Whatever happened to Goodall and Santa Cruz?

[robj144]

Originally Posted by mercy

Youre right about the dealer markup. Also about costs for Santa Cruz in # of employees and California costs but Goodall's costs are way different.

Even for Goodall, it's the same. Say they're average cost is $8k per guitar at the dealer. Suppose they sell to the dealer for $6k (I have no idea really..). It's just two of them so how many do they make a month? Maybe 6 or so. That's $36k a month for both. Then you need to pay for rent of their warehouse, electricity, wood, supplies, their website, their own health insurance, etc... that's probably $10k per month at least. That leaves them with $26k, at the most a month. About $300k a year for the both of them and I don't know how they split it.

That's probably the absolute most they get and it's probably quite a bit less. And, even if it was that much, James has been building some of the best guitars on the planet for 30 years. I think it's a modest salary for what he's been doing for 30 years.

[Fred]

Mercy suggests that selling a guitar is total profit. What about the cost of materials? What about the cost of equipment? The cost of the building? Utilities? Insurance? Taxes? Let's be realistic.

[tippy5]

Not much from what I see. Are you only looking for $2,500 MINT 2003 used Goodall? Or do you want a cheaper commision for less than 6-8K? If price is your primary gripe then just buy a great Martin... or.... and enjoy that. There are fine less expensive Eastman, Takamine, Alvarez, Washburn etc that you might not question.

There are 88 Goodall's on Reverb. Why not work an extra couple months of overtime and earn a Goodall? That's what I would do. They are worth it.

Good luck searching and paying for a guitar where your sensibilities are not flared. There are millions of guitars out there. Satisfaction can be had at most price points.

[Goodallboy]

Originally Posted by Fred

Mercy suggests that selling a guitar is total profit. What about the cost of materials? What about the cost of equipment? The cost of the building? Utilities? Insurance? Taxes? Let's be realistic.

You're right, he called it "income", (which infers profit) which isn't correct.

As you point out that isn't profit it's gross income, from which the items you mention are deducted and the result is "net profit".

The guitar community should be celebrating a family like the Goodalls and not worrying about how much money they make.

This isn't directed at anyone in this thread, but sometimes I feel that people won't be happy until everyone is brought down to a level that makes the underachievers happy.

[buddyhu]

Originally Posted by SkipII

The question might be "What's happened to you?" Are you okay? Need someone to stop by and check on you? Run out of coffee?

We're here for you ...

“Safety check?”

[mercy]

Youve misunderstood it seems what I was getting at. SC and Goodall are at the top of my list and being so they deserve the top pay as in any industry. What I was getting at using the pricing that was suggested in the thread that they arent barely scraping by as some suggest. I understand markup, I was in the retail industry for years and as a woodworker. In fact Ive built guitars myself. I understand the costs so none of the realities are news to me. It was a purely theoretical comment. I dont see that SC or Goodalls have disappeared from the awareness of the Forum members either.

[dwasifar]

Originally Posted by LifesShort

Now that you mention it, they do both have long, white beards. Could it be that they are one in the same? Hmmm.

No. Santa gives you a Christmas present, but Gandalf makes you throw away a birthday present.

[ataylor]

Originally Posted by dwasifar

No. Santa gives you a Christmas present, but Gandalf makes you throw away a birthday present.

Best post in the thread.

[Zandit75]

This explains exactly what happened to Goodall Guitars.
I've lost count how many times I've watched this video.

[LakewoodM32Fan]

Originally Posted by Zandit75

This explains exactly what happened to Goodall Guitars.
I've lost count how many times I've watched this video.

Thank you for posting that! Looks like whenever I'm ready for my next purchase, Goodall will be on the short list to demo.

[tadol]

I can guarantee you that absolutely no one at Santa Cruz is making anywhere near 100k/year - and also that none of them are doing it for the paycheck, whatever it is.

[Zandit75]

Originally Posted by LakewoodM32Fan

Thank you for posting that! Looks like whenever I'm ready for my next purchase, Goodall will be on the short list to demo.

While you're in the mood, check out Greenfield's video too.

[SprintBob]

Richard Hoover and James Goodall need to move their operations to Texas (maybe join Collings in Austin)! California is pricing itself out of the independent small business market with it’s cost to do business and cost of living (been following Elon Musk the last couple of weeks?). I don’t see how operations like either can survive in that environment.

[BrunoBlack]

SCGC has developed many videos of how their shop functions. Worth watching.

https://santacruzguitar.com/videos-i...uitar-company/

[stevecuss]

Originally Posted by mercy

just doing the math, if a guitar sells for $10,000 as was suggested and 10 are made a month thats $100,000 per month. Id say thats a pretty good income. Im not saying they shouldnt be making that much, Im just saying they are hurting as some have intimated.
Any lower amount and any higher amount that the guitars are sold for still makes an enviable income.

You're familiar with gross vs net, right? And a small factor known as expenses?

No one I know in any industry, certainly not the high end guitar industry, if they gross 100k per month is making 100k per month.