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Comment by Bill Ludeman on December 25, 2011 at 6:39pm

Re - what to take to a show or event.   I found a tall stool essential, and for sure a cooler with sandwiches, drinks and ice.  Can't leave for long   Another thing is extension cords and a decent amp so you can be heard.    To sell you MUST be able to at least play a little.   Don't care how pretty your work is if you don't demonstrate it its not going to sell.   I don't think many will sell in music stores or on consignment for that reason.   You don't have to be able to play much or well but you do have to be able to make something interesting come out of your work.    I call it dinking around.    interesting problem.   I fool around at home and I am always sitting down.    At a show I am always standing up    Much harder to play standing up.   I use the stool to let me split the difference.     Or practice standing up!!     The economy is really rough on folks and I had to build some cheapies just to keep my moral up - I fairly often give the cheap ones to kids.   No profit in that!    Frankly you have to decide if its for fun or money.   If its for fun keep doing it.  If its for money there a few million easier ways to make a buck.   I have built about 70 and sold about 30 in three or so years.    Probably made about ten cents an hour before I bought gas, booth space and snacks.   If I factor in buying a dozen or two amps, cords, slides etc.  and then add in new saws, bits, routers and other essentials.  I will break even in another hundred years.   And for some strange reason I keep buying cigar boxes - I have fifty maple necks, fifty oak necks and a hundred poplar necks.   Several hundred fingerboards and between five and six hundred cigar boxes.   Not sure why.    Haven't built one in near a year.   Working on a washtub bass at the moment.....

From a business standpoint - figure somewhere around forty hours to build and sell one.   Then figure your actual cost, include gas to go prowl for boxes, necks and strings.   Add in pickups, wire, switches, jacks, solder etc.    Then figure up sand paper, steel wool, glue, lacquer, or other finish and when you get all done with that list don't forget your time is worth something!!   I think its fair to charge ten cents an hour at least.    Maybe even a dollar.  So far I am pretty sure I have never got close to a buck an hour on a sale.   I have sold half a dozen for right at 200 and another dozen or so between 100 and 150 - a whole bunch in the 40 to 80 dollar range.   Plus they are all over my house still. 
I am not complaining in the slightest but its laughable to think of this as a profitable business for most folks.      Ebay will make you OLD and GRAY very quickly.    I have sold on ebay but its a pain in the sitter.    I know even a complete idiot can do it but I have had fits with Ebay personally.     

Now the flip side of all this is its an absolute blast to invent, create, and finish a personal work of art and take it out into the public eye and demonstrate it.  When somebody actually buys it from you its a real thrill to be appreciated that much.   Its very entertaining to see people do a double take and then want to play with them.  Its big fun to show young people that they can MAKE their own music instead of just listening to it.        Enough rambling for now.  Hope this helps somebody out.   Bill in Palatka Fl.

Comment by Wayne Bigler on December 24, 2011 at 10:32am

Here's the hard truth.  It takes at least 40 hours to build a nice guitar.  At least for me (www.biglerguitars.com).  If you're building 10-per week you're building Wallmart stuff.  If you take an attitude that this is a "quick buck" you aren't doing your customer or the CBG community any favor.  As I said before, once this becomes more of a business than a hobby and art, you've lost the whole essence.....

Comment by bairfoot cajun on December 23, 2011 at 12:53pm

i would like to thank the folks at Media Rerun for making space for me--thanks larry--jesse--christine--and john--you folks are great.

Comment by bairfoot cajun on December 23, 2011 at 12:48pm

i stopped by the music store today where i sell some of the guitars i build,got a few pics of those builds of mine at the music store to add here--hope thats ok.

Comment by David K Freer on December 23, 2011 at 10:46am

I want to build a resonator CBG so where do i go to buy a good value small cone and so on?

Comment by David K Freer on December 23, 2011 at 10:43am

High to the Puppies out there.

I have made and sold (on E-Bay) almost all my prototype builds.

However the best deal i made was from a cash buyer that was introduced by word of mouth.

I feel that the way to sell is: small profit (E-Bay), more profit private sale.

I am trying to network (as they say), so as to widen my contact base.This is through putting the instruments into live situations through musician friends and allowing the curiosity factor to take hold.

I look at the added value i get over interest on money in the bank as to what i generate with a sale; plus the pleasure i get from making an instrument that someone wants to own and use. No contest!

If you have enough to live on then why not do something that you enjoy and leave your mark even if for only a short time (does this make sense).  

 

Comment by Habanera Hal on December 23, 2011 at 8:42am

Wayne, Ted (Korruptus), and Jim:  All great inputs, just the kind of things I was hoping would get discussed here.  The tarp's a good idea as this particular show is R or S.  I've been telling the wife that an Arts & Crafts fair is probably better than a music festival, though we're going to try that as well.  I'm dropping off a couple of CBGs to some of the cigar shops that I get my better boxes from next week when I make my monthly box run.  For credit card processing, I'm looking at MerchantServices.com.  They offer a 30 day free trial, and only a $5 month subscription, pretty low processing rates and telephone approvals, definitely better than the bank.  I don't have a smart phone, and even though I could upgrade right now for a penny, I'd have to get the data plan at $25/month and I really don't need all that stuff (I don't text, tweet, twerp or whatever, don't have a facebook account, heck, I barely even answer my phone) but if it were necessary, I'd do it.  My wife recently retired, so we're trying to hold expenses to a minimum, definitely doing this with the knowledge that we won't get rich from selling CBG's.  As Wayne said, I want to treat it as a hobby, not a business.

What's the consensus regarding a dedicated website vs. just throwing them up on e-bay?  Any success stories either way?  I agree that putting them on the Nation is trying to sell ice to eskimos.

Micheal, check your e-mail regarding a banner and Thanks!

Comment by Wayne Bigler on December 23, 2011 at 7:01am

Build a good instrument at a fair price and they will sell.  Thanks to John McNair for referring so many folks to me and to all my past customers who post youtube videos endorsing my guitars.  Treat building as a hobby and an art and not as a business.

Comment by korruptus on December 23, 2011 at 5:40am

word of mouth has been the best selling tool for me. i have only sold a couple, but have given away tons (i like to build, so they keep popping out of my garage). some of the sales with the highest price tags have been from friends of the freebies. musicians are a great group to freebie. most can play a cbg, and dudes in bands usually gots lots of friends.

Comment by korruptus on December 23, 2011 at 5:36am

i also have found an artsy craft show is a better place to sell at than a musical swap thing. musicians or 'real' guitar players are always looking for specific items at a show/sale. they might dig your stuff, but don't really get it, and can't really grasp the whole cbg thing. craft/artsy show peeps dig the whole diy music thing, and might just buy as a wall hanger. (that works, because it is still a sale)

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