# Expensive



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I thought Linda Manzer's guitars were expensive

Handmade Guitars | Handmade Acoustic Guitars | Custom Acoustic Guitars | Petros Guitars


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

Wood from "The Tree" has been around for a while..used by quite a few builders over the years. I've only ever played an R. Taylor that utilized wood from "The Tree". It looked real pretty.
Anyone can put any sticker price on their instruments...they gotta sell at that price however, to be "worth" that price. "The Tree" guitars tend to sell for some pretty hefty dollars..and this one is a one off with some other apparent fancy wood. Somebody with more money than brains may snatched it up at $50K...


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## High/Deaf (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm gonna offer him $45,500 - but only if he can supply it with strings from "The Ore". I'd like a pick from "The Chops" too, but that's probably too much to ask, eh?


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Assuming the construction is of the highest order, that guitar should sound glorious.

While we're on the subject, I could use a loan.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Guyfrets (Aug 20, 2012)

IMHO Petros guitars rank right up there with Michael Greenfield's instruments at the top of the boutique builder food chain. That said, Petros Guitars has just re-introduced the Applecreek line (Sitka or cedar over EIR). about a week ago I received an email from Petros Guitars with youtube links for both the FS body size and the slightly larger GC. Both models sounded fantastic to me, and that's no small achievement for acoustic guitars on youtube. Unfortunately the videos have already been taken down or I'd have posted them here. In any case, at $8,800 U.S. they strike me as a better deal than $50,000 for a guitar built from "The Tree". Then again, if I had a spare 50 grand kicking around....................


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## Geetarz (Jan 19, 2016)

I think the Greenfield instruments are very lovely looking instruments and excellently crafted...but I must say of the few I seen and played around on a bit at the early Montreal Guitar Show(s), I was underwhelmed by what was to me, a lack of bass response. I think I only tried the fanned stuff and I enjoyed the 6-string, sound wise, much more than the 7-string. There was a small bodied Matsuda one year, with the burnt top thing that really floored me sounds wise..a Somogyi one year too I really appreciated. Toronto luthier Mesquita had a bizarre nylon string on display one year with, if memory serves correct, an adjustable neck of sorts. While I didn't care for the look of the instrument, with two odd cutaways to the upper bouts, it's the only nylon string I even remember liking in all my years going. Too bad about the show. The volume of the Parker arch top also floored me...but I just found the design too bizarre...not a fan of those headstocks.

EDIT: heading into bed last night I kept thinking I didn't phrase my experiences of the Greenfield properly. The response throughout the register was actually fine...great really but it was simply lacking in bass for my preference. And since sound is so subjective, it's obviously just something I personally was expecting more of. And I recalled another nylon string by Oskar Graf one year that was really quite lovely sounding although on the heavy side if memory serves correct.
Lastly, I forgot to mention the electrics of Joe Yanuziello...I don't think anyone builds an electric guitar as perfect in every regards as Joe..he even makes his own hardware save for the tuners. And his archtops, flattops, resonators, basses are something to behold...his work is exceptional in every regards.


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## Guyfrets (Aug 20, 2012)

What really fascinates me about the state of guitar luthiery these days is the inverse relationship between supply and demand vs cost. Despite a profusion of high end guitars (both boutique shop and factory produced) the prices just keep rising exponentially. It's similar to some current real estate markets i.e. Vancouver and Toronto. At the end of the day I'd have trouble justifying $50,000.00 U.S. (what's that, about 2 million Canadian now??). There is a point of diminishing returns where tone and visual aesthetics collide with price, ergo my earlier point about the Petros Applecreek models. In my experience great luthiers tend to achieve a consistent underlying sonic quality that transcends even the wood choices they or their clients make. This is not to say their guitars don't each sound unique but rather that the tonal quality becomes consistent from one guitar to the next. I'd also add that among our local builders there are good deals to be had. I believe the current starting price for a G.W. Barry custom build is still under 6 grand and his guitars, especially in recent years, sound fabulous and are effortless to play.


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## Alex (Feb 11, 2006)

Guyfrets said:


> I'd also add that among our local builders there are good deals to be had. I believe the current starting price for a G.W. Barry custom build is still under 6 grand and his guitars, especially in recent years, sound fabulous and are effortless to play.


agreed. A David Wren build was $CDN4K at the time I put my order in. The last time I talked to David, his book was full which is not too surprising given the guitar/price ratio.


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## Guyfrets (Aug 20, 2012)

A


Alex said:


> agreed. A David Wren build was $CDN4K at the time I put my order in. The last time I talked to David, his book was full which is not too surprising given the guitar/price ratio.


As well as being a top flight luthier, David Wren is no slouch when it comes to photography either. I've enjoyed following several of his build threads.


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