Trent Guitars

markslade07

As I think someone said above, is it worth considering following a similar model to @GoldenEraGuitars where you build up a few and pop them up for sale. That way, people may just consider pulling the trigger as it's a guitar that appeals to them, rather than having to think about options, especially if you're anything like me and just can't decide what you'd like. If there is one in front of me I like the look of, I may be more inclined to pull the trigger. Offering too many options may not be that helpful in the early days

TheBigDipper

@TrentGuitars

I live in BCP-land, so I'm close. If I was looking for another electric I'd definitely be looking at trying yours. Would that actually be possible? I don't mean by coming to your workshop, because that would just slow down production. Could I drop into Absolute Music, for example, and try one you've got on sale "on consignment"? 

I own a Brook Taw acoustic. I didn't order one to be built for me. I played a few in an Exeter guitar shop and bought the one I really liked. The shop, in fact, had ordered guitars (and paid Brook) purely to put them on the shelves as stock. Could you persuade Coda or Peach to do the same? Their online reach is very strong.

Most small "startup" companies with a new idea or product are better off focusing on development and production - paying a royalty or commission or selling at a discounted margin to salespeople that are their agents but not in their company. 

WezV

markslade07 said:

As I think someone said above, is it worth considering following a similar model to @GoldenEraGuitars where you build up a few and pop them up for sale. That way, people may just consider pulling the trigger as it's a guitar that appeals to them, rather than having to think about options, especially if you're anything like me and just can't decide what you'd like. If there is one in front of me I like the look of, I may be more inclined to pull the trigger. Offering too many options may not be that helpful in the early days

the risk is that model likely works best once you have an established customer base and waiting lists. 

But I totally agree that its worth having a few in stock at all times so people can try them out and they can go to shows.  Once you can't keep any in stock because you can't build them fast enough  to met demand, the issue goes away

monquixote

Some really good points in the thread.
I've played one so I would have no fear of ordering, but if I hadn't it would potentially be a deal breaker for me.

The two obvious solutions are as others have said:
Get plenty of YouTube content out there
Build a few for stock and put them on the classifieds ideally with a demo video
Do some guitar shows (When such things are possible again)

I do believe the product will sell itself if it gets into people's hands.

personalnadir

Worth looking at the photos on the site. I think the building site context is a bit odd. 

None of the photos are terrible, but look at how the other sites photograph their guitars. 

I have heard other guitar and pedal builders speak about the amount of time and effect they put into the photography. First bite is with the eye etc.

steer

Another small thing. I was under the impression (wrongly) that these were very small bodied guitars. Perhaps it is the shape that somehow made me think this? It was only when someone on here posted a pic of theirs next to a tele or a strat) that i realised the actual size. So if considering pictures like suggested above, perhaps having one alongside a known sized instrument would help.

Perhaps this is just me though. 

rlw

Resale value.  And there's not a lot you can do about that TBH.

Offset

rlw said:

Resale value.  And there's not a lot you can do about that TBH.

True, but then again not everyone buys a guitar with an eye on how well it will hold its value.  I certainly don't which means my buying choices aren't constrained.

monquixote

rlw said:

Resale value.  And there's not a lot you can do about that TBH.

Whilst that's true given that these guitars have a very distinctive identity as opposed to being just another boutique strat/tele I could imagine if the order book gets full and the lead time becomes 12 months the resale value could be quite high.

meltedbuzzbox

rlw said:

Resale value.  And there's not a lot you can do about that TBH.

If you buy a guitar with that in mind I think you should be re-evaluating why you are buying the guitar in the first place

TrentGuitars

Thanks again guys, some great points!

with imagery I’m kind of just working with what I have given it’s just me. The work in progress extension I’m building just happens to have the nice light in the evening on my hilltop. I would like to get some studio images at some point but making spec guitars means I still have to outlay the funds the materials on them. 

I would be interested that see if non custom stock models would sell, although I’m not sure many people mind the short wait?

Resale value is a good point, but I’m not really aiming them at flippers.

I certainly think I need more content / maybe capitalise on all the good things my customers say about their guitars somehow?

monquixote

TrentGuitars said:

Thanks again guys, some great points!

I would be interested that see if non custom stock models would sell, although I’m not sure many people mind the short wait?

I don't think it's about the wait.

I think it's about the pretty guitar being on the classifieds with some pictures and you can buy it RIGHT NOW and you can see exactly what you are getting etc.

