How Many Colors Do We Paint?

[Big Poppa]

As far as the current colors, we offer 60, we stock over 80 plus colors
I think this is a lot and cannot figure out why everyone is complaining

 

[Johnny Alien]

Are people complaining? I actually think the color selection is pretty good. I am not fond of the lockdown of fretboard material with a color but there are worse things in life.

 

[Fleeeep]

i think it boils down to confusion as to why if you offer 60 colours that you can only get certain models in 1 or 2 colours . compounded by that each guitar is built to order.
I guess people wonder why if they are ordering a guitar that hasn't been built yet that they can't get it in one of your available colours.
I think people don't mind waiting for guitars if its really what they want in colour and options.
Does that make sense ?

 

[Big Poppa]

each time you paint one guitar one color it is spraygun changes spray gun cleaning lots of mechanincs...but since I dont make inventory dealers and international distributors were stopping ordering because it was too hard to guess the buying public..nop matter what they had in stock someone wanted something different.

 

[Lax]

I don't get it neither, I always chose in available colours and like the "runs" of colours.
I would not regret so much my blue dawn JP if each year it was available on every model

Several manufacturers offer way less colour options, and every owner ends having the same guitar as the neighboor, that's so much worse !

MM finishes are wonderful and signature models have a lot of charisma, thanks to your efforts on finishes and choice.

 

[NorM]

I'm really happy with the colors I have. I've missed a couple that I thought I wanted. When Blue Dawn came back I was really happy to get another one. If Neptune Blue presents itself as an option again I'll certainly try to take advantage.
In my wood working / construction life I hated painting. Thinking about it, it takes longer to clean a paint sprayer than it does to paint. And they never get clean.
Still one of my favorite and best playing guitars is the old grey one

 

[Johnny Alien]

Also while there are 80 colors available that number is not accurate to a specific model. I am fine with limited color and I understand the business behind it. I just wish that in those colors I could have either fretboard. When I got my new Stingray guitar I really wanted vintage white but it only came with a maple board (a color combo I don't understand as white and rosewood go together like PB&J). Because I like a rosewood board my color choice is exactly two. Neither were my favorite but it didn't stop me from ordering either.

 

[DrKev]

We just have to remember that we are each just one person and forum members here are not representative of the rest of the guitar buying public. Here on this forum, we are a "taste bubble" and EBMM would close its doors if they did what even a majority of us forumites would like. When dealers order for inventory it's usually black, white, red, or wood/sunburst because that's what sells fastest, followed by a some blue. It matters not one iota how gorgeous, say, a green guitar looks - if stays on the showroom wall longer than other guitars the dealers are effectively losing money (because they could have made more money on three or four cheaper guitars in the same space of time). It's basic economics. That EBMM would streamline production to take that into account what their biggest clients need is sensible, if a little disappointing for us. But the guy/gal who takes home their first EBMM will still love it, even if it's black.

 

[smfelton]

I've always been more than happy with the colours on offer for each model. Having a small selection is a sensible approach for a basically 'hand made' instrument. There are some colours I wouldn't consider but there is always something I like. To be honest the colour is always secondary to the playability and sound to me.

 

[TripHazard]

Also while there are 80 colors available that number is not accurate to a specific model. I am fine with limited color and I understand the business behind it. I just wish that in those colors I could have either fretboard. When I got my new Stingray guitar I really wanted vintage white but it only came with a maple board (a color combo I don't understand as white and rosewood go together like PB&J). Because I like a rosewood board my color choice is exactly two. Neither were my favorite but it didn't stop me from ordering either.

Yeah, that's where I'm at. I'm having a stingray once they are available in the uk. Ideally I'd like black with maple board or white with rosewood. It won't stop me ordering one (likely black). However, I do wonder if, as each order is made to order, why the fingerboard flexibility can't be there.
I am very grateful the cutlass is available in vintage torqouise with rosewood board. My all time favourite colour combo. Tat will be my second purchase

 

[Big Poppa]

I guess I cannot express that we are a factory and have a multi tiered distributionseries and were failing with 152,000 choices...we are down to 100,000 seriously....light a candle for us.

I tell you guys the truth and you dont want to hear it. Do you want me to go broke and offer all that you wish for at the expense of distributors leaving us because there is no focus and they cannot second guess the buying public....

I have repeatedly tried to explain the inner workings of the business...put yourself in the dealers shoes put yourselves in a factories shoes....instead of "I want it so you should make it"

We are adding 300 different aftermarket accessories that you can order including pickguards and knobs and such.

