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Shishkov question(s)


Citrus

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Wishing Mike all the best, and not bashing in any way.

Just curious as to where the sudden surge of custom order interest came from

Is it that Mike will do things Hamer wouldn't? 4d headstock for example.

Amazing that they would be so against some small details that would have netted them a lot (relatively) more business.

Is it that we can't get Hamers anymore, and this could be a last chance for Hamer style custom orders?

Prior to Hamer shutting the doors there seemed to be a lack of custom orders being seen here.

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Let's stop with the comparisons. Mike hasn't even finished his first guitar in his new venture and people are dissecting things at an unbelievable pace. Hamer shut their doors a few years ago, and EVERYTHING they had built for the few years before that were purely custom orders. Hamer also had increased prices several times a year for all of the '00s, which, coupled with a global economic downturn that truly changed the buying habits of the majority of the population had more than a crimp in Hamer sales. Ask any seller of luxury items how many orders they've been filling since 2007 v. the decade before that.

Trying to create a top quality alternative that is also affordable is a tricky balance. For now, the only way that's even possible is by going direct and not having a dealer network in place (which would raise prices by 20-50% to the purchaser, thus cutting out a large audience initially). Mike plans to do what he can to provide an affordable custom alternative, but ultimately, demand and cost will dictate the eventual price point.

The bottom line is, let's just cap these kind of speculative threads for now. Mike will surely be forging his own identity and making his own unique stamp on the guitars he builds. Why don't we let him do that without picking it apart and analyzing things to death before the first neck is set? Let's just be happy that we actually have a custom builder of Mike's incredible talent and vision (not to mention history) available as an option. That alone is exciting and wonderful, and I am certain that patience here will be rewarded. It's fantastic that there is such a great buzz around Mike's new venture, but let's hold our breath, and let the book get written before everybody starts asking for the CliffsNotes!

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Just a cursory knowledge of economics would dictate that economies of scale aren't the focus here. With FMIC, economies of scale are a big part of what they do (higher production numbers reduce cost). A company with small numbers and no "middle-man" will focus on different economic factors. So, comparing the reasons why there was no flood of custom orders at "the end" of Hamer isn't really analagous.

Honestly, this is probably the most difficult business model to project. It's simpler, but assumptions that are incorrect (pricing, custom models v. production runs, demand, etc.) can be much more lethal in this type of a business model. So, having every facet of the model in place at the beginning isn't something that's really possible. Initial demand might not be a good source of data for projecting the future either. I think that's where Chris is going with his advice to go slow.

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GET OUT OF MY HEAD!!

:D :D

The Shark nailed it.

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DID YOU SAY THERES A BOOK ALREADY CHRIS, THAT WAS QUICK. :D

Damn caps locks................

No idle speculation or hassle here, i'm happy to sit back and wait for Mike to get back to me when he's good and ready.

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Jim...I wouldn't put that past some people! :D

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I heard that Shishkovs reverse thinning hair.

And that a Shishkov rescued a baby from a house fire.

One time, this Shishkov saw a guy trying to steal a lady's purse and was like BOOM, dude. And that was IT!

And they smell nice and if you're like stuck on a desert island you can eat them and they taste like candied cherries.

( Just trying to keep the speculation interesting )

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I for one am headed straight to TGP to start a "Can anyone get a hold of Shishkov?" thread that starts with something like ...

"I would never want to call someone out in public, but ..."

;)

Better yet, create a cult of personality over there and help make Mike a millionaire.

Does Matte Henderson charge for his shilling abilities? Perhaps he can be retained in a consulting capacity.

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I'm sure Mike has received many quote requests, but how many deposits? If there was so much real demand, Hamer would have produced more than three guitars their last year. I think Mike is going to producing a hundred quotes for every five orders intially. Which is exactly why many custom builders eventually go to a few tried and true models, offer some variation to create the illusion of "custom", but in reality cut down on wasted time resolving every unrealistic daydream.

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The deposits have been robust and the initial slots have been filled.

Regarding future customs, time will tell who will pony up the serious cash when the rubber meets the road, just like in all situations. Plenty of tire kickers out there who like to spin wheels, that's for sure.

Ultimately, the demand will be based upon the quality and relatively competitive (not "cheap") pricing of whatever Mike builds. The initial run is a one-time only below-normal pricing offer, but as I understand it, his goal is to offer the highest quality he can within a reasonable realm of possibility. In the end, the sub-$1,500 bargain shoppers will go elsewhere or wait 5-10 years for some of these to maybe hit the secondary markets. For the people who are serious about buying Mike's guitars now and in the future, I fully believe that they will be rewarded for it.

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I heard that Shishkovs reverse thinning hair.

And that a Shishkov rescued a baby from a house fire.

One time, this Shishkov saw a guy trying to steal a lady's purse and was like BOOM, dude. And that was IT!

And they smell nice and if you're like stuck on a desert island you can eat them and they taste like candied cherries.

( Just trying to keep the speculation interesting )

He turned me into a newt!

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Totally agree.

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It's great to see the crazy high amount of interest for Mike's work, though the speculation is probably better served if kept to yourself. Do we have to increase the pressure levels any higher than it might already be?

Admittedly, I've had a lot of the same questions that have come up, but I'd rather hold off until things unfold and the ground is hit running. Not to mention having one in my hands. That's going to be fantastic. Speculation that I'm sure we can all agree on.

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Well said - ideally, we'll get to see some "behind the scenes" updates once those become available...

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Ok, so what is the date of the 1st annual Shishkov Guitar Factory visit and will coffee and donuts be served? Can we bring our Korean and Chinese Hamers for tune-ups?

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Are we there yet ?

No.

Are we there yet ?

No.

Are we there yet ?

No.

Are we there yet ?

No.

Are we there yet ?

No.

Are we there yet ?

No.

Are we there yet ?

No.

Etc......................

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I hope he is a wizard and that no one want to burn him, whatever the newt....still hearing the coconut in the furrrrther valley of sorrows and the noise of the irrrrron weapon around. Love it :)

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