@Taiwan_Luthiers I would suggest taking some time to build a workbench to make your work in progress photos look better.
It seems like you build on the floor?
It can’t be that expensive to buy wood directly from a lumberyard.
In the states timber is much cheaper and it doesn’t cost much to build a real workbench.
In Taiwan I need to buy about 30,000NT just in wood to have enough to build a workbench. Wood is expensive here. Even plywood is expensive here. That’s why I don’t have a workbench, and just do work on standard office tables. Actually I have plans to build a work bench out of metal. Steel is much cheaper than wood in Taiwan and is much more durable.
I’m open to ideas that can improve my presentation without spending a fistful of cash that I don’t have.
OK, I’m probably going to come across as aggressive here, but my father and brother have made and sold musical instruments (speaker cabinets and electric guitars), so I know a little bit about it.
Entering “fender” and “acoustic” into Google brings up immediate results. Dismissing Fender without bothering to look up the info is perplexing.
That much money at cost is still a lot of money. I get that you don’t have the kind of supply chain that Fender and Gibson have, but maybe think about other types of wood?
Used budget guitars aren’t bad by definition. Given the amount of practice your average player puts into the instrument most used budget guitars are fine. Let’s be honest, guitars are most often used to impress the opposite sex.
The “authoritarian regime” argument is interesting. But are we talking about China or Mexico? A lot of guitars come out of Mexico now.
Yes, everybody has to start somewhere. If I were you I’d start with a video (with good sound quality) of someone who plays well playing your guitar. Then, as many have suggested, I’d also include some testimonials.
You could get mad about the criticism here, mine included, but I think a lot of us are genuinely trying to help you. Best of luck.
Mine was one sheet of plywood (~1600NT at the time) and some scrap beams for the frame. Maybe 2000 total. And it’s fairly photogenic, I think:
That corner doesn’t look too bad to me. Maybe you could turn the Christmas tree lights on and shift the tires?
Merry Christmas, TL.
Lol, nice tires. I don’t think you’re getting the point about the photos
I think you’re on the right track, but might I suggest hiring a photographer to take a few photos of the next finished guitar you’re trying to sell? If you don’t want to pay upfront, you can try increasing the price and giving them a cut of the sale. For example, if you were going to sell it for 30,000 NTD, increase the price to 40,000 NTD and give them 5,000 when it sells. (I’m just guessing numbers, not sure how much photographers cost here, but I’d think 5,000 for a few pictures is a pretty good deal).
As a happy owner of one of your guitars, I have to agree with the others. Your work is great, and I think improving your marketing will help it sell for what it is truly worth.
TL;DR—hire someone with experience to help market your product.
Get rid of the tree, put a black blanket in the background/floor. arrange the tiers form biggest to smallest about 1m away from the background use them to support the guitar. turn off all your lights and just use your spotlight from above front.
Simple solution using what you have (plus a blanket)
Edit: Think something like this but more guitar and less lady.
Also get some video like this that focuses on the sound, simple video but the sound is the important bit, you’re in the music industry sure you have some friends who can help you with it.
For those of you not in Taiwan, I can ship the guitar with the neck detached, in order to reduce shipping cost. The guitar will be fully assembled, setup, then the neck will be removed. You will be able to bolt the neck back on with the supplied instruction. The neck is designed to be fully bolt on to save you from expensive neck resets years down the road (Taylors are built this way too). (For those of you thinking of buying pre-owned guitars from any manufacturer other than Taylor, this is something you need to think about. Neck resets are an expensive repair that all steel string acoustic guitars will need eventually).
You can save at least 50% shipping cost by doing this.
This is a feature you can mention as a selling point on your website/fb page: the benefits of a bolt-on neck on steel string acoustics.
Lightning is a huge part of photography. You probably want to play with it as well.
Unfortunately it’s also something that I have to spend money on. Lighting in the shop is already inadequate…
Try with the things you have at hand man.
How much does it cost for a friggin lightbulb and a socket on a cord. $200?
Hang it from a nail. Use an old white sheet to make it indirect and soften it.
That is dangerous.
Of the Grease variety?
