I am conducting some market research

zachariahboltonzachariahbolton Posts: 6Member
edited August 2016 in Guitar Chat
Hello again and thankyou for the advice and the laughs on the previous thread i have taken on board all comments! i am zachariah i have always been obsessed with the guitar its depth its beauty and its versatility, i was raised surrounded by the guitar and its songs, i am currently studying business and marketing and am working on a unit of work around research and questionnaires, i really do need some help and would really appreciate that from all you lovely people here.  i am conducting some market research in order to help me define market trends.any results gathered from this questionnaire will remain completely anonymous and only used as part of my coursework for college.  if you could spare 2 mins to read and post a reply that would be truly appreciated. thankyou.  1) have you ever purchased a guitar that cost upwards of 500 pounds? 2) have you ever purchased a luthier made guitar? (as opposed to a factory made guitar) if so, how much did you spend? 3) would you be willing to purchase a handmade guitar online, if there was a guarantee of complete refund up to 28 days after purchase if considered unsatisfactory for whatever reason? if so, how much would you be willing to spend? 4) what is most important to you when buying a guitar? a) cost b) quality c) brand  5) if you have considered buying a luthier made guitar but decided against it what was the determining factor in that decision? 6) if you had the option of buying a luthier made guitar at a similar price as a high end factory made guitar would you?  i do hope you took the time to answer this handful of questions it is much appreciated   zachariah.

Comments

  • Derek_RDerek_R Posts: 1,721Member

    1) have you ever purchased a guitar that cost upwards of 500 pounds?

     

    Only once have I ever gone over £500 - my Telecaster cost me £650.

     

    2) have you ever purchased a luthier made guitar? (as opposed to a factory made guitar)

     

    No

     

    3) would you be willing to purchase a handmade guitar online, if there was a guarantee of complete refund up to 28 days after purchase if considered unsatisfactory for whatever reason?

     

    No.

     

    4) what is most important to you when buying a guitar?

     

    a) cost b) quality c) brand 

     

    Yep, that's the right order. Cost is most important because if I don't have the £££s then the rest is irrelevant.

     

    5) if you have considered buying a luthier made guitar but decided against it what was the determining factor in that decision?

     

    Never considered it.

     

    6) if you had the option of buying a luthier made guitar at a similar price as a high end factory made guitar would you? 

     

    Not at the moment. Maybe when I win the lottery such considerations would get on my radar.

  • Reg SoxReg Sox Posts: 3,121Member

    1)  Yes.  A Faith parlour guitar last Christmas.

    2)  Not a guitar, but a Cittern.  I think it cost £200, but that was over 30 years ago.

    3)  Not exactly sure what you mean by online?  If it was just the financial transaction then no problem.  But I wouldn't buy on spec.  I'd want to discuss exactly what I wanted first either by phone or preferably face to face where I could touch and feel other examples of the luthier's work.  Not sure I'd set a budget for a custom built guitar - it would be a value for money consideration for me.

    4) Quality.  The main driver though would be getting exactly the guitar I wanted, custom built for me.

    5) No.

    6) Assuming it was built to my specification and was exactly what I wanted and the quality was right, then yes.

     

    Cheers, Reg.

  • MegiMegi Posts: 7,207Member

    1) Yes - my Ibanez Joe Pass archtop cost £650 when I bought it back in the early '80s. More recently I have made a couple of "partscaster" electrics where I ended up spending between 5 and 6 hundred on the parts. Also I bought a Burguet 3M classical in 2006, about £700 at the time IIRC.

     

    2) No, although the Burguet classical was made by a small 3-man operation in Spain - has a hand made vibe, but still a stock brand "model" I guess.

     

    3) Yes perhaps, but I would want to see considerable evidence of the maker's quality of work, and some good evidence for the guarantee. I would still prefer being able to travel to talk face to face though, and perhaps examine a guitar in the flesh. so for me to choose the internet option, I'd need a strong incentive - probably re cost! image

     

    4) Honest answer is cost first, as I'm not rich. then things like quality of construction - attention to detail really, tone and playability are all hugely important. Branding is pretty much a non-issue for me, I just don,t care about having a certain name on the headstock.

     

    5) Not seriously, although I suppose I might have if the cost was less.

     

    6) If I had the cash for a high-end "boutique" brand like Anderson, PRS etc. I would certainly consider what I could get in the custom guitar line for the same amount. The ability to taylor the design and get something unique and specific to my needs would be key, and the relative quality compared to the factory "boutiques".

  • zachariahboltonzachariahbolton Posts: 6Member

    thankyou so much everyone i really do appreciate the replies, very interesting to hear your opinions. there are recurrent themes which seem to suggest that largely the luthier made guitars are too expensive and although the quality is a huge consideration in purchasing realistically the cost is the main factor when purchasing. 

