daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 i've been doing this for several years now started out learning how to set-up, install nuts, etc on yard sale cheapies the first one was a cort ferarri II i believe then on to fret work i've got stew/macs neck jig in my shop along with all the other goodies needed to do quality work i've built & done repair work for friends & family all of the items in my collection (strat, 2 teles, early '80's kramer baretta, epi les paul w/chambered body & f-holes....) have been bought needing something to allow them to play well for the class-room opportunity i'm to the point i'm currently building for myself a laminated (maple/purpleheart in the neck, mahogany/maple/purpleheart in the body wings) neck through 24 fret 7 string baritone on a 30" scale length i don't yet have all of the heavy woodworking tools needed to be productive on scratchbuilts so i'm carving it out by hand...router, files, sandpaper,etc finally last weekend a guy, after checking the work finished & in progress on my own stuff commissioned me to build one for him it'll be a mahogany tele with reverse rout, fixed bridge & humbuckers (yet to be decided on), strat style switching neck will be maple w/tele headstock, boat neck profile, 1 3/4" nut width (the guy has huge hands), 6100 fretwire quite a rush finally after all the study & head scratchin to finally have reached the level where someone is willing to pay...cool! once i learn how to load pictures to the forum i'll post a few as it comes along Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Did you get 50% up front? and what are you charging him for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 he's bringing cash before i order anything...on-going he's in a band with my son, has a good job, no wife or kids...very responsable young man labor is open ticket to be paid before i release the guitar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeB Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 well done man!! im hopin this will happen to me sometime! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 congratulations! Hopefully this guy will start a trend? Looking forward to some pics! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 luck...what happens when preparation & opportunity intersect!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9of7 X 3of2 Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Your story is quite an inspiration to me. All I've ever done is tech work for friends, and my only payment has been beer or I've been wanting to build my own for a long time now, got lots of original ideas, but I allways figured that I wouldnt make any money to justify all the work thats needed, and to cover the investment in tools and such. I'm very happy for you, and I hope this starts up a trend for you as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Congrat's Man! The first one is the advertisement for all the others............I hope he has a big mouth and likes to talk. Word of mouth sells my guitars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Your story is quite an inspiration to me. All I've ever done is tech work for friends, and my only payment has been beer or I've been wanting to build my own for a long time now, got lots of original ideas, but I allways figured that I wouldnt make any money to justify all the work thats needed, and to cover the investment in tools and such. I'm very happy for you, and I hope this starts up a trend for you as well! if it's what you want to do...set your mind to it & never settle for less it happens slowly, that's why i still have a day job...but as your competance in your craft progresses it will happen! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Congrat's Man! The first one is the advertisement for all the others............I hope he has a big mouth and likes to talk. Word of mouth sells my guitars. they will be at cornerstone music festival in illinois next summer i'll have 2 of em on stage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
9of7 X 3of2 Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 if it's what you want to do...set your mind to it & never settle for less it happens slowly, that's why i still have a day job...but as your competance in your craft progresses it will happen! Thanks for the kind words Daddy Ray I definately plan on doing it as soon as I have the spare cash for power tools and enough wood to make my mistakes on. I got a space to do my building and crafting, I got the time, and best of all, I got acess to the advice and knowledge that's in this forum. I just pretty much lack the money (credit card debt) to get up and running. I know alot of people in this forum make guitars just for fun, which I'm sure its a whole lot of fun to do. But to make money at doing something you love to do, is the dream of dreams. Second to winning the lottery anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 they will be at cornerstone music festival in illinois next summer i'll have 2 of em on stage Where's the festival? I'm in Wisconsin and it's a short hike for me to be there. I'm going to meet with a band tonight that has a 9 stop tour this spring with Atlantic Records and see if they are willing to play one of my guitars and a bass on the tour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 they will be at cornerstone music festival in illinois next summer i'll have 2 of em on stage Where's the festival? I'm in Wisconsin and it's a short hike for me to be there. I'm going to meet with a band tonight that has a 9 stop tour this spring with Atlantic Records and see if they are willing to play one of my guitars and a bass on the tour. i'll get all the particulars & get back to you asap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Sounds good daddy ray. PM me or email me with the details. