Official Luthiers Forum!

Hi guys,

I'm flying to Healdsburg and am wondering how to take care of a few logistics. This is my first Healdsburg, and it is undoubtedly the first for some of you. So I thought I'd open a "brain trust" topic where we can share ideas and how-tos.

For example, are all you guys gonna ship guitar stands, tuners, and other stuff ahead or carry it in your luggage? Any thoughts about the best way to do that?

Anybody got any words of "wisdom", "watchouts", or "be sure to dos".

Anybody gonna take a side trip before or afterwards?

Questions, thoughts, hints???

Thanks

Gerald Sheppard

You"re in the heart of the Famous Wine country!!
Might as well visit some of the great wineries.
WalterK

Gerald, you've probably made provisions for your guitars already, but I recall folks shipping there guitars to some west coast builders ahead of time, and they'd bring them with to the show. Maybe stands tuners and all the little junk too, in a single separate box. That would make it much easer.

Dang, I wish I were going! I WILL be at 07! God Willing that is!

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

This is our first trip too. We are shipping guitars to LMI (3 weeks early) and also a separate box with stands. I will pack an extra suit case on wheels with a few tools, fresh strings for each morning, tuners (to swap gold for silver and vise versa), saddle shims, spare nuts and saddles, wipe down cloths, CA, fishing line, sticky tac, and our table disply stuff.

Are you printing up any price sheets, spec sheets, business cards or other literature? If so, how many?

We are flying out on Monday and plan to do some sight seeing and vist some friends. We also want to see the redwoods too.

Are you all going to the reception on Thursday? Paul and I disussed spending some time together. Is your wife going? Mine is.

I hope you have a room booked as I heard they are getting hard to find now. We are staying that the Fountain Grove Inn. Hank Mauel, Lance McCollum and others are there too.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Hey Gerald,

Yea this will be my first Healdsburg too, so I do not have any lessons learned for you. I know from our discussions prior to the World Guitar Congress, you will be fine as far a show preperation stuff goes. Thanks for you insight on that.

I am lucky in regrads that 2 of my "assistants" live in that area. I plan to ship my guitars to one of them. I will send another box with stuff (stands, propaganda etc) I am still not sure what guitars are going and at least a couple will be still outgassing, but hey that's they way it goes.

Regarding, bringing tools and tuners and shims and stuff, the only tuner I plan to bring is my chromatic. I don't plan to do lots of tweeking (and hope I don't need to.) Strings yea, but I certainly won't be changing a set of tuners.

I and am really looking forward to meeting and listening to the players, that was the highlight of the shows I have done in the past. (Selling guitars is a bonus though)

RE, Literature, I am not sure how much of that stuff to bring. In previous shows, I had my printer with me, so I could print more pricelists, but now mine a printed elsewhere so ... I am sure I will have way more than I need.

By the way, Gerald your sneek peeks stuff looks great... it kinda make me want to stay home and "refine" my process. I look forward to meeting you.

My preparation so far are, I am still trying to get these suckers done. So far I have two strung up an hope to string up the third tomorrow. I have about 6 in the works but probably won't bring them all.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

It's going to be such a happy place with all of the fragrant lacquer fumes wafting in the air

Does anyone know what the approximate total attendance has been in the past, over the 3 days?

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

[QUOTE=Tim McKnight]
Does anyone know what the approximate total attendance has been in the past, over the 3 days?[/QUOTE]

Tim, nobody can really remember the actual count, something about lacquer fumes and fairy dust?

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

This will be my first as an exhibitor, though I did attend the last one. My wife and I are flying into San Jose on thursday morning and driving to Santa Rosa and plan to attend the LMI event thursday evening. As for shipping the guitars, I'm hoping to send them out a couple of weeks in advance.

I'll take stands, a small cache of tools, strings, saddles, etc. in my luggage. I'm bringing a trifold flyer (assuming it gets finished in time) and business cards, and a photo album detailing the building process. If I ever do this again, I'll start much sooner on both the guitars and the collaterals. This is a lot more work than I bargained for, and I'm not even close to being finished.

