Magnum Pedal Steel
Moderator: Shoshanah Marohn
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Magnum Pedal Steel
Does anybody have any information on the magnum D10 pedal steel that musicians friend has in stock and for sale.
- J D Sauser
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I wouldn't venture to say (to speak for Carter) but some observations---it's a difficult business model to sell factory direct and through dealers. You are always at risk of alienating a dealer by making a direct sale. But factory direct sales are self-limiting---you are restricting your sales to "insiders"---players who are plugged into the word-of-mouth thing or are online or otherwise well informed. How to expand your market? Go beyond factory sales and even beyond steel dealerships. Hit the retail chains (with whom you have already established business relationships with your Carter-Starter).
I haven't compared guitars or prices (Carter vs. Magnum) but presumably you have a standardized guitar--no custom setups--with the marketing and manufacturing advantages and benefits this provides.
Carter steel guitars, excellent axes and a successful company---there is a formula here that you can't tamper with. So you leave well enough alone (well, you offer Custom Shop products to expand the line) and start another entity--a similar but different guitar that is offered to an untapped market of relative outsiders---maybe including some people you have hooked on steel with the C-S. An ambitious venture. And let me repeat--I do not speak for Carter and my thoughts here are just that--my thoughts.
I haven't compared guitars or prices (Carter vs. Magnum) but presumably you have a standardized guitar--no custom setups--with the marketing and manufacturing advantages and benefits this provides.
Carter steel guitars, excellent axes and a successful company---there is a formula here that you can't tamper with. So you leave well enough alone (well, you offer Custom Shop products to expand the line) and start another entity--a similar but different guitar that is offered to an untapped market of relative outsiders---maybe including some people you have hooked on steel with the C-S. An ambitious venture. And let me repeat--I do not speak for Carter and my thoughts here are just that--my thoughts.
- John Fabian
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- Tony Prior
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What Jon states is true for MANY types of businesses..that do want to grow beyond the markets that they can only touch with their fingers...
We as Steelers sometimes get pidgeon holed into our own little society...we get all wraped up into whats only right in front of us..
When they asked Ray Crock what business he was in..he did not say
" I make Hamburgers"..
he said..
"I am in real estate"
I'm sure if you ask John what business he is in he would not say..
"I make Carter Steel Guitars for the Steel Guitar community"...
He may say something like..
" I manufacture musical Instruments for worldwide distribution with an established global audience and network"....
TWO Instruments for two different markets...and not competing with each other...
I don't think John, Anne and Bud are in Kansas anymore...
t<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 07 July 2005 at 05:08 AM.]</p></FONT>
We as Steelers sometimes get pidgeon holed into our own little society...we get all wraped up into whats only right in front of us..
When they asked Ray Crock what business he was in..he did not say
" I make Hamburgers"..
he said..
"I am in real estate"
I'm sure if you ask John what business he is in he would not say..
"I make Carter Steel Guitars for the Steel Guitar community"...
He may say something like..
" I manufacture musical Instruments for worldwide distribution with an established global audience and network"....
TWO Instruments for two different markets...and not competing with each other...
I don't think John, Anne and Bud are in Kansas anymore...
t<font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by Tony Prior on 07 July 2005 at 05:08 AM.]</p></FONT>
- John Fabian
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Actually, I would say, "I'm in the business of making peoples' dreams come true with regard to pedal steel guitars". <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by John Fabian on 07 July 2005 at 06:47 AM.]</p></FONT><SMALL>I manufacture musical Instruments for worldwide distribution with an established global audience and network"....</SMALL>
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- Bobby Lee
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It looks like a fine instrument.
Remember that Fender left the steel guitar marget because they couldn't deal with all of the custom orders. Everyone wanted a different copedent.
Carter's solution to this is create a standardized instrument for beginners (the Carter-Starter), followed by a standardized professional instrument (the Magnum). They still build custom guitars with the Carter name for people who need custom features, but the Starter and Magnum are poised to be the pedal steels of choice for "buy it now" retail distribution.
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<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6)</font>
Remember that Fender left the steel guitar marget because they couldn't deal with all of the custom orders. Everyone wanted a different copedent.
Carter's solution to this is create a standardized instrument for beginners (the Carter-Starter), followed by a standardized professional instrument (the Magnum). They still build custom guitars with the Carter name for people who need custom features, but the Starter and Magnum are poised to be the pedal steels of choice for "buy it now" retail distribution.
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<font size="1"><img align=right src="http://b0b.com/Hotb0b.gif" width="96 height="96">Bobby Lee (a.k.a. b0b) - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs, Open Hearts
Williams D-12 E9, C6add9, Sierra Olympic S-12 (F Diatonic)
Sierra Laptop S-8 (E6add9), Fender Stringmaster D-8 (E13, C6 or A6)</font>
- Tony Prior
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John, that could be a dangerous vision..
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Actually, I would say, "I'm in the business of making peoples' dreams come true with regard to pedal steel guitars".
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we all want our dreams to come true..mine is for a brand new FREE Steel Guitar every month or two !
t
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Actually, I would say, "I'm in the business of making peoples' dreams come true with regard to pedal steel guitars".
--------------------------------------------
we all want our dreams to come true..mine is for a brand new FREE Steel Guitar every month or two !
t
- Willis Vanderberg
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