Received a new commission today

[enalnitram]

I was on youtube last night, and I noticed that on that website, when I am logged in, that I have an inbox on there, and that I had a new message. I got a message from police officer in Texas that saw all of my videos and is interested in having me build him a guitar. So I talked to him on the phone today and everything I said just seemed to make him want me to do it more. So I'll start on it soon, and the target finish date will be March 2012. He'll be travelling near me, then.

This will be the first guitar that I will build for someone that I didn't previously know. I'm usually a pretty good judge of character, and therefore this kind of thing makes me nervous. But I really did enjoy talking to him, and he sounds like a great guy. He's been playing guitar for 40 years.

This will be my fourth guitar for someone else. My fifth acoustic.

Three years ago I thought I'd just try to make one guitar and see if I could do it without having it implode. Now I have a small climate controlled room, 2 go bar decks, a gaggle of power tools out in the garage, a mound of homemade jigs, and ...I separate my clothes now ...into the ones I don't mind getting sawdust and glue on, and the ones that I do.

[darren]

Congratulations! Get a deposit!

What woods/body style?

[enalnitram]

Congratulations! Get a deposit!

What woods/body style?

Thanks, it will be a 14 fret 000, a(nother) 30's Martin near-replica. He hasn't decided yet on mahogany or EIR.

[Tony_in_NYC]

Thats fantastic news!! I am very happy for you Martin. Make sure you get a non-refundable deposit big enough to cover your materials in case the guy backs out. And a contract might be a good idea as well.

[enalnitram]

Here's my policy. Some will probably think I'm naive, and that's ok. If I ever get burned it will be my hard lesson.

I get to know people a little bit first, and I won't sell if it doesn't feel right. I won't build crazy custom options ever, only established models and configurations. Half up front, the rest due upon completion. If the buyer is unhappy with the end product due to a legitimate issue, I'll buy the instrument back, provided it isn't damaged. I won't have any sympathy for buyer's remorse.

I imagine I will probably operate on a case by case basis. If someone encounters hard times I would give them their money back. If I'm making something I'd be able to sell, I'll still be able to sell it. If I started making things that are unusual, "custom orders", I'll start taking non-refundable deposits on those.

[Kevin Sjostrand]

Martin,

This is awesome news, congratulations. On my next commission build, I just took material costs up front. Getting half is probably a good idea, but if I have to "but it back", I won't have as much $$ to give back. I would have trouble putting all that money aside and not touching it for the next year!!!!! But if it works for you, then that is great.
Like you, it will be my #5, and a 14 fret OM, so similar to what you're going to craft.
Did you say when you will be starting it? Make sure we get to see it along the way.

Kevin

[enalnitram]

Thanks Kevin, I guess we are brothers on the path now, hee hee. Dude says he wants to do it, so we'll see where that leads us. I don't want to have too many guitars going at once, and I'll have to see what my new closed-in room is like this summer with dehumidifiers going. If the situation is not ideal, I may end up making all the parts for it this year, and assembling it next winter.

[Darryl Young]

That is great Martin! Awesome that it was essentially marketed and sold off a youtube video. I met a guy last Sunday that started posting youtube videos of him singing songs. Folks started asking for an album.......so he made one and sold over 100,000 $11.99 (or $12.99) each (can't remember which). That's pretty good when no studio is involved to take most of the money. $1.2 million off youtube video marketing.....that's amazing! BTW, in case you are curious and want to see him on youtube, his name is Coffey Anderson.

[enalnitram]

Thanks, I will check him out! The world is definitely changing, for sure. It's all about images online now, for better or worse...

[Tony_in_NYC]

Good thing I took all of those nude pictures of myself down.