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Would you be interested in a Gibson Bass Book?


Basvarken
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Some of you may know that I've been working on a book about Gibson basses for quite a few years.
Well, the book is finished! And I can have it printed. The only question is, how many am I going to have printed?
So I need your help. How many of you would be interested in buying the book?

The book consists of 180 pages.
Printed in full colour on 115 grams matt MC. With 300 grams soft cover.
Over 400 pictures of more than 80 different Gibson models (and more than 70 Epiphones).
Each bass has it's own short description with little facts.
It is not a scientific / encyclopedic piece of work, but rather the work of an aficionado.
But it is the only book in the world about Gibson basses! 8)

[b]The price will be € 30,-[/b] (± 25 Pound Sterling)
Shipping cost depends on where you live (EU and US € 11,50)

The idea is to have the book available within two months from now.
I would like to know who would be interested in buying the book. This is not a sign in list (I may do that later).

Here's a few examples from spreads in the book:









Edited by Basvarken
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The design looks very nice. Though I'd have been tempted to go for a marginally wider line spacing or a lighter font for the body text. Just to make the look a little less dense and easier on the eye. Gibsons aren't a bass that particularly interests me but if the retail was £15-20 I'd also be interested. It would certainly go on my Christmas list.

How are you planning to publish it? Get a short run published or go for a POD service? The latter may be more practical for this type of project. I've often wondered if I should do a similar book on the Wal bass, especially given the level of geekery I display about the brand.

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I'm afraid 15-20 BPS is not going to be realistic for me.
Price will be 25 BPS...

I've been thinking about 500 copies.
But maybe I should settle for 250 first. And maybe do a second run if it does well.
That's the reason I'm asking you guys who would want one. So I can decide.

Not going to offer them as eBook yet.
I would really like to see it as a coffee table book. Guess I'm old school :-)

Edited by Basvarken
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A proper book is a good idea. However I think you're page weight of 110gsm is a bit light for a quality publication especially if the pages are going to be so dense in their ink coverage like the examples you've shown. I'd be going for 150gsm minimum as well as something a bit more substantial for the cover with a lamination.

Good luck!

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It looks like a really nice book, must have taken ages and ages to compile.

The price reflects that.

Tbh I was only vaguely aware that Gibson built basses, i guess most people have heard of their guitars.

If you can get Amazon to sell it, then you're probably on to a winner with it.

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[quote name='James Nada' timestamp='1472912050' post='3125302']
I'd buy one. Though I agree with many of the previous comments that £25 seems a little high.
Why not take a punt and get a larger first print run? The total cost for 500 probably isn't much more than 250.
[/quote]good advice

Regarding pricing I think £25 is too high, particularly when you bear in mind the equivalent fender book is around £15

I am willing to bet that you will make more money pitching it at £15 rather than £25!

Your costs will be pretty much fixed and as mentioned the marginal cost of printing 500 rather than 250, or 2000 rather than £250 will probably be small.

What would rather have:-

1 sell 250 at £25 each?

Or

2 sell 2000 at £15 each?

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The price is based on 500 book printed. Although I am not sure how on earth I am going to sell 500 copies ;-)
Printing costs are still quite high. Even with my vast network of good offset printers that I've gathered over the past 20 years as a professional graphic designer...

I do appreciate the input guys!

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[quote name='Basvarken' timestamp='1473005073' post='3125957']
The price is based on 500 book printed. Although I am not sure how on earth I am going to sell 500 copies ;-)
Printing costs are still quite high. Even with my vast network of good offset printers that I've gathered over the past 20 years as a professional graphic designer...

I do appreciate the input guys!
[/quote]

Good luck with this, however you choose to proceed. It deserves to be a success.

Out of interest, what's the page size?

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[quote name='James Nada' timestamp='1473098924' post='3126932']
If it's possible to resize you might get more competitive pricing at the more common 210 x 297 mm size?
[/quote]

Yeah I know. But I really don't want to redo 180 pages...
I like the book to be a little bigger. A4 (210x297) is just too standard.

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  • 1 month later...

[quote name='Basvarken' timestamp='1473005073' post='3125957']
The price is based on 500 book printed. Although I am not sure how on earth I am going to sell 500 copies ;-)
[/quote]

You may want to look at how much it would be to self-publish via Blurb, like I did with my 4 Slade live photobooks. Print on demand means you don't have any outlay and boxes of them lying unsold around the house for years. Blurb do all of the customer service (including the inevitable 'lost copies' that can send you spiralling into loss) and you set your own profit figure. They are signed for on delivery, so that sorts that out.

They can also put them on amazon.com for you.

Edited by 12stringbassist
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