Opinions and Advice needed- Guitar/music lovers...

[KerriAnn]

My Dad quit his 20 some year job with computers to start his own business... Making guitars mainly, and some other wood instruments. They are not your average instruments, my Dad hand tunes every single piece until it is perfect.
His business is slow going, because he doesn't know the right people.... and he is not the business/marketing type.
anyways, i was hoping i could get some honest opinions and advice from you guys, as he's been feeling like giving up, but I have been trying to help and encourage him- i know if the right person sees his work, that's all it will take!
The price range for the guitars he makes are in the $3,000-$3,500 range, so you see why it's a little more difficult for him to market his products...

 

[IGBT]

..they look real nice. I know nothing about it but mabe check with local musicians for leads and try to get some trustworthy guitar player in the bis.to use your guitars..that would be good promotion.

 

[mobobuff]

I may not know guitars. But I know sex. And that guitar is SEXY. :shocked:

He could go through eBay maybe?

 

[KerriAnn]

thanks for your replys...

he has been meeting up with local bands and visiting the local music stores, and everyone has nothing but praise for his instruments, but he lives out in the boonies, waayyyyyy in the boonies...
he has also considered ebay, but the only downside to that is that the people who will be buying/bidding on the guitar won't be able to feel it and play it.

 

[Raincity]

Those fret markers are pretty cheesy. I don?t want to sound mean but tell your old man to go back to his day job.

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: Raincity
Those fret markers are pretty cheesy. I don't want to sound like a jackass, but I will, because I am

Fixed.

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: Raincity
Those fret markers are pretty cheesy. I don't want to sound like a jackass, but I will, because I am

Fixed.

And how many quality musical instruments have you laid your hands upon?

 

[mobobuff]

Originally posted by: Raincity

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: Raincity
Those fret markers are pretty cheesy. I don't want to sound like a jackass, but I will, because I am

Fixed.

And how many quality musical instruments have you laid your hands upon?

Experience has nothing to do with being a jackass. Unless you have a lot of experience in being a jackass.

 

[KerriAnn]

lmao, don't worry, no one could ever convince me that a single inch of that guitar is cheesy, or anything of the sort.

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: Raincity

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: Raincity
Those fret markers are pretty cheesy. I don't want to sound like a jackass, but I will, because I am

Fixed.

And how many quality musical instruments have you laid your hands upon?

Experience has nothing to do with being a jackass. Unless you have a lot of experience in being a jackass.

Truth hurts sometimes. The posters father should learn to improve on his craft.

 

[EarthwormJim]

Originally posted by: Raincity

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: Raincity

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: Raincity
Those fret markers are pretty cheesy. I don't want to sound like a jackass, but I will, because I am

Fixed.

And how many quality musical instruments have you laid your hands upon?

Experience has nothing to do with being a jackass. Unless you have a lot of experience in being a jackass.

Truth hurts sometimes. The posters father should learn to improve on his craft.

I do agree, that the fret markers might look better if they were Gibson like in style. But the wording of your criticism was uncalled for, childlike, and inexperienced. I doubt you've ever laid your hands on a finely crafted guitar if all you're judging it by are fret marks.

Still, awesome looking guitar.

 

[KerriAnn]

Raincity- it's not about truth. i already know the quality of my Dad's work. you're opinion on the frets would only mean something if you were buying one. but you're not, so it doesn't.
unless you have some sort of experience in the business... i can't imagine that though.

i would have taken your comments as constructive criticism, except you chose the wrong words... "go back to his day job" sounds like an insult, not a valid critique.
please discontinue posting in my thread, i am seeking real help, not an immature debate.

 

[flxnimprtmscl]

My first thought was it's hideous. Now it's growing on me, though. In fact, I'm kind of starting to dig it. But.... that headstock has to go. Looks like a bottle opener. Raincity was right too. Those fret markers just don't fit the look of the rest of the guitar. Nice looking guitar other than that, though. Tell your dad to keep up the good work.

