That;s really cool, Stephe, to hear that the easiest bit of the process is the building! I wouldn't apologise for that - there will still be builders in the community who want to do it themselves because, as you say, it is the fun part! But maybe let them do it from your BOM and your build videos rather than make you spend the time putting together kits for them.
Hi there, thinking about the kits: I would actually prefer a blank, unfabricated chassis. It doesnt't sound like selling "solder only" kits is a great deal for you and I see the chassis fabrication as part of the kit building experience! Sourcing and putting the parts together for a kit is quite a valuable service. I live in Norway, where parts availability and import taxes are REALLY bad. Shipping and tax on orders from every single vendor I'd have to go to can easily double the BOM cost here. When you are able to get all the parts for the much better prices you pay in America and there is only one shipment, this saves a lot of money even after tax. And I hope you don't feel bad for charging what you need on top of the parts cost for kits, your time is valuable and things cost money, that's just the way it is :)
Stephe, you are providing a boutique product. It is fair to have a price of a 'usual built' and additional prices for ANY variation from that. I think that is fair practice
KITS??? Maybe I am missing something here but you have the schematic posted, you have a parts list to go along and you even show how to build the darn thing! Don't bother with the added headache. Stay focused and do what YOU want to do. As far those that don't like the looks of them.... come on!! go buy something you like and save your breath. my $.02 ✌
So long as people are fine with paying a price that works for you so they can have the pleasure of either a straight build or the opportunity to customize (with the risks being the responsibility of the customer), it seems you are covered if you want to offer kits. People generally do not understand the economics of doing boutique kits. DIYers don't do kits to save a lot of money. They do it to be able to do these builds at all, given the hassles of sourcing and the health issues of the builders, local or national availability and tax considerations, multiple shipping costs, and other issues that can make DIY audio gear difficult. A kit for some of us takes a project we might want to build but really can't into the range of being possible. Your very helpful video on the realities of kits making business sense should be required viewing before anyone buys a kit from you or any other small business founded to indulge in the love of designing and building gear for people. Of course, if you just don't want to go there - into offering kits, I mean - that is your call. No need to fret, however, about price chasers and people who make lots of corner-case demands. You just lay down the ground rules in the thoughtful kind of way you discussed the issue here, and the kit people can select themselves, should you offer them. Good stuff. I hope the business works out well for you.
Great to hear you are progressing with your business development and the challenges of lead times, parts suppliers and customer satisfaction... Its all a steep learning curve ! Please remember your time is by far the most precious "component" of all and is in very limited supply!! One suggestion to help your cash flow if I may... Please consider making all your "standard" orders 25% deposit with order and any custom/modification orders should be 50% deposit with order, both need to be Non Refundable.... DIY / kit guys are often well meaning and best intentions guys, but when the unexpected happens they will cancel the order and leave you holding the baby...!
I think as deliver times shorten and/or are reliable, I will start asking for a 25% deposit. I felt bad asking for a deposit with no accurate delivery date possible.
I’ve been there myself. I Feel you’re pain lol. That’s where the 3 X material cost at a minimum comes into play. My experience has been, ok this one is built. Now It’s time to build another one. Now I better order material to replace the one I just built. It’s a never ending circle of Three. I’m not trying to discourage you. You have a great product never forget that !!! I was building a product an selling it as fast as I could build it. I asked my Wife who is a SUPER book keeper why aren’t we making more money. She said it’s simple, you have your money tied up in three to sell one. Please Don’t under sell your product. The goal is to have everything on the shelf’s payed for and enough cash flow to keep thing moving forward debt free. That takes Time but I know YOU can do this !!! You’ve got it !!! I don’t know what it is, But you’ve got it lol
You have very good points about kits, i thought the kit would be easier for you since you've already gone through the process of sourcing components prevously but it seems like there is issues in supply chain like a covid hangover. Hopefully this isnt a permanent way of life going forward. Koodos for you jumping in and going through frustration of startup , keep up the great work. 👍
thats gotta be tough. it takes me FOREVER to put together a parts order for ONE project. got dam. its gotta be tough to get into facrtoring in screw ups, off-spec and the like. the look of your amps is VERY well-thought-out. luv it.thoughtful design sure makes an impact on me.
Part scouring is a pain! Especially when dealing with multiple manufacturers and going for quality parts. And then the custom work you do. I have noting but respect for you!
I feel your pain. Electronic supplies used to be so easy to get. I was always a short drive from a components shop or a reasonable drive away from a Farnell in the UK. 20 years later I start building again using your wonderful videos as guides and discovered the suppliers are limited and have the shipping costs you talk about. There are some great small high quality suppliers for the high quality caps etc, but everything else... Oh my...
