LeftyBassist.com

http://leftyfretz.com/cost-versus-demand-lefty-guitars-and-the-production-line/

I doubt there are many here who are qualified to say that lefty guitars sell "just as fast" as righties. Maybe some do and some don't. The longer a guitar stays on the wall, the greater the overall cost for the manufacturer.

The makers above claim that demand for lefties isn't as great, and I trust that cost vs. demand is something know more than I do. I trust that they know risk; every business decision carries some risk and some makers choose not to bear the risk of making lefties in certain colors and configurations. I trust that they're being sincere because they need to know this to survive. If they're being "lazy" when it comes to realizing potential profits they won't survive. And I don't believe they're out to maliciously screw a segment of potential buyers.

At the same time, I like Larivee even more now. They say it's discrimination, and it is. But I just can't buy in to this level of righteous indignation over not being able to buy a Fender Jazz with a maple board.

Perhaps I like taking it up the jacksie. Perhaps it's because I've owned so many fantastic basses over the years. Perhaps it's because there's real social injustice in the world that deserves my time and energy so much more than something so seemingly trivial.

+1

Great find on that URL also

Well said bbl

Not a wholly accurate statement IMO.

It's not a cost, it's treated as an expense on the books. And as such the expense of manufacturing and associated interest charges are deducted from gross revenue at tax time.

Also, the retailer agrees to pay a set amount for any instrument when a purchase order is created. So there is no 'greater overall cost to the mfgr'. The mfgr's get their agreed-upon amount of money.

But regardless, we lefty's take it up the shorts all the time!

yeh, but unless your company is LOSING money the money you'll get back on that instrument (by Israeli tax laws) will be less then 40% what it cost to make. you're still in fact flushing 60% of it down the drain.
no to mention space which also costs money. the wall doesn't pay it's own rent, and if you can put a guitar which would faster on it, you're making more money.
that's what production lines are all about. making and moving as much items in as little time as possible.

edit: not to mention that it costs a truck load of money to program a cnc machine.

Oh no, I certainly didn't want to start an accounting debate. Capital vs. expense, IRC vs. GAAP - I don't like where this thread is going.

I meant "cost" in general sense. As in, "less money" for the owners.

Also, while retailers may make committments to buy product, there's a manufacturer-retailer relationship to be maintained. Slow moving inventories are likely going to impact the manufacturer in some form or another, be it credits, reduced future purchases, etc.

sorry
but it's very relevant considering the nature of this discussion.

Just one more thing - if I truly felt that a company was discriminating against me, I wouldn't advertise them in my avatar.

Slow moving inventory impacts the company negatively.

That's my point. If you don't agree, then sure, I'd like to hear what you have to say.

great link bbl - its good to hear from the horse's mouth exactly what the reasoning is not to make lefty versions with all options. It is interesting though that there are companies that do offer everything lefty with no extra charge. Carvin is an example, and alot of what they do is CNC machining yet they seem to handle right and left without 'shutting down the whole production line.' I worked in manufacturing for a few years, and I have a hunch that some of these companies have not really modernized or rethought their production lines, added to the fact that they are making profits without catering to southpaws, so why change. The lefty friendly company is a niche market, so my approach is to spend my bass dollars on the companies that cater to us, rather than trying (begging, cajoling, ranting, whatever) the big companies to cater to us a little more. Plus I like me some Carvins and G&Ls, and with each offering so many lefty options, I am happy to stick with them and buy the occasional stock black/rosewood p bass. just my to cents

I agree with that statement.

american g&l are mainly hand crafted. so there isn't much of difference.
in the same sense you can order a lefty version of almost any custom shop model there is.
& carvin work per order like a shop, no risk there. & sell allot in parts so they already have lefty bodies and necks. putting them together isn't that much of an extra cost, just takes a little longer.