 

[mikeller]

BP - I applaud you tremendously for the quality products EB & MM offers and for keeping it at a level where you can maintain that level of quality

 

[TripHazard]

I appreciate where you are coming from, and I don't think it's really fair to say we don't want to hear the truth. All the responses here in this thread have been reasonable expressions of thoughts and opinions, and overwhelmingly in favour of EBMM. Like I say, the limits aren't stopping me ordering. If I wasn't happy with the offer I'd just exercise my choice to not buy. Kudos on the after market stuff too. I'm always swapping out, modding and changing so that is a big plus for me.

 

[Johnny Alien]

I guess I cannot express that we are a factory and have a multi tiered distributionseries and were failing with 152,000 choices...we are down to 100,000 seriously....light a candle for us.

I tell you guys the truth and you dont want to hear it. Do you want me to go broke and offer all that you wish for at the expense of distributors leaving us because there is no focus and they cannot second guess the buying public....

I have repeatedly tried to explain the inner workings of the business...put yourself in the dealers shoes put yourselves in a factories shoes....instead of "I want it so you should make it"

We are adding 300 different aftermarket accessories that you can order including pickguards and knobs and such.

I completely understand where you are coming from. I have also said I understand and don't mind limited colors. The only thing I said was that I wish there was fretboard choices with the restricted colors. I also mentioned (and have a thread about it) that limited choices did not keep me from buying a new product. I think that maybe something is getting lost in the translation because I don't see anyone here saying "I want it so you should make it". I love your guitars and stand behind any decisions that make the company stay profitable.

 

[steevo]

I guess I cannot express that we are a factory and have a multi tiered distributionseries and were failing with 152,000 choices...we are down to 100,000 seriously....light a candle for us.

I tell you guys the truth and you dont want to hear it. Do you want me to go broke and offer all that you wish for at the expense of distributors leaving us because there is no focus and they cannot second guess the buying public....

I have repeatedly tried to explain the inner workings of the business...put yourself in the dealers shoes put yourselves in a factories shoes....instead of "I want it so you should make it"

We are adding 300 different aftermarket accessories that you can order including pickguards and knobs and such.

I like the sound of the accessories, when is this going to happen?

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

[Big Poppa]

im not basing my comment solely on this thread but if Haagen Daz made a 1000 flavors what would retailers stock? The ones that sold.

 

[Flash Gordon]

My 2 cents: I would gladly pay up charge for cleaning of painting equipment and a premium on top of that for the time... if I meant I could get a specific color choice from your existing paint stock. Even if I had to wait months for it.

I'm not saying Custom Shop, I'm saying Made to Order... just let me choose the neck/FB materials and the colors from which you already offer.

Either way, my next purchase will still be EBMM... A guy can dream, right?!?

 

[yan12]

I honestly don't know why Sterling explains any of this to anyone. I applaud the effort but is is worth it? I run a tight ship myself and it is my way or the highway. Quality will retain the customer and keep you in demand. EBMM has no issues there, so why get sucked into these threads? I would rather see Sterling working on the next big idea than agonizing over color choice.
And another thing. I am sure I am in the minority here but I care more about how a guitar sounds than how it looks. I have been through MANY guitars searching for my grail. My 2008 all rosewood ASS is THE BEST sounding electric guitar I have ever owned. I will be buried with it. And everyone bags on the way it looks because it is just dark wood.
I understand when you are plunking down cash you want what you want, but with instruments it is best to let your ears be your guide, not your eyes. My 2 cents.
And Sterling, thanks for the inside look into your business. I always relish seeing how successful folks do things.

 

[Magic Jason]

Don't change a thing BP, it's YOUR business, run it as you see fit!

Just give us more sparkle!!!

More seriously now: I'm dying to buy a Luke III HH. BFR or standard.

BUT

I'm not crazy about the actual colours. What is the point in complaining because I (me, myself) don't like it? It is MY problem.

I just have to wait and see what the next PDN run will offer. To me, it's much funnier than just ordering to a custom shop.

 

[kimonostereo]

I can totally sympathize with BP. Anyone who has built a guitar from scratch, including painting it knows what a pain it can be. Painting ONE guitar in one color is fine, I don't know how I'd do multiple colors on a time table in quantity and keep prices reasonable.

I can only imagine that it's similar to making and selling t-shirts (which is a pain in the ass, btw). You can come up with a brilliant design, but then, what color do I print it in? What color t-shirt do I get? What size will most people buy? Do I need to make mens shirts or womens shirts too? What about kids sizes?

People tell us this kind of stuff all the time: If you only made this design in this particular color but on a tank top instead of a t-shirt, they would buy it. At first, we tried to listen to what people said. But guess what? We ended up with tons of inventory that we had to blow out at reduced prices because it wasn't what the general customer wanted.

I'm not saying that listening to customers is bad idea. However, keep in mind, that everyone wants what they want, but that doesn't mean that everyone wants the same thing.

BP knows his business and his balance sheet. I'm sure he's making the right choices for EBMM.