Profile pack pricing advice

  • Hey all,


    I’m in the process of creating my first commercial profile pack of a Suhr PT-100. My target price point is $10-15. About how many profiles would you expect to receive for that price?


    Of course, I could create an infinite number of potential profiles, but my personal philosophy on the subject is that for any given amp, there’s a limited range of settings that produce the optimal tone. I’ve purchased profile packs that contain 100+ profiles, only to discover that maybe only five or so are useable (for me, at least.) The last thing I want to do is bombard customers with a ton of profiles, and force them to spend their time weeding through them all.


    My goal for the moment is to create 3-4 profiles per channel, per pickup type (humbucker and single coil), and provide direct profiles for each. This would amount to 18-24 studio profiles, and an equal number of direct profiles. My plan is also to provide free updates and additions for anyone who purchases the pack.


    There’s a sample PT-100 profile in the rig exchange if anyone wants to try it out. Just search my user name.


    I’d appreciate any input. Thanks!

  • I feel the same way Michael does. There's something about the double-figure barrier that puts me off 'though. Maybe it's because I'm used to Guido's pricing.


    So, I'd suggest between 10 and 20 Profiles and a price from $4.95 -> $8.95 USD. You'll receive many more customers by avoiding "double figures" IMHO.

  • $15 is the most I will usually pay for profiles of a single amp, regardless of how many profiles are in it. There are some people who give you an absurdly high number of profiles, and if it's an amp I really like, I will very occasionally pay more. If others want to pay more, that's fine. It's their money. If people want to charge more, that's fine as well. There are plenty of people who will pay more.


    I will pay more for a pack that includes multiple amps. I like having separate humbucker and single coil profiles, but it doesn't look like most people do that. Definitely more convenient to me. I think that 50 cents per profile is the magic number for me, but you should charge whatever you think will a) bring in the most revenue and b) fairly compensate you for your time and effort. Also, people love to get something "on sale", even if that was the price you intended, up front.

  • I bought almost all commercial packs available and I think the market is saturated now. There are quite a few amazing Suhr / Custom Audio PT packs already out there. So you have to offer something special 8) Or maybe new customers will buy from new vendors eventually?! Who knows?


    I think there is a misunderstanding with "big packs"? Usually big packs mean different cabs and mics (and not only different settings)! Don't get me wrong, small packs can be great too - but you usually get "only" one or two setups / cabs. For me the art of profiling and the chance for vendors to offer something special lies in the signal chain: Special pedals, various tubes, a selection of (rare) speakers and cabs, "expensive" mics and preamps that the hobby musician doesn't have at home... As soon as you offer 4-5 cabs, various speakers, mics and mic positions, a few pedals... you have a big pack ^^


    I don't think that separate profiles for humbuckers and single coils are that important - maybe as a bonus. But in most cases the single coils (and guitar) used to set up the amp for profiling does not match with my own single coil guitar.... Plus, many vendors offering humbucker and singel coils rigs do NOT make different profiles (don't get fooled), but only "finetune" their rigs with Kemper settings and eq blocks. You can look what they do to make a profile fit a humbucker guitar better - it's pretty much the same settings. I don't want to pay for that - I can do it on myself now 8)

    On the other hand there are many profiles, that simple work with almost all pickups with only tiiiny adjustments (usually Definition...). And it is also very easy and fast (for me) to scroll through "big packs" with different mics / cabs to find the perfect profile for the guitar / song / style / mood as a starting point.


    I think you have to decide: (Really) small packs with perfect quality overall and every profile usable with all kind of guitars or bigger packs offering more variety, doing updates, experimental stuff, find out the needs of your buyers including niches....

    And yeah I love the sale thing too - because if you are a little patient you get so many packs for incredibly low prices. And I mean really low. The vendors have to do that, if they want people like me still buy new rigs ^^

  • A clean, a pushed, a cranked and a full profile per channel, would be ok. Do I want more? It also depends on the number of channels and switches that an amp has. For instance: if there is a bright or fat switch I appreciate to have every profile with and without that switch and apply that to every channel. I prefer that more than pick up related profiles but a hum bucker profiles gives more warmth and a tele profile more sparkle. If I would have to choose I prefer the sparkle.

  • This is great input, everyone. Gives me a lot to consider. I might just end up creating profiles using humbuckers, but ones that are lower output and on the brighter side. My current favorites are the Xotic Raw Vintage PAFs. As far as humbuckers go, they do approach single-coil clarity.


    Thanks for all the advice!

  • A clean, a pushed, a cranked and a full profile per channel, would be ok. Do I want more? It also depends on the number of channels and switches that an amp has. For instance: if there is a bright or fat switch I appreciate to have every profile with and without that switch and apply that to every channel. I prefer that more than pick up related profiles but a hum bucker profiles gives more warmth and a tele profile more sparkle. If I would have to choose I prefer the sparkle.

    Agree. Different gain on the profiles. Say like 5 profiles. But please avoid over-cranked profiles so many high gain profiles suffer from. No matter what pickups you have that amount of gain is just silly to much.

    Think for yourself, or others will think for you wihout thinking of you

    Henry David Thoreau

  • Agree. Different gain on the profiles. Say like 5 profiles. But please avoid over-cranked profiles so many high gain profiles suffer from. No matter what pickups you have that amount of gain is just silly to much.

    Yes, I agree. Too much gain kills tone. I like controlling my sound with picking dynamics, and if I do boost things a little, it’s only enough to add some natural compression to even things out when playing legato. My profile pack will primarily be aimed at players who like controlling overall gain by riding the volume knob and adjusting pick attack.

  • The Schwartz I own a pt100se. I think 4-6 merged profiles of each channel would suffice including boosted modes. Price wise I'd say$8 - $10 would be fair. Not many great Pt100se profiles out there. You could be the first. Tone Junkie's are good.

    Rik


    Kemper toaster >Kemper remote> 2 x Alto TS310 powered speakers Furman M-8XAR