Welcome to my world...

[hilo_kawika]

This is common for a certain type of e-mail that I get from folks on the Mainland and one of the many reasons I finally decided to retire:

"Hello! I am coming to Kauai i in March and this is my third trip, all the way from Cincinnati Ohio. This trip, I am bringing my daughter and her husband. He loves to play the guitar, and I want to buy him a good 'ukulele for coming with me and bringing my daughter and my grandson with him. My problem is that I can't afford a truly respectable instrument, and I think I should only spend $100 or so on the purchase. I know that the shops in the Islands are full of inexpensive instruments and on my previous trips I've seen samples of these. They smell highly of shellac and I know they are only toys. Would you have any decent 'ukulele instruments on sale for around my price line? I don't mind if they are used, as long as the wood is good. If you have this and can ship in time for Christmas, I will give it to my daughter's husband as my gift to him. And, if by any chance you have an extra, I might be interested in buying the extra for myself."

When I retired from the business, I figured my shop hourly rates were on the order of $30-40/hr. So making a finished ukulele in ~ 2 1/2 hours plus fittings would have been necessary to please this customer...

aloha,

Dave Hurd

[sebastiaan56]

Yup,

no surprises there, Im in the printing game, all day long, "how much for 100 business cards, WHAT!!??!!, thats highway robbery!!" A couple of days later "you may remember me I rang about some business cards.... well I'd like to go ahead..., can I have them this afternoon?"

Im still not charging enough if they come back....

[Allen]

David, if he doesn't take the second instrument, how about sending it to me. I'll even pay the postage.

[Kim]

Dave,

You should email this tosser back and ask if he had considered the possibility of paddling a canoe over to Hawaii? Suggest to him that it is after all THE traditional way to arrive in town and it would only enhance his trip if he were to allow himself to become fully 'submersed' in the experience.

Also suggest that the money he would save on a plane ticket should almost be enough to cover for your time in the workshop but, if he wanted to be absolutely certain, he would probably need to have his son-in-law and daughter paddle along with him from Cincinnati Ohio. Maybe you could also mention that if he is going to have that many hands on the paddles, he may as well make a day of it and think about taking on some paying passengers to cover the cost of materials and a good case.

Cheers

Kim

[joel]

My problem is that I can't afford a truly respectable instrument, and I think I should only spend $100 or so on the purchase. I know that the shops in the Islands are full of inexpensive instruments and on my previous trips I've seen samples of these.

The implication being that you don't make "respectable" instruments. Thats just a wee bit insulting isn't it?

Perhaps you could email the bloke a quote for one of your respectable instruments, and inform him that the $100 could form part of the non-refundable deposit.

[Hesh1956]

It sounds to me like the guy is a get-something-for-nothing sort.

I see a lot of this in my situation in the states with prospective guitar clients. Some of these folks lurk on guitar building forums and then pick a builder who they think is doing nice work but is just starting or not yet commercially offering instruments.

In many cases another forum member has already sold them a guitar and set a standard that kind of pollutes the industry by selling early and for the cost of "parts." So..... Other builders get contacted and the prospective client offers to purchase on the cheap stressing that since someone is a "new" builder the price must be low......

Some builders who have waited for some years to pull the trigger on offering instruments commercially are not exactly what I would call a new builder either. Some of us have a good number of instruments out there in daily use AND abuse that includes playing out in pubs, etc.

I think that your pricing can serve as a "qualifying" factor too if your pricing is indicated early it can serve to ward off those who want something for nothing. The trick is sticking to you guns and never doing anything that would degrade the value of your brand or set the stage that you are not a serious business with serious value to offer.

Dave buddy I am glad that you are offended by this, you should be, but don't take it personal because it's not. Just stick to your guns and recognize that what anyone offers is not for everyone. If we as builders do not hold firm that what we offer represents real value that deserves real compensation no one else will.

[hilo_kawika]

Thanks for the feedback guys...

When I was starting out, the local bottom-feeders would approach us with several lines:

"I really like your ukuleles but I only have ($ that's 20-30% less than the price) to spend right now."

Our answer: "No problem, we have layaway plans so you can save up for the total amount"

Next:

"If you give me an instrument, I'll really promote you and your sales will increase" (Usually offered by a penniless musician wannabe who would then tell all his friends what a score he got).

Our answer: "C. F. Martin never did this".

Next:

"I'm a famous recording star and you should give me an instrument to play" (so I can add it to the trophy stash in my closet with the other un-used instruments gotten from hopeful builders).

Our answer: "Gosh, we're just starting out - this would be too great an honor for us at this time".

We also posted a sign in the shop when we were doing repairs:

1. QUALITY WORK
2. FAST SERVICE
3. LOW PRICE
-
CHOOSE ANY TWO


I wish I knew whose quote this was:

"There is no product that some man somewhere cannot make more cheaply and of poorer quality. The buyer who considers price alone is that man's rightful prey."

Maybe someone can help me out here...

aloha,

Dave Hurd
www.ukuleles.com

[sebastiaan56]

I use price to qualify as Hesh has alluded, send him to Walmart, Im sure they will be able to help,

[Colonial Tonewoods]

Tell him this isn't Burger King and you can't have it your way

[kiwigeo]

My solution..

If the customer can only afford part of the true cost of an instrument then I would simply give him or her part of the instrument. I'd hand over the neck of the uke telling him or her that when they come back with the rest of the money they can have the rest of the instrument.

[DarwinStrings]

Well that made me laugh, one of those "oh my God who is this guy" type of laughs.

I'm with Martin except it wouldn't be a neck, I was thinking more along the lines of a set of tuners, some un-worked bone and maybe a bit of MOP cause a man of his tastes would definitely want the one with the inlay and none of that Mother of Toilet Seat rubbish either.

Jim