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Andrew Susani

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The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 24, 2012, 08:50:19 PM
OK, at the risk of being blacklisted from this forum ;D, can somebody please answer me this question:

"Why do Gammas cost so much?"

I love premium gear, I know that you pay for beautifully made goods, I am just genuinely curious why the price gulf is so big between these obvious kings of the GT lure world, and the rest...  ;)
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Mark Harris

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Re: The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 24, 2012, 10:08:24 PM
Andrew, Gammas don't really cost any more than other Carpenter lures of a comparable size, and they are a good deal easier to get than Seafrogs in large sizes for example.

There is no question that Carpenter lures are consistently of a mind blowingly high quality and that, together with the extensive testing that goes into producing every lure, is probably your answer.

And Carpenter lures are actually not that much more expensive than some other Japanese offerings....

Brandon Khoo

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Re: The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 25, 2012, 05:06:24 PM
There is no question that Carpenter lures are among the most expensive on the market.

There appears to be an assumption here that all Japanese lures are made and tested the same way and hence, there should be no reason for such a price gulf between Carpenter and the rest. This is not the case. Many companies release a lure to the market after a test trip or two and certainly, no more than a season of testing. I won't mention any names but I have seen products go from prototype to production in one trip.

Carpenter doesn't work like that. I thought I was a perfectionist (something Chris Young would attest to seeing I drove him insane  ;D ) but Konishi San is at a completely different level. To give you some idea on the testing horizons, a lure I first tested in October 2010, I was still testing variations of last week. We're closer but we're not there. Another lure which I first saw him testing in 2007 and which I have encouraged him to put into production since remains a prototype because it just hasn't met his standards for going into production. This is notwithstanding this lure catching more fish than just about anything else every trip it has been on but he just isn't satisfied with the action, even if the fish seem to be.

Carpenters lures have been tested all over the globe. These testing trips are expensive and  Carpenter's testing expenditure each year is frightening. I would also advise that the rods go through the same rigorous testing process.

When you buy a Carpenter lure or rod, you are buying a product that you know has been through an extremely rigorous testing process and one that has been tested in numerous locations around the globe by one of the best anglers in the sport and his very small team of testers. Unfortunately, you are also paying for all the costs involved in getting that product into production.

Are they worth money or the premium you pay? Only you can decide that ultimately.
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Luke Wyrsta

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Re: The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 25, 2012, 08:08:43 PM
Great answer Brandon. That sums it up well.

Andre van Wyk

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Re: The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 25, 2012, 08:32:22 PM
There is no question that Carpenter lures are among the most expensive on the market.

There appears to be an assumption here that all Japanese lures are made and tested the same way and hence, there should be no reason for such a price gulf between Carpenter and the rest. This is not the case. Many companies release a lure to the market after a test trip or two and certainly, no more than a season of testing. I won't mention any names but I have seen products go from prototype to production in one trip.

Carpenter doesn't work like that. I thought I was a perfectionist (something Chris Young would attest to seeing I drove him insane  ;D ) but Konishi San is at a completely different level. To give you some idea on the testing horizons, a lure I first tested in October 2010, I was still testing variations of last week. We're closer but we're not there. Another lure which I first saw him testing in 2007 and which I have encouraged him to put into production since remains a prototype because it just hasn't met his standards for going into production. This is notwithstanding this lure catching more fish than just about anything else every trip it has been on but he just isn't satisfied with the action, even if the fish seem to be.

Carpenters lures have been tested all over the globe. These testing trips are expensive and  Carpenter's testing expenditure each year is frightening. I would also advise that the rods go through the same rigorous testing process.

When you buy a Carpenter lure or rod, you are buying a product that you know has been through an extremely rigorous testing process and one that has been tested in numerous locations around the globe by one of the best anglers in the sport and his very small team of testers. Unfortunately, you are also paying for all the costs involved in getting that product into production.

Are they worth money or the premium you pay? Only you can decide that ultimately.

And here I was thinking it was because they are made out of "Unobtanium"  8) 8) ;D

Great answer Brandon... if one looks at the number of reports we ( the "western world" )see world wide of Carpenter test trips, both on rods and lures, one must also realise that I think we only see a fraction of the actual testing that goes into these products not only in Japan which I'm sure we see very little of, and no doubt countless others, it makes sense that these products cost a premium...
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Mark Harris

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Re: The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 25, 2012, 08:59:48 PM
Yep, a brilliant answer Brandon and this question should never need asking again after that!. 

It is not only the testing difference whic hBrandon describes so well, but (to me at least) also the visible quality differences which are apparent when you stick a Carpenter lure next to most other high market lures. And the quality is so consistent. And that quality difference with certain other high end lures (I am not mentioning names) is really noticeable, without there being a huge price difference.

Now, if only I could get my hands on some large Seafrogs...  8)

Brandon Khoo

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Re: The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 26, 2012, 10:19:32 AM
I will also take the opportunity in this thread to confirm that Carpenter lures are all produced in Carpenter's leetle factory and that they are entirely made in Japan. A while back, there were some rather nonsensical rumours that were being spread by one member here that the lures were being made in China and then being badged as Carpenter lures.
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Tak Otsuka

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Re: The most obvious Gamma question ever
January 26, 2012, 10:44:17 AM
Thank you Brandon.

The only addition to Brandon's summary from me is that Carpenter uses over 70% of staff resource just to produce lures to keep them at highest quality. Hope you can imagine how much each lures cost them to produce.