Hello Jacqueline. I will try to answer your questions in order.
1: The models look great. I would be willing to do a review, yes, under the same terms we did our last 12-string review. I like the Black Limba wood of the FDK1000. I think it might even be cool to offer the FTC800 with this wood option too.
2: Do I think the designs will be popular? Hard to say. I think it would depend heavily on the price point and possibly a couple changes. The problem I see with the FDK1000 is you seem to be going for a heavy metal or progressive shred player with the body shape and Dinky headstock, but the pickups are passive Alnico, which tend to be associated with more traditional classic rock or blues players. That guitar is almost begging for a Floyd Rose or Kahler bridge and active, or at least hot overwound pickups. I think that guitar is confused in its design. It doesn't know who its target player is. If you changed the headstock to something like a 3+3 with a more traditional look you could keep all the other specs the same and attract more players. Add the option of locking tuners and stainless steel frets and I think you might have something. The FTC800 again seems to be melding two different ideas together - the traditional Telecaster shape with an edgier, heavy metal look. But it definitely is the more appealing of the two guitars for me personally. The problem I see is you're up against guitars like this Harley Benton: https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_fusion_t_hh_roasted_fnt.htm?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA_5WvBhBAEiwAZtCU76W8crUSVccaCqCkM4lMRFsQs3A0pS23E5IVjgwVg-RaQWPodJNPtxoCou4QAvD_BwE
For $345 that guitar will give me stainless steel frets, a Wilkinson bridge, locking tuners, and a roasted maple neck (something that's all the rage currently). But their headstock is BUTT UGLY! Yours is better. What I would suggest to compete is to add the stainless steel frets, locking tuners, and do roasted maple necks if you can, but if you cannot do roasted maple necks, finish the back of the neck with something like Tung Oil rather than traditional poly finish for a sleeker feel and advertise that fact. A lot of players like me prefer this finish. Personally, I would also like to see the 3-way switch changed to a Les Paul style switch and moved to the upper bout like a Les Paul on this model. I think if you did all of that and could come in under $350, you'd have the Harley Benton beat and would have a real winner on your hands with the FTC800.
3: Colors? I like the color options on the FDK800 on your website. You should offer all those same colors on the FTC800. I think the FDK1000 would look cool in crackle finishes like the old Charvels and Jacksons of the 80s, if you have a way to do that. You could even keep the reverse pointy headstock if you went with finishes like that. Those finishes have seen a revival of interest lately because of YouTubers playing their old Charvels. As for price, like I said, I think you should be shooting to keep it under $350 for both models. But probably more if you could do the crackle finish. https://tinyurl.com/3zwrxkts
4: I had not heard of Bocchi the Rock until you mentioned it. Looks like something my daughters would be into.
I hope you find my suggestions helpful. Of the two models, you'll sell more of the FTC800.
Here are some unused outtakes from my recent video. This is me jamming to see what comes out, while in the process of writing the demo piece at the end of the video. At one point, I did use a section of this jam as the intro of the demo, but unfortunately my AT4040 mic into the interface malfunctioned and rendered most of that stuff unusable in the end. This is just what was picked up by the onboard camera mic. Some of it was actually pretty decent. I felt inspired anyway. When I feel like I'm jelling with an instrument or amp or whatever, I like to just let the camera and mics roll and see if anything is worth keeping. Sometimes magic happens, sometimes nothing seems to be worth a single solitary shit. Most of the time, it's a mixed bag. It's funny listening back to stuff like this as the guy who did it, I can always predict where I'm probably about to go with it, even if I don't remember specifically anything I played. Funny how the mind works like that. As for the onboard camera ...
Here's the video of Routh's collected tweets if you'd like to comb through them. https://x.com/BillboardChris/status/1835452723929457000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1835452723929457000%7Ctwgr%5E17672e4635927c4505689a4865f3cd0e62c6f309%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.infowars.com%2Fposts%2Fdemocrats-accused-of-incitement-after-second-attempt-on-trumps-life
I'm sure everyone has by now seen that explosion in the Oval Office today between POTUS and Zelenskyy. Well, I'm certainly no fan of Marco Rubio. I think he's a neo-con and a RINO underneath his newfound MAGA cloak, but I have to admit, he is ON POINT in this interview. He made mincemeat out of this warmongering, airhead woman. And to all my friends...there might be legitimate complaints here and there with President Trump and how he handles things, but this isn't one of them. The man is trying to negotiate a peace and keep the world out of a major World War, or at the very least, keep us out of a protracted regional quagmire which could cost trillions like Iraq and Afghanistan before it. The left, particularly, needs to find its anti-war roots and listen to when this man is saying, rather than prejudging everything with the limited information supplied to you by media outlets which have been proven to have been on the deep state payroll. Zelenskyy's argument has been that they tried a ...
