Do people really pay $1-2K for partscasters?

[GuitarsBuicks]

I'll be honest, I don't even know if they have an outlet in the UK.

I was referencing the TV show. Nash (the character) refers to everyone as "Bubba" "Man" or "Sister" respectively. Playing off the joke I made earlier. Never played a Nash built guitar.

 

[Golem]

The OP is asking about partscasters priced like Nash and LSL not Nash's themselves.
The problem is without a defining brand or model it's hard to track what they actually sell for.

Indeed you are correct sir. I find this happens a lot on forums with comments I make. Apparently I need to take more time and break up sentences for clarity to reduce the possibility that people will misinterpret my words.

 

[Telekarster]

I reread the OP's post more carefully At first I thought they were asking about "name-brand" partscasters, but you're right, they are asking about "no-name" partscasters going for "name-brand" partscasters pricing.

Yeah, to me this seems less likely that the seller will get their asking price. Usually better to just sell the parts.

Yep, and I suppose that was the point I was trying to make too. I would hold my Nocaster or my 54 Strat that I built up to any CS built, but I'm just "a guy" with no recognition so even though I use only USA made Fender parts, CS pups, hand made bodies, etc. at the end of the day they're not worth more than the parts that are in them. IF I were to ever sell em, I'd have to part em out to get anywhere near my money back but that would be a darn shame cause, again, I love my guitars both in looks, feel, and tone... so no way I'd have the heart to do that to em. Bad juju to do that in my book So... resell is not a factor, nor was it ever a factor to begin with

 

[netgear69]

Nash guitars the reviews for them regarding the playability is excellent the finishing on the other hand is some of the worst relic jobs out there
each to their own i would say spend your money on a factory Fender mod it or beat it up to your liking

 

[Fendereedo]

I was referencing the TV show. Nash (the character) refers to everyone as "Bubba" "Man" or "Sister" respectively. Playing off the joke I made earlier. Never played a Nash built guitar.

Ah ok, lol. Lost in translation from my end.

 

[beninma]

IMO about 90% of the value of a guitar is in the last 10% of finishing and setup, that last 10% might be 90% of the work too.

Once you get past the brand name it's easy to see that.

Fender is making Partscasters as well. They're bolted together from parts..

Do you want to pay more for the Fender name? Do you pick guitars based on resale value which is based on brand name? Or would you rather pay more for that last 10% of quality/setup?

It is not that hard for smaller companies to beat Fender's quality at a lower price... people who want the quality and don't care about the name will buy other brands which Fender fans will call "partscasters".

 

[Gris]

The people putting them together might pay that for the parts, but they will never be able to sell it for that.

def not my experience. a parts tele costs me about $800. and I’ve had offers for way more than that for every one

 

[Sax-son]

I mean, my partscaster plays and sounds better than some of the real custom shop guitars that I have played.

I'm sure that it does. I have built and sold a few myself in which the current owners have said that they would never sell them. That is a real compliment when people tell you that.

 

[telemnemonics]

Pricey parts total between $1000 and $2000 for a Tele copy, and if the assembler puts it up for sale as soon as it's done, it's no more used than a Nash that was assembled by human hands.

IF, the build specs are basic blackguard and the guitar has wide appeal, it might be worth the cost of the parts.

BUT, if the assembler chose freaky specs only they could love, I'd say it's worth way less than the parts cost.

 

[telemnemonics]

def not my experience. a parts tele costs me about $800. and I’ve had offers for way more than that for every one

"Not for sale" is always more attractive!

 

[teletail]

I've actually thought the same thing - does anyone really buy a $2,000 or more partscaster from Joe Lunchbucket? All I can think is that there are askin' prices and there are gettin' prices.

Because there is some confusion, I'm NOT talking about Nash and the rest of the well known builders.

 

[sax4blues]

Apparently not according to sellers of partscasters.

 

[telemnemonics]

I'm actually more surprised at the prices of Nash built partscasters than I am at same quality hobby builds asking similar money.