Uk is a nightmare. Just trying to get basics can be tough. Try getting decent solid core wire rated to 600v!. If it helps my go to's are Mouser, RS components, HiFi collective. Ebay some times Digi Key too. Primary winfings do ok chokes and transformers.
@@flyingmattyboy Heya , im uk too doing all the same stuff , I also use same suppliers as you , thank god for hifi collective albeit pricey ! I like digi key and good price point, free ship to UK over £35 and I can get 40kg of transformers in like 4 days from USA, no postal service here can match that eh, dont forget Cricklewood electronics, hotrox, switch electronics, Farnell are still extremely good too Chris
Hi Stephe You need a 3d printer, then you can print holders for your capacitors and various other things in no time, so you don't have to wait several weeks for small plastic gizmos for your amplifiers. you can also print a nice enclosue for the analog discovery 2😊
Many of us in UK or EU won't be able to afford shipping and duty frpm USA for the full amp. I am happy to build from schematics myself though. If we have a bom of exact parts we can follow the build and get the layout and spec exactly as you would. That way we can experience the genuine skunky design for ourselves. Just won't have a Skunkit badge . Can you get any square or rectangular greenley punches to help with those square holes. If not could you get a tool made that could work in a vice or cheap hydraulic press? This should be easy and chesp as there are probably standard die and punch parts available for flypresses etc. Just a thought. Said it before but I love the black and gold units. They look great.
I would guess that offering kits would also cause an exponential jump in the time you have to spend managing support.. support you'll be expected to do for free, and dragging you further and further from the parts of this business you actually like doing. :) You can try telling people they are on their own, but they will still reach out, getting angrier and angrier. Meh!!!
I couldn't agree with you more. Personally, I would only sell them fully assembled, being she's starting up a new business. This will simplifiy the process for her initially. The savings is minimal on a kit, as she said, you'll have no warranty, the kit won't be burned in or bench tested either. You'll be fully responsible for your own results buying a kit product, regardless what compaly you buy from. They are released of all liability, and the customer carries the burden of their mistakes encountered building their electronics. On the flip side, If she wanted to on occasion, tinker with improving upon the China based audio products, she could do that as well. After all, this has also given her much credibility, from customers who fell into the trap of purchasing China products, who were influenced by deceitful online reviews. If it wasn't for Stephe assisting me with my Willsenton R300, and all it's issues, I would have never discovered her online. So from a marketing standpoint. Perhaps, dabbling with these on occassion, will gravitate more people like me, to seriously consider buying her products in the future. (Tossing their ole China fi products, and buy Stephe's professionally built, American Audio Electronics.) 👍
All of the above. You would be shocked how many angry initial emails I get along the lines of "I tried your mods on my amp and they don't work at all, my amp is now blowing fuses and you need to do something!!!"
@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics As someone who's been around long enough to have built his first radio at 8 with a 12AX7 I for one welcome the Golden Age of Tube Audio we now enjoy. Excellent tube sound is no longer just the province of elite $$$$. That said, it seems there's a wave of people just starting out with a soldering iron who are deciding to make one of their first electronic projects ever a multi-tube amplifier chock-full of lethal voltages and specific fab requirements/best practices when building. These projects require science AND art IMHO, and coupled with how easy everything looks in a 30 second Tiktok video we've a recipe for entitled angry disappointment?? :)
@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics We all started somewhere, and as long as these projects are approached with patience, respect, and humility they'll end well!
here is a query u might answer one day... for esl martin logan electro static spkrs,,, these go down to 1 ohm ,, 7khz to 20khz... will vacuum tube amp work... my guess is ,, s e t will not,,, and even pp,,, depends on power supply maybe,,,huh
Yes, I think you are best not doing kits. You have provided enough information for anyone with the competency to build a tube amp to do so. Videos, BOM, schematics....that's all anyone capable should need. If they can't work from that, they shouldn't be playing with high voltages anyway.
Who's calling your babies ulgy? Sell me a built tube pre amp. Like that sexy Blonde Pre on the table. All ready built one Gives me some life to my SS AMP.
Every business has its supply chain, nobody finances stock from own equity - it’s done through bank loans. Seems like you’re inventing what’s been invented ages ago.
Why would I pay interest on a loan for a small startup? The finance charges on the card payments is already painful enough. I have zero interest in paying out 10-15% of my annual gross sales to a bank.
That;s really cool, Stephe, to hear that the easiest bit of the process is the building! I wouldn't apologise for that - there will still be builders in the community who want to do it themselves because, as you say, it is the fun part! But maybe let them do it from your BOM and your build videos rather than make you spend the time putting together kits for them.
Hey i love your designs. Love that your heart is in the right place
Hi there, thinking about the kits: I would actually prefer a blank, unfabricated chassis. It doesnt't sound like selling "solder only" kits is a great deal for you and I see the chassis fabrication as part of the kit building experience!