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Congrats buddy. I just sold my fifth, which also happpens to be my second commissioned job to a repeat customer. You can see this one being built in REAL TIME in my pinned thread. "he's bringing cash before i order anything...on-going" You mean like as you need to order materials he gives you the money? In the future I would start asking for a downpayment of at least half, more on instruments with more "goodies", and also have a reciept system of somesort so you both know and understand how much is paid/owed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Congrats buddy. I just sold my fifth, which also happpens to be my second commissioned job to a repeat customer. You can see this one being built in REAL TIME in my pinned thread. "he's bringing cash before i order anything...on-going" You mean like as you need to order materials he gives you the money? In the future I would start asking for a downpayment of at least half, more on instruments with more "goodies", and also have a reciept system of somesort so you both know and understand how much is paid/owed. no problemo on the ledger work...my lovely wife has a background in corporate management Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 PS, Congrats!!!!!!!!! Yeah, why I asked. 50% up front helps weed out the 'not-so-serious-I-might-back-out-at-anytime' flakes. They give you that much up front, non-refundable, they're serious and in it all the way. And if it's a custom application you have the right to ask for it to cover yer butt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Â Â Â Â PS, Congrats!!!!!!!!! Â Â Â Â Â Yeah, why I asked. 50% up front helps weed out the 'not-so-serious-I-might-back-out-at-anytime' flakes. They give you that much up front, non-refundable, they're serious and in it all the way. And if it's a custom application you have the right to ask for it to cover yer butt. yer right this one comes with excellent references due to his friendship with my son someone not so close to the family...it's a different story plus if he don't come back i still have his STUFF Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 Yeah, after I read your later posts, I kinda figured it was more on the level of a personal transaction deal... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex Luthier Posted December 20, 2003 Report Share Posted December 20, 2003 And if it's a custom application you have the right to ask for it to cover yer butt. Definately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 Congratulations. I work out my payments like this: assuming a $1400 guitar Deposit = $350 1st payment after fretboard is inlayed and attached to neck blank, truss rod installed. = $250 2nd payment after body is shaped, and neck attached = $250 3rd payment after lacquer is finished = $250 4th payment after hardware is fitted, guitar buffed, and ready to ship = $300 + shipping I find that this makes it a lot easier on the customers wallet, and it gives them the opportunity to control the speed of construction. The faster they pay, the faster their guitar is finished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 Just as a point of fun conjecture... In our business, the payment that is always in possible jeopardy is the -last- payment. That's the one the customer will try to either hold, bargain with, dispute, dabble with, ...whatever... So we work out payment schedules in the contract that leave as -little- on the table as possible for the last payment. In that $1400.00 scenario above, we would typically have a last payment of something like, maybe $100.00. Just a business/strategy call. The more you leave in their pocket for the very end, the curtain call, the more leverage/power you give them if they feel like excercising their 'attitude muscle'. I'm sure it's very different with guitars tho... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhoads56 Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 Just as a point of fun conjecture... In our business, the payment that is always in possible jeopardy is the -last- payment. That's the one the customer will try to either hold, bargain with, dispute, dabble with, ...whatever... So we work out payment schedules in the contract that leave as -little- on the table as possible for the last payment. In that $1400.00 scenario above, we would typically have a last payment of something like, maybe $100.00. Just a business/strategy call. The more you leave in their pocket for the very end, the curtain call, the more leverage/power you give them if they feel like excercising their 'attitude muscle'. I'm sure it's very different with guitars tho... Well, most of my work so far is going to the USA, so i figure they aint getting the guitar until its been paid in full. There needs to be a level of trust between a luthier and a customer. Im happy to trust the customer, they are paying for the guitar at every stage, and paying the full amount prior to even testing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted December 21, 2003 Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 Same deal, close enough I guess. You're not shipping it out without getting paid first, that was my basic point I guess. Wow. Just perused your site and all those great detailed pics! I really appreciate folks who take those kind of quality construction pictures. Most appreciated! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daddy ray Posted December 21, 2003 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2003 thanks to all who have responded to this point the volume of insight provided by your individual experiences & comments are most illunimating & helpful as i consider where things might go for me from here question: how do i get photos on the forum...i see them frequently...but can't seem to figure out what's required i'm not up to speed on some of this computer/internet stuff yet i have shots of several in depth projects i've done that may be of interest once i learn how to post them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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