Melbourne Guitar Makers Festival

[Bob Connor]

Just a reminder that the Melbourne Guitar Makers Festival is on at the Abbotsford Convent on the 26th and 27th of October.

Appearing at this year’s Melbourne Guitar Makers Festival are the following great guitar makers, making it one of the largest exhibitions of handmade guitars in Australia.

To have a such a vast range of guitars and their makers available for a whole weekend is a rare and unique opportunity not to be missed!

Several forum members are showing their wares so if you are in the neighbourhood please drop by.

Gary Rizzolo
Bob Connor
Joe Gallacher
Kim Lissarrague
Rod Octigan
Chris Melville
Nick Carpenter
Alan Bull
Ian Ellis
Graham Hollingworth
Andrew Doriean
Trevor Gore
Phil Carson Crickmore
Dan Robinson
Jeff Crisp
Shane Briggs
Daniel Hoban
Andrew Duganzich
Barry Kerr (Woodtone Guitars)
David Worthy
Tim Kill
Jack Spira

Further details can be found here

http://www.guitarmakers.com.au/

Regards

[jeff crisp]

Just a little update on the festival. I believe Graham Hollingworth and David Worthy can no longer attend. Their places will be filled but you'll have to check the web site when it's updated to see who they'll be.

[needsmorecowbel]

Will have to come along and see your guitars in the Flesh. Happy Birthday Bob! Liking the look of your website Rod!

Stu

[rocket]

Cheers Stu, needs an update thanks anyways, might catch up with you in October!!
Rod.

[Bob Connor]

I think we may need to organize some sort of a get together on the Saturday night which involves numerous bottles of red wine Rod!!!

What thinks ye?

Regards

[rocket]

Sounds like a top idea Bob, good opportunity to meet some more of the forum members and put faces to names! by the way i believe congrats are in order as it's your birthday today, i hope it was a top day for Ye!! that means you must be a day older than moi, coz it's mine tomorrow, we can drink to that at our next meeting hey?
Rod.

[Bob Connor]

I'll drink to that.

Sounds like a plan Rod.

And Happy Birthday for today.

Regards

[needsmorecowbel]

Sounds good Rod! Will see you guys there! There are a lot of Birthdays in August...

Happy Birthday Rod!

[ozwood]

I think we may need to organize some sort of a get together on the Saturday night which involves numerous bottles of red wine Rod!!!

What thinks ye?

Are New South Welshman welcome Jeff Highland and I are thinking of braving a Jetstar flight and deading down.

Would be good to catch up!

Cheers,

[ozwood]

Heading down , heading down ......Freudian slip

[rocket]

Of course Paul, the more the merrier "come on down"
Rod.

[ozwood]

Done, the northern invasion is organized , hotel booked Jeff and I will be there with our red drinking bells on.

Stu we will get to catch up with you !

Cheers,

Paul.

[needsmorecowbel]

Sounds good guys I'll make sure I have a fresh Liver for the occasion

Stu

[Tod Gilding]

Just keep an eye on Paul. He has been known to go home with a little more Tiger Myrtle than he arrived with

[needsmorecowbel]

What suburb are you guys staying in>?

Stu

[ozwood]

Hi Stu,

Abbottsford, not far from the venue.

I hope you don't have bad news RE our lodgings .

Cheers,

Paul.

[Clancy]

Shit. Just realised that I'm in Melbourne that weekend - staying in St Kilda.
May have to work out an excuse to slip away from the Guitar Widow to....be around guitars

[rocket]

Might be able to squeeze in a coldie or a glass of red also Craig!
Rod.

[demonx]

I'm curious how many are Acoustic builders and how many are electric/solid body?

I'm also curious how many electric/solid body builders are featured at these festivals?

If there was more variety it may attract larger crouds. Just a suggestion.

[Ormsby Guitars]

I'm curious how many are Acoustic builders and how many are electric/solid body?