Sourcing and putting the parts together for a kit is quite a valuable service. I live in Norway, where parts availability and import taxes are REALLY bad. Shipping and tax on orders from every single vendor I'd have to go to can easily double the BOM cost here. When you are able to get all the parts for the much better prices you pay in America and there is only one shipment, this saves a lot of money even after tax.
And I hope you don't feel bad for charging what you need on top of the parts cost for kits, your time is valuable and things cost money, that's just the way it is :)
Stephe, you are providing a boutique product.
It is fair to have a price of a 'usual built' and additional prices for ANY variation from that.
I think that is fair practice
KITS??? Maybe I am missing something here but you have the schematic posted, you have a parts list to go along and you even show how to build the darn thing! Don't bother with the added headache. Stay focused and do what YOU want to do. As far those that don't like the looks of them.... come on!! go buy something you like and save your breath. my $.02 ✌
Yeah, this just feels lazy to me? Like order the parts yourself and enjoy the savings.
I remember Radio Shack had all the parts I needed years ago.
So long as people are fine with paying a price that works for you so they can have the pleasure of either a straight build or the opportunity to customize (with the risks being the responsibility of the customer), it seems you are covered if you want to offer kits. People generally do not understand the economics of doing boutique kits. DIYers don't do kits to save a lot of money. They do it to be able to do these builds at all, given the hassles of sourcing and the health issues of the builders, local or national availability and tax considerations, multiple shipping costs, and other issues that can make DIY audio gear difficult. A kit for some of us takes a project we might want to build but really can't into the range of being possible. Your very helpful video on the realities of kits making business sense should be required viewing before anyone buys a kit from you or any other small business founded to indulge in the love of designing and building gear for people. Of course, if you just don't want to go there - into offering kits, I mean - that is your call. No need to fret, however, about price chasers and people who make lots of corner-case demands. You just lay down the ground rules in the thoughtful kind of way you discussed the issue here, and the kit people can select themselves, should you offer them.
Good stuff. I hope the business works out well for you.
Great to hear you are progressing with your business development and the challenges of lead times, parts suppliers and customer satisfaction... Its all a steep learning curve ! Please remember your time is by far the most precious "component" of all and is in very limited supply!!
One suggestion to help your cash flow if I may... Please consider making all your "standard" orders 25% deposit with order and any custom/modification orders should be 50% deposit with order, both need to be Non Refundable.... DIY / kit guys are often well meaning and best intentions guys, but when the unexpected happens they will cancel the order and leave you holding the baby...!
I think as deliver times shorten and/or are reliable, I will start asking for a 25% deposit. I felt bad asking for a deposit with no accurate delivery date possible.
I’ve been there myself. I Feel you’re pain lol. That’s where the 3 X material cost at a minimum comes into play. My experience has been, ok this one is built. Now It’s time to build another one. Now I better order material to replace the one I just built. It’s a never ending circle of Three. I’m not trying to discourage you. You have a great product never forget that !!! I was building a product an selling it as fast as I could build it. I asked my Wife who is a SUPER book keeper why aren’t we making more money. She said it’s simple, you have your money tied up in three to sell one. Please Don’t under sell your product. The goal is to have everything on the shelf’s payed for and enough cash flow to keep thing moving forward debt free. That takes Time but I know YOU can do this !!! You’ve got it !!! I don’t know what it is, But you’ve got it lol
You have very good points about kits, i thought the kit would be easier for you since you've already gone through the process of sourcing components prevously but it seems like there is issues in supply chain like a covid hangover. Hopefully this isnt a permanent way of life going forward. Koodos for you jumping in and going through frustration of startup , keep up the great work. 👍
thats gotta be tough. it takes me FOREVER to put together a parts order for ONE project. got dam. its gotta be tough to get into facrtoring in screw ups, off-spec and the like.
the look of your amps is VERY well-thought-out. luv it.thoughtful design sure makes an impact on me.
Part scouring is a pain! Especially when dealing with multiple manufacturers and going for quality parts. And then the custom work you do. I have noting but respect for you!
I've been waiting 3 months for some non-inductive power resistors just to try them out....
@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics 3 months, that is kinda normal... haha
I feel your pain. Electronic supplies used to be so easy to get. I was always a short drive from a components shop or a reasonable drive away from a Farnell in the UK. 20 years later I start building again using your wonderful videos as guides and discovered the suppliers are limited and have the shipping costs you talk about. There are some great small high quality suppliers for the high quality caps etc, but everything else... Oh my...
Uk is a nightmare. Just trying to get basics can be tough. Try getting decent solid core wire rated to 600v!. If it helps my go to's are Mouser, RS components, HiFi collective. Ebay some times Digi Key too. Primary winfings do ok chokes and transformers.
