You said you don't want to use the word loan. Does that mean you are asking for some kinda partnership?
If yes, what are you yourself willing to pay the investors who will invest in this project?
Will you display all the details here that how much will be possible returns? And if you don't gain as expected, what will you do to payback your investors?
There could be some equity as a thank you at the end.
I`m not sure what would be the solution if there are delays in the project. The only thing i can think of right now if the guitars don`t sell, is sending those guitars to the investors which then become their property until the value of their investment is repaid (dealer price , they dont pay full retail), but I don`t wish the dump a burdon of sales onto them. I`m not paying investors for a partnership, I am providing an opportunity, this market is big (acoustic guitars USA 2015 700M), and the barrier to entry is in composite instruments is huge. We all fall or win together.
There could be a contract where IP is partially signed over to investors if the project fails, that includes the IP of this gutiar model as well as the proprietary production system that can be used for guitars and basses. The thing is that the system much more valuable with me, the inventor in the mix. You could sell it to a large guitar company but they would need to know how to implement it. Even if people invest i can not simply show the proprietary production system, that is all NDA basis if it`s absolutely needed for them to see it. This system allows for a production of 10 units per month per employee. A wooden acoustic guitar builder with comparable quality does about 12 units per year for comparison.
I`m not gonna sign this IP over just like that, this is my life, this guitar model has 3 years R&D and many sacrifices. With 100k, i could guarantee the production of 100 units, but i will not pretend i can guarantee sales. I believe these units would have the quality of a 3000 Euro guitar, and Dutch Luthier would sell them for 2200. These 100 units can be built in 1 year, then the sales process begins.
This is why i want smart money, advice on building an international distribution network as well as online direct to consumer sales. These 100 units would bring in 220k, so the structure is sound, as I said year 2 would be to sell these units.
For now i`m just trying to hear from you guys what an acceptable gain would be, I am still finalising 8 units right now. Many guitar players (including double grammy winner Mark Lettieri from Snarky Puppy) tested 3 units of the Hybrid 1.0 guitar model, their feedback has been incoorporated into Hybrid 2.0, I am now making 8 units of the new generation. Only when that is done would this deal come into play to minimise risk for investors, all the R&D is then complete and the model is then production ready.
I`ll give some more thought to collateral and failsafe scenario`s.
Mark Lettieri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwtUJfN9SaE