Exotic wood cabs

[Tubetwang]

I'm wandering if there be an interest/market for high quality exotic wood cabinets for Express and Liverpool.

What would be a good price range?

Any thoughts?

Thanks
Louis

[dartanion]

I'm doing a few for customers now, not a huge demand though, but I don't really advertise. Too busy to commit to too much.

Price really depends. Your business model should dictate your price. Product also makes a huge difference.

[Tubetwang]

Thanks Dart...

I'll make a few for my Express and Liverpool and post a few pictures when i'm done.

[muchxs]

I'm wandering if there be an interest/market for high quality exotic wood cabinets for Express and Liverpool.

What would be a good price range?

Any thoughts?

Like it or not the bulk of the guitar and amp market is inexpensive gear. My associates sell 100 starter packages to every semi-professional instrument, that doesn't seem to change with the seasons. This time of year they'll sell more of everything but the ratio of high end to low end doesn't change. The high end Custom Shop guitars hang on the wall and gather dust. They have to move volume to qualify as a Custom Shop dealer, moving a certain quantity of cheap stuff entitles them to a certain quantity of good stuff.

Similar market trends apply to boutique amps. If you were to build a quality piece you'd buy Allyn's chassis, Moose's transformers, UR12's circuit boards, Distortion's cab then fill in with good parts and tubes from a variety of sources. You'd end up with an amp that did justice to Ken Fischer's legacy. Guys like Mark H. and Paul R. can do it all themselves because, well, because they can do it all themselves. OR you could do what the bulk of the market does and buy a Ceriatone kit. It seems to me that many of the kits are going in Mojotone headboxes that don't fit, cardboard boxes or no cabinet at all, whatever. Yes I know that many of us aren't rolling in the dough and many of us don't have the skills or the workshop space but good God man, some of these things end up just plain ugly! Maybe it's just me but my muse departs for more fertile territory when confronted by a complete lack of aesthetic integrity.

Prices: As cheap as you can possibly make it. I'm serious. I'm not happy about it, either. It feels to me like we're selling out a legacy for pennies on the dollar but it really is true... sell for less and there won't be any space available in your parking lot on a Saturday morning. If you can't sell for less some bottomfeeder will come along, build a product that falls short of your quality and substantially undercut your price.

Thoughts: I think quality isn't as tangible as price. The market for the most part doesn't appreciate quality but they sure are perceptive when it comes to price.

[Tubetwang]

i appreciate your thoughts muchxs...

i know i can't make money building amps...so i have lots of amps...

I can't troubleshoot...so repair shop is out...

I don't want to play in a band...i'm unpatient sometimes...

I'd like to do something...

I wish Leo was still around...i'd work for free...he was frugal...he'd take me in...no?

[muchxs]

i appreciate your thoughts muchxs...

i know i can't make money building amps...so i have lots of amps...

There are plenty of people making money building amps, why not you? BTW it's a rhetorical question but I'd like to hear your opinion.

I can't troubleshoot...so repair shop is out...

There's that "C" word! SURE you can troubleshoot! Just stick a 15 amp fuse in the mains and see where it smokes. That's how I learned!

I don't want to play in a band...i'm unpatient sometimes...

Look to Tom Sholz for inspiration. He's an absolute control freak. The trick to being impatient is to become a bandleader, even if you have a massive ego you can hire musicians better than you are. I don't care how good you are, there's always someone better.

Once you have a 12 piece band complete with horn section and a small all-girl choir all you have to do it get one of those '50s chrome mics, some shiny shoes and a snazzy suit. Oh yeah, you're going to need a very good agent because you have to make enough money to split it twelve ways. No biggy, Lawrence Welk did it and you can , too!

I'd like to do something...

I wish Leo was still around...i'd work for free...he was frugal...he'd take me in...no?

I'd hire you on except that I build my own cabinets already. I don't know about the work for free part, it's just not right...

[BBQLS1]

You wouldn't be the only one doing this. I just bought a cab from Jeff Swanson that I could have had in just about anything. My budget limited me to black tolex with a paduk insert though.

Anthony is doing Tolex
Dart is apparently doing some
Distortion does some really nice ones.

Not telling you not to either.

[muchxs]

You wouldn't be the only one doing this. I just bought a cab from Jeff Swanson that I could have had in just about anything. My budget limited me to black tolex with a paduk insert though.

Anthony is doing Tolex
Dart is apparently doing some
Distortion does some really nice ones.

Not telling you not to either.

O.k., BBQ... fess up. How much did you pay for your Reason cab? This is market research.

[dartanion]

Email Anthony yourself and he'll give you a quote. His cabs are great quality and pretty reasonable. I don't believe he does hardwoods though. I do most of my builds in hardwood cabs, yet a lot of folks want tolex as the "is how a guitar amps is supposed to look."

[Tubetwang]

I'm not in it to break the market...Vintone and Dart are doing a fine job...

But...i have access to 120 different wood flavors...

I'll give it a shot.

Guys are buying Boutique Guitars...Boutique Amps...Boutique Cars...Boutique Bike...Boutique Golf Clubs...Boutique Hair...

I'll sell them Boutique Cabs...

"Cocobollo...Wenge...Get your Snakewood Cab"

I'm easy.

[rfgordon]

I hear ya on the standard tolex look as what people expect. You can't believe how many people shy away from a nice wood cab or one with some other covering, saying, "it might get dinged up," when I know for sure it'll NEVER leave his living room!

[skyboltone]

You can always advertise in Craigs list for the oldest crotchetiest nasty retired local tv/stereo repair guy and give him an amp or two and tell him to screw them up. Then work with him to fix them. He'll either get you over the troubleshooting blues or make you slash your wrists.

I do terrible wood work so I cover everything in tolex to hide the secrets. They turn out nice.

Dan H

[Tubetwang]

I hear ya on the standard tolex look as what people expect. You can't believe how many people shy away from a nice wood cab or one with some other covering, saying, "it might get dinged up," when I know for sure it'll NEVER leave his living room!

So true, yet they have highly figured wood guitars...

[BBQLS1]

Email Anthony yourself and he'll give you a quote. His cabs are great quality and pretty reasonable. I don't believe he does hardwoods though. I do most of my builds in hardwood cabs, yet a lot of folks want tolex as the "is how a guitar amps is supposed to look."

I asked Anthony about a tolex/wood insert cab and he pointed me to Jeff Swanson, as Anthony only does tolex. I have a couple of Anthony's cabs and they are nice. This will be my first from Jeff.

Price for both was good though.

[dartanion]

Really guys...I am only doing about a handful of builds per year at this point, but that will change soon. Remodel is getting close to being done, so I'll have more time. YEEHAW!