DetroitBlues Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 I paid a visit to my guy in LaGrange, Illinois today (Paul at Stone Grove Guitars). I asked him about the price he was quoted to make the 357 for a customer (PunKitty if I had to guess) and he said it was $3800. I'm guessing a V would have to be similar in price...and thus the point is moot. I can't justify spending that kind of coin for a mere indulgence. Thanks for humoring me everyone. My guitar tech built a neck through V with Korina wings for only a $1,000. I wanted that guitar something terrible! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueox Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 "I paid a visit to my guy in LaGrange, Illinois today (Paul at Stone Grove Guitars). I asked him about the price he was quoted to make the 357 for a customer . . . and he said it was $3800. I'm guessing a V would have to be similar in price...and thus the point is moot. I can't justify spending that kind of coin for a mere indulgence . . . " "3800 for a 357? Seems steep to me. Oh well I guess here goes the dream...." Keep in mind that a Heritage dealer can add any amount of profit to a quote from the factory before giving you the final custom build price. It would behoove one to check out a custom build with more than one dealer. Of course, something as special as the H-357 would warrant a certain price point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 $3800.00 is certainly a chunk o' change. I agree that you can do better than that with a little work. Seems to me recent recipients of these guitars did better...but to the point. Especially for those of you that have been to the plant. Marv did a little "seminar" on the whole construction process, raw neck in hand. - consider the history and development of the body style, where and by whom - consider the one at a time build method - consider the finish product - consider the cost of a R9 LP $3800.00 is a steal. What would Chris Thile pay Lloyd Loar to take a few months and knock out an F5 for him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gpuma Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 $3800.00 is certainly a chunk o' change. I agree that you can do better than that with a little work. Seems to me recent recipients of these guitars did better...but to the point. Especially for those of you that have been to the plant. Marv did a little "seminar" on the whole construction process, raw neck in hand. - consider the history and development of the body style, where and by whom - consider the one at a time build method - consider the finish product - consider the cost of a R9 LP $3800.00 is a steal. What would Chris Thile pay Lloyd Loar to take a few months and knock out an F5 for him? True, but those points you mention are largely valid also for other solid body (or even semi-hollow body) Heritage models that sell for much less... right? 3800 is roughly a 50% premium of a H150. As much as it can be a steal in an absolute sense, does not seem such a steal in relative ones. Just my opinion, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidsmoke Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 you make a great point. The only qualifier I'd put on it is that, despite the lack of CNC etc, the shop is still a production shop. Tasks are distributed amongst a team, they all take their turn as a guitar comes along. Ray does the boards, Katie does the finish sanding, Curly does the binding routing etc etc (forgive me if I'm screwing up names) Marv builds the Firebirds. On his bench. One at a time. I believe that's an exception at Heritage, and most certainly at the big boy custom shops. Typically, to have that kind of provenance on your axe, you're going to the Thornton's and the Kern's. And they are making guitars that nod to other known styles. Marv helped develop the Firebird, which was, and remains, a unique style. In the same shop. 50 years later, you can get him on the horn and talk to him about color and pickups.....I don't know where else that could happen. Maybe if you got Leo on the horn when he was still punching the clock at G&L..... But your point has merit. And $3800.00 is lot of money for a guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 It is a lot of money. But for those who can why not? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number8 Posted November 29, 2012 Author Share Posted November 29, 2012 Here's my attitude: $3800 for an Eagle of some type is inarguably worth it, but a V doesn't call for that level of care and craftsmanship. The appeal of the V is the novelty and the cool factor; however, it's not at the same level of "functioning work-of-art" status that the Eagles have. All of these arguments are conditioned upon me having limited means and resources at my disposal. If the case were different, I would own one of everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DetroitBlues Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 All of these arguments are conditioned upon me having limited means and resources at my disposal. If the case were different, I would own one of everything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Keep in mind that a Heritage dealer can add any amount of profit to a quote from the factory before giving you the final custom build price. I do think that dealer was trying to hit a home run. I think the $3000.00 ballpark is a little more realistic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HANGAR18 Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Here's my attitude: $3800 for an Eagle of some type is inarguably worth it, but a V doesn't call for that level of care and craftsmanship. You have to keep in mind that in a manufacturing process, there are templates and jigs and clamps and stuff that is set up ahead of time in order to begin the production of a bunch of whatever it is that you are building. Once you have all that stuff set up, the cost of setting up all that stuff is the same regardless of whether you build one of those things or 1000 of those things. All of us here in the HOC refer to Heritage guitars as hand crafted but the people at Heritage seem to lean toward the manufactured, assembly line terminology despite the fact that real people individually touch, and hand craft each aspect of the instrument as it passes along to each station. So, to build a guitar that they've never built before, even if it is of a more simpler construction method, could cost a lot more simply because the there is no infrastructure set up ahead of time to support that design. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number8 Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 So, to build a guitar that they've never built before, even if it is of a more simpler construction method, could cost a lot more simply because the there is no infrastructure set up ahead of time to support that design. For sure, great point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuz Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 All this (the $3800) is speculation without talking to Heritage first. Heritage (Marv) might not give you a quote, but he may confirm or deny if $3800 is in the ballpark. Don't forget to mention you are a HOC member. Marv, may also recommend a dealer to use that is more realistic in their price. I would be curious to hear a ballpark figure that the guys paid for their 357s. I would also understand if they didn't want to share this personal information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackBaruth Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I have two 357s, one of which is Korina with Throbaks from the factory. Neither of them cost $3800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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