Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: MrBump on July 08, 2009, 08:26:02 PM

Title: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: MrBump on July 08, 2009, 08:26:02 PM
Was thinking in the shower earlier today how I could justify to Mrs Bump the expense of another self build, a Strat this time, to match the wonderful Tele I constructed earlier in the year.

And my logic told me to bring it down to rudimentary maths, 'cos that sort of thing always baffles her.

So.  I took a stab at how much money I'd spent on all my gear over the course of my playing career - guitars, amps, effects, strings, pedal boards, cables, software, stuff I'd bought and sold within a month, everything I could remember and quantify.  Then I divided it by the number of years I'd been playing.

Obviously from this figure I came up with some fabulous stats that, quite frankly, even a 90 year old Labour back-bencher couldn't argue with.

And the figures?

Cost per year = £62.50
Cost per month = £5.21
Cost per day = 17 pence

Kinda shocking those figures, particularly when you think that I've been playing for over 20 years!!!

I think that I might keep a running total from now on...

So - go on.  Do the math.  I dare you!!!

(PQ/Ian/Mr38th - kinda looking forward to your figures, if you know what I mean...)

Mark.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Ian Price on July 08, 2009, 08:30:08 PM
17p a day - that's cheap! Will work mine out when I have a bit of time.

Surely Dave deserves a mention on this thread!
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: ToneMonkey on July 08, 2009, 08:40:50 PM
Been fiddling on an axe for about 15 years now (can still play the same two songs....badly and only parts  :( ).  That's 180 months.

Spent about £500 odd quid (not including for slef build tools, parts and woods - they're a diferent catagory).

So that's about £2.77 per month.  9p per day.

Take that Mrs TM.  Spends more on handbags a minute than I do on guitars a month.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Denim n Leather on July 08, 2009, 08:59:31 PM
ALL my gear combined ... ? I'm afraid to do the math!
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: MDV on July 08, 2009, 09:03:40 PM
AAALLLL of it?!?!

I had to rack my brains and make a spreadsheet.

Apparently, about £13,000, give or take.

The overwhelming majority in the last 4 years (after leaving uni and getting a job)

About 100 a month over the 11 years I've been at it.

More realistically, over the 4 years I've bought the vast majority, 250 a month, 8 quid a day.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: MDV on July 08, 2009, 09:04:26 PM
Oh, I sold some stuff. drop it a bit. Not much, but some.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Oli on July 08, 2009, 09:09:07 PM
Using a rough guestimate, mine embarassingly comes out at about £1.60 a day... I feel that i'm making better choices with the gear that i'm buying, so with a bit of luck that figure will start to drop :) That's not including completed self builds or current stocks of woods and hardware, but i consider them as overheads until they're finished ;)
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Jonny on July 08, 2009, 09:09:56 PM
I'd like to try (and think about) this, but I haven't a fudging clue.

But I can relate to two things in this thread.

Thinking in the shower.
Actually using spreadsheets out of my own whim.

EDIT: OK, let's see.. VHT.. Indie.. Ibanez.. Ibanez..... another Ibanez.. ESP.. BKPs.. another Ibanez..

4/5 years so..

About £1.53 per day
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: 38thBeatle on July 08, 2009, 09:55:10 PM
Actually, given that I have been gigging pretty much constantly for 30 years, my gear is all free. I worked out once, several years ago, how much I'd earned over the years and it exceeds the amount spent many times over. I have only ever had 3 guitar amps, 3 bass amps (& still have two guitar amps and one bass amp) and 3 electric guitars and one bass. Of course it doesn't seem like it is free when you buy it but  and it has been a b*gger sometimes not having enough receipts invoices to offset against tax.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: nfe on July 08, 2009, 10:10:19 PM
About £15,000, ignoring recording setups and non-guitar music stuff.

Over ten years, £125 a month, just over £4 a day.

