Official Luthiers Forum!

Some recent event/topics have left me curious as to the size of say the US market for custom vrs spec "handmade/boutique" instruments. By "handmade/boutique" I mean single (with maybe one or two helpers) builders. By custom and spec I'm taking what I think is Brock's distinction:

- a spec guitar is made by the builder and then sold/chosen by a customer as is. So a Somogyi sold by Dream Guitars for example would be one of these.

- a custom guitar is one that is agreed in terms of build between the buyaer and maker and then made for the buyer

Are there any available Market Research figures on this - I suspect not?

I was going to make a poll (more anonymous) but it appears I don't have the right "permissions" - must be something I said but I wouild be interested in OLF'ers experience.

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Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

In the seven plus years I have been building for sale I have tried several attempts to build and sell stock or Spec guitars out of my the pace of turnover was slow but that could be directly related to my local market here in the sand hills of West Texas. But I have also tried to both sell pre built spec guitars on line as well a commission build spec guitars. For me they have not been much of a market. Almost 90% of every spec commission I have ever taken has ended up as a custom build before it reached the bench and my sales of prebuilt spec guitars were rather dismal in comparison to custom build commissions. So i have chose to focus on commission builds.

I suspect things would be different in a larger local market where I had regular serious musician foot traffic through my shop day in and day out. But I would suspect that a few more small shop builders fall into the same scenario as I do.

It's been just the opposite for me. Nothing moved in a local small town store but when I got hooked up with a well known speciality store in a large metro area everything changed. Great exposure to good players that hang out there, good internet presence, and great sales so far. You can build what you want to a large degree and the commission fee has been a small price to pay for the exposure and support. They have given me a great education in the real world of merchandising acoustic guitars. I'm largely moving away from private commissions. It fits my personality and life style much better.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I think for the spec guitar model to work you need to find an outlet that caters to the high end of the market, I can't imagine that many of us have local markets (even metro ones) that could support many sales of custom built instruments if yours was the only one in the store. My guess is it would get most of its exposure online (but I guess that wouldn't be an absolute necessity).

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Brock Poling
Columbus, Ohio
http://www.polingguitars.com

Commissioned guitars become spec guitars more often than we might imagine. I can think of two ways that this happens:

1) The original buyer of a commissioned guitar takes delivery and doesn't like the guitar, or needs to raise cash for some unrelated to the guitar reason and sells it or trades it in. Repair folks do see guitars that were originally commissioned and are now in need of something and currently owned by a second or more owner.

2) A commissioned guitar that is rejected by the commissioning buyer during the acceptance period. The maker offers it for sale "as is."

I'll say it again - I really like what Terry is doing and see additional advantages for everyone concerned, the buyers and the builders. The buyers get to evaluate exactly what they are purchasing and based on this evaluation may purchase the actual instrument or perhaps commission one with specific customization. In addition, buyers may have immediate gratification as well.

When one considers the market for high-end guitars some potential clients have the financial wherewithal to commission an instrument and tie up cash to varying degrees over a longer period of time. Other potential buyers may have a windfall that is burning a hole in their pocket and this windfall is perishable. If they can't find a great guitar to purchase in the short term the money may go elsewhere.

Something else that I really like about Terry's model is that there is a greater possibility for a long term relationship/friendship with customers if they are in your own geographic area. The builder will have the opportunity to maintain their own instruments and the customers will have the builder's expertise a reasonable drive away. Sell to someone a thousand or more miles away and you many never see your children.... I mean instruments again.

Is Terrys dealer selling only locally? OR does this store have in Internet presence?

Selling through dealers is nothing new. Like Brock I am moving toward making more dealer relationships for the reasons that Terry mentions. Time frame as well as being able to build what I want.

With that said, I have truly enjoyed building for people. I have gained friendships along the way, plus, there are very few things as gratifying as delivering a guitar and having your customer (who you have worked with on and off over the last year) be pleased.

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Lance@LuthiersForum.com

I have sold about 6 or 7 guitars through the store and only one was outside the midwest. The rest were within a three or four state area and I've been in touch with most of the owners which is cool. You still get some of the fun feedback you get through a private commission. The dealer has a very strong internet presence. If the establishment is respected, gives your instruments good reviews, and features them on their website the exposure is pretty amazing. Right now it's working for me anyway. I consider myself quite lucky to have stumbled into this relationship.
Terry

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It's not what you don't know that hurts you, it's what you do know that's wrong.

I live in So Cal. I would like to move to spec guitars, and/or build for a nice shop.
It would be nice to do it on my time and not be driven to meet customer dates.


I just don't want to do their tech wok for them on Saturdays as part of the deal

(Sorry MP - I couldn't resist. )

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"An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered." G. K. Chesterton.

Call me a grouch, but I vastly prefer building on spec.

Customers can be the best and worst part of this business. I like letting my creativity go. I find they sell pretty dang easy too... most people now days are of the "I want it now" mentality. It's a win win for me.

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

ok... you're a grouch. You seem nice in your vids ..couldn't resist

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Zac

Anchorage Alaska

Finshed my 1st! See #1 here

I started out building a batch of 10 guitars to take to Nashville, all of them just guitars that I wanted to build. I dont even have them completed yet and 8 of the 10 are already sold. The customers just got to choose the final details. I personally cant build them fast enough to put any in a store, they sell before I can get them completed.

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Reguards,

Ken H