Where do all the partscasters go?

[Telenic]

Seems like there a lot of folks building multiple partscasters and I imagine most of them are exceptional instruments. Has anyone managed to build a real money making business or even a part time business form their partscaster hobby?

[flatfive]

Originally Posted by Telenic

Seems like there a lot of folks building multiple partscasters and I imagine most of them are exceptional instruments. Has anyone managed to build a real money making business or even a part time business form their partscaster hobby?

I don't know about making money, but I have often wondered
about the question in your subject line -- where do all these
guitars go? You see some on eBay, but not as many as I'd
expect.

[BigDaddyLH]

I think, if your guitars are not well known, you make more money taking them apart and selling the pieces on eBay.

[mrench01]

The ones I build often stay local. I either get commissioned to build one or I just build whatever I like and take it to my local independent music store that sells on consignment.

That is of course if I can part with it! ;-)

Some guitars fetch great money. Others I break even on just the materials and I eat the labor. I find that the closer to a complete package (case, strap, documents with photos, etc) of a build I put together the more interest there is in the guitar.

It all depends on where you live and what people are looking for. But to make a living on Partscasters is not likely IMHO. The acoustics I have custom built fetch way more money. Most luthiers make their living on commissioned guitars and repairs.

Mike R

[Mojotron]

I've not sold a whole lot of guitars, but a ton of effects, magnets... and I usually get very good prices for stuff I sell, but all of the Warmoth parts that I have sold did not come close to what I paid for them - even worse for whole guitars. All of the Fender and other name brand parts I have sold I made money on, all of the whole - name brand - guitars I have sold I lost money on.

These days I make everything except for the knobs, tuners and strings for my own guitars, I have not tried selling any of the stuff I have made from scratch, but I doubt there is an unsaturated market for no-name parts or guitars.

[cunfewzed]

I think there aren't as many as you think for the following two reasons:

1) People build them, become attached to them, and then don't want to part with them
2) As many have said, the parts are worth more than the guitar put together.