LarryUK Posted December 24, 2014 Report Share Posted December 24, 2014 How much does wood cost for a guitar? Say, the wood for a Traditional against a Custom shop 59? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 The difference in cost is much more a factor of the amount of time to manufacture and the perceived value to the consumer than the cost of the actual materials IMO. Let's hear what other more knowledgable members have to say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingarmadillo Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 Not a lot, most of it is the labor. A little time on Google show unfinished kits run $150 - $200 for the body and neck. http://www.lmii.com/...cts/mostly-wood An unfinished mahogany body blank at Warmoth is under $90. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 Just a guess, but I think if a guy goes to a hardwood supplier, it might be 200-400 bucks for some nice pieces. Been a long time since I actually buy hardwoods, but I often buy wood for construction. I think wood is more than the average person expects. Around 1 buck a lineal foot for most things regardless, and something on the order of a solid wood for a small table or over 12" wide will be about a hundy. Bulk usually only gets about 10% cheaper for most things. So...I'm also a bit curious what the wood might cost, I don't really know. What I do know, is that better figure vs plain only happens in bulk. If that is sorted out buy the distributer and sold to Gibby in different grades, or Gibby is able to buy it and sort it themselves.....don't know that either. When it comes to sorting and matching for individual models, THAT takes time, but also only comes from having lots to choose from. Some of these truly expensive models intended to replicate certain guitars, it isn't so much the grade of wood as it is sorting and finding the right pieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skilsaw Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 How much does wood cost for a guitar? Say, the wood for a Traditional against a Custom shop 59? What is a Custom Shop 59? The species of the tree and the location it is from influences cost of wood a lot. I think Brasilian rosewood is the most expensive rosewood available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 "How much does guitar wood cost?" about as much as a LP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimi Mac Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 2+ years unlawful Draconian confiscation and a raid w/automatic weapons by this administration's federal agents... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 How much does wood cost for a guitar? Say, the wood for a Traditional against a Custom shop 59? Are you talking about how much it would cost Gibson or how much it would cost you if you were to go and buy it by yourself? Gibson probably buy in huge bulk so the cost for each unit is smaller... But for instance I got a nice flamed maple top and that cost me £60 alone... Fretboard blank is about £10 back body wood I personally get really cheap but ive seen one piece body blanks for about £60 too.. And the neck wood about say £30... However in saying all of that.. If you are talking about Genuine Mahogany (not Sapele or what ever other substitute) that stuff is becoming really rare and ultra expensive.. And I think generally what happens with wood selection is that for the high end stuff they especially select the nicest pieces of the stock they have and everything else gets used on the other models... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 Gibson probably buy in huge bulk so the cost for each unit is smaller... Maybe, but keeping a consistent source of quality wood adds to the cost, there are salaries, travel costs, contracts, legal fees, import taxes, making the most of the wood, etc. Not as easy as choosing between two pieces of wood that somebody puts in front of you. Not for Gibson anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 Maybe, but keeping a consistent source of quality wood adds to the cost, there are salaries, travel costs, contracts, legal fees, import taxes, making the most of the wood, etc. Not as easy as choosing between two pieces of wood that somebody puts in front of you. Not for Gibson anyway. Indeed.. and increasingly so... They seem to use Sapele a lot but I wonder how long even that species will last.. I can get that over here quite easy for a pretty reasonable price at the moment. Genuine Mahogany though is really getting rare over here... You can find the odd bits here and there from people who have it stockpiled or who are importing it themselves.. but if you go to a commercial supplier they don't stock it any more. Of all of the similar species of Mahogany I have worked with so far, I think Utile is the nicest. Im not sure about Maple and what the world stocks of that are, but that's getting pretty expensive too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted December 25, 2014 Report Share Posted December 25, 2014 Maybe, but keeping a consistent source of quality wood adds to the cost, there are salaries, travel costs, contracts, legal fees, import taxes, making the most of the wood, etc. Not as easy as choosing between two pieces of wood that somebody puts in front of you. Not for Gibson anyway. VERY good point, sir. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshall Paul Posted December 26, 2014 Report Share Posted December 26, 2014 So all I am paying for is wood. I am not paying for labor and paint and finishing and mark up and name. well....alright..you got me there lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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