Monday, March 31, 2008

You be the judge

I was checking out the kits on Australian Luthier Supplies by Hancock Guitars - http://luthierssupplies.com.au/

I checked with ALS and was told that the dreadnought and OOO kits are infact Stewmac kits which do not suit my needs today, but it raised my interest.

ALS list the OOO mahogany kits at AU$659.00, but this price does not include GST. Using ALS’s online checkout, to get the kit to my front door, using their cheapest post option, would cost me AU$756.44 – or on the current conversation rate US$680.46.

When I purchased my Stewmac mahogany OOO in July of 2006, the kit cost me US$365.00 and the postage and handling US$54.95.

Today, Stewmac sell the same kit for US$427.00 and I imagine the P&H has increased also… but even if one could belive that postage has doubled in the last 20 months to US$108.00 an OOO kit from Stewmac today will cost me somewhere around US$535.00, delivered to my door.

I am all for supporting the local guy having a go, but... buyer beware.