What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Full Version)

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birussell -> What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 16:09:44)

What price would be a reasonable starting price for an amateur luthier to sell their instruments for? I'm working on my 3rd,4th, and 5th guitar but I have no idea what to sell them for or even where I would look for customers.

How exactly did you decide what to start your prices at and how did you first attract potential buyers when there are so many other great luthiers around?

I'm only 21 and I intend to be a full time luthier.



estebanana -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 16:41:15)

There's a group of professional people on another discussion forum that came up with the idea of three times the cost of the materials until you start making really good guitars. I gave away three of my first guitars, two of them went to Cuba to musicians who could not buy a flamenco guitar. And I gave another one to the Oakland Public Conservatory. You might consider giving them to friends or selling them for enough money to buy more materials. But you should also value your work now, but not always as money. It worked for me.



rogeliocan -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 17:00:07)

I am no luthier but I am a buyer.
I like what you wrote there estebanana (first time I realize there is 'banana' in your name I always thought it was 'estebana'...funny)

If you don't go that approach and try to get the most money you can, I would think that the market would decide on the value. If you set it to high, it just won't sell. And I would think that this judgement is based on comparison between your new guitars and the price of all other guitars you can buy.

I paid a decent amount for my luthiers third flamenco (he was a classical guitar builder) because I loved it instantly, it was exactly what I wanted in terms of sound and he had great workmanship (clean work).



estebanana -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 17:11:06)

quote:

I like what you wrote there estebanana (first time I realize there is 'banana' in your name I always thought it was 'estebana'...funny)


People think I have a girlfriend named Ana and that we share an email. But it's really just a silly name, like Rum Baking. :)



El Kiko -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 17:39:31)

yes funny that i saw estebana as well until just now ,,,,
I also saw Rum-baking instead of Rumba-King (it just sounded like a good recipe tip ..) and it took me months to see Jimi_Hendrix spelled backward......( I though maybe Xirdneh was a more common name in Budapest ...).but I did keep wondering "who is this Jimi people refer to??[:D]
No the wonder I can't play the guitar, I still cant get the hang of chewing gum and walking at the same time ,,,, you know , chew a bit.. walk a bit ....etc. etc..
probably shouldn't have mentioned this .....
sorry to hijack you thread..........Anyway I agree with estebananana and most definatly you need the price to get more materials and build a better mouse trap....



Stephen Eden -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 18:09:39)

If you are looking for places to sell them try going through a shop they may take it. I have a friend in Puerto Rice who has just started out and he sells for $1800 dollars. Has been building for a year now and in the past two months he has built up a two year waiting list!! seems like $1800 is a good price. Ithink that is more or less where I started in the £1200 range



estebanana -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 20:10:06)

quote:

sorry to hijack you thread.......


did your kid make that great drawing on your profile pic? ?



El Kiko -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 22 2011 22:48:35)

yeah he did , at 4 years and a bit , 5 now though and he has an interest in playing , if only I could get him an interest in building.....[;)]



estebanana -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 23 2011 20:35:39)

just let him draw more, he's great. give him some cardboard and tape and glue and have him make that crazy guitar in three dimensions.



Anders Eliasson -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 24 2011 6:38:07)

Price is a very difficult one. what is your guitars worth and why is someone elses guitar, made with the same wood and the same labour worth 2, 3 ,4 or 5 times more. I dunno.
My dad bought #1, #2 and 3 I sold for 1200,-€. But thats some years ago.

Basically an amateur build guitar doesnt have to be worse. Depends on the amateur. You have amateurs who have made guitars for many years and since they dont have the pressure we, the pros have, they can make very good guitars. I´d say that the only advantage that we, the pros have is that we can learn more because each guitar teaches you something.



acziraky -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 24 2011 11:18:45)

Anders, you are making the assumption that all labour is equal. When someone prices their guitar higher, they are effectively saying that their labour is worth more.



Anders Eliasson -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 25 2011 7:47:49)

No, I´m not making the assumption of anything. I just stated that putting a price on a handmade guitar is difficult. And that it can be difficult to understand why some guitars cost many times more than others.
My price is 3000,-€ right now. Why? Its just a number. Could it be 4000, or should it be 2200 or 5800....... I dont know.



rogeliocan -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 25 2011 9:13:41)

Let me ask you this. Apart from monopolies and oligopolies, so, in a market where you have a lot of competition (and in case of guitars there are definitely a lot). Who do you think sets the price?
You can set any price you want but like economy 101 says, it is the offer against the damand that will set your price. You will have to take it down to a point where you sell enough to keep you busy and high enough so that you can still make enough money to survive without having to expand beyond what you want.

I would say it's the buyers who set your price. So a better question would be how can I make the buyers believe my guitars are worth more.
For that, there is marketing (Andalusian Guitars), there is reputation and 'tradition' Conde and a whole bunch of others), of course Conde also has good marketing since many big players use their guitars.... so the perception is that they MUST be good.
Then there is just plain reputation based on quality and name building and that develop in trust and tradition over time.
I'm sure there are other criteria, they come from 'Why do people choose a guitar?'



Andy Culpepper -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 25 2011 15:07:02)

My teacher gave away his first 12 (yes twelve) guitars. It's a pretty good way to serve an "apprenticeship" [8D]

I've made 11 guitars and sold them for everything from $1300 - $3600. And in no way increasing from first to last [:D]



Anders Eliasson -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Mar. 25 2011 17:58:43)

quote:

'Why do people choose a guitar?'


I dont know



erictjie -> RE: What price to start at for amateur luthier guitar? (Apr. 16 2011 0:49:32)

guitar is an art like a painting. different people have diff taste and feel, so it is what people willing to pay. i will never pay a guitar more than $4000-5000 . I would rather find unkown luthier and test his guitar.



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