Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Outhouse Instruments on May 28, 2010 at 1:42am

I'm starting to feel what Roger is talking about.
As far as I know I am the only builder and seller of CBG's in my area. I have stuff in 2 guitar shops ( a good distance from each other - no competition) and I do have a new website ( cuz sooooo many people ask for it). Most of my sales come from going to local festivals of one sort or another with in a 50 mile er so range.
At the last blugrass festival, there were 2 other music stores with booths. One local to me ( 5 min.) the other 1/2 hour away. One talked to me and is now carrying my stuff, the other ( local) kept sending their kid over to spy. Thru the course of the day, he looked at every instrument and price tag I had.

In a week er so I'm gonna go visit the shop to "buy" a cheap set of strings or something ..... but I expect to see a cbg hangin' on his wall. I have already been warned about this guy and he's been in business less than 6 months!


Matt - it's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milkbone drawers!

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on May 28, 2010 at 2:17am

I have no problem with some one who builds his own instruments and wants to sell next door to me if he wants to.My instruments can hold their own in that situation.But I Do have a problem with the opportunist that comes along,bringing in product that he had SOMEONE else build and pass it off as HIS build.
So I'm more then willing to try something new ( to me) and maybe form some sort of alliance? with guys (or some our our very talented gals)Maybe theres something I can help them with and we can help each other out .Who knows maybe we can put the guys that have their "product" imported so to speak away.
One more thing,there are many folks here that put me to shame in the playing dept.
I'd like to extend and invitation, to all members here , to come by and do their stuff anytime they want to .Pop in and bang away,sing too if you like.My voice is pretty much gone ,I sound now days like I swallowed a bucket of gravel, lol
So all ya'll that are by this way stop by,maybe we can have some fun.
I have vowed to sell at a loss this coming month if I have to,This is WAR!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on May 28, 2010 at 3:03am

You know, overall we builders (who also are sellers) on the Nation here are pretty respectful of other members. Heck, I sent someone to Wichita Sam because he's closer to them -- and this was a nationally known band! Mind you I would want the business, but as said here, we are not gonna make a mint (or even mucho bucko's) building CBGs, that's all there is to it. Beer money for me. Support of a habit. A fun way to keep the mind sharp or at least working and I get a great feeling of accomplishment.

-WY

Roger Martin said:

I have no problem with some one who builds his own instruments and wants to sell next door to me if he wants to.My instruments can hold their own in that situation.But I Do have a problem with the opportunist that comes along,bringing in product that he had SOMEONE else build and pass it off as HIS build.
So I'm more then willing to try something new ( to me) and maybe form some sort of alliance? with guys (or some our our very talented gals)Maybe theres something I can help them with and we can help each other out .Who knows maybe we can put the guys that have their "product" imported so to speak away.
One more thing,there are many folks here that put me to shame in the playing dept.
I'd like to extend and invitation, to all members here , to come by and do their stuff anytime they want to .Pop in and bang away,sing too if you like.My voice is pretty much gone ,I sound now days like I swallowed a bucket of gravel, lol
So all ya'll that are by this way stop by,maybe we can have some fun.
I have vowed to sell at a loss this coming month if I have to,This is WAR!!!!!!!!!!!! LOL

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Permalink Reply by Gadsden Guitars on May 28, 2010 at 4:17am

I got into CBG's because someone gave me a "Old Crowe Medicine Show" CD. It resparked my desire to play blues slide guitar. After searching for a (good) starter guitar, preferably a tricone resonator, I soon came to realize that I was gonna need about 2,500 bucks for a decent instrument. I admitted to myself that was not likely gonna happen anytime soon so I started looking into getting a banjo, cause I've always wanted to learn the banjo as well, well you can drop some serious coin on a banjo as well. Then I found CBG's.....

That was around Nov. of last year and after a trip back home for the holidays I got back to my shop and began making CBG's. Since then I have made about 6 and recently made a six stringer to be used by a local musician who is an accomplished recording artist. I myself am not a guitar player, (I play the drums), but I love the gritty delta slide blues guitar. So when I finished the six stringer I held onto it as long as I could and tried to make the thing sing, to no avail. When I did finally decide to let my creation go, I got my mind blown. My customer plugged it into a small Gibson tube amp, made by non other that Jimmy Page's guitar tech, with no effects, his true test of my creation.

The mojo that proceeded to flow off of that guitar encompassed the room and flowed on down the hall, blowing everyone's mind, especially mine, triggering something I had never expected. To hear something that I built, being used to belt out some serious blues was one of the high points of my life lately. And soon he will be playing my creation on stage at an upcoming gig and I guess I can expect some orders after more people are exposed to our little secret (CBG's).

I am a custom wood worker/cabinet builder and the last two years I have had to lower my labor rates more than half and as of Jan. I had to work as a framer to keep a paycheck coming in. The most frustrating thing about that is that I know the real reason for the economic disaster and what we are told by the idiot box is not the real story which is a subject for another time if anyone is interested. However, if I have learned anything lately it is that the chasing of Federal Reserve Notes is about as productive as my dog chasing his tail, for me, true happiness is making something that brings joy to others' lives and exceeding expectations.

Since building the six string I have decided to pursue higher education in the field of Luthierism and my hope is that I can become a custom guitar builder with a 12 month waiting period, will it happen? I don't know but I do know that I will be much happier building musical instruments than built-in cabinets and kitchens for spoiled rotten yuppies who are trying to get me to work for wages I was getting twenty years ago.

Can you make money at building CBG's? Maybe. Can you live a more enriched life building musical instruments and traveling around meeting new people and experiencing life, most definately!!! Tap into the great resources here at The Nation and Handmademusicalinstruments.com and you will find a community that resonates with your soul, a microcosm of what we have always craved in our Human experience, good vibrations, good people, sharing and experiencing the joy of music's effect on our relationships.

Good luck Captn Ron, I hope that wasn't too esoteric and mushy, but I've given these things alot of thought lately and I hope it helps you in some way.

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Permalink Reply by Wade on May 29, 2010 at 2:41am

I hear what Josh is saying. Also, a few years ago I walked right past a Daddy Mojo in a music store and did'nt even blink. I know quite a bit about guitars, but knew nothing about CBG's. I think you would have to educate your customers before making sales. I did'nt care about this cool little things until I heard them. The gutteral, grinding tones are what opened my eyes and ears to CBG's. I also think that if you rely on cbg's as a business, it could very well take all the fun out of building and that's why I am doing what I do.

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Permalink Reply by Outhouse Instruments on May 29, 2010 at 2:58am

When I went to a street festival nearby,all I had to do was plug a d-bow in to the lil' 5 watt, push the overdrive button, and play 1 verse and chorus of "5 lbs. of possum".
People came over to see what the ruckus was. lol

It would draw a crowd.

Matt

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