without brand recognition and distribution support, it's definitely harder to move custom built instruments, but truth be told, there's a ceiling to resale on most instruments over about $2k.  On my weekly visits to all my favourite guitar haunts, I routinely see most used instruments being sold at a much higher relative discounts if they're original selling price was over about $2400.  I guess the logic would be if you're going to pay $3k new or $2700 used, you'll probably by new, so the higher end stuff gets discounted more.  Sucks for the first owner, but usually works out for those of us who don't buy new, as usually the guy who shells out a pile of money in the first place is more likely to maintain the instrument/not put stickers on it/not try to home install a Floyd on it (I kid you not, I saw a LP Custom that some dude decided he was going to learn to route on, and the bridge and the posts were visibly out of square with the neck, never mind the extra damage he did to the body).

[muddyfox]

I kid you not, I saw a LP Custom that some dude decided he was going to learn to route on, and the bridge and the posts were visibly out of square with the neck, never mind the extra damage he did to the body.

Well... a fool and his money are easily parted... 

[aion]

Unbelievable. How is it that the shady guys who overprice their product and take all payment in advance will consistently shoot to the top, over and over and over again, but so many of the good guys get overlooked? There have got to be 10 honest builders for every one of these types, but it always baffles me how much cash these types of guys run off with.

[juansolo]

It's people who just want to make a buck as quickly as possible and don't give a shit about anyone else. Management in large companies are also fraught with people like this. It's the reason I quit. It is possible to make money and have some integrity also. You just don't make as much or make what you do as fast. Nicer place to be, nicer people to deal with.

[aion]

Yeah, but like... the gullibility. The complete and utter gullibility of the buyers. You'd think that by now, the people on TGP would have a retching aversion to anyone who asks for full payment up-front. So many stories of them either not getting anything (Farndurk, TMG, T1M in a bad year, and many more) or else getting a product that turns out to be largely counterfeit and extremely overpriced (Freekish Blues, Tone Monk, and TMG with his Musikraft partscasters).

A fool and his money are soon parted, but man, imagine if you could tap into that market of fools and actually get them to buy a quality product. I guess they wouldn't be fools anymore though, so Catch-22 and all.

[juansolo]

There are a LOT of gullible people out there. Not just on TGP, just generally.

[atreidesheir]

I am so ghetto at my church with my G&L Legacy and silverface Fender Champ.

[GermanCdn]

I am so ghetto at my church with my G&L Legacy and silverface Fender Champ.

I hear ya.  I'd also like to point out that I've picked up most of my G&L collection (all US instruments) used for less than the price of a single Bro-caster.  I feel like such a poseur.

[pickdropper]

It's people who just want to make a buck as quickly as possible and don't give a shit about anyone else. Management in large companies are also fraught with people like this. It's the reason I quit. It is possible to make money and have some integrity also. You just don't make as much or make what you do as fast. Nicer place to be, nicer people to deal with.

And in most cases, honest and fair business is more likely to be sustainable over a long time.  Greed can make people short sighted.  They make money quick, but it eventually burns down.

[jkokura]

I am so ghetto at my church with my G&L Legacy and silverface Fender Champ.

Nope, that's the setup that's right.

If I hadn't traded for and built my own rig, I'd still be playing a less than $1000 setup Sundays. I actually think that's the way it should be!

Jacob

[Leevibe]

I am so ghetto at my church with my G&L Legacy and silverface Fender Champ.

Nope, that's the setup that's right.

If I hadn't traded for and built my own rig, I'd still be playing a less than $1000 setup Sundays. I actually think that's the way it should be!

Jacob

I tend to agree with this. There definitely seems to be an unhealthy focus shift among some of these players. Just in terms of the music alone, there is a lot of very mediocre music being made on very esoteric (or at least outrageously expensive) gear.

[culturejam]

If I hadn't traded for and built my own rig, I'd still be playing a less than $1000 setup Sundays. I actually think that's the way it should be!

I also agree. Kinda reminds me of that scene in The Last Crusade when Indy has to choose which of the cups is the Holy Grail.