I have seen Boutique Strats go for about $3500 USD. Comparable 59 LP clones go for $7-10K or 2 to 3X the price.
• Strats: normally not super figured top, many have the pickguard or are a solid color
• Les Paul: Needs a cherry or tea-stained figured maple top to match the classic 59 look
I think the pricing gap between these two has two components. The first is the actual cost to build.
• The LP Uses potentially more expensive woods for the neck and body (Honduran Mahogany) as opposed to Alder and Maple for the Strat
• The LP has higher labor costs due to the neck construction (17deg tilt), nibs and/or binding, and set-neck, though the Strat has more body routing and contouring and can also have extra appointments on the neck.
The 2nd component to the price is probably the one that puts it much higher. That is the mythology. The 59 LP has mythical status due to it being played by Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and many others. Here is a good read on this mythology which explains a bit the high prices.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrolli/...137b061dcc
https://www.quora.com/Guitars-What-is-so...-Les-Pauls
PRICES
https://reverb.com/ca/price-guide/guide/...1959-burst
Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Burst
Reverb Estimated Used Price Range
$183,677CAD — $314,875 CAD
High-end for mint copies: $500K-750K USD
Highest: $800K
Production numbers: 643
https://www.quora.com/How-many-1959-Gibs...y-are-lost
The 54 Strat is also mythical, but doesn't have the same mystique for some reason. Many famous players have played that too. I think the LP is an easier instrument to play with the scale length, and in general, perhaps players like it for that rhythm crunch and lead rather than the clean, where the Strat excels.
PRICES
Fender Stratocaster 1954 Sunburst
Reverb Estimated Used Price Range
$26,239CAD — $39,359 CAD
High-end for mint copies: $50K-75K
Highest: $200K
Production numbers: ~250?
https://precbsstratocasters.com/1954-fen...%20October.
Note that the price differential between them is almost 10X!
The key I believe are the many classic rock songs played by famous players in that era (60-70s) using the Les Paul and the boomers that grew up with that music are now older, richer, and have bought into the holy grail hype.
It really is the hype machine and myth that has taken over the 59 Les Paul as the "Holy Grail" that have convinced people of its value. Joe Bonamassa and his comments add to the hype, as do a lot of other established "older" guitar players. Hence this is the main reason why Boutique makers can charge 2-3X for a LP clone vs a Strat clone. For any competent acoustic guitar luthier, these are trivial to make. An acoustic is far more difficult in getting the woods (which make a definite difference in tone as opposed to an electric solidbody), the design, the construction, and labor. If valued based on that alone, acoustics should far and away be priced much higher.
It just shows you that pricing in many products is based on marketing and sales to generate the demand -- not on the utility, quality, and performance of the product itself.
• Strats: normally not super figured top, many have the pickguard or are a solid color
• Les Paul: Needs a cherry or tea-stained figured maple top to match the classic 59 look
I think the pricing gap between these two has two components. The first is the actual cost to build.
• The LP Uses potentially more expensive woods for the neck and body (Honduran Mahogany) as opposed to Alder and Maple for the Strat
• The LP has higher labor costs due to the neck construction (17deg tilt), nibs and/or binding, and set-neck, though the Strat has more body routing and contouring and can also have extra appointments on the neck.
The 2nd component to the price is probably the one that puts it much higher. That is the mythology. The 59 LP has mythical status due to it being played by Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, and many others. Here is a good read on this mythology which explains a bit the high prices.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanrolli/...137b061dcc
https://www.quora.com/Guitars-What-is-so...-Les-Pauls
PRICES
https://reverb.com/ca/price-guide/guide/...1959-burst
Gibson Les Paul Standard 1959 Burst
Reverb Estimated Used Price Range
$183,677CAD — $314,875 CAD
High-end for mint copies: $500K-750K USD
Highest: $800K
Production numbers: 643
https://www.quora.com/How-many-1959-Gibs...y-are-lost
The 54 Strat is also mythical, but doesn't have the same mystique for some reason. Many famous players have played that too. I think the LP is an easier instrument to play with the scale length, and in general, perhaps players like it for that rhythm crunch and lead rather than the clean, where the Strat excels.
PRICES
Fender Stratocaster 1954 Sunburst
Reverb Estimated Used Price Range
$26,239CAD — $39,359 CAD
High-end for mint copies: $50K-75K
Highest: $200K
Production numbers: ~250?
https://precbsstratocasters.com/1954-fen...%20October.
Note that the price differential between them is almost 10X!
The key I believe are the many classic rock songs played by famous players in that era (60-70s) using the Les Paul and the boomers that grew up with that music are now older, richer, and have bought into the holy grail hype.
It really is the hype machine and myth that has taken over the 59 Les Paul as the "Holy Grail" that have convinced people of its value. Joe Bonamassa and his comments add to the hype, as do a lot of other established "older" guitar players. Hence this is the main reason why Boutique makers can charge 2-3X for a LP clone vs a Strat clone. For any competent acoustic guitar luthier, these are trivial to make. An acoustic is far more difficult in getting the woods (which make a definite difference in tone as opposed to an electric solidbody), the design, the construction, and labor. If valued based on that alone, acoustics should far and away be priced much higher.
It just shows you that pricing in many products is based on marketing and sales to generate the demand -- not on the utility, quality, and performance of the product itself.
