by Peter Wolf.

How does a new guitar model get from the mind of a builder or development team to the hands of a player? The path from mind to market is neither simple nor quick and it's a unique journey for each instrument.

Thousands of tasks must be handled and many questions answered before a product makes it to the marketplace. These tasks and questions are handled by every division of the company, thus making the launching of a new product a true “team” effort.

A new product can begin in different ways

1. Someone in the company has an idea and makes an instrument. If the Product Development team sees something worthy, we begin re-drawing the guitar until all agree that it looks good, at least on paper. We then build a prototype to see it in the flesh. If we like it, we move forward.

2. The marketing department sees an opportunity in the marketplace for a particular product, it gets discussed, and we build a prototype.

3. Outside companies approach us with ideas for a new model. If we decide the ideas have potential, we design the instrument and build prototypes.

4. We see an opportunity to work with an artist. We talk to the artist, get his/her ideas, and then build a prototype. We present the prototype to the Product Development Team and then get the artist's approval.

No matter how a product is conceived, it always goes through the Product Development team before becoming a manufactured model.

A closer look at the process

Once we have decided to move forward with a new product, the different teams get their wheels turning. R&D begins the process by developing a timeline that incorporates all the details and stages from beginning to end. The timeline elements include prototypes, digitized models, programming, jigs and fixture design, and process guidelines, to name a few.

The production department starts thinking about plant areas in which to make the product, staffing requirements, machinery needs, management structures, etc.

Marketing develops strategies that include suggested price points, distribution channels, competition, time lines for launching, advertising, reviews and product placement.

Certain parameters are always critical for the success of a new product

- What does the market want?

- What do artists want?

- Does the new product reflect who we are (identity)?

- Where are we missing opportunities considering our quality approach, manufacturing environment, production capabilities and resources?

- What are the time lines going to be if we’re shooting for a certain release date?

While there’s a lot more to it than I've described, once we've addressed the threshhold issues to the best of our ability (and after many discussions and arguments), we outline a rough plan that includes raw material supplies, vendors, purchasing, sales and marketing, budget issues, staffing, advertising and marketing. Then we start designing the product. It’s really important, in my opinion, to create a working environment in which every part of the team feels comfortable enough to make ongoing suggestions and provide ideas. It's also important to give credit to the individuals who have good ideas so that they continue to contribute in the future.

While designing a new instrument can be a challenge, bringing it online in a manufacturing environment is a much greater undertaking. No matter how similar a new design is to the rest of the line, it is a new product. It may contain new parts that need to be sourced, new electronics packages that need to be designed (you can’t just order a ready-made custom electronics package like the one found in the PRS 513, for example), and we have to decide if we're going to make those parts or packages in-house or if we'll have them made somewhere else, and so on. There are literally thousands of things that need to be determined, always with an eye on cost, price points and expected sales.

You get the idea.

After having been involved in retail, distribution and marketing on two continents over the years, it has been a great experience for me to work in a manufacturing environment and to be able to learn and understand the processes involved in creating something new. I have to say it’s a lot less romantic than many people think and it always needs to be a true team effort for it to be successful in the end.

Joe Knaggs, a good friend of mine and the Director of R&D and the Private Stock program at Paul Reed Smith Guitars, helped me with the writing of this article.