I've more than likely forgotten a couple guitars, too  :lol:
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Twinfan on July 08, 2009, 10:32:06 PM
I'm not even going to begin to add mine up........
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: hunter on July 08, 2009, 10:47:28 PM
Oh no, don't get me started.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: _tom_ on July 08, 2009, 10:52:36 PM
About £2000 total
Over 9 years (I think thats how long I've been playing anyway) - £222 a year
£18 a month
60p a day I think

My maths might be wrong, I'm feeling tired :lol:
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: dave_mc on July 08, 2009, 11:28:25 PM
i'd prefer not to... :lol:
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: shaman on July 09, 2009, 04:04:51 AM
...mine certainly pales in comparison to the alcohol I have consumed....plus, its the only damn thing I buy that really makes me smile from ear to ear....its like the job I recently gave up after 15 years-a cut in pay/a raise in time off....guitar stuff is an investment ..not so much in my future, but my past(well, my wife just raised her eybrows at me...that means'you boys and your toys'...yep, keeps me young/damn the$$$ :D)
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Henk on July 09, 2009, 06:15:38 AM
I invested about 1,30 pound a day in gear.

No i dont think it costs money, driving a car costs money, heating my house, feeding the hungry inhabitants......
:bisou: :huge: :drink: :santa: :crzy:
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Philly Q on July 09, 2009, 10:53:19 AM
Hmmm, I don't have the figures to hand....

I do have a record of all the guitars I've owned, but I'll have to check when I'm at home.  I'll have to guesstimate on amps, FX, pickups and strings but they pale into insignificance next to the guitars anyway.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: indysmith on July 09, 2009, 01:11:19 PM
I worked it out as about 70p per day! A lot more than I'd expected... :?
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: TheIronBeast on July 09, 2009, 02:24:40 PM
I just did some rough math and guessed a lot of the pedal prices as I have had some of them for so long I forgot how much I paid for them. All guitar gear that I have bought over the years I have been playing comes out to about £1655 per year, which is roughly £138 per month.

That works out at roughly £4.60 per day! Ouch, I need to stop buying stuff, heh.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: tomjackson on July 09, 2009, 02:47:25 PM
Spending £700 yesterday has really messed up my daily rate!

I've spent about 10.5k over 15 years so about £1.90 per day.  That figure is turnover only, with second hand sales money coming back in from gig and studio work it would probably be about 5k.

If I had have smoked 20 a day it would have cost around 15K.

I don't mind spending the money, it's when I decide I need to sell my purchase 2 months later and I lose £££££

Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: ToneMonkey on July 09, 2009, 02:51:32 PM
I'm not even going to begin to add mine up........

I really think you should.  Got to be over £7 a day surely.  :D
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Twinfan on July 09, 2009, 03:06:29 PM
I may try it later then, but a rough guess £20,000 over 25 years, so £2.20 a day?
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: ToneMonkey on July 09, 2009, 03:24:03 PM
Not bad, it's only a pint.

I probably spend more than that on beer a day (who am I kidding, I definately spend more than that on beer).  Just depends what your vice is I suppose  :D
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Twinfan on July 09, 2009, 03:24:48 PM
Yeah, but I started when I was 8 years old!  :lol:
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: PhilKing on July 09, 2009, 07:05:07 PM
I wouldn't have the time to work it out!  I usually figure that I have about $2500 to spend on stuff per year, but always spend more!  However as an investment, some of my guitars are worth a lot more than I paid for them and so in that way they have paid for themselves.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: nfe on July 09, 2009, 07:06:04 PM
coming back in from gig and studio work it would probably be about 5k.

Wait, I'm allowed to factor in money made from music?

Then ditch that £15k and put me in positive money!
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Henk on July 09, 2009, 07:25:59 PM
*Grunts*

Can i calculate free booze during gigs?

Definately would turn things around :mrgreen:
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: LazyNinja on July 10, 2009, 09:33:08 AM
Hmm I think I'm pretty good at keeping cost down but letssee...

Just did a little spreadsheet

Bought: £9377
Sold: £4399

= Total net spend = £4978

/No. of years 8 = 622.25
/365 = £1.70 per day


but....
Still in Asset: £4945
Net spend if I sold everything = £33

/No. of years 8 = 4.13
/365 = 0.011 = 1.1p per day!! :P

Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Philly Q on July 11, 2009, 12:10:10 PM
I may try it later then, but a rough guess £20,000 over 25 years, so £2.20 a day?

