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#1
04-30-2016, 03:52 PM
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I don't even know what to say ?
There is a sales ad that suggests a builder who charges nearly 40k$ for his guitars uses someone else to finish them, is this correct ?
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#3
04-30-2016, 04:09 PM
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Nothing wrong with that. Do the part you enjoy, hire out the rest. Better utilization of each person's unique talents
 For example, I don't do my own logging or resawing. And I have no interest in working with toxic finishes that require lots of expensive equipment. Instead I French polish, which is relatively safe, aside from repetitive motion stress. But not everyone wants a French polished guitar, so I may end up hiring out some finish work eventually, too. |
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#4
04-30-2016, 04:15 PM
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So the french polish he charges the earth for as an upgrade he isn't performing ?
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#6
04-30-2016, 04:17 PM
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I expect this is about Somogyi. Yes, he has a specialist do the French polish on his guitars. If Somogyi feels another person can do a better job than he on his guitars, I trust his recommendation. I've seen the results and they are spectacular.
Why shouldn't he charge for it? The finisher has to get paid somehow.
__________________
Solo acoustic guitar videos: This Boy is Damaged - Little Watercolor Pictures of Locomotives - Ragamuffin |
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#8
04-30-2016, 04:25 PM
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Plenty of builders get professional finishers to put the perfect touches on their instruments for a variety of reasons- but consistency and health issues are some of the top ones. Or it could be like a well known builder in your area (if your name is significant) whose wife (a good builder in her own right) does all his French polishing. We finish all of our necks in house, but our bodies are done by Tony Ferguson who does the best, most consistent surfaces. It's actually a cost saving for our instruments that we pass along.
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#9
04-30-2016, 04:25 PM
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But in the classical world at nowhere near the the price, makers like Dean,Southwell, Aram, Ambbridge, Gee, seem to be able to finish themselves ?
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#10
04-30-2016, 04:32 PM
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It costs a lot of money to hire out the sort of perfect finish that you expect on a $40k guitar. Even more to French polish one to that level of perfection. This isn't the normal $400-600 professional finish you would get on a $5,000 guitar.
Look at the guitars. Super fancy ornate 3d carvings, super fancy engraving, inlay, and intarsia. And that stuff is all finished with a perfect finish. People are looking these guitars over inch by inch... Many under a loupe. |
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#11
04-30-2016, 04:35 PM
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I'm with Ryan.
I do everything in house except the body finish. I want the best and I know my limitations. Tony puts it on level, perfect and thin. 4 mils and he has the hazmat suit that keeps body and soul together. Does that cheapen the product? Don't think so. You can't beat perfect.
__________________
Kinnaird Guitars |
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#12
04-30-2016, 04:39 PM
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Quote:
__________________
"Dreams are the answers to questions that we haven't figured out how to ask." - Mulder |
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#13
04-30-2016, 04:43 PM
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Sorry guys but if am buying a guitar from X i want it finished by the same guy.
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#14
04-30-2016, 04:45 PM
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Quote:
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#15
04-30-2016, 04:45 PM
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Why the hell could it be a problem? If you buy a car, would you refuse to buy it because it haven't been built by one guy?
I just do my french polish because it is safe in terms of health, and I will send my instruments to a guy at Vancouver for the finish. I won't catch a cancer because one of my customer wants me to finish my instruments... and create a paintshop is expensive, you need some space, and with super toxic finishes like Poly or Nitro, you need industrial equipment. Finisher is a job, like builder, and it is not because you are a great luthier that you will be an incredible finisher |
