mosriteforum.com

I think I'm catching the Mosrite bug again. I'm thinking about building myself one to have around to let potential customers play.

I've been forced into thinking about what the end product will cost... I've built too many guitars, and given them away for basically what I have in them for parts...either I have to find a wholesale source for the kind of/quality of parts I need, or hike my prices - a bunch! That's where we small-time builders come up against it...our costs alone price us into the mid-top end of the market.

How do you put a price on your work; are you a hobbyist or a business? Am I asking too many questions???

olrnr

Hi olrnr I buy my wood directly from a hardwood supplier in my area which helps me keep my prices down vs. ordering body blanks from another source unless the supplier doesn't have a specific species. Like you mentioned the hardware and pickups is where we get killed at they can get up there in price. If you can make everything yourself and not have to outsource the more you can keep you cost down.

KRamone27 wrote:Hi olrnr I buy my wood directly from a hardwood supplier in my area which helps me keep my prices down vs. ordering body blanks from another source unless the supplier doesn't have a specific species. Like you mentioned the hardware and pickups is where we get killed at they can get up there in price. If you can make everything yourself and not have to outsource the more you can keep you cost down.

Right on. I've been buying my wood locally, but hardwood is scarce out here, and definitely not the best "tone-wood". I've stuck to thru-body necks because of that to maximize the sustain, and have started making my own brass nuts and bridges...tuners, I guess I'm stuck on Steinbergs...they're just too good to use anything else, but StewMac is the only supplier I can find. I bought a bunch of hot-rodded humbuckers at a clearance sale, so should be good for a while...I take the chrome covers off to brighten up the sound.

olrnr

It's hard for me to get Alder around here but luckily the supplier here always has 8/4 basswood in stock for the mosrites and 8/4 eastern white pine for the esquier style guitars. I have enough hard maple right now for about 9 necks. I also have northern ash right now but it's really heavy so I'm thinking of chambering it and having a maple cap with mahogany or walnut racing stripes down the center.

What would be considered a good price on an Alder two piece body for a Telecaster routed ?
Dan

PM sent Dan

i found a place for basswood and if I buy in bulk, my cost is about 30 bucks a body. not bad I think. I'm gonna start making my own pickups but I'm gonna stay away from mosrite style pickups for now until I've gotten more practice.

I'm not going to say how much I pay for my basswood but I will say that I do really good when I sell my bodies. I have some ash and pine now so there's going to be some teles' in the works soon.