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  #106  
Old 07-16-2020, 06:48 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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A glimpse of Amrit's Bigfoot guitar. I swear that spalted tamarind looks like stone! Love it!
received_660456801488477.jpg
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
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Last edited by ericcsong; 08-03-2020 at 12:40 PM.
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  #107  
Old 07-16-2020, 11:06 PM
Jamiejoon Jamiejoon is offline
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Wow that is super dramatic looking. Very interesting!
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  #108  
Old 08-03-2020, 12:36 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jamiejoon View Post
Wow that is super dramatic looking. Very interesting!
beautiful indeed!

I'm still drooling over this Ghamar wood. Can't get over it!





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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #109  
Old 09-05-2020, 06:51 AM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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Loving my Bigfoot Mod-D!

I was talking to a friend of mine who is considering commissiong with Karan. I reminded him that when my Bigfoot was shipped, I received it from India in TWO DAYS! I've ordered guitars in the Continental US that have taken longer to get to me!

One thing that I have experienced is once I received a guitar, I have never sent it back to where it was shipped from. I always have my local tech work on it. This is just a gentle reminder of those looking to commission from a builder far away.

Here's another shot of the Ghamar!

FB_IMG_1599310088294.jpg
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D

Last edited by ericcsong; 09-05-2020 at 10:46 AM.
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  #110  
Old 12-08-2020, 08:16 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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Heres an older video I took with some good mics

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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #111  
Old 12-08-2020, 08:53 PM
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That’s beautiful Eric, your Bigfoot Mod D certainly has an orchestral quality to it’s beautiful tone.

I’ve really enjoyed all of your build threads. Thanks for allowing us to come along for the ride!
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  #112  
Old 12-08-2020, 09:14 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SprintBob View Post
That’s beautiful Eric, your Bigfoot Mod D certainly has an orchestral quality to it’s beautiful tone.

I’ve really enjoyed all of your build threads. Thanks for allowing us to come along for the ride!
Can't wait to hear all about your Kostal!
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #113  
Old 01-15-2021, 10:19 AM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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Great to see Bigfoot Guitars mentioned here!

https://luthiers.com/listing/bigfoot-guitars-india/
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #114  
Old 01-22-2021, 04:05 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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With permission from Jason Kostal, this was shared on his Facebook page today:

Part of what I value most about this journey that I am on is not the guitars that I have built, or will build, but rather the incredible people that I have met along the way. A few years ago, luthier Karan Singh came from India to spend some time with me in my shop... learning about how I do things and growing in his own way as a builder. Shortly after he returned home, I was able to introduce Karan to a very dear friend of mine, Grammy award winning guitarist Amrit Sond. Amrit wanted to commission a guitar that paid tribute and homage to his beautiful mother and Karan was not only the right fit for this endeavor... but he created a truly beautiful guitar for Amrit that met his needs in every way.

Amrit wanted to do something to say "Thank you" for the introduction, and today, this beautiful, handmade mallet arrived in the mail from Blue Spruce Toolworks. I have been using Dave Jeske's chisels for years and his tools are truly some of the finest in the world. This mallet is in the same class, and I cannot wait to use it in my own journey... each time allowing myself to think of the very special friendships that I have with both Karan and Amrit and remembering how truly blessed I am to have people like them in my life.

The backdrop is a beautiful set of "The Tree" being made into an MDW for a client of mine, and while the mallet was not used in any way on this rare wood, it was the perfect backdrop... commensurate with the quality of the tool itself, the artisan that made it, and the two incredible artists that collaborated to order it for me. "Thank you" does not even begin to share my sentiments right now!FB_IMG_1611353089630.jpg
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #115  
Old 01-23-2021, 10:20 AM
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Smile SWEET

This whole thread is very heartwarming.

And your guitar is a beauty! Sounds GREAT too...

Thanks again for sharing all this

Paul
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  #116  
Old 02-08-2021, 01:30 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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These pictures of Karan's work popped up on my Facebook. Thought I could share because who doesn't love beautiful wood!

2018 OM in flamed Indian White Cedar (hardwood), and jet black Ebony. Karan says the cedar was harvested in the late 60s! received_190024666232505.jpgreceived_266334444906671.jpgreceived_1306515653053355.jpg
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #117  
Old 02-25-2021, 12:10 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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The freelancer network did an interview with Karan on their Facebook. Here is what they had to Say:

Featuring Karan Singh on this month’s TFN-Featured. Karan is a luthier and is currently residing in Goa. He is the founder of Bigfoot Guitars – a one-stop-shop for custom-made guitars and repairs, check it out at www.bigfootguitars.com. He started it as an experiment to repair personal guitar when he was a training consultant and now has built a full-fledged guitar workshop. Apart from the usual Karan has built instruments using woods like Mango, Monkey Pod, Jackfruit, Spalted Tamarind, Padauk, and Indian cedar. He also loves traveling to different countries in his quest for learning new skills from the best luthiers out there. We are really happy to have you featured on TFN-Featured.

Interviewed by Akshatha Patkar

Let us have a look at what he had to share…

1. Have you been interested in guitars since your childhood?
“I started playing the guitar during my college days at St. Stephen’s, Delhi.”

