Official Luthiers Forum!

                        NEWS FLASH!!!
One of our own OLF Luthiers makes News....
In the current issue(Jan) of Acoustic Guitar Magazine
an article about the Acoustic guitar festival at Heraldsburg California, August 2005, Honorable mention was made about Paul Woolson. The article discussed several topics with emphasis on the growing number of Luthiers.

We all know Paul Woolson is a top notch Luthier and there is no doubt he made an indeliable impression with many visitors including the staff writers with the "Acoustic Guitar Publication".

Congratulations Paul!!!


WalterK WalterK38690.1138657407

Great news for a great guy!!! Congratulations, Paul. I hope it brings many commissions...

_________________
JJ
Napa, CA
http://www.DonohueGuitars.com

Thanks guys. So I guess that ONE guy that actually stopped by my booth must have been impressed.
When I came home from Healdsburg I was very discouraged. I found that if you aren't one of the "stars" (also eluded to in that article) you weren't worth anyone's time of day. It was very frustrating to watch people look at my name plaque, read the name, realize they didn't know me and keep on walking. At first I thought it must just be that I'm a new guy at this level but (and this drove me nuts too) Matt Mustapick was busy CONSTANTLY. That guy was running all over the place with potential clients.
Looking back, I don't think people really knew what they wanted out of the show. You could tell that potential buyers were definately overwhelmed with the whole thing.
Anyway, thanks for the kudos. As I said awile ago, when my name is in print, it's usually the police report so this is a nice treat.
Pwoolson38690.3105439815

congrats Paul,
sometimes it takes a while for the good side of your efforts to become apparent.

good for you maingo
Matt

Congrats for the Mention Paul.

I'm with you on the assesment of the patrons. I was right next to fred carlson, ervin somogyi, Grit Laskin, and Charles Fox was just two tables away. Lots of people would just glance at my stuff and walk on. Seems like people wanted to see the off the wall things more than the "normal" things.

note to self: make 9 neck guitar-uke-banjo-bass-electric-dulcimer-harp-mando-violin for the next show so people will stop and see my hard work.John Mayes38690.4263541667

_________________
John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com

[QUOTE=John Mayes] note to self: make 9 neck guitar-uke-banjo-bass-electric-dulcimer-harp-mando-violin for the next show so people will stop and see my hard work.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but they still wouldn't buy it, 'cause it's too strange!

Look at it this way--at least they didn't turn your instruments into "scratch-and-dent" items, and THEN move on!    Besides, those that stopped and read your name will see it again--in a magazine; at a show; in a player's hands--and think, "I've heard of that guy," and begin to take you seriously.

[QUOTE=John Mayes] Congrats for the Mention Paul.

I'm with you on the assesment of the patrons. I was right next to fred carlson, ervin somogyi, Grit Laskin, and Charles Fox was just two tables away. Lots of people would just glance at my stuff and walk on. Seems like people wanted to see the off the wall things more than the "normal" things.

note to self: make 9 neck guitar-uke-banjo-bass-electric-dulcimer-harp-mando-violin for the next show so people will stop and see my hard work.[/QUOTE]

But then you're stuck like Howard K. People were stopping and looking at his "dovetail madness", even photographing it, THEN moving on.

Paul, sometimes all it takes is that one guy...to get yourself in the magazine is great because even the people that weren't there to "read your name and move on" will now see your name. And those who did move on, will now see your name for the second time. And so it goes...
Congratulations to you!
Craig

Good for you Woolson....

I thought you guitars sounded wonderful, I still have yet to really earn anything off the show, even though the fanned fret and the flag guitar got taken for lots of pictures I have yet to see anything.

I think John's right, you either need a big name or someting VERY interesting to get peoples attention...

But you did good my friend, you deserve some positive exposure...

-Paul-

_________________
-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

[QUOTE=Pwoolson] Thanks guys. So I guess that ONE guy that actually stopped by my booth must have been impressed.[/QUOTE]

Hey I stopped by... You had a bowl of candy right?

_________________
CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

[QUOTE=Pwoolson]You could tell that potential buyers were definately overwhelmed with the whole thing.[/QUOTE]

There was soo much to take in.. After a while it was just too much. I was just browsing for the sake of browsing and after a while it's all just a blur. The number of people crammed in there and the noise were pretty distracting as well.

_________________
CVT Inc.
A tour of our shop (Somewhat outdated)
My Personal eBay profile. BCWoodBug

Sounds less like a marketing opportunity for luthiers, and more like a lust of they eyes festival. (lust FOR the eyes??) I'd like to see some good current marketing strategies, see if there's some good tips out there.

Whole thing sounds intmidating too, and maybe not necessarily the best way to advertise?

Maybe I'll just make a great big collection of handmade guitars and keep em for myself. Impress my family & friends. Y'know, hide under a rock Just kidding.

Consistently being seen is probably the single most effective marketing strategy I would guess. So I would continue to expose myself to embarassment, humiliation, scrutinization, and that will probably force me to improve, and eventually lead to a breakthrough.

If this is the golden age of luthiery, the field will continue to get crowded, the standard raised, and whatever else goes with it. Keep on Keeping on. Innovate. Invent. Improve. Have FUN! Enjoy, and share your work with others

Just breathing out thoughts..

Brands aren't built in a day... being at this year's healdsburg show just proved that to me. There are a lot of really nice guitars there and a lot of capable builders.

I think it just takes time for people to remember your name. It is an investment.

Marketing <> Sales. I would say HGF is more about marketing than sales (yet, I know some of you had pretty good luck moving product there too...)

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

I agree. Brock, you seem like a good candidate to discuss marketing. Maybe you could put something together or suggest some good info. We'd appreciate it, right everyone?

I have been talking with Bill Moll about writing a few articles (or possibly co-writing them with him).

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

C'mon Paul. Lots of people stopped to ask you what kind of wood your
quilted sapele guitar is made from (before moving on). Howard Klepper38692.592025463

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

I have nothing to say in this post. I just want to see what happens when I hit
100.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

...and what happened? Oh, man, I think Howard disapeared into a cloud of green smoke.
Yes, you are correct. Many many many people stopped at my booth. They said "what kind of wood is that?" I answered "Quilted Sapele". they said, "Hmmm, it's wierd" and moved on to your table to take photos of your dovetail guitar.

Then they said the same thing, and moved on yet again.

_________________
Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.