Custom Shop progress

[MetalHeadMat]

Have we ever gotten a good reason as to why it takes so long? I would think that an experienced luthier could make a guitar by himself in under a week. I just can't fathom why it would take months let alone over a year.

Well I know that glueing the body/neck together takes a long time to dry, they might be backed up on wood a lot of the time, paint has to take a while to dry, a lot of things.

[shreddermon]

Have we ever gotten a good reason as to why it takes so long? I would think that an experienced luthier could make a guitar by himself in under a week. I just can't fathom why it would take months let alone over a year.

Isn't it obvious? :think:

They're a company who makes many custom shop guitars a year, not to mention the production USA Select Jacksons and dealer stock USA Charvels. These are all done in small batches, to satisfy dealer demands for maintaining stock levels. I imagine even full-on customs are queue'd-up, and built together during certain times throughout a year. Not to mention artists' guitars and the usual NAMM efforts. Coordinating with outside contractors for graphic and other specialized finish and/or inlay work. All of these things take time. And they've got like - what? - four master builders, along with other employees.

[SixstringKing]

Isn't it obvious? :think:

They're a company who makes many custom shop guitars a year, not to mention the production USA Select Jacksons and dealer stock USA Charvels. These are all done in small batches, to satisfy dealer demands for maintaining stock levels. I imagine even full-on customs are queue'd-up, and built together during certain times throughout a year. Not to mention artists' guitars and the usual NAMM efforts. Coordinating with outside contractors for graphic and other specialized finish and/or inlay work. All of these things take time. And they've got like - what? - four master builders, along with other employees.

If I'm not mistaken there are only four people working in the custom shop and they do both the Jackson as well as the Charvel custom shop orders. It's a very small section of the facility that they work in and take care of ALL and ONLY the custom shop orders. Let alone the stuff for summer and winter NAMM shows.
For mine, I think the year and a half will be worth the wait! You pay good money and expect the best, right? Don't worry about it it will all come in good time!

[Charlz]

True, it is worth the wait, but the wait sux!!!! I'll tell ya what though, it's not just Jackson... My Abyss took a year to get built too, and I know the guy...(Kevin...) I live 20 miles from him... Sooo... WHY THE WAIT MAN!!!???

[vector]

True, it is worth the wait, but the wait sux!!!! I'll tell ya what though, it's not just Jackson... My Abyss took a year to get built too, and I know the guy...(Kevin...) I live 20 miles from him... Sooo... WHY THE WAIT MAN!!!???

Yeah, the wait sux. Just ask my buddy who ordered a custom guitar from a local luthier and it took 4 years to deliver. No shit. Any and all gripes about waiting from me are NOT received sympathetically on his end-LOL!!!