To make a living selling partscatsers, Nash has to find an awful lot of buyers willing to pay ridiculous prices for pretend beat up old new guitars.

Of course "ridiculous prices" is subjective, but the thread topis is subjective application of guitar value!
Part of my subjective attack on those prices is the fact that there is more labor cost in beating them up, than in assembling them.
Any hobby builder that manages to NOT do any damage assembling quality parts is more sensible to my sensibilities!

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

I'm actually more surprised at the prices of Nash built partscasters than I am at same quality hobby builds asking similar money.

To make a living selling partscatsers, Nash has to find an awful lot of buyers willing to pay ridiculous prices for pretend beat up old new guitars.

Of course "ridiculous prices" is subjective, but the thread topis is subjective application of guitar value!
Part of my subjective attack on those prices is the fact that there is more labor cost in beating them up, than in assembling them.
Any hobby builder that manages to NOT do any damage assembling quality parts is more sensible to my sensibilities!

I mean there is definitely one Nash guitar in the hands of a certain famous telecaster player...I'll let you guess which one because I have no clue. But I'm sure some famous person has one.

 

[GuitarsBuicks]

def not my experience. a parts tele costs me about $800. and I’ve had offers for way more than that for every one

What kind of parts did you use? Diamond encrusted pickups and solid gold hardware? Mine only cost me about $350 if you don't count the wood glue time. Although I did use Bootstrap pickups which severely cut the price, I wouldn't trade them for anything I have heard yet...well maybe for the set in the 70th anniversary Broadcaster if you could get them.

 

[John C]

The way I phrased it clearly confused a few people here.

• Nash has always made partcasters. I don't get how people I've never heard of can charge more than Nash.
• K Line used to make partscasters. That's how he started out. As time has gone on he has eventually gotten to increasingly making things in house when possible. People are definitely asking more than K-Line partscasters go for but even the more recent used ones as well.
• LSL, from what I understand, was doing everything in house as much as possible. But then he sort of chilled on that with a more recent less expensive line.

Anyhow, in all of these situations I don't get why some random person would put together a guitar from parts and charge more than these high end builders.

@John C I had no idea anyone made furniture in STL. But K-Line started with partcasters and I now realize my comments confused people.

I'm pretty sure that is what Chris K. said when he started using them instead of getting parts from Warmoth, USCG or whomever he had been using. But at any rate it's a small CNC wood shop near him in St. Louis; maybe they just make parts for people making craft furniture in their basements or something like that! I think he moved to doing it like this about 10 years ago.

 

[telemnemonics]

I mean there is definitely one Nash guitar in the hands of a certain famous telecaster player...I'll let you guess which one because I have no clue. But I'm sure some famous person has one.

probably true, but there are even more hobby grade partscasters that made the big time in the hands of players like Gilmour, EVH, Clapton etc.

yet online gear chat says a Nash is big money while lack of brand name cuts value 50% because online gear chat rules

of course those guitars that came to life on kitchen tables had to be beat up by actual guitar players playing them, not by professional paint scraping relic gurus.

 

[USian Pie]

If "Valley Arts" is on the headstock, they possibly did.

I suspect a lot of those parts suppliers are the source for more than a few boutique shops. I can think of at least two off the top of my head.

Economically, it makes a lot more sense to spend your time on finishing and setup -- the things that really make that "extra special" quality in a guitar. Let the guys who are experts in carving and sanding do their specialty.

 

[beninma]

There are plenty of famous Tele players that don’t play Fender Teles.

Are Nachocasters parts-casters? Redd Volkaert seems to prefer those.

I have played some Nash Teles and every one of them was very very nice.

Most of the doubt seems to be from people who can’t understand a guitar can be great without a Fender logo on the headstock.

 

[Killing Floor]

People absolutely "pay" that much when they put them together sometimes.
I have a harder time believing people sell them for that much after they're built.