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acoustic guitar pickup cost
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=52370		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Tai Fu [ Mon Sep 16, 2019 12:49 pm ]
Post subject:  acoustic guitar pickup cost
I'm wondering about something.

I have seen guitars costing around 3-500 dollars, come with say a Fishmen or LR Baggs pickup, and those pickup as you know cost anywhere from 100-200 dollars.

So how is it that we see factory made guitars costing barely more than what we can buy LR Baggs pickup for, that comes with LR Baggs? Are they really LR Baggs or clones they get off of Taobao?

Or is there a way to get LR Baggs for a lot less than what they retail for if you were to buy enough of them? If that's the case, has anyone on OLF ever considered a group buy on these things?

I'm seeing the same with cases too, where a 500 dollar guitar comes with LR Baggs, a hard case, and accessories, where if I were to get the pickups, case, and the tuner it uses (typically Gotoh die cast), I'd already spent nearly 500 dollars, but factories make an entire guitar along with all of those accessories, for little more than what I'd spend on the accessories alone. How do they do it?
Author:  Pat Foster [ Mon Sep 16, 2019 1:14 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
Volume, volume, volume!
Author:  doncaparker [ Mon Sep 16, 2019 1:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
Pat is right, but it is more formalized than just buying a lot of pickups and getting a volume discount. If you are an established guitar manufacturer, you can estimate somewhat realistic yearly sales figures, and those can be used to negotiate supply contracts with various suppliers of all types (wood, pickups, fretwire, tuning gears, etc.). If I make and sell pickups, and I get a call from Collings Guitars or Huss & Dalton, I like the idea of selling installed pickups in their guitars, so I make a contract with those companies to sell them pickups at a very favorable price, one that no retail customer would ever see.

On a smaller level, and as an example, some folks on the OLF buy enough volume to qualify for builder prices on Waverly tuners from StewMac. I don't, but some people here do.

Could a group buy work? I think it depends on the supplier. Most would probably not like the idea of a bunch of individuals collectively qualifying for builder pricing, but maybe I'm wrong and some would be OK with it.
Author:  meddlingfool [ Mon Sep 16, 2019 4:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
Don't forget the factory install of said PU's are also promo...
Author:  James Orr [ Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:38 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
They may also not be the pickups you or I would get off the street. It could be a less expensive option specially configured and manufactured for the company.
Author:  Glen H [ Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:45 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
I work in manufacturing and part of that time in procurement. Parts that retail for 80-150$ we would buy for 3-20$. We bought minimum of 5,000 a day.
Author:  Pmaj7 [ Mon Sep 16, 2019 7:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
You can find knock-offs in Asia for about $20. They look pretty convincing.

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Author:  Colin North [ Tue Sep 17, 2019 3:29 am ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
Pmaj7 wrote:
You can find knock-offs in Asia for about $20. They look pretty convincing.

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And can perform very poorly, if at all. Have a look on youtube!
Author:  Tai Fu [ Tue Sep 17, 2019 3:49 am ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
doncaparker wrote:
Pat is right, but it is more formalized than just buying a lot of pickups and getting a volume discount. If you are an established guitar manufacturer, you can estimate somewhat realistic yearly sales figures, and those can be used to negotiate supply contracts with various suppliers of all types (wood, pickups, fretwire, tuning gears, etc.). If I make and sell pickups, and I get a call from Collings Guitars or Huss & Dalton, I like the idea of selling installed pickups in their guitars, so I make a contract with those companies to sell them pickups at a very favorable price, one that no retail customer would ever see.

On a smaller level, and as an example, some folks on the OLF buy enough volume to qualify for builder prices on Waverly tuners from StewMac. I don't, but some people here do.

Could a group buy work? I think it depends on the supplier. Most would probably not like the idea of a bunch of individuals collectively qualifying for builder pricing, but maybe I'm wrong and some would be OK with it.


I'm thinking a bunch of builders can shop around, LR Baggs, Fishmen, K&K, find the most popular model and group buy them and so builders aren't stuck paying retail price for it.

I think if builders are all talking about how hard it is maybe all the builders should organize and collectively bargain for better price on parts, materials, etc. so we'd have a better competitive edge...
Author:  bftobin [ Wed Sep 18, 2019 4:11 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
Best bang for the buck IMO is JJB, but that's just me.
Author:  rlrhett [ Sat Sep 21, 2019 5:03 am ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
I’m a fan of JJB as well. He will also put a volume pot between the piezos and jack for an inexpensive and clean install.

The output is strong enough not to need a preamp and the tone is good. For more sculpting of the sound it can always be fed to a preamp on your pedalboard. It makes the top into a giant mic, so feedback is an issue.

Parenthetically, I wish I knew where he sourced the circuit board thumbwheel pot he uses. Anyone know the source?


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Author:  Colin North [ Sat Sep 21, 2019 5:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
rlrhett wrote:
I’m a fan of JJB as well. He will also put a volume pot between the piezos and jack for an inexpensive and clean install.

The output is strong enough not to need a preamp and the tone is good. For more sculpting of the sound it can always be fed to a preamp on your pedalboard. It makes the top into a giant mic, so feedback is an issue.

Parenthetically, I wish I knew where he sourced the circuit board thumbwheel pot he uses. Anyone know the source?


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Schatten make one?
https://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_Electronics/Components_and_Parts/Potentiometers/Schatten_Thumbwheel_Controls.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=2019-09-gp&pref_currency=P&shipcalc=UK&gclid=Cj0KCQjwlJfsBRDUARIsAIDHsWopGkeaqnyTItV0NuLj80R-h_GKHnmsqrnfAPLr9i0BGT45RsrS_msaAgv8EALw_wcB
Author:  rlrhett [ Sat Sep 21, 2019 6:05 am ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
No, it’s not Schatten. I suspect that is one way JJB are economical. You can find similar ones on electronic suppliers like Mouser for about $2-$3. But they usually have bigger wheels or some other form factor issue. The one he uses is perfect.


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Author:  SnowManSnow [ Mon Sep 23, 2019 6:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: acoustic guitar pickup cost
doncaparker wrote:
Pat is right, but it is more formalized than just buying a lot of pickups and getting a volume discount. If you are an established guitar manufacturer, you can estimate somewhat realistic yearly sales figures, and those can be used to negotiate supply contracts with various suppliers of all types (wood, pickups, fretwire, tuning gears, etc.). If I make and sell pickups, and I get a call from Collings Guitars or Huss & Dalton, I like the idea of selling installed pickups in their guitars, so I make a contract with those companies to sell them pickups at a very favorable price, one that no retail customer would ever see.

On a smaller level, and as an example, some folks on the OLF buy enough volume to qualify for builder prices on Waverly tuners from StewMac. I don't, but some people here do.

Could a group buy work? I think it depends on the supplier. Most would probably not like the idea of a bunch of individuals collectively qualifying for builder pricing, but maybe I'm wrong and some would be OK with it.


On a related / unrelated path I’ve been a reefkeeper (corals and exotic fish) for about 16 years and we do bulk group buys within
Our local club for discounts on expensive items. That said our club president normally heads it up... collects the money / makes purchase / then folks have to pick up at a meeting. That would be the bottle neck for most companies I think. The shipping. Cash is cash to them so I don’t think they have an elitist mentality on who can “get” a volume discount, but it just doesn’t make sense for them to then have to pay and ship to 200 different addresses:)
So, the discount, in this case, has to be steep enough to both save money on the product AND pay for shipping.




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