Small-Batch instrument maker for music shops

Independent music stores, online marketplace buyers, schools, and musicians buying direct from your website.

Wholesale sales to shops at a discount, and higher-margin retail sales through your own website, craft fairs and online marketplaces.

• Production woodworking or electronics assembly
• Costing and pricing
• Basic sales and wholesale outreach
• Quality control

• Check zoning and the lease terms for a workshop or small industrial unit
• Product liability insurance is worth checking, especially for wholesale to stores
• Check your state's rules on a seller's permit and sales tax, and resale certificates for wholesale
• Check labeling requirements and any rules on materials, such as finishes and imported woods
• Stock sits on shelves, so avoid making large batches before you have orders
• Shipping bulky instruments can eat into margins, so price it in

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $8,000 to $40,000, depending on your workshop lease, equipment, materials and the size of your first batches. Avoiding large batches before you have orders helps limit tied-up cash.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on how many shops you supply, your direct online sales and your pricing. Shipping bulky instruments can eat into margins, so price it in.

Check zoning and lease terms for a workshop or small industrial unit, your state's rules on a seller's permit, sales tax and resale certificates, and labeling and materials rules such as finishes and imported woods. Product liability insurance is also worth checking.