Fair Price For Surfboards

[wallysurfr]

I would estimate around 500$ but i just recently got a new custom shape, 6'3" quad shortboard fish hybrid standard white sanded PU board. And my shaper only charged me $250 for the board.. and he gave me a set of stretch quads as well.. not the glassflex one but the standard future quads.. but im a lucky ass lol. so if you really search or make friends you can get it pretty cheap...

man, did he even cover his material cost?

I remember ordering custom Byrne's w/ art as a grom for $350 each shipped from cali to manasquan, nj

Now I wouldn't even consider a board off the rack at a local shop. I go to craigslist and recently got one on whiskey for $300 shipped.

I always thought as a kid, "oh man, just wait until I have a career, I will be able to buy any board I want."

Then the mortgage came... and the family... I was riding nicer boards back then than I am now.

I just can't drop $750 and up on a board...

[420]

Does the name really matter to anybody when it comes to price? i mean i understand it does alittle when referring to an Al Merrick or Brewer, but what about a local guy that makes sick shapes that have been proven locally and has a great rep for design and craftsmanship. Local builders need to prove themselves worth the price but what is a good price worth giving a guy a shot?

[dave]

there have only been 2 options for me. Buy a used board, which is either a friend getting rid of something and not looking to make any $$ or I find some board on Craigslist or a forum and lowball the **** of the guy and if he goes for it, great, if not who cares. Option 2 is I buy boards custom-shaped by locally Northern Monmouth County shapers. I have had a couple of custom shaped boards by guys a bit south of me, like Manasquan area. I quite frankly do not see why anyone would buy off-the-rack or even a "custom" shape by a shaper who has never seen you in person, let alone surfed with you. I'm not even that good of a surfer. I'm almost 40, I have vertigo, and I'm goofy foot, in an area where its all steep drops/rights but trust me I get way more than my fair share of waves -- because I have the proper gear.

[LBCrew]

what is a good price worth giving a guy a shot?

I'd say if you know what you want, and you have very specific dimensions, you should expect pay more. If you have general numbers, and let the shaper fill in the blanks, you're relying more on the design skills of the shaper and giving him the freedom to shape a board he's confident will work FOR YOU. You can expect to pay less for this board because the shaper's on autopilot. He knows what works and what doesn't, and he's done it a zillion times. If he's gotta stop and measure and compare throughout the entire process, it will take longer and cost more. And the kicker is, it might be ALL WRONG in terms of his design theory and experience! I remember reading in one of the major mags a while back a quote: "Numbers are just a suggestion." There's some truth to that. Sometimes it's better to just let the shaper do his thing.

That's where selecting a shaper becomes YOUR job. It's so important to see a shaper's work, talk to him, and as Dave said, even surf with the guy if you can, to see if there's a good chance his boards will be magic for... you or not. People get off on saying, "My shaper..." Really? How well do you know "your shaper" and his work? What kind of relationship do you have?

What's a good price worth for giving a guy a shot? Your first board could be the one you pay the most for. If you're satisfied with his product, you'll be back, and the relationship goes on from there.

Also... shapers like feedback. Some will even call you a few months later just to get some. That's the beauty of it...

[420]

Sometimes it's better to just let the shaper do his thing.

I want a sign that reads this outside my shop.

That's where selecting a shaper becomes YOUR job. It's so important to see a shaper's work, talk to him, and as Dave said, even surf with the guy if you can, to see if there's a good chance his boards will be magic for... you or not. People get off on saying, "My shaper..." Really? How well do you know "your shaper" and his work? What kind of relationship do you have?

What's a good price worth for giving a guy a shot? Your first board could be the one you pay the most for. If you're satisfied with his product, you'll be back, and the relationship goes on from there.

Also... shapers like feedback. Some will even call you a few months later just to get some. That's the beauty of it...

I have said this till i was blue in the face.

[soulrider]

man, did he even cover his material cost?

I remember ordering custom Byrne's w/ art as a grom for $350 each shipped from cali to manasquan, nj

Now I wouldn't even consider a board off the rack at a local shop. I go to craigslist and recently got one on whiskey for $300 shipped.

I always thought as a kid, "oh man, just wait until I have a career, I will be able to buy any board I want."

Then the mortgage came... and the family... I was riding nicer boards back then than I am now.

I just can't drop $750 and up on a board...

i have no clue man, he's just a really cool guy.. im trying to get him to get up here and try to sell some of his boards who knows.. yea life sucks haha