WCR Prices Rise yet again!!!!

wow. that's kind of ridiculous. i love my darkbursts...but jeez.

 

Nothing ridiculous about it. Prices rose AGAIN? When was the last time that happened? Hell, even *I* can't remember. I believe that is the 1st and only increase in Fillmores, Darkburst, or Crossroads to ever occur since the day I started selling them as a business.
Every time you look? That is a flat-out wrong and false accusation to make.My prices have remained very consistent for a long, long time. In the meantime all of *my* costs have been rising during all that time. Inflation counts, doesn't it? If you notice, the prices *include* UPSP Priority Shipping, Insured, with Delivery Confirmation. And I usually (almost ALWAYS)get them out in a couple of days. Know anyone else who gets their hand-built product built and shipped to Hong Kong in 2-3 days? At a flat rate?
I've had a shortage of covers, and have a lot of guys waiting on them, but they will be here probably tomorrow or Thurs.. Been almost a 2 month wait on those. (Kinda off-topic, but I know some guys are getting tired of the wait).
You may also notice that I came DOWN in prices on Goodwoods and HERCS the same amount the others went up..
I am not a hobby winder, and have overhead to pay. If I am to continue doing this, I have to constantly put out cash just to keep my stuff running like it is now.
Springs and screws? In 11 years of this, I NEVER have. Everybody always wants to use the originals. When somebody asks for screws (maybe 5 times that I can remember in all these years) I ship them, at MY cost, Priority to see to it they receive them ASAP. Sure, you can order them from allparts, but THEY charge for them as well, and don't send them free Priority, snail, or otherwise.
I also, ( and have NEVER said this) occassionaly ship out FREE sets to some guys who are just having a rough time of it,and I find out about it. Always through 3rd parties. Who else does that?
I've been at this a long time. I HANDWIND my pickups. I am not automated. These are more artwork, than simple mass=produced items. I literally see every turn that goes on every coil. Me, myself, and I.I work 12-18 hours a day. If I automated, , I COULD afford to sell them cheap. You get what you pay for. Build them cheap and fast, and the sound WILL suffer.My customers are perfectionists, and I give them the best I possibly can.
If you think I ever ****ed anybody, bring 'em on. I have files a mile deep (well, that MAY be an exageration), of people who bought my stuff, and then sent not one, but several letters telling me how pleased they are. And that, my friend, is absolutley the best part of my job.

 

I play my Darkbursts WAY more than my PAF's. Not exactly a bad thing, to my way of thinking, especially since the DB's are a great pickup tone. There's a big difference in the price I paid for those two sets. As a matter of fact, I was lucky and paid low 4 figures (years back now) for my pair of PAF's. In contrast, I could have five or six sets of WCR's at current prices and have money left over now.

If I'd known of the WCR's before I got the PAF's, I'd have alot more money in the bank, too....specifically, low 4 figures, at least, if you don't count the interest from four years back.

 

Well I guess what pissed me off the most was the thread title.
"Prices Rise Yet Again." Some went up, some went down, all equal ammounts. Evening up the field some.
It just looks and sounds like I'm doing it every month. I felt I HAD to take it personally, and respond as I did.
The bummer is I have to charge sales tax in California to other Californians. You are right, it sucks to do business here. But the weather and the views......

Your last post reminds me of an Odd Couple show once. Remember how Felix remembered how to spell "assume?"
He said "Assume" makes an ASS of U and ME....
( i wish there was a better laughing emicon! )

I AM VERY glad you like what you got. I never take offense at remarks like that ! lolol

I know what ya mean Scumbag! When I first started doing this (actually just BEFORE I started) I was looking to get some PAFs. Back them, they were $750-$1500 per SET. And I thought THAT was way too much, and couldn't afford it. So I just got me a roll of wire, and spent the next decade or so trying to figure it all out !

 

Yeah, I hear you, Wags. Buying speakers ad nauseum until you get the good ones is kinda expensive, too. Sure be nice if there was just ONE ingredient to the whole tone thing...

