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6 string bone nut pricing.
http://luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=41213		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  mustache79 [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 4:42 am ]
Post subject:  6 string bone nut pricing.
What do you consider a fair price for a custom bone nut on a six string guitar?
Author:  Michael.N. [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 5:12 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
To the Luthier - $3,000
To the customer - 20 cents.
Everything else is just a compromise.
Author:  Kent Wilkinson [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 6:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
It's $120.00 here.
Author:  Tai Fu [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
I charge 15 dollars in addition to the cost of a full setup, which totals 45 dollars. Problem is I can't charge 120 dollars because nobody in the area charge that much. I wish I could though.
Author:  Chris Pile [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 3:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
I WISH I could get $120 bucks for a nut here in Kansas.
Guess our folks are smarter than that.

Really, guys? And you wonder why people just go buy a new guitar at Guitar Center.
Author:  Michael.N. [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 5:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
Probably most you would pay in the UK is near $70, $80 and that's from someone with a reputation. You can quite easily find it a lot less than that.
Author:  B. Howard [ Sat Aug 24, 2013 6:00 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
As you see, price will vary quite a bit by location. I get $50 for one but should get a bit more based on the time I put into it. But that's what the market here will bare.
Author:  B. Howard [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:28 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
I guess a point we may be overlooking in this discussion is exactly what is included in the way of service for the price. When I replace a nut, you are paying me to make from scratch a new bone nut and install it. The instrument will leave my bench playing as it did when it came in. Sure, I may tweak the truss rod but that's about it. If I noticed a need for set up work when the instrument was dropped off that would be brought to the customers attention and that service priced separately from the nut replacement. Those who may be including a complete set up with the nut replacement will of course need to charge quite a bit more. Here at my shop that usually doubles the price, sometimes more depending on the actual instrument. And of course if the nut has burnt out those first few frets may need some extra work also. Again I would quote separately for that issue as well but if you consider that part of replacing a nut then your price will need to reflect that. So not only do we have the geographical differences involved in pricing we may also have some large differences in work preformed. So, those who shared pricing, what exactly is included in your price?
Author:  WudWerkr [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
Last one was for a friend and I got a Six Pack ! " Well it was GOOD beer . laughing6-hehe
Author:  Ken Jones [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 7:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
I make sure there's the proper amount of relief in the neck, so of course I tweak the TR, then I charge about an hour and a half of time to make it, plus materials (bone, new strings), so it works out to $75 or $80.


Ken Jones
Mountain Song Guitars
Author:  Tai Fu [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 8:08 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
I require a setup when a new nut is made. For me it is pretty much the same work, and tweaking truss rods arent much work unless it isnt reacting like it should
Author:  Michael.N. [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 8:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
The OP asked about the price of a new custom bone Nut. A quick tweak of the TR aside the quotes should be for a . . . new custom Bone Nut.
Strings and anything else is a different quote although you might charge the new strings at cost or retail price.
Author:  B. Howard [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 1:24 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
I do not see many broken nuts here. Most of the instruments I see for nuts are for more serious players who recognize nut replacement as a maintenance item. Those instruments are usually already set up well. The other cases are where the instrument has come in for other work, like frets or a set up. I don't even stock plastic nuts. GC is only 7 miles away and they get, and can have all that type of stuff.
Author:  John Arnold [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 2:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
I get $45 for a bone nut. Many of those are upgrades on guitars that came with plastic. Now that Martin has finally 'seen the light', at least on the Standard Series and above, I suspect that the bone nut upgrades will eventually taper off somewhat.
Starting from a blank, it usually takes me about 30 minutes to make one.
Adjusting the saddle and truss rod (if necessary) are included in that price, but any fret work is extra.
The cost of living where I am is relatively low. With the exit of manufacturing (other than canned foods and Popcorn Sutton moonshine), a large part of the local economy is tourism, and it still hasn't recovered much from the recession.
Author:  mustache79 [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
Some of my work. I charged $30 for this custom nut, which included a truss rod adjustment and fret polishing. Being that I'm newer to charge for my work I didn't feel comfortable charging more. I've done plenty of setups and work as favors for people, but I've decided to start charging now that I'm getting job offers from more than just friends and bandmates. I currently have 6 guitars to do various work on and just trying to figure out what to charge. I'm thinking $50-$60 for a new nut from now on, which will include a full setup and fret polish.

Image
030 by Bohdan79, on Flickr

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002 by Bohdan79, on Flickr

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015 by Bohdan79, on Flickr
Author:  mustache79 [ Sun Aug 25, 2013 3:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: 6 string bone nut pricing.
John Arnold wrote:
I get $45 for a bone nut. Many of those are upgrades on guitars that came with plastic. Now that Martin has finally 'seen the light', at least on the Standard Series and above, I suspect that the bone nut upgrades will eventually taper off somewhat.
Starting from a blank, it usually takes me about 30 minutes to make one.
Adjusting the saddle and truss rod (if necessary) are included in that price, but any fret work is extra.
The cost of living where I am is relatively low. With the exit of manufacturing (other than canned foods and Popcorn Sutton moonshine), a large part of the local economy is tourism, and it still hasn't recovered much from the recession.

30 minutes!! Wow that's fast. I think it took me 30 minutes just to clean up the nut slot and sand a blank down to fit the slot. Probably another 2 hours doing the string slots and doing the final shaping and fitting.
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