steel guitar makers are like gasoline makers

Chuck Norris · From: Mesquite, TX, USA

Jo, if you don`t care what we think then why did you do this thread and why are you responding.Are you alway`s a pottie mouth or just when you know you made a fool of yourself.
I watch Buddie Carter drive up to our store daily in his 80`s model sedan, you know Buddy the man that has the largest selling steel on the market, and lives in an conservative apartment and I know none of these guy`s are getting rich, there wealth is in doing what they love to do,play and build steel guitar`s and I think maybe it`s time you swollow your pride and apologize. How about it.
Chuck Norris NFM

Gil Berry · From: Westminster, CA, USA

Sheesh, guys, give Jo a break. I agree that pedal steels are to expensive (if you're the buyer)...but so are eggs, cars, and anything else you buy. If you're the seller (or, seller AND manufacturer, in most cases here, trying to produce ANY product that meets (or exceeds) your competition's quality, AND STILL MAKE ENOUGH PROFIT to stay in business, is always gonna' be a challenge. As far as the physical location of Jo's hat rack, let's let that go, too, OK? The only way QUALITY can be produced while PRICES come down is production efficiencies (such as new manufacturing methods, a new fertilizer, or some other major change in producing a quality product at a lower cost, or,an excess of supply (to demand). All that being said, and understanding that steel guitars are for the most part still made one-at-a-time it's surprising anyone can afford to play one. How much would a professional gunsmith charge to custom build a new rifle for you (compared to an off-the-shelf, massed-produced one)?

The new MSA might be on the right track by employing high-tech, mass production methods to produce a steel guitar (higher quality at the same - or hopefully lower - price than an equivalent custom made guitar, BUT, it's gonna cost one hell of a bundle of $ to get off the ground....and NOBODY puts money out these days without expecting interest on the their investment...so there ya go....

Del Rangel · From: Clayton, NC

I fail to see how anyone can say that Pedal Steel Guiars are overpriced. I am glad Gene Fields loves what he does otherwise I would not have gotten such a great deal on my GFI.
By training I am a classical violinist and can tell you, if you need a reality check see what a handmade US or German built violin costs and you will complain no more about what we pay for steels.
As for the Union bashing, give me a break. Before becoming a historian I spent 15 years as a carpenter and Cement mason and the only way I didn't get ripped off by greedy builders was because of the Unions--even when I wasn't working though the shop, the Union wages always keep the pressure on general wages. And, unless you all want foreign labor to replace you here, or for the corps to outsource us all out of existent you should join a Union and learn a few Pete Seeger songs. IMHO

chas smith R.I.P. · From: Encino, CA, USA

Del--What is fascinating is that workers can be convinced that they don't need representation, they don't deserve to be paid a decent wage and they don't deserve benefits. I don't see the "suits" rejecting their compensation packages.

I've been union and non-union, which is another way of saying disposable labor, and it was a lot better when I was union. There's no honor in struggling to pay the bills and buy health insurance.

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

C.Dixon......"talk is cheap!"

It's about the only thing this day and age that holds its value; neither inflation nor depression affects it. There is little overhead affixed to it. And all too often, it's the ones who know little or nothing about a topic that voluntarily offer the most to correct the situation.

Paul Bigsby started his custom guitar shoppe in his residential garage and produced just one guitar per month and enjoyed a back log as much as three years or more! Some communities of today would prevent him from undertaking such a project in his own home. If that didn't stop him, OSHA would likely jump into the picture.

LET'S STOP BASHING another Forumite merely because he elected and was courageous enough to share (right or wrong) his own point of view. This is supposed to be a place where ideas and viewpoints are shared and discussed. Some of you are bonafied experts and others of us are still struggling and learning in the hope of becoming more knowledgeable like yourself. Some of us will succeed and some of us will never quite enjoy that enviable position. SHOULD WE ALL JUST GIVE UP?

Even if one is inaccurate in their assessment of a given situtaion, it shouldn't penalize their opportunity to express themselves, here on the Forume, should it?

The next time YOU seek knowledge or advice, just don't go to that person for their input.

Rather than purchase any one of the truly fine pedal steels of this day....I have elected to pay considerably more than their original purchase price simply to acquire sixty year old Rickenbachers. They're like fine, old wine; classic old firearms; classy older women; antique aircraft (ask Seizemore!) tadah tadah tadah..
you simply get more BANG for the BUCK!

Let's not shut someone out simply because we "know more" and therefore disagree with them. Please.

Dan Tyack · From: Olympia, WA USA

It is true that it would be possible to build a d10 professional quality guitar for a cost of less than a grand. If you could guarentee sales of 50K units a year for a number of years, enabling the manufacturer to get sweet deals from the materials vendors and machining. I think the cost of pedal steels are pretty low, considering how much everything else has risen. I bought my first new d10 8X6 in 1975 for about $1500, in that same year my folks bought a new Volvo station wagon for $4200. A new volvo goes for $40K, whereas a pedal steel sells for a lot less than 10 times the $1400.

Joey Ace · From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

1500 "1975 Dollars" are equal to $5K of todays according to the CPI at http://minneapolisfed.org/economy/calc/cpihome.html

Seems about right.

That $4200 Volvo should be $14K today by their calculations. Hmmmm....

[This message was edited by Joey Ace on 03 June 2002 at 04:46 PM.]

Kenny Davis · From: Great State of Oklahoma

Their calculations don't figure government reg's and product liability.

Joseph Barcus · From: Volga West Virginia

i traded my guitar for a 21 year old blonde with 2 kids that cooks and mows grass i guess these things do have something good come from them

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