Brentcgp wrote
I have read so many times about the leading Luthiers in the world... those who have taken design, etc to a new level...
Kevin Ryan, Jeff Traugott Linda Manzer etc.. :-\ they just massivley expensive guitars...
There's various components in the pricing of a guitar. Reputation, fame and availability are amongst them. You'd pay more for a guitar from Linda Manzer than you would from a lesser known luthier who produces a guitar of equal quality. Wood is another factor. Some luthiers insist on very high quality wood. Or they have access to rare woods.
For almost any high-end maker you can think of you are going to pay if the guitar incorporates brazilian rosewood.
George Lowden is very particular about the woods used on his guitars (especially for the 35 and 38 series) and also insists on hand split, not sawn wood for bracing. These things drive prices up.
Lowden will allow only a specific type of Japanese spoke shave to be used for carving necks. And you can only get so many necks out of each tool and when they are done he won't have them resharpened - he replaces.
That said, Lowdens are not THAT expensive in the grand scheme of things. You'd pay less for a Lowden than for a Manzer.
Mervyn is immune to many of these considerations. Because the sides of his guitars do nothing for tone and the backs very little he is not confined to the traditional tone woods, and with the design being so different he doesn't have to stick to AAA or better woods for the back and sides. He does stick to spruce and cedar for tops, but can use smaller pieces. The top of my guitar will show that he uses very good quality spruce.
I'm not sure about having somebody famous playing your guitar being a price driver - except maybe for signature models. Linda Manzer has Bruce Cockburn and Pat Metheney playing her guitars. Famous Lowden players include Clapton, Bensusan and Thompson, but you'd pay more for a "standard" Manzer than for a Lowden. Nick Benjamin in Lewes has less celebrity on his side but he charges substantially more than Lowden - and has a 3 year waiting list.
This is not to say that any of the people I've named here are ripping the buyer off. I have seen Benjamin's guitars and the workmanship on them is superb. I have played a Lowden and whilst they are very plain guitars there is no disputing the quality of construction and the sound they produce.