EDIT: There are also a ton more people who only look at and use the classifieds and ignore the rest of the site so you will get a lot more views for sticking one in the classifieds.

TTony

monquixote said:

TrentGuitars said:

Thanks again guys, some great points!

I would be interested that see if non custom stock models would sell, although I’m not sure many people mind the short wait?

I don't think it's about the wait.

I think it's about the pretty guitar being on the classifieds with some pictures and you can buy it RIGHT NOW and you can see exactly what you are getting etc.

Good idea.  That's certainly worth trying with a couple.

TrentGuitars

Sure, I think I can stretch do doing 2 on spec, now to work out what spec..

Bellycaster

Might have been mentioned already but if you get one in the hands of some online Guitarists like Justin Sandercoe, that would be a great plug.

DrCornelius

Bellycaster said:

Might have been mentioned already but if you get one in the hands of some online Guitarists like Justin Sandercoe, that would be a great plug.

Or our very own @JohnCordy ;

monquixote

DrCornelius said:

Bellycaster said:

Might have been mentioned already but if you get one in the hands of some online Guitarists like Justin Sandercoe, that would be a great plug.

Or our very own @JohnCordy ;

Good shout, he's an absolute beast of a player.

If you do a lefty get @WiresDreamDisasters to do some evil ambient metals on it.

Bellycaster

DrCornelius said:

Bellycaster said:

Might have been mentioned already but if you get one in the hands of some online Guitarists like Justin Sandercoe, that would be a great plug.

Or our very own @JohnCordy ;

True, I forget who we've got on here. He is a great player now I recall.

Blueingreen

I'd also say - and please take this in the spirit it's intended - that we've all read a few stories over the years of people manufacturing a good product, word gets round, the order book fills up, and one way or another the business doesn't cope - deliveries times are not met and/or QC standards drop. 

I'm not for one second suggesting that will happen here, but it's the sort of thing that will be on some peoples' minds when they are thinking about pulling the trigger on a guitar from a small builder who's getting some positive buzz. 

People will think, yeah the one that guy got was great, but what if mine's isn't as good?  There's not much consumer protection on a bespoke instrument and I'm left trying to sell a guitar I don't like.

How you address that I don't know.  How about a non-refundable deposit but you will refund the rest of the price of the guitar if the buyer is disappointed?  That way people know that worst case they're out the deposit, and you can afford to offer the guitar for sale to the general public at a discounted price if necessary to shift it, without being out of pocket.

Don't know if this is practical/a goer, just a thought that went through my head.

TrentGuitars

Blueingreen said:

I'd also say - and please take this in the spirit it's intended - that we've all read a few stories over the years of people manufacturing a good product, word gets round, the order book fills up, and one way or another the business doesn't cope - deliveries times are not met and/or QC standards drop. 

I'm not for one second suggesting that will happen here, but it's the sort of thing that will be on some peoples' minds when they are thinking about pulling the trigger on a guitar from a small builder who's getting some positive buzz. 

People will think, yeah the one that guy got was great, but what if mine's isn't as good?  There's not much consumer protection on a bespoke instrument and I'm left trying to sell a guitar I don't like.

How you address that I don't know.  How about a non-refundable deposit but you will refund the rest of the price of the guitar if the buyer is disappointed?  That way people know that worst case they're out the deposit, and you can afford to offer the guitar for sale to the general public at a discounted price if necessary to shift it, without being out of pocket.

Don't know if this is practical/a goer, just a thought that went through my head.

Appreciate the spirit of this, for sure.

I understand that there have been a few bad apples in the past that certainly can taint this whole experience but what I'd counter that with is to consider the flipside of that being the success stories in buying from smaller makers. Whether its Hudson Electronics with their wonderful Broadcast pedal to Matt Oram of Fidelity Guitars.

I'm at just over 10 Model 1's delivered and not had someone unhappy yet. I appreciate there's not much customer protection but what I will tell you is  that in making furniture for a living for the best part of a decade I live by the idea that 'you're only as good as your worst product'. I know that one guitar even being not what I want it to be can sink my whole business this early on!

The non-refundable deposit and then let them decide whether they like it or not once they get it just isn't something I think is good for anybody. I see that as the same as Asda putting 'Love it or your money back' on their products, it works for food and low cost items but not sure so much on a guitar. It's worth noting if someone really wasn't happy with their guitar, if it was entirely not what they expected, I'd refund them.