[quote name='Chownybass' timestamp='1462092984' post='3040130']
I don't think the game has changed either.
People like Scott and I are never going to be able to make - for instance - a jazz bass and compete with Squire. They make a solid instrument at an economy of scale that we could never HOPE to compete with.
What we can do - is fill up the niches with well thought out and soundly constructed instruments.
When making stuff in smaller runs, the things you'd cut to save money when manufacturing thousands, don't really matter. Want a bone nut? Sure why not. Doesn't affect my bottom line particularly much.
So with no distributors taking a margin, and doing our own distribution, it's perfectly feasible to make a musician friendly instrument at a good price and of good quality - as long as we work in the niches.
That's not to say we're not going to try stray outside them from time to time. It's not for the faint hearted though
There is a gap in the market for us at the moment to get stock into independent stores, as a few don't want to deal with the major brands at the moment. Agile brands like us, that can be flexible on stock levels, price and so on will always find a way to wiggle into the gaps.
I've often considered blogging about what it takes and took to get Chowny off the ground. But then I think I'd be the only one interested in reading it.
[/quote]
I'd be interested in reading it & I bet a lot of others would too!