We are taking the week after to vacation all over Northern California and enjoy some cooler weather. It's been 100 degrees here almost everyday for over a month and I'm ready for a break. We've got tickets to see James Taylor in Berkley on the 24th, and are looking forward to that. We've seen him a couple of times before and he really puts on a good show.

I'm really looking forward to the event. Hopefully, that will be the fun part. Interacting with players and builders is really what I'm looking forward to. It will be nice to put a face with a name of all the people on the forum. See you there.

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

Since we are about 45 minutes away we will be loading up our truck and heading up early the day before the show to do setup. Since we are low budget we are having some shirts made, some signs and a whole mess of business cards and some flyers.

I'm taking some power strips, stands, a fully loaded luthier tool box, peterson tuner, some chairs and anything else I can stuff into the truck. If anyone wants to ship guitars and have me bring them I'm totally open to that idea, I have lots of room in the new shop and would be happy to help. Also if you need me to bring something you don't want to ship I can do that too, I have a full shop and can pull from that.

I was really hoping on having 6 guitars with me but life intervened and I'm fortunate to just be going at this point, I almost bailed out because things have just been so crazy. The hardest part for me is going to be not feeling like an all thumbs goofball with some of the talented builders who will be there. I don't think I'm %100 satsified with anything I'm bringing but my wife basically put her foot down and said we are going ...

I have 4 that will make it, a classic that developed a dang finish problem just recently so it stays... And two that I'm going to *TRY* and finish for the show...

I would spend some time in the wine country if I was visiting, there are some fabulous wineries around there and tasting is free at most (a big bonus), there is also the CIA (no not the spooks the Culinary Institute Of America), I've heard it's a great place to eat at. There is the Charles Schultz museum in Roseville, it's very touching and well done if you like Peanuts at all and it's not far from the show. You can also head over and see the coast which isn't far either, it's a wonderful area of California.

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

>>We are taking the week after to vacation all over Northern California
and enjoy some cooler weather. It's been 100 degrees here almost
everyday for over a month and I'm ready for a break.

It's usually a mere 95 degrees in Santa Rosa in August. You want cool,
you go to the coast. Or the high Sierras.

I'll be at the party Thursday. I'm fearfully looking forward to the event.
I'll have too many guitars with me.

Daily string changes, Tim? I plan on one fresh set before the festival, and
a few extra sets in case somebody really wants to try a different guage. I
don't plan on doing any repairs while I am there. I'll be at the Holiday Inn
Express, BTW.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

It'll also be my first time at HB. I used to live in Santa Rosa and still have some family there. Howard is absolutley right it can get pretty hot in the afternoon but will cool down nicely in the evening. I can't recommend the coast enough, it's about 30 Miles away, maybe less and the drive is beautiful.
I'm also behind on my instruments, I was planning on 5 pretty plain (maybe a mistake on my part) but nice instruments, 4 SS and 1 calssical. The SS's will definetly make it and the classical is ify. Oh well.
I hope to meet those of you who are going and best of luck to us all getting ready.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Well, I don't feel so bad about being behind schedule on my guitars. It seems I am in great company. I never planned on having this many guitars in the 1st place. Since I live in the foothills east of Sacramento, I will be pulling my travel trailer down and have reservations at a local RV park about a mile away from the festival. I had hoped to have some sort of handout material and such but as of now non of that is ready and since none of the guitars are 100% ready, I probably won't get those things done. I am not bringing any repair stuff but thought I'd throw in a few extra strings and a truss rod adjust tool, maybe a tuner and a couple polishing cloths.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

I spent some time on the phone today with some veteran HB exhibitors. All of them have told me that AT LEAST one string change per day per guitar, if not more. There are all sorts of folks there with acid / pH problems that will kill a set of strings in mere minutes so be prepared, little scouts.

