There's bargain import production frames out there in the sub-$300 category, which I don't think any domestic manufacturer could touch. Then there's custom domestics, which realistically are going to start at the $1k-$1200 level. And in between, you can get a production, standard sizing/geometry frame to tolerable standards in the form of import brands like Surly or Soma for $400-600; domestic or western manufacturing with brands like Gunnar and Bob Jackson in the $700-900 range.

Is it possible for a small builder to gear up for small production runs of 3-5 bikes in the same size/geometry at one whack and offer them at a competitive price, say $600-800 range? Seems you could save a bunch of individual setup time if you were making a series of bikes to the same spec and knock them out fairly quickly. Market for such a beast?