pgosselin Posted April 10, 2006 Report Share Posted April 10, 2006 Hi, everyone, I'm new here although I have been lurking around for months. There's a lot of great advice on this site (especially the tutorials) that you just won't finde at the Musical Instrument Maker's Forum, another great guitar building site. Although I work 9 to 5, I have found myself thinking about starting an eBay business related to my hobby: guitar building. I'm thinking about focusing on the guitar kit market. Perhaps taking the Saga guitar kits and adding some upgrades to them. My questions to the board are: 1. Do you think there would be enough demand for me to start a business like this and eventually quit my day job? 2. What are your experiences with running a musical instrument retailing business on the Web? Good points and bad. I'm purely in a research stage right now and just want to know whether or not I would be making a mistake. I would love to turn my hobby into a business, but before I take the leap, I'd like to know whether or not I can feed my family doing it. Thanks for any advice you can offer. Paul Gosselin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 I'm not sure anyone makes a living selling just kits. I forget who said it first, but it was someone wise: "In guitar building, the best way to make a small fortune is to start with a large one." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgosselin Posted April 11, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 I'm not sure anyone makes a living selling just kits. I forget who said it first, but it was someone wise: "In guitar building, the best way to make a small fortune is to start with a large one." Thanks for replying, erikbojerik. I have heard that quote. I've also experience first-hand that many luthiers just eek out a living. (The one I apprenticed with certainly did. Then again, he seemed to really love his job.) I just keep looking at this hobby of mine and keep wondering if there is some way to make a decent living at it. Perhaps it is just a pipe dream. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deadgoodcharlie Posted April 11, 2006 Report Share Posted April 11, 2006 I'm not sure anyone makes a living selling just kits. I forget who said it first, but it was someone wise: "In guitar building, the best way to make a small fortune is to start with a large one." Thanks for replying, erikbojerik. I have heard that quote. I've also experience first-hand that many luthiers just eek out a living. (The one I apprenticed with certainly did. Then again, he seemed to really love his job.) I just keep looking at this hobby of mine and keep wondering if there is some way to make a decent living at it. Perhaps it is just a pipe dream. Paul Focus on what you want ,see yourself doing what you want everyday,practice what you want to do everyday even if it,s only a few hours,and clearly see in your mind where it is you see yourself in the future.If you see it ,you can percieve.Fifty years ago someone started building guitars,and you know what,fifty years from now someone else will be wanting to do the same thing as that other guy.Just do it gradualy.Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 I guess it would really depend on what wage you need. I would never be able to handle enough volume to match my families needs. I think you would really need to be a bit more diverse than just kits to make a living. It seems like a lot of people carry many lines of product, tech work, and custom work. Really though there is no reason why you can't test the waters. Do what you can while keeping your real job. If you get to a point where it seems like you can meet your income requirements then shift to part time. That is the best part you can keep it simple while you figure things out. I am sure you will find owning a full time business will demand more of your time than a full time job and a little part time dabbling in sales. Find that niche! Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erikbojerik Posted April 12, 2006 Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 There is another side of course: "Find out what you love to do, then work hard to become so good at it that people will want to pay you." ...and... "At either end of the economic spectrum, there lies a leisure class." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pgosselin Posted April 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2006 I guess it would really depend on what wage you need. I would never be able to handle enough volume to match my families needs. I think you would really need to be a bit more diverse than just kits to make a living. It seems like a lot of people carry many lines of product, tech work, and custom work. Really though there is no reason why you can't test the waters. Do what you can while keeping your real job. If you get to a point where it seems like you can meet your income requirements then shift to part time. That is the best part you can keep it simple while you figure things out. I am sure you will find owning a full time business will demand more of your time than a full time job and a little part time dabbling in sales. Find that niche! Peace,Rich Thanks everyone for the additional replies. Rich you pretty much nailed what I am thinking about doing. I'll keep the day job and do some small tests to gage the interest out there. Hopefully, it will turn into a second string of income. If not, I won't lose too much money testing to see if the idea works. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenhoneywell Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 What about producing body blanks with neck pocket/ tremolo pre routed leaving your customer to shape the rest as they like? You would certainly avoid any copyright issues! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted April 14, 2006 Report Share Posted April 14, 2006 What about producing body blanks with neck pocket/ tremolo pre routed leaving your customer to shape the rest as they like? You would certainly avoid any copyright issues! Warmoth will do just that (bottom of the page). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevenhoneywell Posted April 16, 2006 Report Share Posted April 16, 2006 (edited) What about producing body blanks with neck pocket/ tremolo pre routed leaving your customer to shape the rest as they like? You would certainly avoid any copyright issues! Warmoth will do just that (bottom of the page). I wish I had known that when I first started....I would have saved a small forest from destruction Edited April 16, 2006 by stevenhoneywell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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