"From scratch" custom-shops?

[Roland]

Hey there. I'm currently testing the waters on what my 8-string fanned fret design would go for, so I'm asking anyone if you know what custom-shops would take an order for a completely custom guitar.

Here is the design, by the way.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4...edfret81vg.jpg

Already know of Conklin (too expensive), and mailed LGM (they don't take custom guitar orders anymore)

[fettouhi]

Originally Posted by Roland

Hey there. I'm currently testing the waters on what my 8-string fanned fret design would go for, so I'm asking anyone if you know what custom-shops would take an order for a completely custom guitar.

Here is the design, by the way.
http://img369.imageshack.us/img369/4...edfret81vg.jpg

Already know of Conklin (too expensive), and mailed LGM (they don't take custom guitar orders anymore)

Try Christopher Woods.

Regards

André

[littlegreenman]

As far as I know, Conklin is about the only company that has permission to use the fanned fret (novak) system, so they're probably your best bet. I have a couple customers who are waiting on guitars from them, but as you noted, they are pricey, one of my customers is going on 3 years now for his guitar from them as well. As hard as I have tried to be quick in getting stuff finished for people, something is always coming up that slows things down, that coupled with a year of bad time management (entirely my fault) has me way behind schedule, hence the no custom orders right now. But no matter who you go with, be prepared to wait, hopefully in the end it will be worth it
Jeremy

I should reword my comment about conklin and the fanned fret system. As far as I know, they are the only company in north america consistently doing the fanned fret system commercially (other than novak). You must pay royalties as well as be accepted by novak to do the fanned fret system. Those are a couple of the reasons I don't use the fanned fret system.

[gitarguy]

Originally Posted by fettouhi

Try Christopher Woods.

Regards

André

Christopher isn't taking orders right now and the wait time for his work is really really looong.

[Roland]

When you're picking up the custom orders again, will you be building fanned fret instruments as well if they're included as a spec in the order, Jeremy?

[Aris_T]

Try http://www.nevbornguitars.com. Don't know if he makes guitars from scratch but you lose nothing by e-mailing him.

[Demiurge]

FWIW, Novax actually sells an 8-string fanned-fret neck and bridge, so all you'd need to do is have someone make a body (routed to slightly different specs), so that would increase the # of shops you could talk to. Only drawback, though, is that the neck alone is extremely expensive and the headstock is drilled for bass tuners for the lower 3 strings (because it's "Charlie Hunter" style).

[Jim Soloway]

Originally Posted by littlegreenman

As far as I know, Conklin is about the only company that has permission to use the fanned fret (novak) system, so they're probably your best bet. ...

I should reword my comment about conklin and the fanned fret system. As far as I know, they are the only company in north america consistently doing the fanned fret system commercially (other than novak). You must pay royalties as well as be accepted by novak to do the fanned fret system. Those are a couple of the reasons I don't use the fanned fret system.

Dave Wendler from electroCoustic has done a few fanned fretboards and I know that Saul Koll is working on one. They are paying royalties to Novax.

Given the custom fabrications and the royalties, a guitar built from this design would have to be pricey no matter who built it. Even buying the 8-string neck and bridge from Novax, you'd be in for $1860 befor you started building the guitar itself.

I've taken a second look at this design. Assuming it could actually work (I think the scale length differential is probably too small), my guess is that anyone who's talented enough to build it would proabably charge a minimum of $4500, probably more.

[fettouhi]

Wow that much for the neck and bridge alone! What's the benefit of having fanned frets?

Regards

André

[Roland]

Originally Posted by fettouhi

Wow that much for the neck and bridge alone! What's the benefit of having fanned frets?

Regards

André

Differing string tension.

[Demiurge]

Originally Posted by fettouhi

Wow that much for the neck and bridge alone! What's the benefit of having fanned frets?

Regards

André

There's a pretty big dissertation on the idea behind fanned frets on the Novax website. Not sure how much of it is metaphysical buggity-boo, but it sounds neat. The Charlie Hunter guitar is more of a hybrid than an extended-range guitar because of the separate string types (the bass side uses tape-wound strings) and pickups for each set of strings, but it could be finagled in some way.

As silly as it sounds, I've been tempted to buy a cheap six-string bass, swap out the bridge, pickups, do a fill-and-drill on the headstock and viola- 8-string guitar! The nut and bridge widths are similar, but the 34" scale (not to mention the funky fretting on the higher frets with the fretboard tapering) may be a bit cumbersome. Probably wouldn't work, but I'd love to experiment. I have a 30" six-string that goes down to a low G on a .058 alright and my hands are big enough to fret on it, so I'm curious.....

[fettouhi]

Originally Posted by Demiurge

There's a pretty big dissertation on the idea behind fanned frets on the Novax website.

Don't remind me about dissertation I'm handing my in on Friday .

Regards

André

[frankfalbo]

Originally Posted by Jim Soloway

I've taken a second look at this design. Assuming it could actually work (I think the scale length differential is probably too small), my guess is that anyone who's talented enough to build it would probably charge a minimum of $4500, probably more.

Any scale differential "works" as a fan fret, it's just a matter of the degree of benefit. I think starting at 28" may be too long for the treble side, but that's just my opinion. It's a simple enough design that I could do it for more like $3000, but yes, it would take me a long time too. Plus besides enhancing the quilt top, I would farm out the finish.

[Jim Soloway]

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

Any scale differential "works" as a fan fret, it's just a matter of the degree of benefit. I think starting at 28" may be too long for the treble side, but that's just my opinion. It's a simple enough design that I could do it for more like $3000, but yes, it would take me a long time too. Plus besides enhancing the quilt top, I would farm out the finish.

Have you built a guitar with a fanned fretboard yet? If so I'm curious what you used for a bridge?

[Roland]

How about a custom hardtail? Like the regular Ibanez hardtail RG's, but where each saddle sits on its own small metal plate, which you can then put in whatever intervals you like.