2. Tell us about your journey from a consultant to a professional luthier.
“I spent 8 years in the consulting space, running workshops on Leadership Development and Team Building for various corporate entities. The job was fun, but kept me traveling for half the month! In 2014 my son was born, and I decided to make a shift, in order to be able to spend more time at home. A few years prior to this, I developed an interest in repairing and making guitars, and over a few months I set up a small workshop in my home basement. By the time I became a father, I was pretty sure that I wanted to give this new line of work a serious shot.
In the summer of 2014, my wife, 3-month-old son, and I went to Ireland, where I apprenticed with a luthier (guitar maker) for several months, building guitars under his guidance. Since then, I've made it a point to head out of the country every couple of years to upgrade my skillset, learning from the masters in places like Canada, the USA, and even the far east!”

3. They say, ‘Practice makes a man perfect’. How has the practice changed your work overtime?
“I think in this line of work, perfection is an aspiration!! Building a guitar involves completing a number of steps with almost zero tolerance for error. It's only when everything is done just right' that the end product is something truly special. There's absolutely no substitute for doing the same tasks over and over again, till it becomes second nature. Over the years, the focused practice has helped me improve my efficiency and speed while improving the quality of the final product.”

4. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given?
“From my ex-boss in consulting days, while I was contemplating my future - "You're only 30, and you seem really interested in guitars. You should go ahead and give it everything you've got. Worst case, if it doesn't work out in five years, you can always come back to consulting!" “

5. Tell us about your experience building different varieties of guitars.
“I build acoustic, classical, electric, and bass guitars. Each one has its own set of challenges and needs to be approached differently. Also, every guitar I build is custom-made for the player, so no two pieces are ever identical. My clients range from enthusiasts to pro musicians to collectors from all over the world, so I never know what to expect! Occasionally there are some really crazy demands, but then I also get clients who challenge me creatively, and I love that. A guitar is simply a tool. My job is to make it feel like an extension of the player, so it's comfortable to hold, easy to play, and gorgeous to hear!”

6. Tell us how you organize, plan, and prioritize your work.
“I'm going to keep this brief otherwise people will fall asleep reading it! I try to maximize my efficiency in the workshop since I work alone. Setting up fixtures for each task takes a lot of time, so I tend to batch process a number of items. For example, I will glue up and prep all the tops and backs for my entire year together, so that they're ready for use as I build in the coming months.
I live in a very humid state (Goa), so I have complete humidity and temperature control in my workspace in order to ensure that the wood stays stable and doesn't warp.”

7. How do you manage to stay enthusiastic and focused during challenging situations?
“Frankly, the fact that I decided to make guitars for a living in a country like India means I’ve prepared myself for a lifetime of challenges!
I tend to lose myself in my work and focus on what is in my sphere of control. If unforeseen circumstances arise, as they always do, I prefer to take time out from work and focus on enjoying time with the family, or travel for a few days. It's way more fun than wallowing in self-pity.”

8. What is the time period to build a guitar?
“Takes me around 3 months to build a guitar.”

9. What are the factors to be considered before building or repairing a guitar?
“The main things are the musician’s playing style, choice of woods for his/her ideal sound, body shape and size, scale length, and what kind of environment the guitar will live in.”

10. What is that one thing that you wish you knew earlier?
“Nothing, really. I enjoy the process of learning, and look forward to soaking in information from anyone who wants to have a serious chat about guitars

11. What message/advice do you want to give to your followers?
“Get yourself a Bigfoot!”

Follow him here:
1. Instagram Page: www.instagram.com/bigfoot_guitars
2. Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/bigfootguitarsindia
3. YouTube Channel: www.youtube.com/channel/UCuaJ4ctXamvdeRIHdsTP0uw

#TFNfeatured

www.facebook.com/thefreelancernetworks
www.instagram.com/tfnofficial
www.tfnofficial.com
Link to TFN-Featured Album: https://goo.gl/CBHCqj

[emoji2400] TFN Enterprise (OPC) Pvt. Ltd.FB_IMG_1614276524136.jpg
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #118  
Old 05-15-2021, 04:41 PM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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Great to see Bigfoot represented by one of our sponsors, TNAG!

https://thenorthamericanguitar.com/c...igfoot-guitars

https://thenorthamericanguitar.com/p...stic-t-2000187
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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  #119  
Old 02-02-2022, 09:10 AM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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Karan working with some beautiful Brazilian! I believe one of them might be going to TNAG!




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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D

Last edited by ericcsong; 02-02-2022 at 09:20 AM.
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  #120  
Old 03-24-2022, 09:24 AM
ericcsong ericcsong is offline
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These two are going to TNAG. Bigfoot prices about to go up!
FB_IMG_1648135354169.jpgFB_IMG_1648135360592.jpg
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Eric

Omega Braz MJ, 2011 Omega MJ Braz Baritone
Ryan Cathedral ABW/Bosnian
Build thread: 2011 Kostal Mod D Brazilian/German
Build thread: 2019 Kostal MDW Brazilian/German
Build thread:2019 Bigfoot Mod D
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