Premium Quality Kits

[Simon Barden]

The expense is mainly down to Chinese vs US labour rates. How the windings are applied can make a big difference to the sound (tension, winding pattern , machine vs hand scatterwound) as can the level of wax potting - none, some, very etc. Materials used for bobbins and the wire insulation can also affect things like the overall pickup capacitance. Level of magnetic change on the magnetic pole pieces can vary as well.

In theory, it should be possible to make them sound identical, but I'm at my knowledge limit here on pickup making, so can't give a definitive answer.

[dave.king1]

Thanks Simon, the difference between the manufacture method of the kit pickups and the Toneriders is obvious.

Having said that with automated manufacture the windings should be very similar

Not knocking anyone's perspective it has really piqued my curiosity

[andrewdosborne]

I've lost count on positive comments received from other musicians when they hear my Tonerider fitted out guitars (with upgraded electronics) - especially when they hear the price!


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[Dedman]

I tend to think the difference is swagger rights. I don't know why people think US workers give a dam any more than Chinese or Korean or Indonesian or Australian workers do. Minimum wage is still minimum wage to the person earning it.

[stan]

I think a premium option would be a great thing.
As the others have stated I would expect top QC, and nicer components.

And if the kits are from World Musical Instruments then absolutely yes_ they make Chapman, Schecter, BC Rich, Dean, Gretsch, LTD and the PRS SE range - awesome bang for buck guitars, and top quality fit and finish

[pablopepper]

WMI is where the Ormsby GTR range is made also. So, possibility of multiscale?

[Sundragon]

My 2 bob:

The price difference is too high for this to be commercially feasible IMO.

A backyard builder would be very unlikely to spend that kind of money with the hope they build well enough to make it worth it, and an accomplished or luthier-level builder will be quite unlikely to be buying that level of starting point from (with all due respect) Pit Bull, if they aren't simply building from scratch themselves anyway.

This is just how I see it.

I think the market for top quality kits could definitely do with an improved level, but I think it would be lower volumes than the standard kits, and would have to be in the $300-$450 range for it to have any take-up.

[stan]

what would be nice is some premium quality necks, ready to go (frets dressed, bone nut ...) and a through neck option

[zeromick]

what would be nice is some premium quality necks, ready to go (frets dressed, bone nut ...) and a through neck option

this!

Quality necks! smooth as butter ready to bolt onto a body

[elcodyloco]

$400 is only a set of pickups short of a Mexican Fender. $800 is more than some PRS SE models. I just don't see it working out, unless you can reduce the cost by just not including hardware besides the pickguard. And even at that point, there are plenty of companies that already offer similar priced kits (or just individual bodies and necks) that are fully customizable outside of shape.

I think PBG has found the sweet spot in cheaper kits that are priced to allow for flexability for every builder's budget, from simple oil finishes and stock hardware, to full on nitro finishes and top of the line hardware.

^$0.02