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Cigar box guitar luthier wages

Do you realize a small child working in a sweat shop in a third world country probably has a greater hourly earnings potential than a large child building cigar box guitars for resale in the US of A....:)

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Dave Lynas on May 7, 2017 at 2:43pm

I know first hand. I do the making for other reasons than making money. I don't want to be a factory. I try and sell to thin the heard. It doesn't work easy either. Even gifting guitars is slow and expensive. Mailing and all. I now go back to old builds and improve them rather than make more. I will still make some new ones because I find a box or body that begs to become a guitar. Getting the work in the hands of children or musician friends is the best use of my surplus. Music is magic and should be shared. I love to play these things. That is my pay. I have all the instruments I need, ready for fun any time I want. I'm rich.

Permalink Reply by G.S. Monroe on May 7, 2017 at 4:20pm

You must have a secondary income, because I can't pay my bills on "Magic".

Permalink Reply by Larry on May 7, 2017 at 3:45pm

Amen to the magic!

Permalink Reply by G.S. Monroe on May 7, 2017 at 4:19pm

Sadly we have folks in this trade that earn their living doing other things, then build CBG's and sell them at ridiculously low prices. They are dreadfully unaware of how free market capitalism works (or simply don't give a damn).

Permalink Reply by Jim_N on May 8, 2017 at 3:56am

For good or ill, venturing into the business of building cbg's for profit is a great way to learn about free market capitalism, IMHO. : D

Permalink Reply by John Rivers on May 8, 2017 at 3:08am

I suspect the following if the driving force behind the birth of most cbgs

Son: Why are you in the garage dad?

Father: Where is your mother?

Son: In the house dad

Father: That's why I'm in the garage.

Permalink Reply by John Rivers on May 9, 2017 at 3:25am

I have only sold several...but when someone ask me for a discount I say....at my price I am only making about 15 cents an hour...now you are asking me to work for 10 cents a hour...lol

Permalink Reply by Hollis Fenn on September 4, 2018 at 11:10am