Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello OLF members;

Thought I'd spill my guts a little here with regards to maintaining a fulltime business in this industry.
Since my website was officially posted last year, I have sold 13 commissioned instruments, 7 on the side and given away 4 as gifts to friends and family.
I have three to build as of today, and two backorders. I didn't get a single commission in the month of July, I have to wonder if this is a normal slow down or if it is just here in my area.
Also, my 14 year old daughter is responsible for my entire website and it's existence, it was a birthday gift from her to me last year in September. I think it is cool and is very basic, but none the less , she made it for me, so I leave it alone. Making a few adjustments here and there, but for the most part, I like it a lot. I would appreciate any in put on it's condition and what I might need to do in order to present a more professional look as well as a pricing consideration. I know what I put in to my guitars, but I wonder if my prices are right on , or if I need to adjust a little for slow downs (and the recent theft that hit me pretty hard). I was thinking of offering a discount for this and the following month, just to offset the loss and book a few more builds. I have 4 kids and have been married for the last 15 years, (yeah, she's a keeper.) but sometimes I need to make more money than the averaged out $29.00 per hour in building. It really takes me about 70 to 90 hours per instrument and that is a good accurate estimate. Ukes I usually have done in 32 to 48 hours.
(My work ethic is harsh even by my own standards).
But I never work if I'm tired or lacking enthusiasm, so most nights and days I am in the shop from sun-up to sun-down. I take Sundays off just for family time. So my question is : How does my site look?
Are my prices in the ballpark? Ad do I have a good base from what I described? My shop is plenty large enough and I have it 100% dedicated to building, too many tools and lots of bench space. I love building guitars and want to succeed more than anything. From all my customers I have heard nothing but high praise and the promise of return business. What is your take on this description??

Nehemiah C.
www.coveysacoustics.com

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

I like the web site and the photos. I noticed a few places where the text on two parts overlaps, but I do not know if that is how it interacts with my computer, only. Anything else to chamge is just personal preference, and not important. I know nothing about marketing. Good luck.

Thanks W;

I really appreciaye your time and consideration in looking at my site.

I am no computer genius, actually I remember in 1980 when computers first came to my junior high school, I was a bit afraid and intrigued by them.
I know I should spend more time learning their functions and ability, but I have little time to spare.
so my daughter helps with everything not made of woods and strings. I am a very little known builder, hardly worth mentioning, but still I have to try to expand my technological limits.

Just trying to keep up......gotta go check my telegraphs....

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

Nehemiah,
Please take my comments as constructive criticism, Its not meant to be mean or disrespectful.

Your website may be a reason why your commissions are not coming on a regular basis. Althougth it was
very nice that your daughter created your site, and I understand the spot that changing it puts you in. IT is
however a very amateurish site.
IF you want to be taken seriously, you need to have a serious website. That is IF your going to use the web as a
means to advertise and advance your business. There are pleany of well known Luthiers that dont even have a website. So its not the only way.
I would look at a blog style site if programing is difficult. You can also purchase a website template for under 100.oo. Add your text and images and you would have a much better site in just a few hours of work.

Photography is another place where your site needs work. Believe me, I know how hard it is to come up with nice photography, but it is a very important (maybe THE most important) part of a site. Since a website mostly visual, good photography is very important.

Again, I don't want to sound like I am coming off harsh, I think it is very honorable of your daughter to do a site for you!
I guess what I am trying to say is that if you cant make a professional site your self, you should higher a pro to do it.

I have not had any drop off in commissions or dealer interest. I have had a few spikes where I would get several in a months span, but it all average's out.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

Lot of things slow down in the summer because of vacations. Some markets drop around christmas time too but that depends on the market. Some do a whole lot better.

Pix are so important! I blasted the last poor guy that asked for opinions on his site. A fancy, well layed out site helps but the best sales, besides the product itself, is the pix.

