Whats New Pussycat - Feline Guitars Updates thread.

Blueingreen · September 2016

Probably too complicated or impractical a suggestion to fly, and very much off the top of my head but I thought I'd chuck it into the mix. Could you ask potential customers to pay some suppliers directly for materials or components and pay you separately to turn them into a guitar? Say you currently buy in materials and components for £X and sell a guitar for £Y. Instead your customer acquires the components directly from your current suppliers, pays them £X and you charge him £(Y-X) to make the guitar. That reduces your turnover by £X. Enough £Xs and you might get back under the VAT registration threshold.

Just a thought.

WezV · September 2016

I am interested to see what gets designed and made without the demands of customers.

Conversations with potential customers can drive creative thinking and new ideas, but I bet Jonathan has a bank of ideas he has never had chance to build before. If he can get to a point where he can build what he wants, when he wants I think we will see some very interesting guitars.

FelineGuitars · September 2016

I tend to favour classic designs but ironing out all the kinks.
im unlikely to be creating the worlds first guitar with three cutaways or suchlike.

ill be happy to get some balance back - I've taken a couple of weeks off to get some rest and get my mojo back.

I'll have plenty to do for the next couple of years anyway, and I intend to put aside time for some creative time or playtime too.

WezV · September 2016

ha, i didn't mean it had to be something weird and different. Although its a shame we won't see the Feline triple cutaway any time soon

I always remember peoples reactions to the bravewood site when it basically said he wouldn't take custom orders because customers were too much trouble (i am paraphrasing)... I must admit, despite finding customers an important part of the creative process, some of his approach did appeal to me

TTony · September 2016

FelineGuitars said:
That's alright - we're only looking to continue building for another year or so , so you wont have to be put off for long.

Now look here Mr @FelineGuitars ;

I'm just back from a week's holiday, so I'm nicely chilled and reasonably tanned (we went to Norfolk, where it was "jolly" hot), and I'm busy catching up on the important events in the world whilst we were away (via this forum, naturally), and I stumble across this bombshell, almost as a throwaway comment.

Not good news!

Though when I read about you absorbing the VAT hit on your builds, I fully understand your rationale.

Everyone will have a opinion on pricing, but I'd say that if someone was considering buying a guitar for £3k, they'd still buy it at £3.5k. Price is not the issue at that level - it's the quality, exclusivity, feel (etc). OK, you *might* sell a few fewer (though I really doubt it), but even if that happens, you get back some work/life balance time and means that you're earning a slightly less ridiculous wage for your skills.

And people who want your guitars can still get hold of them.

monquixote · September 2016

TTony said:

FelineGuitars said:
That's alright - we're only looking to continue building for another year or so , so you wont have to be put off for long.

Now look here Mr @FelineGuitars ;

I'm just back from a week's holiday, so I'm nicely chilled and reasonably tanned (we went to Norfolk, where it was "jolly" hot), and I'm busy catching up on the important events in the world whilst we were away (via this forum, naturally), and I stumble across this bombshell, almost as a throwaway comment.

Not good news!

Though when I read about you absorbing the VAT hit on your builds, I fully understand your rationale.

Everyone will have a opinion on pricing, but I'd say that if someone was considering buying a guitar for £3k, they'd still buy it at £3.5k. Price is not the issue at that level - it's the quality, exclusivity, feel (etc). OK, you *might* sell a few fewer (though I really doubt it), but even if that happens, you get back some work/life balance time and means that you're earning a slightly less ridiculous wage for your skills.

And people who want your guitars can still get hold of them.

I'm inclined to agree.

Bump your prices to the point where you will actually make some profit on builds and presumably the orders will go down to a more manageable level, but the ones you do get will actually be worth it from a business perspective.

JookyChap · September 2016

Totally agree with @TTony - raising the price increases your profit and reduces the sales, win-win.

You only have to look at the price rises from people like Fender, Gibson and PRS over the last few years whilst you have stayed pretty static to see that in real terms you have been absorbing more than just the VAT.

I seem to be spending a lot of time talking to builders at the moment, and it is becoming really obvious that the guys who are putting together partacasters seem to seriously be over-estimating their worth, whilst the chaps like yourself who are designing and building real quality instruments are all seriously under-estimating what their time and talent is worth. One well known luthier I know is not even hitting the 'living wage', which is crazy.

I'd personally say you could raise the prices to the £5K region and it wouldn't put off the people who really want one, in the same way nobody asks the price of a Savile Row suit quality is the point not the money.

It would be a real shame if you did give it up though Jonathan - you've got a lot of fans out here, even if some of us are only able to hope that you launch a cheaper Korean line

Flink_Poyd · September 2016

From my outside perspective I think you need to get your personal life back. If the repairs are paying the bills and you get some of your life back by concentrating on them more then so be it.
You obviously have the skills and the name is known well enough to take a break and come back at some point in the future. A break in production wouldn't be a bad thing by the sounds of it and the old saying "absence makes the heart grow fonder" could work in your favour.

stand_made · September 2016

Hey Jonathan.
I've not known you for very long but seen this happen to many friends - long term stress and excessive working hours really are killers! Be careful. You really must do what your heart (and body!) are telling you and take a breather!
Andy

FelineGuitars · September 2016

stand_made said:

Hey Jonathan.
I've not known you for very long but seen this happen to many friends - long term stress and excessive working hours really are killers! Be careful. You really must do what your heart (and body!) are telling you and take a breather!
Andy

I know ....
having just spent 10 days in Greece relaxing I am feeling a lot better and ready to face work again
However I will be looking towards streamlining my operation and trying to make it more manageable yet just as effective. Lots of fun stuff ahead and hopefully more chance to do some creative stuff in my spare time.

