Opulence Meets Functionality in the NRS Guitar
I was recently asked why my guitars cost so much and why won't I have them built overseas for a lower price point? I appreciated the question and the chance to explain.
I shared with my friend that I feel our world is filled with entitlements, easy downloads (legal or not), globalization of low cost and low quality items and people have come to expect low cost if not free products as a rule anymore. I went on to explain that I fully understand why some will lift an eyebrow at spending several thousand dollars on a well built hand crafted American guitar that was carefully built with attention to every detail by American hands. There is something to be said for high end luxury. It does not come cheap because to create such beautiful pieces it takes many hours of meticulous and careful work.
I shared with my friend that he wouldn't go into a Lexus dealer to purchase a Honda Civic nor would he go into a high end Mercedes dealer looking to purchase a Volkswagen Jetta. They both have their place in the market and they both fit a certain price point. It would be ludicrous to demand the dealer to sell him a Lexus for the price of a Civic.The features and construction and engineering are absolutely on different levels. The same goes with any other luxury item. Some will be able to purchase a fireplace mantle purchased at Home Depot while others can afford a George III fireplace mantel with a Siena marble frieze circa 1670. Some can afford to purchase a chandelier for their new homes ordered from Lowe's or specialty lighting store while others can afford to purchase a chandelier designed by celebrated glass maker Giulio Salviati manufactured in Murano during the latter half of the 19th century!
When I launched New Sound Acoustics my initial thought was to engineer a nice looking guitar and build it overseas for cheap to sell them here at a low price point. As I began working on my guitars and really learning the craft and seeing what it takes to make a luxury item I could not in good conscience send my guitars overseas to be built. I saw the headaches my other friends go through who do this, receiving goods where the quality is shoddy and they are not sure what they are going to receive when the container ship comes in. I then began feeling the guilt of sending another job overseas when the job could be done right here in America by American hands.
I continued to research and grow in my craft and began collaborating with incredible luthiers to bring New Sound Acoustics to life. I began changing my mind on having them built overseas. I wanted my guitars to represent high luxurious quality, all while engineering them to be practical working instruments like the Salviati chandelier. I wanted to marry the world of luxurious design with practicality. A guitar that every time it is pulled out of the case everyone in the room would notice its stellar design by site, sound and functionality. I wanted to create a guitar that when played would stand out from the rest in its class; From the meticulously clean glue joints on the inside of the guitar to the meticulous glass finish on the outside and all the way down to the crushed velvet lining on the inside of the custom formed computerized case.
I wanted the NRS by New Sound Acoustics to be a cut above the rest. That is why I enlisted people like world class artist Mark Hannah to help me draw out a beautiful fresh design on the body and headstock and brought in master luthiers to help me dial in just the right angles on the inner constructions of the guitar that give it that signature full acoustic tone when plugged or unplugged. I chose to incorporate laser cutting instead of band saws and high powered magnets instead of screws. Innovation has its price and it is not cheap.
I told my friend he would never pay full price for an NRS being that he was such a dear friend to me but at the same time the NRS would never be a cheap guitar to come by. To build a high end luxurious brand is no easy feat but I believe through meticulous work and attention to every detail it will be done. It's the American way!