Forgot to do my calculations until now....

OK, I have my record of guitars, had to guess on amps and FX but they're relatively insignificant.  And this is just costs, I ignored sales proceeds which brings it down by about 35-40%.  But I came up with...

£4.40 per day

Still only about the same as a 20-a-day smoker (I think?), so I don't feel too bad about it.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Jonny on July 11, 2009, 09:46:26 PM
I may try it later then, but a rough guess £20,000 over 25 years, so £2.20 a day?

Forgot to do my calculations until now....

OK, I have my record of guitars, had to guess on amps and FX but they're relatively insignificant.  And this is just costs, I ignored sales proceeds which brings it down by about 35-40%.  But I came up with...

£4.40 per day

Still only about the same as a 20-a-day smoker (I think?), so I don't feel too bad about it.
You could be a good example on why to quit or decrease in a smoking habit perhaps?
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: ailean on July 11, 2009, 10:09:22 PM
I'm not sure I should 'fess up to this coz I'm going to get a kicking..  :D
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Davey on July 11, 2009, 11:42:37 PM
i seriously have no recollection of how much i bought and sold in the past 12ish years of my guitar playing career. the bigger things i can remember for how much i bought them, but all the cables, picks (at the rate at which i lose em, they're a big expence) etc.. and for the life of me i cannot remember what i've sold and for how much >.<
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Philly Q on July 11, 2009, 11:49:28 PM
You could be a good example on why to quit or decrease in a smoking habit perhaps?

The only thing is, if you're a smoker and you suddenly need to save some money... you can just quit and instantly save 30 quid a week.  It's like having an untapped cash reserve.  I'm almost jealous.  :wink:

Whereas to achieve the same thing, I'd have to give up buying guitars.  Or food.  :x
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Davey on July 11, 2009, 11:55:46 PM
ok... just added up all the stuff i got at home that i bought in connection with music (not counting the things i sold/gave away).. adds up to about 1€ a day. which isnt all that bad i guess
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: fbloke on July 15, 2009, 10:57:12 PM
£ 8100, but I'm debating wildly in my mind whether I can justify spending £ 2350 on a new axe this weekend - a fabulous Gibson semi, would be the cream of my collection.  I can afford it, I'm just having guilt.  Am I being irrational?  Can you help me out in a group therapy stylee?
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Plexi Ken on July 15, 2009, 11:18:58 PM
If you can afford it, get it, simple as that. A Gibson semi is a great investment  8)

I've spend about £12,000 in 23 years, so £1.43 per day.
It would be a lot higher if I have the resources  :lol:
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: Ian Price on July 15, 2009, 11:27:05 PM
£ 8100, but I'm debating wildly in my mind whether I can justify spending £ 2350 on a new axe this weekend - a fabulous Gibson semi, would be the cream of my collection.  I can afford it, I'm just having guilt.  Am I being irrational?  Can you help me out in a group therapy stylee?

If you can afford and want it get it. That's my motto nowadays - it hasn't been in the past.

What semi is it?
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: fbloke on July 15, 2009, 11:48:13 PM


If you can afford and want it get it. That's my motto nowadays - it hasn't been in the past.

What semi is it?
[/quote]

Ian,

This is how irrational I am - I don't want to say in case anyone sees the post and goes to the shop to buy it before me!  Maybe it's not that irrational - I can only find two of these in the country and that's why I'm burning to buy it soon. It's a rare re-issue and I don't know how many other chances I'll get.  It's possibly the ultimate guitar for the style I play, a real top of the dream list guitar.  Sorry to be a tease, I promise I'l post photos if I buy it.

Mike.
Title: Re: Come On - 'Fess Up. How Much Did It Cost???
Post by: ailean on July 16, 2009, 06:21:32 AM
Buy it, you obviously want it badly! Go get it while it's still there.

I almost hesitated getting my LP, found out afterward there are only 25 in europe and the Gibson rep had his eye on the same guitar and went to buy it the week after I picked it up, you never know who else is looking!