Just like every other banjo builder, I have an idea for the way I would like mine to look. I have no desire to look like Johnny-come-lately by building what we have enough of already. So here is my banjo offering. The body is almost the size of most full size banjos. It is 13 1/2" in diameter. I use a resonator cone. This banjo has a 28" string length and a maple body. This banjo is $550 plus shipping. After I sell this one that I have in stock, absolutely every other banjo I build like this will start at $650 plus shipping.
I built this guitar with an ash body. It has a nitrocellulous lacquer finish. I sprayed it with a blue stain that still allows the grain of the wood to be seen. Then, I sprayed several clear coats on top of the stain. The neck is maple with a rosewood fret board. It is equipped with 2 EMG Select humbuckers. Also, it has tone, volume, and a 3 way selector switch. This guitar has strap buttons on both ends of the body, chrome covered machine heads, a good strap, and it comes in a very nice, thick, padded gig bag.
Everybody has their favorite charity. Mine is Life Choices Pregnancy Resource Center. Every year, I build an instrument and sell it for their benefit. This years offering is a solid body electric baritone. The body is elm with a hickory neck. I have my own saw mill, and these woods were harvested locally. I have cured them for several years. This instrument has a 30" string length, twin bass jazz pick-ups, tone, volume, and a 3-way selector switch. At the nut, it has a string span of 1 5/8", a string span of 2 1/4" at the bridge, and a string length of 30". It has an adjustable truss rod in the neck, strap buttons on both ends of the body, a rosewood fret board, and rosewood head stock overlay. Also, I have rosewood strips running through the body. The machine heads are die cast and permanently lubricated. This instrument comes with a strap, and in a very nice, thick, padded gig bag.
Here's the way I work the sale on a Life Choices instrument. I never touch the money. They get absolutely every penny that comes in. The buyer will send payment directly to Life Choices. The purchaser can contact me for their address. Once they have received payment, then I will make shipment on the instrument.
I am selling this instrument for $550 plus $50 for shipping.
But wait, there's more. Dr. Luke, whom I've had the privilege to do some building and repair for over the years, has made an offer. He puts together chord books for various instruments, and here is the e-mail he sent me.
Rick,
I will give 2 free chord books to whoever buys your guitar-
1) Every baritone guitar chord to the 14th fret by Steve Luke ADGCEA tuning
2) Every baritone guitar chord to the 14th fret by Steve Luke BEADF#B tuning
Sincerely,
Steve
This dreadnaught has cherry sides, back, and neck, with a quarter sawn redwood top. It has a 25 5/8" string length, and strap buttons on both ends of the body. The truss rod in the neck is adjustable through the sound hole. This guitar is wired with 2 piezo pick-up that are hard glued to the inside of the top, and they are connected to a jack in the tail block. Also, as a part of the wiring package, this instrument comes with a 7 band Danelectro EQ that is a belt pack. This guitar comes in a nice, thick, padded gig bag, and with a very good strap. I am selling it for $550 plus $50 for shipping.
As with the Rogue guitar I have in this section, this mandolin is not one that I built. I think Rogue is the house brand name for Musician's Friend. As far as the wood work goes, the Rogue instruments are very well constructed. However, they fall way short of being functional instruments. I get these mandolins and give them everything they need. Every Rogue mandolin I've ever seen needed the frets leveled. Also, the bridge, even when adjusted to its lowest point, still leaves the strings entirely too high. So I severely work the bridge over to get the action low. Also, I spread the strings out on the bridge. They come bunched up into the middle of the fretboard. The action is too high at the nut, so I work down the heighth on that end also. I put a strap button on the heel and a piezo pickup inside, under where the bridge is placed. This piezo pickup is the same electronics that are in my instruments that are played by Caedmon's Call and Andrew Peterson. In the tail block, I install the jack. Also included is a floor mounted 7 band Danelectro EQ. I have put this mandolin in a very nice padded gig bag and it comes with a strap. Even though I'm the lowest priced hand builder on the planet, I know that the prices on my instruments are still sometimes out of reach. So if you want a good instrument that is not handmade but will give years of good service and will provide good sound, then this mandolin can be had for $250, plus $50 for shipping. If you're inclined for a mandolin without electronics, this one can be had with everything else that I mentioned for $150, plus $50 for shipping.
After doing a bit of checking on the websites of other guitar builders, I think I've found that I'm about the lowest priced hand builder on the planet. Having said that, I still know that folks sometimes still can't afford the prices I charge. I try to keep something in stock that will be helpful to folks, even if it's not something I've built. Here's one example. This is a Rogue six string dreadnought acoustic guitar. I buy them from Musician's Friend. Most production guitars need what's called a final set-up once you have received it. So, here's what I do to these guitars. I level the frets, lower the action, make a new nut for these guitars, put a strap button on the heel, improve the bracing, put counter sunk bolts in the bridge and pearl dots over them so that the bridge will never come loose, and I install two piezos on the inside of the top near the outer edges of the bridge, and a jack in the tail block that is also a strap button. I have it in a very nice padded gigbag and it will also come with a floor mounted 7 band Danelectro EQ. All this can be had for $250, plus $50.00 for shipping. If you're inclined for a guitar without electronics, this one can be had with everything else that I mentioned for $150, plus $50 for shipping.
If you don't see something here that you are after, it's always okay to inquire and see if maybe I am working on something in between my custom jobs - I generally am. If, perhaps, I'm working on something that you are interested in and you want to lay claim to it before it makes it to this lineup, then you'll be able to make considerable savings.