From Thomman in Germany a US made Fender Jazz AM pro in GB Sterling is £1362.67, a 2018 Thunderbird is £1757.41, less that £400 difference. Given the ease of manufacture of the Fender against the Gibson I would be very surprised if Gibson make more profit. Their quality control issues are another issue and there is no excuse for those although I have never actually seen any.
Less than £400 difference is still a lot. The TBird is 29% more expensive, and that's a European distributor's price. Here, MAP is $2199 for the TBird vs. $1549 for the Jazz, which makes the TBird 42% more expensive.
Rickenbacker doesn't have MAP pricing, but MSRP is $1949 for a 4003S (unbound, dot inlays, like the TBird) and just about any dealer will give you at least 15% off that. 20-25% is more common. Even at 15% off, the TBird is 33% more expensive than a neck-through 4003S.
Plus, Fender and Rickenbacker are in California, where labor, insurance, utilities, and environmental costs are a good bit higher than in Tennessee, or in Montana where Gibson acoustics are made.
Irrespective of Thomann's pricing, it still astounds me that mass (cough) production instruments sell new for so much. Give it a year, these very same models will be available used for half this or less.
Maybe where you are, but not here. One-third off would be about right. Except at forum marketplaces like Gearpage or Talkbass, where some members think they can sell their year-old guitars or basses for 90% of what they paid.
