Gordon Smith and Richard's Guitars

DeeTee

All this is just reminding me how much I'd like a Jayden Rose guitar.

Jez6345789

Hmm

Obviously too much of a marketing guy, the UK has a rich musical history over the pond and in Europe so I would see tapping into that kind of vibe would be a good place to start. 

I travel a bit for business and when you talk to people and players they have enduring respect for British guys from old school 60's to rock, punk to indie guitar bands. yeah we may not have the guitar tradition or brand to draw on but we produced some great musical cultures over the years and that can easily be married into the export marketing. 

Your right you probably could not do it for 100k totally the wrong figure you either do it for about 25-30k and a lump of sweat equity as a scrappy upstart and then fund stage two or you go all in for the big one or two million and a three year plan.

regards Jez

ddlooping

I have created a guitar with the right vibe that appeals, can anybody help put it into production?

digitalscream

Jez6345789 said:

It might not be the rarified air of Private Stock etc etc but at 1500-2k entry point its not aiming at Joe Blow playing down the Dog and Ferret.

Actually, the entry point for Jaden's guitars is the Series 2, at £900 - which isn't that far above the £700 you mentioned...

Jez6345789

Anyway

Its not just about guitars I just hear it so much in the UK, one of my US suppliers is 26 and on her 3rd start up, learning the hard way and making a living as she goes. Fail fast and move on, we just spend a lot of time trying to make the wrong thing work and getting all churned up and indignant when it doesn't. 

At this point Gordon Smith proves it can be done even if not too everybody's taste or expectations.

Jez

samzadgan

so...i will just put this here...this is not a UK guitar builder rather a US one, but i think a good example of small company making their way in the business.

it was brought to my attention about early 2013...at that point they only had a few prototypes and a bunch cool pictures. They were on facebook and had a minimal website. But they were all over facebook, posting stuff almost everyday and through that built up a pretty decent sized following...then Gearmandude did a review of one of their guitars, and since then has done more...they started proper production and good website etc etc.

Now, i don't know how well they are doing..,but its been over a year and they seem to be getting good traction with artists as well. I think this is a good template to follow, grass roots social marketing before you have anything and deliver something different from design perspective but manage the manufacturing to deliver low/mid cost product which is well built...

http://www.puresalemguitars.com/



 

streethawk

Jez6345789 said:

Hmm

Obviously too much of a marketing guy, the UK has a rich musical history over the pond and in Europe so I would see tapping into that kind of vibe would be a good place to start. 

I travel a bit for business and when you talk to people and players they have enduring respect for British guys from old school 60's to rock, punk to indie guitar bands. yeah we may not have the guitar tradition or brand to draw on but we produced some great musical cultures over the years and that can easily be married into the export marketing. 

Your right you probably could not do it for 100k totally the wrong figure you either do it for about 25-30k and a lump of sweat equity as a scrappy upstart and then fund stage two or you go all in for the big one or two million and a three year plan.

regards Jez

We do have a great musical heritage, but only the rock side seems to be accepted when it comes to producing equipment that people feel has a heritage worth buying into, as @Octatonic and others have already pointed out.

We make rock amps. That's allowed. 

We don't really have a great design or execution track record for guitars though, and missing out on that golden age of Rock n Roll has ruined it for future generations.

Name one iconic guitarist that played a *Burns? 

*Exclusively played a Burns and wasn't a speccy 4eyes about as cool as a caravan.

martinw

Jez6345789 said:

 

At this point Gordon Smith proves it can be done even if not too everybody's taste or expectations.

Jez

How do you know? They might be running at a loss.....or earning peanuts. They certainly not a massive success story. 3 people scraping a living in a shed....what does that prove?

 

streethawk

samzadgan said:

so...i will just put this here...this is not a UK guitar builder rather a US one, but i think a good example of small company making their way in the business.

it was brought to my attention about early 2013...at that point they only had a few prototypes and a bunch cool pictures. They were on facebook and had a minimal website. But they were all over facebook, posting stuff almost everyday and through that built up a pretty decent sized following...then Gearmandude did a review of one of their guitars, and since then has done more...they started proper production and good website etc etc.

Now, i don't know how well they are doing..,but its been over a year and they seem to be getting good traction with artists as well. I think this is a good template to follow, grass roots social marketing before you have anything and deliver something different from design perspective but manage the manufacturing to deliver low/mid cost product which is well built...

http://www.puresalemguitars.com/



 

Yes but US folk also buy into the 'US made' script. And that's a huge land locked market to tap into.

We are but a small island and our 'gas' price is extortionate, we need to export from day one to stay afloat.

Then there's the taxation system to consider.

I'm making assumptions here, and WANT to be wrong....

octatonic

martinw said:

Jez6345789 said:

 

At this point Gordon Smith proves it can be done even if not too everybody's taste or expectations.

Jez

How do you know? They might be running at a loss.....or earning peanuts. They certainly not a massive success story. 3 people scraping a living in a shed....what does that prove?

