Invitation to visit

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 2:38 am

I realize that Au/NZ is a l-o-n-g way from Texas, but I'd still like you guys to visit. Well, my site, that is. It's new, and we're hoping to get some feedback from the pros.
Take a look, and share your thoughts.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Thanks M8's!

Steve

sebastiaan56 · Post by **sebastiaan56** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 6:50 am

Hi Steve,

Nice site. I particularly like the bio and the way you have your prices laid out really clearly. Should stop the tyre kickers from taking up your time.

I also like the testimonials spread around the site,

Sebastiaan

Kim · Post by **Kim** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 6:53 am

No Pro here Steve but the site is very nice indeed, I found it easy to navigate and informative and enjoyed the eye candy very much. The old growth coco with dark chocolate BRW trim that is on the bench will be a real classy looker when done, be sure to post some images of her here.

Cheers

Kim

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 6:56 am

I had a look at it yesterday when I saw it on the OLF. Very professional. I don't think that there would be anything that I would change. It navigates and presents extremely well, besides just looking great.

Hesh1956 · Post by **Hesh1956** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:35 am

Steve my friend a word of caution - when you invite these guys to visit they may take it literally......

Bob Connor will be here in September

Colin S · Post by **Colin S** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:36 am

Steve, excellent site for your great guitars. I found it easy to navigate and clear to understand.

Two points; I'd have liked to have a few sound clips for each model, but you know me and soundclips. Second, I know it's charitable to post information about other builders, but I'm not sure that it's appropriate on a commercial website to point people to competitors. OK, John's site is fair enough, but I find it unusual to have others listed.

Colin

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 10:21 am

Colin S wrote: Second, I know it's charitable to post information about other builders, but I'm not sure that it's appropriate on a commercial website to point people to competitors.

Much better to have a link to my weblog....once people have had a few minutes viewing my awful creations theyll be flocking back to Steves website.

Allen · Post by **Allen** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 4:42 pm

Hesh, there's not enough beer in Texas to get an Aussie to stop by for more than a couple of hours. Best way to keep us out.

gratay · Post by **gratay** » Sat Jul 26, 2008 8:49 pm

The website looks great to me , Steve.
It's got lots of great pics of your incredible collection of works. I've always thought your selection of timber and appointments is always been very tasteful.
I think you'll have no problem drumming up even more business with a website like that..

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 12:53 pm

Hey fellas, many thanks for the multiple thumbs up.
Colin, what can I say? I'm an unusual guy...
Actually, I did think about that very point long and hard. There is a banjo maker on there, with whom I am not in competition. Two of the four guitar builders build different instruments than do I, another's prices are three times mine, and then there is my brother. (HE is my most serious competition! But he's gotta stay.)
But even if there is competition, I included those blokes in the spirit of camaraderie and mutual respect, . Truth be told, I had chosen several others, but my web designers were starting to balk at the length of the links page! I know, sheesh, what a tyro.

Glad you're finding that it works smoothly, and thanks again.

Steve

Paul B · Post by **Paul B** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 7:45 pm

Great site Steve. A handy resource for me.

I'm building a guitar for a mate - not a commission as I'm doing it for free. He's been a good mate ever since he moved in down the street from me when we were 8 years old. I'm sending him a link to your site to pick his binding/rosette schemes. It's a great one stop shop for that sort of thing, and saves me having to find pix to send him. So thanks!

Got another mate (best man at my wedding) who now lives in somewhere named San Antonio, Texas. At least I think that's it. I'll be visiting him in a couple months. You anywhere near there? You've invited me for a visit now, so fess up. I can pick up the pig while I'm there.

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Sun Jul 27, 2008 10:02 pm

Paul, we'd love to have you stop by.
Trouble is, Texas ain't small.
San Antonio is, IIRC, about 4 1/2 - 5 hours away.
While you're there, your mate must take you to the riverwalk.
And you'll only be an hour, or so, from Collings Guitars.

So much to do....

Anyway, let me know if East Texas fits into your plans.

Steve

Graham W · Post by **Graham W** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:27 am

Hi Stephen

Very nice site and beautiful looking guitars - I'd love to have the opportunity to play one sometime! Having built my own website, I do appreciate the amount of thought and effort that goes into this creation. What is really important, and I should take my own advice here, is that you keep things updated - but I'm sure you know that already.

I like the way you've layed out your prices page - it's good for a client to know exactly how much they're going to have to pay; and your link page is great too.

Anyway, congratulations! It's quite a milestone getting your site up and running smoothly. I'm sure your business will benefit through having this asset.

Warm regards from Christchurch, New Zealand.

Graham

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:45 am

Graham W wrote:
Warm regards from Christchurch, New Zealand.

Graham

Doesnt sound like its too warm in Christchurch at present. I see they were forecasting snow the other day.

Cheers Martin

Graham W · Post by **Graham W** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 8:54 am

I should've said "Warm regards from a !%*^#ing freezing Christchurch, NZ"!

Graham W

Lillian · Post by **Lillian** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 9:52 am

Steve, I like your site. Understated elegance. Its warm and inviting. Lori has done a wonderful job.

The only comment I have to offer may not be relevant. It could just be my monitor, but the picture of the SJ that is on your home page as well as on the Models page comes across as faceted on the left side. I don't know if its the lighting when it was photographed, or a result of cropping it or it just my monitor, but I kept being drawn to the left side of the guitar because it looked off to me. I'm looking at in on a relatively small monitor with Firefox if that makes any difference.

kiwigeo · Post by **kiwigeo** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:12 am

Graham W wrote:I should've said "Warm regards from a !%*^#ing freezing Christchurch, NZ"!

Graham W

That sounds like the Christchurch I left back in the mid eighties. I remember the late night bike rides home from Canterbury.....decked out in gloves, jacket and a scarf...and a disposable paper mask to filter out the smog. The mask would usually be black by the time I got home....

Not much warmer here in Adelaide....it got down to zero here in the hills last night and the vege patch has a healthy frost on it.

Cheers Martin

Robbie O'Brien · Post by **Robbie O'Brien** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:52 am

Steve,

I visted your web site. It was a very enjoyable experience. Congratulations on a job well done!

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:30 am

Here's another 'thumbs up ' for your site Steve. All great stuff.

Ryan sure is a lucky guy to be rubbing shoulders with your talent.

Stephen Kinnaird · Post by **Stephen Kinnaird** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:54 pm

Robbie, Craig, thanks mates!
As for luck, I seem to be the lucky one.

Steve

Australian/New Zealand Luthiers Forum