When I began talking to my friends about opening Dog Tired as a full-blown production and retail facility, I got many of the same replies: “You need to work with an overseas company to build some cheap guitars so everyone can have one.” or “You need to do repairs and have a good selection of strings, straps, and books.”, etc. What I had a hard time getting people to realize is that I didn’t want be just another music store.
My friends did have a couple of good points, though. First, in this age of globalization, I could very easily work with a skilled production facility in Korea to build some decent quality guitars and compete in the Walmart market place (that, of course, referring to how quickly and cheaply a product can be delivered to market). I, however, would rather stay in the realm of personal interaction and art. My guitars aren’t just another guitar; they’re a vehicle for expression, not just for the players, but for me as well.
Second, though I don’t want to be another music store, I do need to have items available other than guitars. Let’s face it, the market for $2000 guitars is much smaller than the market for $20 guitar straps. So taking my friends’ advice to heart, I started looking for a way to have a product available that could be manufactured in the US but still be competitive on a cost basis. The Dog Tired guitar strap is the result. They’re manufactured in a facility in Oklahoma City and retail for only $29.99!
I’m very proud of how they’ve turned out and look forward to getting them to as many retail outlets as possible.