I could never build a guitar and sell it

axisus

I've been worrying a bit about losing my job this past year, and several people impressed with the 'one' guitar that I have built myself have said I should build guitars and sell them. Apart from the fact that I don't think I could make any money from that, I really don't think I could part with a guitar that I have made myself. I don't know how people do that?? I feel an incredible bond with 'my' guitar, so much so that I don't think I will ever buy another guitar. 

I could imagine feeling less bothered if you turn out a lot of guitars and automate some of the processes to a degree, but doing everything by hand makes it just too personal a thing for me.

Andyjr1515

Wow....a bit philosophical for a decent response this early in the morning!

For what it's worth, my take.....

First of all, I think you are right in assuming there's no money in it.  Yes, there could be, and with the right amount of investment and time and effort (huge, huge and huge) it is possible, but not in a situation of replacing the earnings of a full time job where normal timescales are in play...

As for 'giving away your baby', I do know where you are coming from.  I would be very torn if I was selling a guitar or bass I'd made for myself, for all the reasons you say.  And I don't think I ever have yet....

BUT building a commissioned instrument is something quite different.  If anything, you put even more into it than for your own.  They say about presents, it's the giving not the receiving.  The kick it gives you when you pass a brand new instrument across to its new owner, built for them to their preferences, but with your style and innovation and effort and they stand there, speechless...well, as the ad says, it's simply priceless.

axisus

Good reply!

Andyjr1515

axisus said:

Good reply!

Just an aberration, probably.  Normal Sunday morning lethargy returning as we speak

Nomad

I had a similar conversation about selling guitars with a guitarist mate at work. I had looked into the making money aspect as a feasibility thing, and came to the conclusion that it would be very difficult to make money from it.

Time becomes a major factor because you need to turn around builds fast enough, and with enough regularity, to cover costs and make a living, never mind make a decent profit on top to reinvest into the business. For a hobby builder at home, time is less important, which means you can operate in a smaller workshop and set up and break down machines and jigs as needed. You can also do the woodwork and finishing in the same space by not doing both at once to avoid dust contaminating a guitar that's being finished (when I come to finish my build, I'll be switching the workshop to oil painting studio mode).

There's also the potential investment in better and/or bigger tools and equipment, eg, my bandsaw will cut out a body outline, but doesn't have the capacity to resaw even one half of a two-piece body (and would seriously struggle to do so). To equip with machines that are big enough for guitar bits can get rather expensive, and if you don't have loads of space already, you're looking at either renting workspace or moving house to somewhere bigger. Renting even a small workspace gets pricey when you consider it still needs to be big enough to separate woodwork and finishing, have a wood store that has the right environment, facilities for the human(s), and maybe an office/display area.

And all of this assumes you'll have enough sales to make it a going concern, which means a load of extra work in marketing, photography, web site, etc.

There's maybe something between the two, where you build occasional guitars as a way of supplementing your main income, but with that, time against financial return becomes a factor. If doing that means you're back to the hobby builder's home workshop, it not only takes longer to build a guitar, meaning the cash per hour goes down, you also have less use of your workshop for your own stuff. To me, that comes down to whether you want a part time job on top of your day job, probably not at a great rate of pay, and you don't get to indulge in your workshop hobbies (or at least have to manage paid builds with your own stuff). Would I work for somebody else at the weekends and half of my evenings for a low wage on top of having a full time job? I really don't think so. On the other hand, as a supplementary income for someone that's semi-retired (or only works part time in a normal job), maybe it's worthwhile.

Agreed on the difficulty in selling to an extent, but it's not that hard. I've sold one oil painting, which I had painted for myself, when I was skint. It was a bit of a wrench at the time, and I still have a little bit of regret about doing it, but I can't say I'm especially unhappy about it. I probably wouldn't sell my first build, but I might think differently if the next build resulted in a guitar that I liked more.

Danielsguitars

From my personal experience it's alot of work for not much financial gain

I've come to the conclusion that I'd rather just get by doing something I like rather than work for people

I've been made redundant twice in 2 years and had enough

It has also taken quite a few years of going to college to learn how to make them and building my own guitars to get some commisioned builds and I'm a long way off where I really need to be

I'm not churning them out either as long as I can get maybe 10 or 12 done a year I'm ok, I don't need the stress

I only spray nitro finishes and they take much more time than the other finishes
A month or more of waiting to buff out

We'll see if it all works out if not back to doing work I don't like, I'll try my best so that doesn't happen

DiscoStu

I've sold two that I've made. One was a Viper style that I made for one of the £100 Clarksonesque challenges and I doubled my money.
The other was a custom Explorer order from a friend. I built it to his spec, it took me months to do in my spare time and I made £250 on it.

It's no way to make a living but it's fun.

vale

i wouldn't imagine there is much money in it, unless you are a supercraftsman offering tiptop or someone with a big name from working with pros. in sheer labour terms no western mortal can compete with the cnc industrial process & far east labour costs.

look at the new squier mustangs £100. you can't compete with that directly on any level.
call it five hours work at £20 per hour to source all parts, build, set up, finish. possible? no.
& that's before deducting cost of parts & materials & overheads for site/services (& fuck ups) & taxes.
you can't compete.

after £500 maybe, once clear of squier/epihone competition. but even then you would be heavily reliant on readymade kit parts for the labour intensive stuff. maybe joyless building.
over £1000 yes, but a small market. you may starve between commissions.

from what i have seen around, if i was interested in making money from guitar work i would focus on personalised mods/upgrades, neck tweaks & swaps, refinishes & other custom things that complement & extend what the market already offers at a price you can't.

people will buy a squier vm because the quality & value is there, but it's the same as everyone elses. so they will then be thinking about how to tailor it to their needs.
some have the skills & inclination to do that, even enjoy it.
but i would imagine many couldn't be bothered & don't want to waste weekends watching videos to learn how to do something badly that someone can do better for £50-£100 £etc.

i struggle wiring pickups & pots & don't have confidence to build yet, so this isn't a professional opinion. just the impression i get from keeping my eyes open & using my common sense. a thought.

GoldenEraGuitars

I thought the same when I started my business. I'm not making entire guitars solely but I am doing the bodies at least. 

I found my first full on commission hard to let go tbh but when the money came in for the balance my business cap was straight back on and I realised why I started doing it. It's as much about being creative as it is about earning a pension for my wife and I. But that's really what it's for, the fact that I enjoy what I'm doing is a bonus.

paulnb57

I think that is why Crimson Guitars sell so many tools etc, higher profit to bolster the low guitar profits....

Rox

paulnb57 said:

I think that is why Crimson Guitars sell so many tools etc, higher profit to bolster the low guitar profits....

An old boss once said to me, "Who made the most money during the Gold Rush... the prospectors or the ones selling the shovels?"

usedtobe

I imagine the more of the work you do yourself, the more difficult it is to part with them, if you only make the odd one..

GoldenEraGuitars

usedtobe said:

I imagine the more of the work you do yourself, the more difficult it is to part with them, if you only make the odd one..

I'm about to start 8 bodies from NOS finishes to one or two heavily aged pieces. All different colours and vibes. While I know I'll get attached to each one of them I also know that I'll be happy for them to become full instruments with their new owners.