D'Pergo is pushing the limits!

[Darby Crash]

Awesome -- thanks guys.

[Mowcheeba]

Originally Posted by Paulpuck68

From purely a consumer stand point I would be turned off if I came to a website looking to order an instrument and saw that they wanted $300 to spec or consult on specs for a guitar. My first instinct (assuming I came to the site with no advance info on the builder or his guitars like is readily available here but necessarily to all possible buyers) would be that they are rather arrogant to presume their time is worth that amount of money. However it is their absolute right to handle their business anyway they want. I can only imagine how hard it is to deal with all the inquiries regarding products that they receive. Personally I don't spec a guitar until I am ready to order so in this case it wouldn't make any difference since I would be sending in a deposit at the same time.

+1

If/When I buy a D'Pergo I'll have my specs already down. Just gonna ask what Stefan thinks about them.

[Bassomatic]

Originally Posted by Mowcheeba

+1

If/When I buy a D'Pergo I'll have my specs already down. Just gonna ask what Stefan thinks about them.

see, that 300 might insure your If *becomes* When.

Good move on D'Pergo's part if it results in increased production and/or other efficiencies for what is, after all, his business.

[photoguy]

Originally Posted by splatt

simply from curiosity, then:
one might wonder what attracted you
to engage yourself in this thread?
¿how someone else arranges their business,
though you're not interested in them at all,
nor their instruments,
nor even their "style" of instruments?
curious.

dt / spltrcl

One might not wonder as well. This is afterall a discussion board where people discuss and offer opinions without the need to establish credentials.

[matte]

Originally Posted by photoguy

One might not wonder as well. This is afterall a discussion board where people discuss and offer opinions without the need to establish credentials.

which to me is the crux of the problem with the bbs system in general. credentials (though certainly not mandatory) are usually the result of experience with the subject @ hand. an opinion that is not backed by personal experience generally serves little more than that poster's entitlement/ignorance.

[Mowcheeba]

Originally Posted by splatt

spec'ing a custom guitar, ime,
can take many, many hrs, over a period of
weeks (or, longer), in many cases;
if it were my time, i can thoroughly &
compassionately understand the need for some
guarantee of deposit before undertaking this process
..... esp. if i'd already been
repeatedly burned,
which clearly happens, for real.

It is a two way street isn't it? The customer also put his time into it.......what if the customer is a Doctor, President or a King? Who's time is more valuable?
I could make a long list of other guitar, amp and pickup manufacturers that doesn't consider their time more valuable than the costumer, or they do but consider it to be part of customer service.

Wouldn't be surprised if I ended up with a D'Pergo

Time to kill this thread, maybe this kind of discussion belongs in a Business Forum.

[Paulpuck68]

I guess the reason I decided to subject myself to the potential abuse of responding to this thread was because my reading of the initial posting was more that it was asking about peoples thoughts on this business practice not the guitar or luthier. That is precisely why I prefaced my remarks the way I did. I don't have any dog in the D'Pergo fight that seems to happen whenever D'Pergo guitars are brought up. I am trying to add some insight from an unbiased person or at least as much as any of us can really be.

In regards to what it is about the D'Pergo style that I don't like I would say basically any strat style configuration. I love music made with strat style guitars but for me I just don't enjoy playing them that much. I really prefer P90's and doublecut or singlecut styles. Over the past few years I just decided I was wasting my time trying to find a strat style I really like when what I really enjoyed was P90's.

I personally thought my posting was more appropriate to the thread than most of what was posted but everyone sees things differently. Thus the beauty and sometimes filth of the human condition.

[brentrocks]

Originally Posted by Mowcheeba

$300 consultation fee? What the f..K?

Talk about bold. Even if the guitar was from another galaxy I would not pay that kind of money just to discuss a possible buy.

D'Pergos own words:
If you would like to discuss a custom order, but are not immediately placing the order, the non-refundable consultation fee is $300 which will be applied towards the deposit when your order is placed.

I know it is probably one of the best Strat/ Tele style guitars out there but c'mon........

Ron Luczak doesnt charge a consult fee and his guitars are incredible...i guess i'm just lucky he is somewhat local and a really nice guy!

[brentrocks]

Originally Posted by Vibrolucky

BTW....forgot to mention I'm charging you all $300 for my opinions here.

LMAO!~!!!!!!:AOK

[DonW]

Although I'm not psychic it may be forthcoming that more builders make this their policy as well. They have a reputation riding on each and every one of their guitars in a way that the big production builders don't. I don't see how he's charging for the time when the money goes to the actual purchase price, when you buy one. If all you want to do is talk about it, why would you bother?

[jzilla]

Originally Posted by Hamertoe

Although I'm not psychic it may be forthcoming that more builders make this their policy as well. They have a reputation riding on each and every one of their guitars in a way that the big production builders don't. I don't see how he's charging for the time when the money goes to the actual purchase price, when you buy one. If all you want to do is talk about it, why would you bother?

well put!

[CDaughtry]

Originally Posted by Paulpuck68

I guess the reason I decided to subject myself to the potential abuse of responding to this thread was because my reading of the initial posting was more that it was asking about peoples thoughts on this business practice not the guitar or luthier. That is precisely why I prefaced my remarks the way I did.

With all due respect, here's the IP's exact initial quote:

"$300 consultation fee? What the f..K?
Talk about bold. Even if the guitar was from another galaxy I would not pay that kind of money just to discuss a possible buy.

D'Pergos own words:
If you would like to discuss a custom order, but are not immediately placing the order, the non-refundable consultation fee is $300 which will be applied towards the deposit when your order is placed.

I know it is probably one of the best Strat/ Tele style guitars out there but c'mon........"


You didn't think THAT was about a particular builder?

[aleclee]

Much ado about nothing IMO. The "fee" is entirely applied to the price of the guitar.

I have no problem with a guy wanting to eliminate tire kickers. If you're a serious buyer, you'll plunk down the money since it's the first of many dollars you intend to send.

[KRosser]

Originally Posted by Mowcheeba

It is a two way street isn't it? The customer also put his time into it.......what if the customer is a Doctor, President or a King? Who's time is more valuable?

Dig - if the President wants a 1-hour guitar lesson from me and shows up 35 minutes late, his lesson is only 25 minutes long and he pays for the full hour. It's not about "who's time is more valuable". If you're engaging me in a business transaction for either a good or a service, it's my business you want and I set the terms - you meet the terms, you get the product/service. Isn't that how it mostly works?

I don't know Mr. D'Pergo at all, but it sounds to me like this is specifically intended to counteract a last minute case of cold feet that means the order gets pulled after he's already got it spec-ed and scheduled in.

[jimfog]

Originally Posted by KRosser

Dig - if the President wants a 1-hour guitar lesson from me and shows up 35 minutes late, his lesson is only 25 minutes long and he pays for the full hour. It's not about "who's time is more valuable".

HA!

Your kinder than me, Ken.......if said Prez was 35 mins late to an hour lesson, he'd be SOL...........after 15 mins, you're considered AWOL.....in other words, no lesson AND you owe me for my time. See ya next week...........on-time, probably!

Sorry for the OT.

As to the topic, I was a wee bit taken aback......until I considered the difference between "Spec'ing a custom guitar" VS just "calling to get some info". I think he's more than justified. (as if anyone cares)

- Jim