goosekevin wrote:Nelson Instruments wrote: Also is a bari a novelty instrument that you generally don't want to spend much on or would a $995 baritone be feasible?
i think it would be okay but maybe a it risky
baritones seem to sell best in the cheap bracket as an alternate guitar or something to inspire new ideas OR the super duper high end crazy EGC market
maybe a middle priced one could fill a gap in the market? or maybe theres a gap because there is no market
^ yeah this is all a good point. i would say that there are evidently many people interested in extended scale instruments but right now at least the majority of those buyers are dipping their toes in rather than fully adopting the scale, the fact that fender/squier have been able to sell a lot of sub-$500 baritone/VI type instruments as well as stuff like the eastwood and schecter models having some degree of popularity kinda proves that. also people are probably satisfied enough with the quality of those that they don't feel the need to look at more expensive instruments, unless they have EGC fever.
a Nelson baritone would no doubt be a great value and professional instrument but it's super hard to gauge whether it would actually sell.
one thing possibly worth considering instead is the 7/8 string market - a LOT of builders are making those guitars in the 1-2k bracket and selling a lot of them, yes they are generally aimed at a pretty specific market but i think a lot of the aesthetic is more of an ergonomic thing rather than people not being open to more quirky or vintage-inspired designs.
some food for thought anyway.