Not a damn thing.

guitarfishbay

martinw said:

Jez6345789 said:

As for branding costing years of investment capital and people preparing to make a long term loss, not in the modern world the bare bones can be done quickly and easily.

Have you any idea how much Blackstar spent to do just that?

Neither have I, but I'd bet it well into several hundreds of thousands. That's with the advantage of having several ex-Marshall people on board and building amps (for which the UK has a good global rep) not guitars (for which it doesn't)  AND they don't even manufacture in the UK.

The total investment must have been millions, with some fairly patient backers, I'd warrant.

Anyway, if it's that easy, get on with it.

You might find this interesting then:

http://www.foresightgroup.eu/news/142/Foresight-powers-Blackstar-with-3-5-million-investment.htm

http://www.hardwickechamberlain.com/news.aspx?article=245

impmann

streethawk said:

Name one iconic guitarist that played a *Burns? 

*Exclusively played a Burns and wasn't a speccy 4eyes about as cool as a caravan.

Well, I don't know about iconic... but how about Chris Stein from Blondie, or Gaz Coombes from Supergrass. Or Lord William of Bragg.  And personally speaking, Hank Marvin is way cooler than a caravan.

ddlooping

Assuming this guitar felt and sounded right to you, how much would you be willing to pay for it?
(if you like it that is)

http://www.diazguitars.co.uk/stuff/T1.jpg

JookyChap

ddlooping said:

Assuming this guitar felt and sounded right to you, how much would you be willing to pay for it?
(if you like it that is)

http://www.diazguitars.co.uk/stuff/T1.jpg

Trades?

ddlooping

JookyChap said:

Trades?

Nah :P

Bogwhoppit

Jez6345789 said:

 the UK has a rich musical history over the pond and in Europe so I would see tapping into that kind of vibe would be a good place to start. 

 

Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!!! Not the return of the Burns Bison ! 

musicegbdf

OK have been travelling so just picked up on this thread.

Good to hear from Richard , and yes I bought a I Godin (LGXSA) from you as Regent. I still can't believe Godin have not built a big following.
I remember dealinbg with you and very happy. I said I was after a LGXSA at the time and asked if you would keep your ears open for one S/H . In fact you had a "demonstrator " that you sold me for a very fair price , and sent by mail to me. (The one and only time I bought sight unseen). I was stunned at the condition is was better than some New guitars I have seem sold from shop floors.

So keep up the passion. I see the thread has moved a bit to UK makers. I have to throw in a plug for Martyn Booth. I own one of his guitars and he has so much passion for building and a depth of knowledge that is huge. I suspect he is a bad businessman , but a true artisan. The sad thing is he can't sell his guitars. ( I think he sold 6 last year) ,at this point we have to take a dose of reality.

We on this forum are the minority. Making a living from the likes of us is very hard. I have a student that is really just a beginer , but he has spent this year over £4000 on two guitars. Both S/H and very fine instruments. One is a Gibson and the other a PRS.

For most people the name on the headstock matters. For other people it is what their "Hero" plays and enorsments like this are important to gain sales.

What I find really sad is that Martyn cannot afford to pay an apprentice to learn his skills and these will be lost to the world when he decides to call it a day.

Anyway good on you Richard for coming onto the forum and putting your view across , and I hope GS take a hard look at themselves and bring themselves back to a consistant quality and rebuild as a success

dlmorley

I have had a couple of Gordon Smith guitars. A GS2 which sounded great and played well but things I didn't like were only down to the cost I guess (I never liked their nut fixing method or the plastic cover for the truss rod for example) but I just got a Graf and it's superb and has a"proper" nut and the GS pickup in the bridge is perfect for this guitar. I wouldn't change it for anything.. Sounds amazing and plays wonderfully. I find it a shame that they seem to have failed Richard but I think it has just become too hard to build something affordable, whilst spending the time it requires to take full care and attention and source good woods etc unless you go offshore for the actual production and that means selling untidy, which again is an issue. 

I love British guitars for their occasional quirkiness but also the quality of the woodwork and perhaps less flashy approach to how a guitar should look.. I have had (over many years!) 2 Eggles, 5 Jaydee, 2 John Birch, 2 Wilkes and 2 GS guitars and many of those guitars have been top notch. I still have a Jaydee Flying V which is just amazing.

In the end though, I would still suggest people check some used GS guitars out. They can be crazy bargains. I get the feeling GS are nearing the point of retirement and I will be sad to see them go.

tonyrath

I follow Richard on FB and have seen his site.  He is passionate about his business and the quality of goods and services he offers. He is opinionated and wants to publicise his business. I wish there more drama queens like him in the guitar retail sector. 

streethawk

ddlooping said:

Assuming this guitar felt and sounded right to you, how much would you be willing to pay for it?
(if you like it that is)

http://www.diazguitars.co.uk/stuff/T1.jpg

Probably less than I would pay if it were pictured in the hands of a guitarist I liked, or at least presented on a guitar stand on some decking.  :P

Marketing trumps reason.