Literature - I was told approximately 200-250 pcs. People are there to play and purchase not to get bogged down with paper goods.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

That's sage advice Tim, I'll have to stock up. I will say that even though I am there to sell guitars I'm not going to just let anyone play them. Kathy Wingert told me that alot of people just don't understand what a custom hand made guitar is and she got dings and other things on some of hers last time (every ding costs you money), so she is VERY selective of who plays them. I'm actually thinking of putting up a little sign that says "if you ding it, you own it, pay up sucker!!"

Since this is not how I am making my living (at this time) I'm going to do it on my rules, I'll have a friend with me who is a stellar player and if they want to hear one he can show them and then if they are serious we can talk. The last thing I want is someone dropping the flag guitar on day one and wrecking my show!

Should be fun over in the cheap seats where I think most of us are this time , we got a half table and I think I'm going to regret it cause most likely I'll be stuck between someone like Mayes and Tim who will put me to shame!!

Then I'll have to start doing magic tricks just to get people to stop by....

Cheers

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Just a couple more ideas for those coming from outside the area.

California in the summer is usually pretty hot and dry so you may consider a sound hole humidifier while your shipping and here. Also maybe an extra saddle or two made just a bit taller than the one you have installed in case the humidity does cause a change in the top geometry. Essential tools would be string winders, cutters and truss rod adjustment wrenches.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Thanks for replying guys. I'll be staying at Motel 6 on Cleveland, in Santa Rosa North.I'll be traveling light. I'll be shipping three guitars to LMI ahead of me. I'll be carrying the bear minimum regarding tools, strings, and other accessories. No brochures, business cards only, maybe a few point of sale stand-ups.

How do you guys plan to handle sales, will you be using the LMI credit card service? Will you accept checks? Other methods?

Do any of you know if CA has a sells tax that we have to charge people?
   GeraldSheppard38550.5115393519

It is our responsibilty to charge CA sales tax for on site sales. Any sales I make at the show will be cash or CC via LMI. After investigating setting up a business account to accpet CCs LMI's fees of 3%-4% are not out of line. There is supposed to be a bank close to the LB center so if someone wants to pay by personal check you could ask them to go to the bank and have it certified or get the cash. If you want to dodge the CA tax you can make the sale, take the guitar back home and ship it to them but their will still be shipping fees to consider.

Small stuff such as strings and bare minimum type stuff can be shipped in the case neck rest compartment. Plan on at least one string change per day.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

Hey Gerald, that is where I am staying ... the luxurous Motel 6.

I guess it is good to be prepared to sell something, but sheese don't get your hopes up. Last year at the World Guitar Congress I was talking to a long time builder, who has done tons of shows and he was telling me that he had never sold a guitar directly at a show. He got orders later on, but ... no direct (customer) sales at a show(I am pretty sure that streak was broken at the Newport show for him)

There are the dealers too of course, but be prepared to give up about 10 times the LMI credit card fee if you sell to a dealer.

I don't mean to be negative and I really hope we all sell our guitars, but just a warning.

I going to go to the show with that attitude that this is just another form of long-term advertising and if I happen to sell something to help defray some of the advertising fees, well all the better.

Good Luck to all of you.

PS. I now have one strung up! Unless I really do something bad in the final set-up, I should have at least this one guitar with me for the show.

Hi John,

Glad to know you are in the same Motel. I know some other folks who will be there as well.

I've sold guitars at shows but more often than not, I have not. But Healdsburg is know to generate sales and there will be a lot of people there looking to buy. I am taking two expensive (Brazilian) guitars and one lesser expensive one - so I would not be surprised to find that I still have them after the show.

I think your thought process for going with the other befefits in mind is a great approach. I'll be prepared to be humbled. I am constantly amazed at the talent and creativity people manifest for a special event like this.

Also, Tim, you are right about the LMI credit card service. I think their fee is fair considering how much of it the credit card bank gets.