Many graphics = Master built

[Trypp Powell]

About three or four years ago I remember PRS advertised for some finish and assembly positions. The jobs paid around $7 to $8 per hour. At those rates, you can get a hardworking person who will do good work to keep his or her position, but you aren't exactly getting luthiers.

My point is that with all of the large manufactures it really comes down to moving as many units as possible at the lowest manufacturing cost possible. I don't buy the "made in USA" automatically makes it better, but I do understand the desire to deal with a shop that employs highly skilled luthiers who invest a lot of time into building quality pieces.

I think what bugs most folks (including myself) is that there really isn't a Charvel custom shop. Ordering a custom shop Charvel basically involves selecting from a list of available options. You can do the same at Carvin for much less. However, while Carvin makes a fine instrument, those instruments do not have the brand cache of Charvel. Now, to many of us here that does not make a difference, as we are only going to pay up to a certain amount for any guitar. The marketing folks at Fender are betting that there are enough people to pay a premium price to own a Charvel.

There are some good guitars coming out of the Charvel shop. I played one in the Atlanta GC that a guy brought in to try out amps. He was nice enough to hand me his guitar and allow me to play it for a few minutes. However, I'm also sure that some dogs are making it into circulation as well.

[Wizard of Ozz]

I can afford it but I refuse to be Ass Raped by FMIC.

Hmmm... is dinner and a movie included?

[mattsmusiccenter]

The price hike isn't to cover the cost of materials and labor. It's to cover the operating costs of the factory and allow the company to run profitably. There are other ways they could have approached the profitability issue, but a price hike is the path they chose.

[Joe_Steeler]

The price hike isn't to cover the cost of materials and labor. It's to cover the operating costs of the factory and allow the company to run profitably. There are other ways they could have approached the profitability issue, but a price hike is the path they chose.

What a band of geniuses...
Maybe they can device a way to get out of Iraq while saving some face... oops!! they fucked up JCF, better not charter them with such an enterprise.

[Chrisb]

It's to cover the operating costs of the factory and allow the company to run profitably.

Thats more than a little disturbing, don't get me wrong alot of business do it but jacking up prices to make a higher profit margin isn't playing fair. If the company I work for did that we would be out of business fast.

As for the mexican vs american thing, its is complete crap. I could give a crap the nationality of the guy building my guitar as long as its well made.

Though I will disagree that these guitars aren't works of art. The player doesn't make the guitar a work of art, the luthier does. I defy you to look at one of Mike (Learn's) Custom Shop Charvel guitars and say that isn't art. If you think it isn't then you need to get your head checked. Its part the concept and part the luthier. The vision of the person who ordered the guitar combined with the skilled luthier's execution of that vision makes it art. I've seen plenty of Charvels here that definitely are works of art, irregardless of who is playing it.