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Nehemiah,

Lance, gently, hit the nail on the head. In addition to his other comments, some of the links away from the home page do not function. Example, from the testimonial page I can't go to the warranty page unless I return to the home page. As wbergman points out there are places where the text overlaps text or pictures overlaps text. (Extras page) This may be because I use Firefox as my browser. I was in to computers before Al Gore invented the internet. (JOKE! not politics), but I wouldn't try to design a website on my own. As to that 14 year old young lady that designed it... She did a passable job and I would have to give here a grade of B+.

3 bits of advice:
Make each page the same background color.
Don't photograph your guitars looking down on them.
Make your email address Nehemiah@Coveysacoustic dot com (Much more professional)

OK one more. Enroll your first born daughter in web design classes in the local community college. She will have fun!

Now, your instruments are first rate, your fees are reasonable and your warranty is first rate.

A great web site does not make one a great guitar builder AND I think that at least some of the market knows this.

When I consider what my image of a Luthier was before I took the plunge, you know guys before we all got tainted.... I had this image of an old "person" bent over a guitar with a chisel in hand toiling to produce a level of perfection and magic that only a highly skilled artisan could. I would not expect this person to program in swish.......

Mind you there are some basic elements that even a minimalist, low-tech site needs and these elements must address what a prospective client wants to know and see. As Lance so rightly said pictures, good pictures are very important and possibly the biggest hook.

But again the web site does not make one a great builder but it is important to present oneself well and be mindful that the purpose of a site, usually....., is to sell one's wares.

There is yet another view that was offered to me yesterday. And this view is that when one sees a Luthier covering all the player forums, attending all the shows, on Facebook, YouTube, with all of this sucking you into the builders site only to find a very poorly designed, overly wordy site expressing a plethora of personal opinions and ramblings, the prospective client, could feel cheated. If you are going to have a party - feed the people will ya and feed them well!

So with this in mind if you advertise minimally and really are that toiling Luthier and not a marketing BS artist perhaps a simple site is an honest approach and will be viewed as such. If the business of marketing is as important to a builder as building is this may show - not to everyone mind you but to some. Some won't care or even notice, others will and for those who notice no one wants to be financing a builders marketing activities with the price that they might pay for a guitar from the builder.

Be yourself - anything less or more will bite you.

Nehemiah,
I'm sure economy and time of the year have a big part in what's happening in your situation. I agree with Lance that your site does need work or even a whole new site but most importantly you need good quality pictures that showcase the guitars and your craftsmanship. Lowering the prices will send out the wrong message.... I wouldn't touch it.

Best of luck,

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Thanks to all for the advice.
I 've been tossing around the idea of having a web builder do the whole thing over, but really don't want to hurt my daughters feelings, and it would. I can't help but think a nice clean pro site would help. My daughter takes all the photos too. A digital camera I gave her for X-mas. She means well and is such a sweet heart I guess I've traded off the better site for her enthusiasm.
I'm glad no one thought it was a good idea to discount pricing. I really would rather go up , not down. Hard enough to make ends meet as it is.
I am fairly certain if I can stay at it for the next few years, I will start to see an increase as my name gets out, regardless of the web site, but for now I am little known and still have a lot to learn about guitar building.
I 'll see what I can do about the site and photos, I'll ask your opinions again soon.
A sincere thanks ----Nehemiah

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

Nothing says you can't have two sites. Give the daughter a sit-down and discuss it with her, see how she feels. Thoughtful kid to do this for you!

If you have a pro do another site she can learn too. And get that girl into a jr. college web design class now like rjeffrey said! She will love it and it prepares her for going to school later!

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Billy Dean Thomas
Covina, CA

"Multi famam, conscientiam, pauci verentur."
(Many fear their reputation, few their conscience)

Trying to look at your site on OS X 10.5 and Safari 3.1.2. The only link that works is "Current Project". The Home Page has some alignment and overlap issues that really don't look good.

With the number of people using operating systems and browsers that aren't the Windows mainstream, it's well worth the time spent to make sure that what you are presenting looks good and functions as planned for the widest audience.

Good luck. Getting a website up and running, and functioning as planned is so much more work that most people realize. Then there's the issue of keeping it up to date.

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Allen R. McFarlen
Barron River Guitars & Ukuleles
Facebook
Cairns, Australia