Jez6345789 · September 2016

I think JookyChap. Makes an excellent point and it is the curse of all passionate small businesses. You fall into something you love and your customers love what you do and you never truly cost it in terms of owner input. Things made to high standards by a craftsman with skill and expertise can never be cheap. But the maker is scared of losing customers if he charges the real cost of his time.

absorbing the Vat was definitely a crazy notion and has not helped but it's understanble how that happens.

ultimately it saddens me that even an accountant here says there is no way to split the business in terms of Vat and how our economy stiffles entrepreneurs.

Anyway this country now more than ever needs small dedicated proffesionals making good stuff.

So have a regroup rethink you got this far now you need to just plan the road ahead but always consider your health and the effects your business takes on it there is a definite balance between your passion and your longevity.

stand_made · September 2016

FelineGuitars said:

stand_made said:

Hey Jonathan.
I've not known you for very long but seen this happen to many friends - long term stress and excessive working hours really are killers! Be careful. You really must do what your heart (and body!) are telling you and take a breather!
Andy

I know ....
having just spent 10 days in Greece relaxing I am feeling a lot better and ready to face work again
However I will be looking towards streamlining my operation and trying to make it more manageable yet just as effective. Lots of fun stuff ahead and hopefully more chance to do some creative stuff in my spare time.

FelineGuitars · October 2016

okay - meanwhile back at the workbench
A thinline Lion Special with a Floyd and a customers headstock request

Image: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14468266_10154458433414002_1448669851185161607_o.jpg

MrSwanson · October 2016

Loving the look of that!

FelineGuitars · October 2016

A silly update
Many will have seen that I obtained a Hello Kitty strat which was proving to be great fun.....

Image: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14691946_1188910887810864_1642037545785296227_o.jpg

Previous owner tried a standard pickguard on it so we covered the holes with diamante / rhinestones.

It was great fun but the neck was just too narrow at the nut (40mm)- it's almost like the guitar was made for an 11 year old girl.

So I decided to fix that problem via replacing the neck using an old one that we had half finished in the works

Image: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/13418509_1188830787818874_397215080403487830_o.jpg

We've had a Oil City Masterwound Havoc in there, although it's a bit OTT for my own tastes...I'll speak to Ash about an alternative....

Image: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14753329_1188830791152207_768635198844238366_o.jpg

Matching rosewood overlay and truss rod cover.......and Graphtech Ratio tuners

Image: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14712977_1188830797818873_3090609603732764656_o.jpg

I just want to get a funky neck plate etched or engraved now

Image: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14712772_1188830867818866_4226775113982178577_o.jpg

monquixote · October 2016

That is wicked cool.

monofin · October 2016

That hello kitty is all sorts of awesome

Dave_Mc · October 2016

hahahahahahaha that's awesome

MikeB · October 2016

Need to see Zakk Wylde doing the Hello Kitty thing like his acoustic version....

FelineGuitars · October 2016

Tom "improved" the Hello Kitty Guitar with a South Park smile. (It's only a bit of masking tape with marker pen on it)

Image: https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/14691281_10154500588489002_4607195472002439163_o.jpg

Hertz32 · October 2016

I'd stain the fretboard black, add a floyd and shadow kill pot and BKP warpig then tune it to Drop A for teh br000tzal toanz.

RocknRollDave · October 2016

JookyChap said:

It would be a real shame if you did give it up though Jonathan - you've got a lot of fans out here, even if some of us are only able to hope that you launch a cheaper Korean line

Indeed. Eagerly awaiting the "Episquire SE by Feline" range here

FelineGuitars · December 2016

Some of the pretties on display at the workshop

Image: https://scontent.flhr3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/15325205_10154644710654002_4194072435164304399_o.jpg

Philly_Q · December 2016

Ooh. I haven't seen that Hamer-style doublecut before!

hubobulous · December 2016

That damn tele

BowynMadley · December 2016

That blues cat haunts my dreams! Such a fantastic guitar.

FelineGuitars · December 2016

For lovers of figured tops we have this coming through - it was part of the stash of wood we had for the 25th anniversary models but got used for a customer who wanted a few differences to what we are doing on the 25ths

Image: https://scontent.flhr3-1.fna.fbcdn.net/t31.0-8/15369019_10154657675344002_8401598397793777694_o.jpg

monquixote · December 2016

That top is insane!

Almost doesn't look real.

ElectroDan · December 2016

Prince would've loved that.

Great guitar, as all of your guitars are.
It was a real surprise to read of the difficulties you face in producing these instruments. They are clearly up there with the best of the best as the reviews and testimonies have shown.
It's a sad thing that someone at the top of their craft, has such a hard time making it worth their while. I hope you manage to find the balance you're looking for.

FelineGuitars · December 2016

Oh - tales of our demise have been a bit premature.

I have taken the step of revising what we quote to more accurately reflect the rising cost of materials and the time involved to make these guitars what we want them to be.
2017 will be quite busy as we need to complete the 25th Anniversary models, complete some Blackmachine B6s and a number of custom commissions. We also have a largish number of started stock builds that we will be making for sale too.

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