Acoustic body

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Ormsby Guitars

Re: Acoustic body

Post by Ormsby Guitars » Sat May 24, 2014 11:03 am

simso wrote:IMO, low production would be 1 a week, high production is really a commercial enterprise which has the capacity to churn out hundreds to thousands per week
Most of the guys making a living, that i talk to, are around 15-25 a year. That living is pretty 'average' though (although its better in the USA)... they will never have a nice new car, never buy a house (unless they already own one), never send their kids to college or uni....
Their pricing falls into the $2500-4000 mark. There are a lot of "part timers" though doing <$2500 guitars and less than 10 a year. Employees? Just looking at Australia, and taking out Maton and Cole Clark, there would be 10 employers?? Twelve maybe? That would include luthiers that offer repair services also.

For guys building as a sole source of income, production is not their main concern. It's profits. Build 20 a year @ $4000 = $80k turnover. At $3000 you need to build an extra seven guitars a year to get the same turnover, but at a higher cost of manufacturing and therefore less profit.

simso
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Re: Acoustic body

Post by simso » Sat May 24, 2014 2:26 pm

And thats turnover not profit.

For a small time builder asking 4k for a guitar is a big ask as well, there are a lot of brand name guitars that fall in that price range, its got to be a pretty sensational guitar with some name endorsements to command that price on a regular basis
Steve
Master of nothing,

Do your own repairs - http://www.mirwa.com.au/How_to_Series.html

Ormsby Guitars

Re: Acoustic body

Post by Ormsby Guitars » Sat May 24, 2014 4:35 pm

I disagree regarding endorsements. I understand acoustic builders are different to electric builders, but that is mindset more than anything. (Regarding pricing and marketing).

I don't use endorsees to sell guitars. I think it's a waste of time, dollar for dollar. I do offer a discount to people who I respect as players, and would have purchased anyway.

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demonx
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Re: Acoustic body

Post by demonx » Sun May 25, 2014 8:25 am

simso wrote:IMO, low production would be 1 a week, high production is really a commercial enterprise which has the capacity to churn out hundreds to thousands per week
I was more referring more to "luthiers" as opposed to factory environment. Probably should have made that clearer.

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demonx
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Re: Acoustic body

Post by demonx » Sun May 25, 2014 8:34 am

Ormsby Guitars wrote:
simso wrote: Employees? Just looking at Australia, and taking out Maton and Cole Clark, there would be 10 employers?? Twelve maybe? That would include luthiers that offer repair services also.
I reckon that would be an extreme under estimate.

I'd be afraid to even guess. For example, I live in a rural city and there is at least one shop with a guy who calls himself a "qualified luthier" (Crossroads aka Thompson Guitars), does repairs from a retail store and has a handful of staff, yet doesn't build many guitars as no one orders them. There's one other luthier in town with a cnc operation (Noyce Guitars) and has had various staff come and go for decades.

I'm only listing the staffed operations and I'm not including myself. There are a couple other full time luthiers in the same city as well, but no staff. Churchill Guitars. Richards Guitars.

So if that is at least two to add to the list and it's only one rural city, assuming there'd be at least one or more in each capital city - then assume there's various scattered rural cities out there. It could be a surprising figure. It's just we don't hear of them.

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needsmorecowbel
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Re: Acoustic body

Post by needsmorecowbel » Sun May 25, 2014 2:35 pm

Cole Clark had like 40 odd workers when I went there to have a look for a day. About 6-10 in setup and the rest on the factory floor

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Re: Acoustic body

Post by Crafty Fox » Sun May 25, 2014 2:37 pm

I build one acoustic per lifetime (so far).
And I like Rocket's build attitude the most.
Ken

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