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At the risk of being helpful to the OP, I find it interesting that while many people say cedar is "warmer" and less bright than spruce, there also are many who will describe cedar as brighter. I think this is because people hear a fast rising transient as brightness.

What I tell prospective customers is that in general spruce has the wider dynamic range (with an explanation of dynamics if needed) and greater sustain, while cedar is "quicker" in its response and more responsive to a light touch.

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Howard Klepper
http://www.klepperguitars.com

When all else fails, clean the shop.

Thank you very much Howard.


I can understand a customer would be very satisfied by such an answer. Quite understandable and clear.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

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Ok dudes

How much of what we tell a client is the "art of suggestion" at work...you know, the placebo effect... how much of it is for real...how much of it is "because thats what they wanna hear?"

Once upon a time we all knew the world was flat. No bout a dout it. I mean like , they all told us it was.

Yes they (you know, them) well they still be telling us all sorts of things...like, WMDs and Santa Clause and the Teeth Fairy and # of gains per inch and and and ...well so what is it you be tellin' your clients? Hmmm?

How integerous are your answers?

And by the way, just how do you know your answers are not really some post hypnotic B.S.* that you bought into believing and is now operating in your psyche as "THE TRUTH?" Hmmm?

Just some stuff to thinks about...

Here in endith the Padmas rant of "telling the client a thing or two"


blessings
the
Padma

*B.S. ~ Belief System

this here post is in accordance with all known mystical mumbo jumbo and as such has been sanctioned for posting by the Padma
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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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Well, I guess it all depends on the approche we are using to address our 'sales pitch'.

If I tell a customer that "cedar is known to deliver a more warm and round sound, while spruce seems to be more snappy." (for example) while also making myself clear that lutherie is far from being an exact science, that it is more a sum of beliefs than actual knowledge, I don't consider that I'm lying to my customer.

The issue here (at least in my case) is that I have to sell my guitars. And that has proven to be quite chalenging, more so than building guitars to a professional level. Whether I like it or not, I'm a business man (I tend to like it, in my case...). A business man in a 'one man business' to be more precise. That means I'm also a salesman. So I have to work on my sales pitch. And that does not mean being a crook, far from it. Who ever is in some level of sales in one way or another will know what I'm talking about. When a customer shows interest, the line is very thin and fragile between "Hmm, OK I'll give it a try!" and "Hmmm, I'll think about it...".

In other words, just telling the truth is not enough, you have to tell the truth in a way that is reassuring to the customer.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

Hmmm..."sales pitch" eh? ... "truth is not enough" eh? Hmmm Interesting verbiage .

Anybody else wanna jump in on this?


the
Padma

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Audiences and dispensations on Thursdays ~ by appointment only.


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