Electric guitars can often range in price, but the average guitar will set you back $600-$900. This is not an affordable price tag, and with entry-level acoustic guitars falling in the $100-$200 price range, it may be confusing to some why electric guitars are so much more expensive. There are many facets that go into producing an electric guitar that drives up the cost.
Here are seven reasons why electric guitars are so expensive:
- Electric guitars take a long time to make.
- The guitar has gone through extensive quality control.
- Expensive guitars use high-quality wood.
- Brand appeal allows some companies to charge more.
- The guitar was manufactured in Europe, the US, or Japan.
- The guitar is made of high-quality materials.
- The instrument is aesthetically pleasing.
Let’s take a closer look at each of these reasons so you’ll have a better understanding of why you’re dropping nearly a grand or more on an electric guitar.
Related: how much is an electric guitar [ cost, price guide] and how to make an electric guitar sound better for metal.
1. Electric Guitars Take a Long Time To Make
Making an electric guitar requires skilled labor, which comes at a cost. It can take up to 200 hours of hard work to make one of these instruments, and if the laborers are paid fairly, this will increase the price of the final product.
However, thanks to modern technology, the process doesn’t always take that long. Machines can speed up parts of the process, and some electric guitars are made entirely by factory equipment. These guitars will be less expensive, but they may also suffer from some errors in the manufacturing process if the company didn’t do a thorough quality check.
If you would like an electric guitar made by someone who truly understands everything that makes a great guitar and is checking the quality every step of the way, you’re going to have to be prepared to pay for the time that this kind of guitar manufacturing takes. I recommend going this route if you can afford the hefty price tag. There’s something special about knowing that your instrument was made entirely with someone’s hands and not by a factory machine.
2. The Guitar Has Gone Through Extensive Quality Control
Electric guitars are complicated instruments; in many cases, different parts of the guitar were assembled by different people. Therefore, the instrument has to undergo an extensive quality control procedure to ensure everything was put together properly and works as it should.
Some companies rush through this process or don’t employ highly skilled workers to keep the costs down. This results in a less expensive guitar and a guitar that may have issues that will impact your ability to play and enjoy the instrument. You may end up paying more to get it fixed than you would’ve had you sprung for a more expensive model initially.
More expensive guitars usually come from companies with thorough quality control procedures sure to catch every mistake, if there is one.
A good quality control check should also include a complete setup. A setup is a series of adjustments that ensure the guitar is ready to play immediately upon purchase. A setup includes:
- Adjusting the truss rod to achieve a straight neck.
- Adjusting the bridge.
- Checking the nut and eliminating any fret buzz.
- Tuning the guitar to standard tuning.
- Inotating the guitar.
- Buffing and polishing the exterior.
- Checking the exterior for blemishes in the wood.
- Ensuring that the electronics work as they should.
Sufficient quality control requires experienced and skilled workers with an eye for detail. It costs companies more to pay these sought-after workers fairly, which will reflect in the cost of the final instrument.
3. Expensive Guitars Use High-Quality Wood
Electric guitars can be made of various types of wood, and different wood species vary in value depending on the rarity and accessibility.
The body, neck, and fretboard of electric guitars are made from wood, and the type of wood used greatly influences how the guitar sounds. The varying grains, gaps, and other qualities in the wood affect the vibrations when you strum the strings, making each instrument unique.
Some wood varieties are now protected for environmental reasons. This is why an electric guitar made of Brazilian Rosewood is one of the most expensive kinds of guitar you can buy; this wood is now completely illegal to harvest, and any guitar made of the wood must be accompanied by paperwork that proves the wood was harvested before the ban was placed.
Because no new guitars can be made of this wood, a Brazilian Rosewood guitar costs at least $10,000 and even as much as $30,000. Luckily, there are less expensive materials that you can opt for that won’t bankrupt you.
Here are the wood species that are commonly used in guitar construction:
- Maple: Maple is a hardwood that makes for good sustain. Guitar manufacturers use maple for the neck of guitars because it is a strong wood that can survive the strain of the guitar strings. It is a less expensive variety because it is mostly harvested in the United States and Canada instead of overseas, so the manufacturer doesn’t have to pay as much for transport.
- Basswood: Basswood results in a warm, balanced sound and is a favorite of guitar manufacturers because it is easy to work with. It is also one of the cheaper woods to use for a guitar. However, high-end manufacturers inculcate the material, so it sounds great and lasts longer.
- Alder: Many more expensive guitars use Alder because it is lightweight, has unique and beautiful grain patterns, and provides a great, full-bodied sound. Most Fender guitars from the 1950s and 1960s are made of Alder.
- Ash: Ash boasts many similar features to Alder. Swamp ash is light and has grain patterns that look beautiful under a translucent finish, and it creates airy and pleasant high sounds.
- Mahogany: This is a classic wood variety for use in guitar necks. It is a dense material that produces a warm and deep sound.
- Rosewood: This highly-priced tonewood is often used in fretboards, and guitars made with this material are usually heavy and expensive.
- Korina: Korina creates a clear, resonant, and sustainable sound that high-end manufacturers, including Gibson, use regularly.
- Poplar: Asian-made electric guitars often use this soft hardwood in the body. It is a cheaper wood that produces sonically balanced but bland sound.
- Walnut: This heavy wood is similar to mahogany in sound quality. It is also aesthetically pleasing, with rich brown color and pleasing grain patterns that look nice under simple, translucent coats.
An electric guitar made from cheaper wood doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a bad instrument, especially if it comes from a high-end guitar maker. Many people use and enjoy these guitars for years without any problems. However, if you want an electric guitar that looks and sounds amazing, you’ll probably have to pay for a more expensive wood variety, such as Alder.