@@flyingmattyboy
Heya , im uk too doing all the same stuff , I also use same suppliers as you , thank god for hifi collective albeit pricey ! I like digi key and good price point, free ship to UK over £35 and I can get 40kg of transformers in like 4 days from USA, no postal service here can match that eh, dont forget Cricklewood electronics, hotrox, switch electronics, Farnell are still extremely good too
Chris
Hi Stephe
You need a 3d printer, then you can print holders for your capacitors and various other things in no time, so you don't have to wait several weeks for small plastic gizmos for your amplifiers. you can also print a nice enclosue for the analog discovery 2😊
Many of us in UK or EU won't be able to afford shipping and duty frpm USA for the full amp. I am happy to build from schematics myself though. If we have a bom of exact parts we can follow the build and get the layout and spec exactly as you would. That way we can experience the genuine skunky design for ourselves. Just won't have a Skunkit badge . Can you get any square or rectangular greenley punches to help with those square holes. If not could you get a tool made that could work in a vice or cheap hydraulic press? This should be easy and chesp as there are probably standard die and punch parts available for flypresses etc. Just a thought. Said it before but I love the black and gold units. They look great.
I would guess that offering kits would also cause an exponential jump in the time you have to spend managing support.. support you'll be expected to do for free, and dragging you further and further from the parts of this business you actually like doing. :) You can try telling people they are on their own, but they will still reach out, getting angrier and angrier. Meh!!!
I couldn't agree with you more. Personally, I would only sell them fully assembled, being she's starting up a new business. This will simplifiy the process for her initially. The savings is minimal on a kit, as she said, you'll have no warranty, the kit won't be burned in or bench tested either. You'll be fully responsible for your own results buying a kit product, regardless what compaly you buy from. They are released of all liability, and the customer carries the burden of their mistakes encountered building their electronics.
On the flip side,
If she wanted to on occasion, tinker with improving upon the China based audio products, she could do that as well. After all, this has also given her much credibility, from customers who fell into the trap of purchasing China products, who were influenced by deceitful online reviews. If it wasn't for Stephe assisting me with my Willsenton R300, and all it's issues, I would have never discovered her online. So from a marketing standpoint. Perhaps, dabbling with these on occassion, will gravitate more people like me, to seriously consider buying her products in the future. (Tossing their ole China fi products, and buy Stephe's professionally built, American Audio Electronics.) 👍
All of the above. You would be shocked how many angry initial emails I get along the lines of "I tried your mods on my amp and they don't work at all, my amp is now blowing fuses and you need to do something!!!"
@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics As someone who's been around long enough to have built his first radio at 8 with a 12AX7 I for one welcome the Golden Age of Tube Audio we now enjoy. Excellent tube sound is no longer just the province of elite $$$$. That said, it seems there's a wave of people just starting out with a soldering iron who are deciding to make one of their first electronic projects ever a multi-tube amplifier chock-full of lethal voltages and specific fab requirements/best practices when building. These projects require science AND art IMHO, and coupled with how easy everything looks in a 30 second Tiktok video we've a recipe for entitled angry disappointment?? :)
Bingo. They should probably see if they can build something like that headphone adapter box first!
@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics We all started somewhere, and as long as these projects are approached with patience, respect, and humility they'll end well!
No kits for now. Your labor is worth every penny.
The Sharks would be interested...What you need is at least 400,000$USD and that is on the low end .If I had the money I would back this !
How do we reach out to you to to commission a build and get pricing.
If you've said that a million times I apologize
stephe@skunkiedesigns.com
here is a query u might answer one day... for esl martin logan electro static spkrs,,, these go down to 1 ohm ,, 7khz to 20khz... will vacuum tube amp work... my guess is ,, s e t will not,,, and even pp,,, depends on power supply maybe,,,huh
Those were designed for a high current SS amp. I would never bother trying to use a tube amp to drive something like that.
duly noted,,,,,@@SkunkieDesignsElectronics
Yes, I think you are best not doing kits. You have provided enough information for anyone with the competency to build a tube amp to do so. Videos, BOM, schematics....that's all anyone capable should need. If they can't work from that, they shouldn't be playing with high voltages anyway.
Who's calling your babies ulgy? Sell me a built tube pre amp. Like that sexy Blonde Pre on the table. All ready built one
Gives me some life to my SS AMP.
Every business has its supply chain, nobody finances stock from own equity - it’s done through bank loans. Seems like you’re inventing what’s been invented ages ago.
Why would I pay interest on a loan for a small startup? The finance charges on the card payments is already painful enough. I have zero interest in paying out 10-15% of my annual gross sales to a bank.