I'm also curious how many electric/solid body builders are featured at these festivals?

If there was more variety it may attract larger crouds. Just a suggestion.

Apparently electric "loothiers" make too much noise.


What I'm interested in, is what level of SALES the exhibitors are achieving at shows like this. For those who exhibit, what do you average on the day? How many guitars do you bring along to sell?

[J.F. Custom]

I can't speak as an exhibitor Perry, as I have not had the opportunity to do so as yet.

However, I think in answer to your question - that it is difficult to assess. Sure, if you have five instruments as 'stock' to bring along and then go home with two, than that aspect is apparent.

But I feel it is often about becoming known. Presence. Being seen. Importantly, being heard. Who is to say what proportion of sales you then have over the next two years were or were not directly related to the show? Be that by business card, word of mouth, impression at the time etc. I just don't feel it is quantifiable in that way.

Of course it would be nice to take 20 and return with none - but it is not really the right market/niche industry for that. You really have to work with what you've got. This is still a relatively new venture as well. Hopefully it will only develop further in time.

And yes, DemonX, Perry is on the money there. There was an instrument makers show in Brisbane at one time, but the electrics clashed with the acoustics in so far as the setup just made for a mash of sound. The acoustics were very difficult to hear and/or appreciate. That said, it could be done, but would have to have thought and organisation involved to avoid issues.

Jeremy.

[Ormsby Guitars]

Thanks Jeremy.

I find it strangely curious that once again the scary subject of sales is brought up and the thread just dies. It's like it's a taboo subject. Without sales, you're all out of business.

At the last show I displayed at, 3 out of the 4 instruments on display sold (you had to email me to buy, so I could select the 'best' buyer, up to seven people for one guitar), and deposits for customs valued at $25k (which I charged a premium for on the day; you had to buy my time to give you a quote). Not bad for just an afternoon.

Still would love to hear others experiences.

[demonx]

I wasn't trying to sound "smart" or anything, I just found it strange that a "Guitar festival" would exclude the biggest selling market of guitars, electrics.

From just reading the details, to me, a electric guitar player/builder in my mid 30's, it just sounds like an old mans get together, not a "guitar festival" as advertised.

It doesn't appeal to me as a builder or player to go - as a builder it doesnt look like I'd be able to sell/promote my instruments there as there isn't a wide enough demographic and as a player theres no name brands there whatsoever (electric).

I'm not having a dig or being a smart arse, just trying to present some constructive critisism as to how it may be more successful and have a wider audience. There are many more electric builders that acoustic, and this isn't advertised as a "Acoustic Guitar Festival", just food for thought.

[Tod Gilding]

I just found it strange that a "Guitar festival" would exclude the biggest selling market of guitars, electrics.


There are many more electric builders that acoustic,.

I was Just Curious Al , Where did you get this information ?

[Nick]

and this isn't advertised as a "Acoustic Guitar Festival", just food for thought.

You are right there Allan, it probably should be promoted as an "Acoustic Guitar festival" and maybe it is, just the way Bob chose to head up the post?
But as for the 'name' brands of the Electric world, they probably wouldn't show at these festivals, why would they? They have the music shops (Usually frequented by the pimply teens who want to emulate their hero's, who all happen to be flash and dash on an electric rather than an acoustic, hence higher sales of electrics I'm guessing) to do their bidding, music shops don't stock such a large range of acoustic guitars, the major makers (who's product can be sold at a lower cost because of the number of units they produce) hang on the wall in large numbers and that's about it, they are very reticent to hang any "Unknown" (unknown to the aforementioned pimply teens) builders on the wall even though these guitars would probably blow many of the known production brands out of the water sound-wise because, A) The pimply teens have never heard of them, B) They cannot afford the asking price & C) The majority, not all though, wouldn't know the difference between a good and a shit acoustic guitar.
Just Trevor's, Tim Kill and Jack Spira's name and you already have some fairly classy hitters in the Acoustic game right there at this show.