Methods

Every guitar we make is unique but it's not just the ideas and the design that makes this happen; we employ a range of different methods to ensure both originality and superior quality.

i. Etching and Design

This one's a double whammy of originality because not only is every design produced in-house by Rich but also no two etches are the same. The method we use is called acid etching and it's a process by which any design can be etched onto a metal surface, we tend to use aluminium or brass, using light sensitive film and an acid solution we make in-house. The nature of this process, however, can yield different results each time. So even after Rich has produced an out-of-this-world design for your guitar the etching process further solidifies a unique look.

ii. Hand-crafted

While we all like the assistance of power tools there are some jobs that just always turn out better when they're done by hand. Consequently, all of our necks are hand-crafted so we can ensure they meet the exacft specifications you require whilst continually paying strict attention to the details.The same is true of our guitar bodies: we can get to the essential shape with the skilfull use of a router, but for the finer points that make that shape unique there's nothing like a japanese rasp or a plane no bigger than your thumb.

iii. Hand-wound pickups

We believe that if you're going to get a custom guitar it makes little sense putting some production-line machine-made pickups in there. All of our pickups are scatter wound by hand using a jig we put together in-house. This process ensures a high quality sound as well as the sound you want. If you're unsure, just have a listen.

P.S. Casting - A little extra note

On one particular build we designed a special tailpiece to be cast from an aluminium ingot. This was a new and exciting process of creation for us which yielded some impressive results. It's a method we might use again in the future if any design calls for it. One thing is for sure, it's safe to say there's only one tailpiece like this one in the world!