Nicholasdaniel
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What would you guys say about selling custom guitars from the warmoth parts good potential profits?
Selling Custom Guitars
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DangerousR6
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There are quite a few builders that do, so I'd say it has potential. More or less depends on initial investment vs. what you try to get out of it... :dontknow:
Jet-Jaguar
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The problem with custom guitars is that they often are made to the specific tastes of an individual guitarist, not to the general tastes of the guitar playing public. So you can see guitars on Ebay that costs $1000's to build, and yet are being sold for $500-$900 because not everyone wants, say, a Korina strat with a bloodwood neck and Bill Lawrence pickups.
On the other hand, if you have a great rep and connections with well-funded artists and/or guitar playing doctors, dentists, and lawyers, I could see you making some cash building them.
On the other hand, if you have a great rep and connections with well-funded artists and/or guitar playing doctors, dentists, and lawyers, I could see you making some cash building them.
Unwound G
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It depends how you market it and how much clout you have as a builder. Sadowsky, Yamaha and Valley Arts at one time or another used Warmoth parts in their own models and now they have become collector's items. Steel body builders like Trussart and Normandy still use Warmoth necks for their guitars.
Death by Uberschall
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The more of the build you can do for yourself the better for trying to make money. The best way to do it above hobby level is to start a small LLC or some type of business that will get you access to wholesale pricing on as much as possible. Paying retail for everything and just bolting it together will not work well for profits.
There is a guy on talkbass that makes warmoth basses and sells them. His main job is working for (can't remember brand) bass manufacturer. I believe his name is Valenti or something. You might check out the forum and send him a PM. He changes up the headstock and was popular for a while.
Nicholasdaniel
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Yea i just wanted to make a guitar or two on the side to cover cost like for amps and effects and the majority of the build i would do myself except for the neck the only problem is finding buyers i guess. I mean who wants to pay $1500 for a guitar someone made in their garage or one they found in the store made "professionally."
GratefullyRedd
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you could make some evh frank and bumblebee replicas, those are always in demand, and some vintage fender style guitars(ie 52 teles with blond finish) or some artist inspired guitars (david gilmour,kirk hammet,etc).I wouldn't attempt anything that is supposed to be setneck though like a les paul, people are very stereotypical about bolt neck guitars.
Cagey
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Nicholasdaniel said:
Generally speaking, building guitars out of Warmoth parts for profit is a good way to give away money, not make it. Watch eBay for a couple months, and you'll see. You can probably figure it'll be a 30% loss, if you're lucky. Gibson, Fender, Marshall, et al have spent many, many millions of dollars over the years making sure that anybody you see in pictures, on TV, in the movies, or at concerts are using their equipment. The reason is simple: people want to play what their heros play. Famous people don't play Warmoths. They play what Gibson, Fender, Marshall, et al give them to play (along with endorsement money).
Even if you're a skilled luthier and build them from scratch, buying the wood and cutting it up, finishing it, fretting the neck, etc., it's not a great way to make money. I've got a helluva woodshop here with a pile of premium tools and a lot of talent, but I still buy the bodies and necks for most guitars because if I were to make them myself, I'd be working for about $3/hr. I'd be better off with a paper route, or flipping burgers.
Warmoth is for the discerning player who has either outgrown the standard fare in the market or is unwilling to pay the exorbitant markups the established giants have on unremarkable gear, and also has the ability to help themselves. For $800 to $1,500 you can build something that'll be better than what you can get from Fender for $3,500, and it'll be exactly what you want as well as unique in the world. You would think then that you should be able to sell them for something less than Fender gets, but more than you paid, but you can't.
The only way to get good on the things is to find other people in the same situation, but unable/unwilling to build for themselves. You let them spec the thing out, then pay you to build it. That's worth maybe $150 - $200 if you can do pro setups as well, but probably not even that. It's just too easy. If you can do finish work, there's some money there. Even Warmoth wants a couple hundred bucks for a finish, and the materials cost is low. But, there again, you're sorta into a "labor of love" sort of thing, working at a low hourly rate. It's not a way to make a living, it's more of a paid hobby.
i think it has potential. if you are a great setup guy and have good taste and know tone. come up with a name, yes you can use your name if it sounds good and looks good as a logo. put them up in a local music store and get a local hero type person to play one and let the product speak for itself!
if you have a brand it is not like a used custom you built for yourself. if the local guitar store clerks like it they may tell the customers and people might buy it for the novelty of a local guy built this and because they realize the quality is better than the name brands.
i think you can sell a couple but i wouldn't quit your day job either.
if you have a brand it is not like a used custom you built for yourself. if the local guitar store clerks like it they may tell the customers and people might buy it for the novelty of a local guy built this and because they realize the quality is better than the name brands.
i think you can sell a couple but i wouldn't quit your day job either.
Cagey said:
Preach on brother! I agree.
Where there is a will there is a way, and there are luthiers who are making a go of things. But they are the exception, not the rule, and are at the top of their field. Ask any of them and they will tell you the money is in repairs, not building.
Generally I would say that Warmoth is a good value for the money when you are clear about what you want, and are going to build something and keep it and use it. If you build a custom guitar and quickly tire of it, be prepared to lose some cash!
Nicholasdaniel
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I know a few guys who want custom guitars but just are not willing to build them themselves. I'm not planning on making this a career just making a few bucks to support my hobby. I'll see if there is potential and even if there isn't too much profits its all in the name of love for custom guitars
Cagey
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Nicholasdaniel said:
That can be fun. But, be aware that when you a thing, you become its mother, father, and true confessor. If anything goes wrong, it'll be your fault. 14 years down the road when the neck warps from being left in the snow for a week, they'll want to put it on you. And friends/family are the least forgiving - every little flaw will be expected to be cleared at no charge to them.
GratefullyRedd
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I wouldn't want to be part of your family then :icon_tongue:Cagey said:
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