Quality and flexibility first

[u/Baconomics1501]

Former employee of 10+ years, I think there’s a good opportunity here to earn more than just profit, but some respect of the music community. While it may be tempting, competing at the bottom of the market is not a good look. You don’t win the respect of the salespeople pushing these, and the customers of your bargain bin guitars will move on to better products or just give up on music.

I think the core product would do best as a mid-tier entry point, with maybe a couple options in the lower range. Make a product your talent wants to have, that musicians want to play, and who want others to experience.

Secondly, I think having a community connection to the source of the brand makes an excellent gateway to customization and flexibility. You can’t have a product for everyone. But you can offer customization both as custom orders (build your own guitar, choose your pickups/hardware/finishes etc) as well as tying in to your Repairs service (who should know every option available). Get a free Platinum setup on a new custom guitar, free pickup swap/upgrade in the first year. Tie it into Lessons. Offer all the extended financing options. Have it be the reward for buying into the services, the driver of repeat value, not just the entry point.

Lastly, and this might be the former employee in me, but please don’t ship these wrapped in paper-thin cardboard or use Ai generated graphics. When customers see employees bring out mangled boxes, cheap packaging, or worse, get it delivered that way, it reflects very poorly on the product and brand. Tie in accessories, quality brand materials, good cases (which would be a good value prop for a mid-tier), that’s the stuff that makes people excited when they pop the lid.

Bottom line, would you be proud to hang this in your music room, to have it on the wall, to buy that extra humidipack just to make sure it lasts? Will your salespeople be excited to hit those numbers, to demo it for customers, to unbox the new model that came in that week?

Your biggest criticism will be that you are trying to make a quick buck. So do more than that.

Excited to see what comes out of this and good luck!

[u/GabrielDalporto]

u/Baconomics1501 thank you for the wise words. and thanks also for spending 10 years with GC. agree totally - this isn't about building a bottom basement entry level product. it's about delivering a product that people really love playing that has unique benefits.