GF Wants to Purchase Entertainment Equipment

[TheLastEuropean]

Here is the situation and I hope that one of the members here can offer some insight/suggestions.

 

The girlfriendâ??s family is from Issan and sing/dance at those shows held around the area. They perform with the typical shows which many of you may have attended such as weddings, funerals and other celebratory occasions. They have been doing this for years. The work comes in spurts so the income is not steady and they do not own their equipment.

 

An opportunity has come up for them to purchase the show equipment consisting of the stage, loudspeakers, mics, electone, mixer and computer full of music. I probably missed some equipment items. With the purchase comes the use of the current show name and the retiring owner will accept phone call reservations/inquiries and pass the info to the GFâ??s family. Of course potential clients will call the GFâ??s family also, but some may only have the retiring ownerâ??s number. Over time all the calls should eventually come to the GF directly. She says that the show has a strong name and getting bookings should not be a problem.

 

My GF told me that the retiring owner called her father and offered the business to him as they have known each other for many years and he wanted to sell to someone he trusted.

 

Anyway, the guy wants 180k baht for the equipment mentioned above and the GF asked me to kick in 100k. Does the 180k price sound reasonable? I am trying to get a handle on the age/condition of the equipment. I am operating under the assumption that the equipment does the job, but maybe 5+ years old.

 

For those who have attended or thrown a party with this type of entertainment, how were the shows, how would you improve them? If you paid for a show, how much did you pay? What did you get? Were you satisfied?

 

Thanks for the help,

TheLastEuropean

[Old Hippie]

Best way might be to find out what it would cost new...maybe ask the GF what it would cost...explain that is might be better to just buy new/better stuff...logic usually fails them, but worth a try...then make a decision...

[Central Scrutinizer]

TLE,

 

By 'kicking in' is this asked as a gift, or as an investment where you will be paid back over time? 100,000 isn't that much, but enough for many to have second thoughts of just giving it to someone. How easily can you afford that? And, is this a long term GF, a new or fairly new one, etc.?

 

It sounds okay to me, but it may depend on the other information you supply and really is one of those things where we say, 'Buy them a fish and they eat for one day, teach them to fish and they will eat forever'. OH's advice is good as well. How much would this same equipment go for new? Age of the equipment, etc. But I do like the fact the family is coughing up 80,000 K toward the cost (if that is truly the cost and not just a smoke screen where the cost is actually 100,000 ,

 

I have no idea of the costs of these singer/dancer shows, but they are very common in Isaan and I see them all the time. Weddings, funerals, birthday parties, going to become a monk parties, etc. And a lot does depend on the 'troupe's' name and popularity.

 

You might want to PM the member Waerth, as he is very familiar with this stuff and may be able to give you some good information.

 

Good luck.

 

Cent

[Privatebk]

Yep agree about the family providing part of the amount.

 

If you could give the details about the equipment it would help, age, brand, models etc...

 

The equipment I bought (as a dj during my studies) cost me around 4-500K bht

and it was simply, 8 speakers, 1 mixing table some lighting equipment etc......

This amount does not sound as being too much IMHO depending of course on its age and the brand.

[pe7e]

You're asking a question that's almost impossible to answer accuractly without knowing the exact nature of the equipment on offer, it's a bit like valuing a car without knowing the model, year or condition. I've seen the sort of equipment you mention in use in LOS and it's not usually top quality, much of it looks home made. On the face of it the price does appear a bit high to me, but if the old guy is passing his business on to you i.e. future bookings, telephone sim card and business name ect, it may be cheap.

Here's what 70,000 bt can buy NEW in the UK, this would be OK for around 200 people outside or 3-400 inside event.

For 130,000 bt This One would suffice for double the above numbers. Again in the UK second prices would be around half the new price on average, I would have thought similar deals are available in LOS since the stuff is comming in from China and is suprisingly good considering the price.

[TheLastEuropean]

Best way might be to find out what it would cost new...maybe ask the GF what it would cost...explain that is might be better to just buy new/better stuff...logic usually fails them, but worth a try...then make a decision...

 

 

Yeah, logic. She actually could not understand why I asked about the age, brand name and cost of the equipment.

 

Thanks for the replies and here are my comments:

I too am wondering about the cost of the equipment and agree that nothing can be judged until I have a list of the equipment along with the corresponding prices. So I told the GF to complete the following task:

 

1 - Get a list of all the equipment with the name, model number and age

2 - Get both the new price and used price of the same or similar equipment and write it down on the list.

3 - Don't forget the price of the stage.

4 - Add up the total

5 - Send me the list of the equipment with all the prices

 

The 100k is not a problem financially but, I prefer some type of payback and I am thinking of asking for 12.5% of the profits. She will split the profits 50/50 with papa and I want 25% of her share until the 100k has been repaid, which I think is fair. If they work hard and keep up the good name they should be able to make a fair profit and improve their life.

 

She is a LT girlfriend, but how long is a piece of string? Thanks for the suggestion on the BM Waerth, I will shoot him a PM.

 

Yep, teaching them how to fish is exactly the idea but, are the fishing folk ready to promote themselves, refine the shows and keep the customers happy. Or will they just dangle the pole in the water and wait for the fish to bite.

 

Her family will get the business name but not the SIM card, the geezer will take calls and then call the GF and ask if the price is ok. She will then agree or haggle for more. In this case I am sort of 50/50 as most people calling the geezer would expect him to answer and take the reservation. If another answers would the caller feel weird(?) Maybe it is an Isaan thing. I will suggest that the GF and the geezer sit down and talk about the typical parties along with the pricing structure so everything is clear. She told me some numbers but I am not sure if she knows or just talking to keep me quiet.

 

Additionally, they should be promoting the band more and more throughout the region. But how do you promote throughout Isaan? Itâ??s a mystery to me.

 

Thanks again guys for the input. Once I know more or if there are more questions I will update.

 

Cheers,

TheLastEuropean

 

 

[shygye]

Well, you have to advertise. Could be by playing at the local fairs, leaving cards/brochures with wedding photo studios, hair salons, etc. Maybe a radio ad spot or a billboard along a busy road.

[farangman]

I threw a party in a village upcountry a while ago with one of these visiting concerts.

 

The stage was actually the flat bed of a truck. The show consisted of two or three singers and about 10 or so dancers and in total it set me back about ten or twelve thousand (can't remember exactly but not really expensive).

 

The villages love these events and it went on until about 4 in the morning.

 

I'll try and dig out some photos and PM you the set up over the next day or so.

 

Cheers

farangman

[David99UK]

Well, you have to advertise. Could be by playing at the local fairs, leaving cards/brochures with wedding photo studios, hair salons, etc. Maybe a radio ad spot or a billboard along a busy road.

 

The Toilets in Nana Plaza :smirk:

 

Actually not a total joke, where else do many (not all!) folk with money to easily blow on stuff like this meet a lady from Isaan and then head north.......maybe even put OP's number up - Farang like talk to Farang.

 

 

[limbo]

Don't be surprised if they don't see the need to get quotes on new material. They may just not do it since it may potentially be a loss of face to the guy who's trying to sell it.

 

Stranger things have happened.

 

A good idea overall though and I think you're doing the right thing with having a clause of getting your investment back.