Miniature of musical instruments fly abroad<\/p>\n
By Heru Prasetya<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Thanks to making musical instruments in
\nminiature, a business he began only two years ago, Kadir Ngamino
\nnow earns a gross monthly income of Rp 100 million and employs
\n100 workers.<\/p>\n
But if it hadn't been for his decision to marry a girl of this
\ncity, Kadir, born 1961 in Pontianak, West Kalimantan, would still
\nbe tending his small souvenir kiosk in a corner of Batam
\nindustrial estate, where he came to try his luck in 1993.<\/p>\n
He married in 1997 in Yogyakarta where he began selling
\nminiature musical instruments like violins, acoustic guitars,
\nelectric guitars, bongos, pianos, drum sets and the like. \"At
\nfirst I only sold these things. I did not make them,\" said Kadir,
\nwho has a daughter now.<\/p>\n
He added that he used to sell 50 sets of these miniature
\nmusical instruments at Rp 12,500 per set in his house in the
\nPakuningratan area.<\/p>\n
His luck changed for the better when a Singaporean buyer
\napproached him. He ordered 1,500 sets of various models.<\/p>\n
\"He knew my address from my former kiosk in Batam,\" said
\nKadir, who admitted that before running the souvenir kiosk, he
\nkept watch over sandals left by devotees at a mosque in Batam and
\nat the same time sold perfume.<\/p>\n
About the order from the Singaporean buyer, he said that as
\nsoon as he had the order, he went to his supplier to arrange for
\nthe merchandise. However, upon learning that the goods would be
\nsold to a Singaporean, the supplier raised the prices.<\/p>\n
\"This irked me. So I went to the place where the souvenirs
\nwere made. It was at this place that I learned how to make the
\nminiature instruments,\" he said without mentioning the
\nlocation.<\/p>\n
He began by making simple models such as guitars, pianos and
\nviolins. After two years now, Kadir can make about 100 different
\nmodels of musical instruments, including acoustic bass, epiphone,
\nleather drum, double and single bongo, banjo, Spanish guitar and
\nmandolin. Nearly all of these models are made of wood or fiber.<\/p>\n
The wood chosen for these miniature models are baros and pine.
\nSometimes, however, Kadir blends the wood with PVC pipe material
\nor plywood. \"It all depends on what the model needs,\" he said.<\/p>\n
There are three places where Kadir finalizes the process of
\nmaking the miniature models. In Bandung, West Java model
\ncomponents are manually cut from wood or fiber from patterns of
\nthe desired models.<\/p>\n
Then the components are taken to Magelang or Tasikmalaya for
\npainting. After painting, the models are taken to another place
\nin Bandung for assembling.<\/p>\n
Kadir intentionally has different places for the processes of
\nmaking the models to ensure that he gets good quality. In this
\nway he believes that his workers can really master one process.<\/p>\n
\"The result is better than if only one person handles the
\nprocesses from the raw material to the finished model,\" he added.<\/p>\n
All the workers involved in the processes are on his payroll.
\nIn a month they can produce at least 10,000 miniatures of various
\nmusical instruments.<\/p>\n
The workers are paid in accordance with the level of
\ndifficulty of their jobs -- the size and the complexity of their
\nassignments. A worker assigned to turn the raw material into
\nrough models will be paid between Rp 3,000 and Rp 5000 per piece.
\nOne who paints will get an average of Rp 2,500 per piece and
\nanother assembling the pieces will earn Rp 1,500 per piece.<\/p>\n
After all the production processes have been completed, the
\ngoods are taken to the warehouse in Yogyakarta for packaging.
\nKadir admits that making a miniature musical instrument is a very
\ncomplicated job. To make an electric guitar, for example, it
\ntakes 15 steps to completion. A similar level of complexity is
\nalso found in the process of turning the raw materials into rough
\nmodels.<\/p>\n
The smallest size that Kadir offers is 5 cm; a miniature to be
\nused as a key hanger. A miniature model to be used as a house
\ndecoration will be between 15 cm and 20 cm in size. For the time
\nbeing the biggest size is a 40-cm model of a guitar.<\/p>\n
The key hangers are sold for Rp 5,000 apiece while the cost
\nprice he sets is only between Rp 1,500 and Rp 2,000 per piece.
\nThe 40-cm model of a guitar is sold at Rp 30,000. However, prices
\nalso depend on the level of difficulty. It may happen that a
\nlarge model size is cheaper than a smaller model because the
\nlatter is more difficult to make.<\/p>\n
\"The highest price until now is that for a drum set, namely
\nbetween Rp 80,000 and Rp 100,000,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Apart from making models of musical instruments, he also makes
\nsurfboard models. In cooperation with Klaten craftsmen, he sells
\nthe miniature models of Harley Davidsons and those of Bugis cargo
\nboats. Along with craftsmen from Sleman he makes and sells
\nvarious kinds of wooden jigsaw puzzles in the forms of, among
\nothers, balls, temples and cubes.<\/p>\n
Specifically with respect to the miniature models of musical
\ninstruments, Kadir's products are now found in various places in
\nIndonesia such as Semarang, Jakarta, Bali and Kalimantan. The
\nmodels also have entered the markets in the United States, Great
\nBritain, France, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.<\/p>\n
Foreign buyers sometimes send sketches for the models they
\nwant to order. In this way Kadir can develop his products to
\ncomply with the specifications given to him by the buyer.
\nRecently he received an order from Japan for a model accordion.
\nFor this he also received a sketch.<\/p>\n
To develop his business, Kadir bought a 250 square meter plot
\nof land in Yogyakarta municipality. It is here Kadir plans to
\nbuild a small-scale production center for his miniature models.<\/p>\n
\"My only obsession now is to make a miniature model of a
\nmusical instrument which can really be played,\" he said.<\/p>",
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