I actually learned this in first year physics, 20 years ago. But I don’t remember well enough to explain it. Here’s a link I just quickly looked up
Yea I work with fretted string instruments and there are programs out there that calculates the fret position based on scale length. I do not know if holes for woodwind instruments uses the same formula, if so I can just run it through Stewmac or something.
To give some perspective on prices. A very good Blue Grass guitar is called a Martin. The D28 is particularly good. I lost a bidding war 6 months ago on a second hand one going for 40, 000. New ones go for around 100 to 120, 000 NTD. On the other hand you can get much cheaper factory guitars for a few thousand.
His prices are placed pretty much spot for a hand made one. Well in fact cheap because he is not famous.
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Not only that, if you buy a D28 in Taiwan and they develop problems (such as very high action requiring a neck reset), you gotta send it back to Martin at YOUR EXPENSE for warranty work. Costs 10,000nt each way minimum.
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Do you have sound clips or youtube videos of people playing your guitars and then playing the same song on another guitar? This would help some people move towards making a purchase decision.
Photos and testimonials alone may not be enough because your brand is not famous.
And before you say, “I don’t know anyone” or “I am not good at making marketing materials” or any other excuse, just try. The path to success includes overcoming obstacles. Your obstacles may include making these videos. But you still need to try.
I doubt there is a single musician out there who was able to play the way they do now, without messing up a lot. Learning to play any instrument well requires tons of practice. I remember having to practice the same bar of music tens of times just to get it right. And I always stumble my way through a new sheet of music the first few times through.
Learning anything new is the same. You may suck in the beginning, but that’s ok. You just need to practice so you can learn from your mistakes and improve.
And that is exactly what you need: practice improving your marketing materials. Don’t just throw up your hands and say “I don’t know how to do that.”
You may need to make the video by yourself if you can’t afford to hire anyone else to do it. It may not be the best video, but it’s better than nothing.
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A related thought: I couldn’t make worthwhile money making (pretty decent) wooden side-tables (or whatever), because they take dozens of hours of skilled labour and no-one is gonna pay 30k for one. Making a guitar takes orders of magnitude more skill and equipment (and time, I imagine), not to mention the expensive woods.
The equation changes a little at the super high end, or if you’re really good at self-marketing, but for the most part people just prefer to buy things from factories. I applaud those who support local makers instead – I need to try harder to do so myself.
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Acoustic guitars don’t require as much wood as a table so the material cost is not that big of a factor. It’s only when using rare woods like cocobolo, Brazilian that cost becomes to go out of control. Most guitar tone wood, at least the standard ones, aren’t that expensive.
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Ok so how much was the cost of your Mahogony that you are using to make the Mahogony guitar? If I can ask that. Not how much you got it for but , just an example.
This is a Martin ( I think 015) of pure mahogony , neck body …
It went second hand for more than yours first hand.
The power of the brand. I do think the finish is extremely pretty though.
How would yours compare to this do you think ?
I’m using urethane finish that is extremely tough and resilant. I didn’t cost the mahogany out, I got it from a lumber yard and sliced it into guitar sized wood.
Salesmanship, marketing, branding, accountancy
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I was at his workshop today. I’m getting some custom work done on one of my banjos. I took a quick picture of this guitar that he’s making. It’s looking more and more beautiful. Spruce top Padauck body.
“Dreadnought body, Padauk back and side. No blemish of any kind. Neck will feature carbon fiber reinforcement and ebony fingerboard and bridge. The fret will be EVO Gold fret wire that is gold in color, and more resistant to fret wear than normal fret wires by about 3x.”
Total cost: 40,000 Preorder deposit: 20% = 8000
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Interesting information on the tonewood Padauk:
Is Padauk A Good Guitar Tonewood? Electric, Acoustic & Bass – My New Microphone.
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On a side note, where is the padauk from? And what type of spruce is the top? I assume a solid top?
It looks very nice.
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All my guitars have a solid spruce top. I do not use plywood in the construction of any guitars. If it has a mahogany back and side, it’s solid mahogany, purpleheart, or padauk.
Plywood requires me to be extremely careful when sanding as the veneer is about the thickness of a human hair. It also saves almost no cost for me, and in terms of man hours put into the instrument, it’s silly for me to consider using them.
OM is not finished yet, just carving the neck on it.
Right now the spruce I use is either sitka or European.
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When I go back to get my banjo I’ll take a pic of the OM. I saw it yesterday. In case anyone is wondering why I don’t buy one off him. Well firstly I play banjo and when I play guitar it is a 12 string, I have a six string already. However, yeah the Even then I’m tempted. I think the OM will go first. He pointed out the miniscule imperfection on the wood. I could hardly see it even when he pointed it out. The OM is still tempting. 
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Honestly the top I used for that guitar was meant to be painted… so the thought was some sunburst type finish to cover it up.
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Like I said yesterday I did not even see that flaw. However, you said customers notice this kind of thing. If I want any instrument I’m more concerned about overall quality , and SOUND, than some little nick or whatever it’s called.
Yesterday I asked him that and I think he said African although he would have to confirm that… BTW that’s a nice link.