Albion price hike

[Sir Edward]

Albion's prices are going up on August 1, but you can still lock in the old price on an order or reservation before then. Anyone planning to take advantage of it? I may do so. I was already thinking of getting on the reservation list, and this is encouraging me to go ahead and do it. The one I'm thinking about is this:

http://www.albion-swords.com/swords/albion/nextgen/sword-medieval-danish-2-hander.htm

[Das Bill]

I've been debating whether or not to get the practice messer.

[Sword Chick]

I've been debating whether or not to get the practice messer.

You need to so I'll have someone to play with when I get mine. 

[Sir Wolf]

well that puts their cheapest sword well over the 400 range.  sorry to say i prob will never be able to afford an Albion not that i couldn't save for one, but when i have so many time periods to do... its like one sword or several items for several kits in compairison

[Sir Edward]

Yeah, I guess the money goes pretty far for other items for your kits. It would be hard to pick a sword that works for wide range of your time periods.

The Dane and the Svante appeal to me in similar ways, ignoring that one is a museum-quality reproduction of a specific historical piece. But the Dane is much cheaper. I went ahead and signed up for it. Since I want to get it anyway and it won't be out for a while, and it's pricier than some of the other choices I'm looking at, this is where I can get the most bang for the buck by planning ahead.

Those practice messers should be pretty cool. I'm looking forward to seeing those.

[Sir Edward]

Wow, I'm glad I reserved the Dane when I did. It went from $1,221 to $1,800.

[Sir Wolf]

 

[Das Bill]

I ended up putting money down on the "Marxbruder" practice messer at the previous price. I thought about putting money down on another sword, but resisted the temptation.

The price of steel has really gone up, and I don't actually blame Albion and A&A for raising their prices... but man, the Albion prices are now taking them into the range of full custom pieces. Of course, full custom pieces are probably going to be higher now, so maybe that's a moot point.

I know John Lundemo was complaining to me that the price of steel had doubled between the time he and I agreed on my messer and the time when he was ready to purchase the steel to start it.

[Sir Edward]

Another Albion price-hike this year. Purchase/reserve early if you want the current pricing:

We are forced to announce an across the board price increase, effective July 1, 2012, for all items other than Maestro Line swords. We dislike doing this, especially in this economy, but it is a fiscal necessity. However, as we have always done, any order placed before July 1, 2012 will be honored at the old price, including layaway/payment plans.

[Sir Edward]

Another Albion price-hike this year. Purchase/reserve early if you want the current pricing:

We are forced to announce an across the board price increase, effective July 1, 2012, for all items other than Maestro Line swords. We dislike doing this, especially in this economy, but it is a fiscal necessity. However, as we have always done, any order placed before July 1, 2012 will be honored at the old price, including layaway/payment plans.

Follow-up they posted:

The price increase will be approximately 10%.

Keep in mind though, that it may vary with the model. A number of years back they did roughly an 11% increase on most models, but the Dane went up 50% (as discussed in this thread).

[Joshua Santana]

I can tell from this post that due to the price of steel, the prices for practice weapons has increased.  I thank you Sir Edward for this post and I find it helpful.

[Sir Brian]

Yikes! Methinks I will be taking advantage of their layaway plan and finally put that Crecy on order! 

[Sir William]

Hey, get outta my head, Sir Brian!  That's exactly the sword I'm going to get!  And a Meyer oops, Lichtenauer...really need one of those.  Which one?  Which one...

Thanks for the info, Sir Edward...this may be my last chance at getting the sword I want brand spanking new...not that used pieces are bad, but they were someone else's before they were mine.  Hmm...might have to sell off a couple of squire lines to pull this off.

Edited to add: if the Maestro line isn't part of the price increase then it can wait.  Besides, they're not offering the next class at VAF (Preparatory Historical) on a Saturday for some time so...I won't be needing it in the interim.

[Sir Edward]

Hey, get outta my head, Sir Brian!  That's exactly the sword I'm going to get!  And a Meyer oops, Lichtenauer...really need one of those.  Which one?  Which one...

For our type of longsword combat, you want the Meyer, NOT the Liechtenauer. The latter is better for stage shows and the like, where you want something that's safer than a sharp, but still looks like a sharp. For bouting and the like, the Meyer is much, MUCH safer, since it's built as a real training blunt, with nice thick edges.

[Sir William]

Oh?  Ok...I wondered at that...my instructor used or rather, showed us a Lichtenauer- the one without the parrying hooks.  Both of them are listed in the Maestro line up so I just assumed they were both built for our style of combat- considering the thickness on those edges as well.  They are quite thick, and the fuller runs all the way to the tip, which is well rounded and thick as the rest of the edges.  Mayhaps you are thinking of the Squire Line of swords?

However, with this in mind:

I know John Lundemo was complaining to me that the price of steel had doubled between the time he and I agreed on my messer and the time when he was ready to purchase the steel to start it.

I might have to forego the Albion and just get one of the Odinblades...been talking about it for the last 9 years...oi, choices, choices.