I’ve tried to do my best here and come up with some answers to questions I get asked frequently

 

Q: How long does it take you to make an instrument if I want one?

A: electric guitars are built in three major stages, the design phase which entails making blueprints, and wiring schematics, as well as hardware, wood, and body style choices will take around 2 weeks, but if it is a guitar I have built before I can jump right into the construction phase. Construction is all the rough work like cutting, milling, shaping, fitting, wiring and final sanding right up until applying the finishing. Construction usually takes 2-3 months, but is not locked in to those specific parameters. The finishing, and final stage includes applying and polishing the desired finish, attaching hardware, and fine-tuning the instrument. Depending upon the desired finish the 3rd stage can take any where from 1 to 2 months (most of which is drying time). In essence, depending upon your specific wants, a guitar can take anywhere from 3 to 5 ½ months (or possibly more if a design is very elaborate)

banjos are much more straightforward than a guitar and require much less detailing and forethought than a custom electric guitars. Depending upon the construction choice fabrication usually takes around 2 months; finishing time is the same for all instruments.

 

 

Q: Do you ever paint any of your instruments or do graphic art?

A: No I do not. Painting an instrument is one thing I have a lot of problems with, if you use good wood then you should show it off, not cover it up with paint. Many body styles look much nicer when all the joint work is left exposed. For the most part different designs and different colors can all be attained by using different woods. Paint is the hallmark of a cheap instrument; hence I try and show of the natural beauty of high quality woods.

 

 

Q: do you make those all by hand?

A: yes, the only prefabricated pieces on these instruments are the hardware, I start out with a couple blocks of wood and plane, cut, glue, shape, and sand my way down to a finished instrument all by hand.

 

 

Q: can you turn an idea I have into a guitar?

A: Certainly, in fact the first commission piece I did was for a friend of mine who told me he would like a cross between a Gibson firebird and explorer. I whipped up a design on the spot and he loved it. Whether you have a rough concept, or a detailed design I can take what you give me and turn it into a functional practical instrument that matches your desires.

 

 

Q: do you make Gibson and Fender imitations?

A: I try to avoid making anything that is an exact replica of any of the major guitar manufacturers. I think that the industry has kind of gotten caught up in those “cookie cutter” designs that have dominated the market for years. Not to say that they are bad, I actually own a strat, however I am trying to offer some new designs that are a twist on the classics. My goal is to offer custom guitars that are not like all the other cookie cutter “custom guitars” that shops pump out by offering original completely flexible designs that maintain or improve upon playability.

 

 

Q: Do you make acoustic guitars, or other instruments besides banjos?

A: as of now I have not, its one of my aspirations however to begin construction on a mandolin within the next year and perhaps other acoustic instruments after that. I have always just liked the freedom I have with body style when making electric instruments which turns me away slightly from the confines of electric ones.