     

    more replies would be brilliant.

     

    thankyou all again. 

  • ESBlondeESBlonde Posts: 980Member

    1) have you ever purchased a guitar that cost upwards of 500 pounds?

     Yes, more than half of them and of those that were under £500 they were bought a long time ago and might well cost that and more today.

     

    2) have you ever purchased a luthier made guitar? (as opposed to a factory made guitar)

     No.

    if so, how much did you spend?

     N/A

    3) would you be willing to purchase a handmade guitar online, if there was a guarantee of complete refund up to 28 days after purchase if considered unsatisfactory for whatever reason?

    No, I don't really like buying mass produced instruments online let alone something that is an unknown.

     

    if so, how much would you be willing to spend?

     N/A

     

    4) what is most important to you when buying a guitar?

     

    a) cost b) quality c) brand 

     

    d) Sound & e) Response/feel.

     

    5) if you have considered buying a luthier made guitar but decided against it what was the determining factor in that decision?

     

    I have all my tone bases covered now.

     

    6) if you had the option of buying a luthier made guitar at a similar price as a high end factory made guitar would you? 

     

    I already have that option and I haven't (yet).

  • JockoJocko Posts: 7,107Member, Moderator

    1) have you ever purchased a guitar that cost upwards of 500 pounds?

     

    Yes. £1100 for my American Standard Strat.

     

    2) have you ever purchased a luthier made guitar? (as opposed to a factory made guitar)

     

    No, but I have built 3 of my own.

     

    if so, how much did you spend?

     

    £500 to £900.

     

    3) would you be willing to purchase a handmade guitar on-line, if there was a guarantee of complete refund up to 28 days after purchase if considered unsatisfactory for whatever reason?

     

    Would depend on the price.

     

    if so, how much would you be willing to spend?

     

    How long is a piece of string?

     

    4) what is most important to you when buying a guitar?

     

    a) cost b) quality c) brand 

     

    I would have to say cost.  That is why I have an Aria TA-50 instead of a Gibson 335.

     

    5) if you have considered buying a luthier made guitar but decided against it what was the determining factor in that decision?

     

    Out of my price range.

     

    6) if you had the option of buying a luthier made guitar at a similar price as a high end factory made guitar would you? 

     

    Doubt it.

  • zachariahboltonzachariahbolton Posts: 6Member

    thankyou people. this is great. really useful. 

     

    keep the replies coming please. 

     

    zachariah. 

  • lancpudnlancpudn Posts: 1,393Member

    1) have you ever purchased a guitar that cost upwards of 500 pounds?

     NO

    2) have you ever purchased a luthier made guitar? (as opposed to a factory made guitar)

     NO

    if so, how much did you spend?

     

    3) would you be willing to purchase a handmade guitar online, if there was a guarantee of complete refund up to 28 days after purchase if considered unsatisfactory for whatever reason?

     NO

    if so, how much would you be willing to spend?

     

    4) what is most important to you when buying a guitar?

     Best bang for buck. A

    a) cost b) quality c) brand 

     

    5) if you have considered buying a luthier made guitar but decided against it what was the determining factor in that decision?

     Pockets aren't deep enough

    6) if you had the option of buying a luthier made guitar at a similar price as a high end factory made guitar would you? 

    NO, never spent more than £200 on a guitar

  • BuzzwagonBuzzwagon Posts: 143Member
    Originally Posted by zachariahbolton:

    1) have you ever purchased a guitar that cost upwards of 500 pounds?

     

    Yes, Fender Telecaster Classic Player Thinline Deluxe, Gibson Les Paul Studio, Taylor 214

     

    2) have you ever purchased a luthier made guitar? (as opposed to a factory made guitar)

     

    No 

     

    if so, how much did you spend?

     

    N/A

     

    3) would you be willing to purchase a handmade guitar online, if there was a guarantee of complete refund up to 28 days after purchase if considered unsatisfactory for whatever reason?

     

    No

     

    if so, how much would you be willing to spend?

     

    N/A

     

    4) what is most important to you when buying a guitar?

     

    a) cost b) quality c) brand 

     

    Cost and quality combined.

     

    5) if you have considered buying a luthier made guitar but decided against it what was the determining factor in that decision?

     

    Couldn't afford it

     

    6) if you had the option of buying a luthier made guitar at a similar price as a high end factory made guitar would you? 

     

    Probably not

     

     

     

  • zachariahboltonzachariahbolton Posts: 6Member

    thankyou so much everyone image anymore replies would be great! 

     

    really useful. 

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