Introducing Guitstarter

by Freddy Angelico

Did you know we keep a huge spreadsheet of every guitar design idea our customers send us?

The all-powerful Customer Ideas spreadsheet

That's right: whether you emailed us detailed plans for your dream doubleneck bass-mandolin or commented on a YouTube video begging for a guitar in the shape of a shark, we take note. Some of these ideas are really cool, but sometimes we're just not sure if the market is there for them. That's why we decided to shake up how we do things around here.

Introducing Guitstarter

You're probably familiar with Kickstarter, the crowdfunding platform that allows folks to publicly back creative projects like albums and board games. Guitstarter is our very own crowdfunding platform for new guitar designs.

Guitstarter page for the Warren Ellis Microtonal Bass

Here's how it works: first, we turn the suggestions we receive into a real guitar design. Then, we put it up on our Guitstarter page, where you can reserve one for a small deposit. (Deposits range from $100-$300, depending on the instrument.) Once the project reaches its funding goal, we go to production. When the guitar is ready, you pay the balance and we ship your new guitar to you.

Why Guitstarter Rocks

First of all, it's cool to get in on the ground floor of something. If you back these designs, you'll be one of the first in the world to own one. Rad.

But more than just being cool, launching guitar designs this way saves you money. Because we get a clear picture of initial production and setup costs, we can better manage expenses at these early stages. It removes various levels of financial risk in the manufacturing process and therefore the savings can be passed on to you.

Reducing waste helps us keep the guitars YOU want in stock!

It also ensures we have what you want in stock, instead of making a short production run that sells out quickly. On the flip side, this will also prevent us from making a color or model that no one wants. If we know for sure there will be less waste, we can offer the instruments at a lower price.

Ready to check it out?

Head over to the Guitstarter page to see what we've got going on. You can find the projects we're currently funding, as well as projects that have moved on to production.

If you've got an idea for a guitar design, we'd love to hear it! Scroll down on the Guitstarter page until you find the "Submit Idea" button, and drop us a line. If we think your idea will find enough pre-order customers, we will post it and give you the tools to promote it within your social networks.

We design. You back it. We deliver.