 

[Raincity]

Originally posted by: KerriAnn
Raincity- it's not about truth. i already know the quality of my Dad's work. you're opinion on the frets would only mean something if you were buying one. but you're not, so it doesn't.
unless you have some sort of experience in the business... i can't imagine that though.

i would have taken your comments as constructive criticism, except you chose the wrong words... "go back to his day job" sounds like an insult, not a valid critique.
please discontinue posting in my thread, i am seeking real help, not an immature debate.

Good Luck

 

[KerriAnn]

thank you.

ok, so the frets are too much?- i don't even know what gibson like frets look like. (i'll be googling it in a sec though)

the headstock- it looks bad? im assuming the headstock is the thing that the tuners are on... is it because the tuners are 6-in-line?

 

[KerriAnn]

oh, and btw, i do appreciate the comments, but i am really after some advice on getting his stuff sold! his guitars are one of a kind- they are not supposed to look like side show freaks, but they are not supposed to look like gibson's either.
most of them are built with a specific customer's preferences in mind...

 

[Raincity]

Two more word for your father, Roberto Venn

 

[KerriAnn]

unless they provide a cnc router machine in their "workspace", then that would be totally useless for him.

 

[Raincity]

Roberto does CNC like everybody else. He tutored Sadowski, Shur, and Marchoine.

 

[KerriAnn]

ok, lets put it this way then-

my father has just turned 50, he has nor the time or the money to go to school.

damn, just forget it.

 

[Raincity]

Send off one of his solid bodies to Tom Anderson for his opinion.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: Raincity

Originally posted by: mobobuff

Originally posted by: Raincity
Those fret markers are pretty cheesy. I don't want to sound like a jackass, but I will, because I am

Fixed.

And how many quality musical instruments have you laid your hands upon?

I've used more guitars than you've probably ever seen in your lifetime. That said, it doesn't look too bad, BUT...I don't think the guitar is homemade from stratch. That body started life as a Stratocaster (I'm assuming a copy of a Strat as nobody in their right mind would chop up a real one), and he cut parts of the body off to make the shape shown. New hardware looks like it was popped on, but I agree about the fret board. The inlays look a bit tacky. Need some nice mother-of-pearl in there to finish it off.

 

Your dad's not the guy who was on Queer Eye who makes his own guitars, is he?

 

[thomsbrain]

i think it's a cool looking guitar. if i were your dad, i might find some bands (even larger ones) that have good guitar players that people respect, then contact them (even if it's just the generic contact info in the CD) and offer to sponsor them. he could make a deal where he gives them a few guitars in exchange for a mention in album liner notes and play on stage.

also, there may be local music stores that will sell on consignment. if the guitars sell, the stores might later take real orders on its own.

i doubt he will sell anything through ebay without being an established brand. buisness will be slow for a while, no doubt about it. but i know there are experienced freelance luthiers (stringed instrument makers) who do good buisness by word of mouth.

the other thing is check JAZZ clubs. those players are far less brand-loyal, far more willing to pay an arm and a leg for a quality instrument, and always on the lookout for a really unique instrument, especially if they can have it custom-made for them. they also are big on word-of-mouth, because they have to look harder to find people good enough to do work for them. your dad might just go and check out some groups, then talk to the guitarist. give them a bunch of buisness cards, bring along some guitars to show them, tell them what he's all about. he can explain that he's just trying to get the name out there and not be too pushy about actually buying anything right away. he should also get a website. that musician might not want a guitar but he might know someone who does and a website will allow someone to get an overview of what your dad is all about.

 

[JDub02]

Given that you can get a very high end Gibson Les Paul in the $2500 range, I don't see how that guitar stacks up, especially with single coils. Top end Strats are ~$1500. Which that electric reminds me of a chopped up strat.

If he wants to make guitars, he's gotta get the price on the electrics down to ~$1500 and get some nice inlay for the fretboard.

Now top quality acoustics are another story .. $3000 isn't all that outrageous. Although a top end Martin or Taylor will run ~$22-2500.

FWIW, I don't care for the fret markers. They're functional, but for the money, they better be alot nicer than that. I don't like body, either. When I'm practicing, I sit to play with the guitar on my leg. That one just doesn't look comfortable.

The dulcimer looks very nice, but I don't know a thing about them.

I definately commend your dad for following his dream, though. I've given some thought to producing some acoustic guitars, but I keep talking myself out of it.