 

Hey Wags-just tell'em not to let the screen door hit 'em in the keester

I guess the general public hasn't figured out it costs a BUNDLE to be the'fookin ahrtist'(to quote the late great John Lennon)that you are my friend....too many guys who have more money than sense(and I have said this verbatim to several of our mutual acquaintances) have yet to realize the DECADES involved in the development and design of your products....not to mention quick turn around,the utter lack of vacations you get,and the high standards you make a consistent effort to maintain to put out the products that you do-much love to you and Ms Carol,Brother-OUT

 

I'm no WCR customer yet, but might be as I'm looking for a double-humbucker guitar. Seeing the prices, I think 300 to 400 $ for a great set of pups will do you more good than spending 200-300 on the 10th overdrive/fuzz/distortion/tremolo/vibe....... box.
I just noticed this after playing a whole rehearsal with just my Firebird and my Marshall (73 Non-Master). I had a Bluesbreaker- od-box at my feet, but only switched it on to get a LITTLE more hair a couple of times.

BTW, anybody have a 61 RI SG or "normal" RI les Paul with WCR in it? How's the sound?

 

I love my Fillmore's! They turned a decent LP Classic into a tone machine. I have a set of Strat pickups on the way and I can't wait to hear them. Jim, you rule!

 

WCR's are WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!

btw, i'm one of the five Jim mentioned about asking for humbucker screws.

yes, he shipped them with the crossroads set at no extra charge!

And it took me only a few days to get my pickups after placing the order (both times). and i live in Greece!!!...

i consider my self really privileged to have done busyness with Jim Wagner and finally own some of his stuff.


:AOK

 

jim has the biggest heart on the planet. they don't make 'em any nicer or more honest, and i KNOW how hard the guy works to be able to deliver such a stellar product. and you'll never hear from this guy that there's gonna have to be a 4-8 week wait! NEVER! that entitles him to get paid well, don'tcha think?


ml

 

I think if his pickups were twice the price, they'd still be a steal.

 

Hi there,

I have to jump to Jim´s defense and say that not only is he a dream to do business with, he really knows what it takes to make a great PU.

I have bought three sets from Jim this year, a set of Fillmores and two sets of Crossroads.

I am very happy with the PUs and only sold the Fillmores, since they were too hot for my tastes.

Jim supplied me with a set of screws at NO charge! And he sent the PUs in express time to me.

Keep up the good work Jim!

Cheers,

Dominik

 

the pickups Wagner makes are worth whatever it costs. I have them in all my guitars except one which will be getting a pair of Crossroads shortly when I get the money together.

 

One more happy customer! I have two sets of WCR's, and would order more if I had the guitars to put them in.

 

I've been in business for 16 years and in my experience, a decision to raise any prices didn't come easily but was typically 6 months or more overdue, based on my cost-basis.

I'm a big fan of Jim Wagner's work. Very good stuff. Very good. His pickups are still a good value, IMO. They're the best.

 

So I just wanted to post some thoughts here.

If you think about it, because of the increase in the cost of oil/gas, everything that Jim orders that gets shipped to him to make his pickups costs him more because of shipping, and his his shipping of the pickups costs more. So, he could have kept the prices the same and made it up charging for shipping, as well as potentially not always getting them there right away because the customer would choose the shipping method, but he decided to be stand up about it, and take the potential flames to keep up his high level of service that we have all raved about.

I will also say this. In the Baker I used to have, I had a set of pickups from another boutique manufacturer for a similar prices plus shipping, they took 12 weeks to get here,and the neck pickup arrived with one of the coils not working. I ended up nver being happy with the sound, so I ordered a set of Filmores, got them in 2 days and they were perfect. Jeff (hansoloist) and I talked about it when he was thinking about getting them for his Thorn. I currently don't have any HB guitars, but when I do, I will most certainly put in a set of Jim's pickups.

ok, I'm done now .

-eric

 

great pickups. great dude. great value.