It's all relative Rob... And I mean no disrespect to builders/craftsmen. I understand business and the costs involved in crafting the product. But, on the consumer side, it's ultimately just a matter of available resources ($), available alternatives, and priorities. $1000 is not an easily afforded sum for many if not most. And, even if it is easily afforded, I think the smart decision would be based off of what else is out there. i.e. I've heard almost nothing but praise for the RT2/50 power amp. And, if this power amp fills the bill, then why would anyone spend more than the $700 it takes to grab a used one in good shape? Same goes for the Carvin TS100. If it sounds great to someone's ear, and isnt a bomb as far as reliability goes, why pay more than the $300 to get one? Now, if your ears tell you that a Freyette, Mesa, or custom built power amp is worth the extra $, then it makes total sense to spend it if you've got the $ to spend. And, for me at least, it's a prioritization thing too. Is that extra $1k better spent on a possibly marginal improvement in guitar tone, or is it better spent on recording, mixing, mastering, or radio promo for my band? And, I have interests outside of music that are just as compelling. Do I want to drop $1k more on a bit nicer sounding power amp, or spend that $1k on an exhaust system for my Mustang, mods to my motocross bike, or airfare for my wife and I to Hawaii for a week? Lol, it's just all relative.
Hell, I'd be tempted to start snatching up RM100's, since they seem to sell for about $350 unloaded, and find a way to shove the power section into rack mounts. For my purposes, and to my ears, the RM100 power section is excellent. Maybe I just don't know what I'm missing (if so, it's probably better that way, for my wallet)? And, if nothing else, in my case, I'm not nearly good enough of a guitar player to justify much more than $1k on an amp, lol.