First Post - Hello Everyone

[peroja]

Hello fellows from the 18er club
I am Peroja (real name = Reto) and i am from Switzerland. I am a Guitarist for 20 Years now and i really am curious to get into this Tubeamp DIY thing. So i am a bloody newbie and i probably will make a lot of mistakes. I am able to Schematics and i am quiet experienced in Soldering and i also know the Difference between a Resistor and a Capacitor or Transistor, whatever...

My first Question is: I seriously plan to relocate and Immigrate to the USA soon (Florida) and so i need to find a way to have an income. Building Amps would be awesome but i am not sure if i can make enough to life from it? How well do you Guys sell your Amps? Any Sugestions about a Fair Price for a 18 Watt "Custom Handwired" like a Marshall clone or the Supro 24? Ebay? I also think about to build EffectPedals.

Cheers
Pero

http://www.myspace.com/demhold

[BBQLS1]

I don't sell my amps (at least not for profit), but I'll say there are many many many people doing so. I think the market will be very tight. Not saying it can't be done, but I would look for a more solid income first and ease into it.

[mcdadez]

Selling amps to form a buisness is a very hard thing to do indeed.Its a very VERY small market compared to your big name manufacturers.brownote etc are around this forum alot im sure they will chime in but from what i gather its no easy market to get in.

[BooBird]

Advise From " The Old and Weary "
1. Don't giveup your Daytime job !
2. When all else fail's, Dazzle Them With B.S. !
3. PT Barnum Said " There's a SUCKER Born Every Minute of the Day"
" More like 100 a Sec. These Day's !
4. Music is Evil !
5. If you Turn and Run Hard and Fast and never lookback there may be hope for you !
6. Music has Laid a Many Good Man to rest !
7. Music has turned many a good women into Widow's !
8. Music has Left Many a child Fatherless !
" I think they just found 2 more of Jame's Brown's this morning" !
9. a Musician's Favorite Quote's = My Wife just left me !, My kid's don't speak to me anymore !, My inlaw's hate me !, I'm Broke !
10. If all this make's you feel sorry for someone who devoted his worthless life to Music, Feel free to send donation's to me,
Signed:
BooBird
Sorry, off topic, but related to thread !

[echuta13]

Welcome to the forums Reto!

I hate to say it, but amp building is a better hobby than business for the most part. I think most of the small-time guys are doing it just to support their "habit"

S2 put it quite succinctly when he said that if you want to make a small fortune in the amp biz... start with a large fortune.

[argus]

The economy is currently lousey in the USA, and the dollar is week. The prices music gear get on Ebay compared with a couple years ago is WAY, WAY down. The 18 wts. I've seen on Ebay tend to sell for right around the cost of a good kit, sometimes a little more, sometimes slightly less.

In order to even attempt it, the man hours sourcing each part individually will be a huge time investment. Unlikely you can buy kits, build them, and make much profit from having completed them. People who want specific unique hand made amps pretty much seem to make it themselves, or buy them from the Big names in Boutique amps. To become a big name in the USA requires MASSIVE advertising dollars. Also, to do it commercially you have to pay for registration with the safety people, UL. That is plenty of money there...

Sorry, there are a number of things I would like to do for a living as well, and a variety of things I've tried, with varing success, but the numbers just have to work going in. IF you have plenty of start up capital and are willing to devote every second for the first few years, of course it is possible.