Custom Shop turn around time.

[Matt_B]

I just ordered a Carvin today. I'm looking forward to receiving it in about 4-5 weeks. And this is with me specifying the color, type of bridge, reverse headstock, birdseye maple board, etc.

...from a limited set of options which is I why I said Carvin's custom shop is not in the same arena as Jacksons. Yes, you are ordering a custom guitar but you can't get Dimarzios or Duncans, you can't get a 16" fretboard radius, you can't a Strat style hardtail bridge nor can you get custom graphics. By limiting the available options they can decrease the turnaround time. Please don't misunderstand me though. Carvin makes a fine instrument and if the options they offer fit your needs, that's great but it they don't, you need to go with someone who offers almost any option imaginable (within legal limits of course).

[Grandturk]

I'm also willing to bet that the dealer plays a part in the time it takes for Jackson to get around to getting the guitar out the door - i.e. they probably don't treat every dealer the same.

[fullmetalguitar]

...from a limited set of options which is I why I said Carvin's custom shop is not in the same arena as Jacksons. Yes, you are ordering a custom guitar but you can't get Dimarzios or Duncans, you can't get a 16" fretboard radius, you can't a Strat style hardtail bridge nor can you get custom graphics. By limiting the available options they can decrease the turnaround time. Please don't misunderstand me though. Carvin makes a fine instrument and if the options they offer fit your needs, that's great but it they don't, you need to go with someone who offers almost any option imaginable (within legal limits of course).

Oh yeah, I know. You get what you pay for. For example, I ordered a Carvin Bolt Plus. Options I would like, but can't get: 24 frets, Duncans, and different neck profile. However, the price is right, I'm getting a Wilkinson trem, a cool trans teal finish, and the wait is short. So yeah, it's not a Charvel custom shop, and the price reflects that.

[85 San Dimas]

I'm also willing to bet that the dealer plays a part in the time it takes for Jackson to get around to getting the guitar out the door - i.e. they probably don't treat every dealer the same.

its like the Dweezil run mentioned above. if Shannon bumped that run up, then someone else got bumped down (and THAT is how you end up waiting so long). Building guitars for the son of this exec or that, etc.
Peyote parties......

[pro-fusion]

Wasn't the two-year wait for a couple of guitars a dealer payment problem? In other words, there was some kind of financial snafu between Jackson and the dealer, causing a finished custom guitar or two to sit at the factory for many months.

[bombtek]

Wasn't the two-year wait for a couple of guitars a dealer payment problem? In other words, there was some kind of financial snafu between Jackson and the dealer, causing a finished custom guitar or two to sit at the factory for many months.

Not according to the owners. Their stories look to read that it just took that long to get the guitars.

[Newc]

The Dealer Credit issue affects the production models, not Custom Shop stuff that customers order. As I understand it, dealers are extended a line of credit with manufacturers, and from that they order products (import and USA production, for example) and when those are sold, they pay down the debt. When the debt is paid down, they get the credit again, and the cycle repeats itself.

If the dealer isn't moving anything, or not moving enough to pay the debt, they can't order more until they pay it down. Thus you see sales and such.

However, since Custom Shop orders are generally one-offs, the dealer may tell you "half up front, balance due at delivery", because the manufacturer is also telling them "half up front, balance due at delivery".


Some other aspects of the long wait times that have been reported include incorrect build (i.e. Kahler with Floyd nut ordered, Kahler with Kahler nut built, etc), and other similar issues. So the buyer factors all that in with "I waited xx for my guitar", which is correct - if it was first done in 10 months but had to go back for something, and then 4 months later it came back and there was some other reason to send it back, and then another 10 months to get it right before the customer got what he ordered, then it took 24 months (total) to get their Custom Shop guitar.

[sincityskywalker]

I think a year is rediculous let alone 2 years!!! no one knows where or what they'll be doing in 2 years!!! Hell if I had a guitar shop I would'nt even know where my finances would be in 2 years..any wait over 6 months then they need more builders. I could erect a Fucking highrise in 2 years!!!

[ulijdavid]

I will probably get slammed for my opinions on the custom shop stuff, but here it goes...
Do you think Jackson / Charvel cares that much about custom orders? There is a lot of pain involved between getting the specs correct and all of the information is passed through many different people - no wonder things get messed up. Even if they are getting $5000 for one guitar it doesn't seem to be worth it from a business point of view. 1-2 years to make $5000? How many USA selects were made and sold in that amount of time? The custom shop builders probably concentrate on the NAMM show pieces. The custom shop orders in the 80's may have been a necessity - a small up and coming business had to do whatever possible to make ends meet. Anyone else think maybe the long lead time and high prices are meant to actually discourage custom shop orders? Just my opinion.

[atdguitars]

As a dealer I can tell you the dealer credit can work 2 ways.. 90 days to pay or floor plan.. Floor plan is where you get a certain amount of inventory (usually determined by the manuf.) and have 60/90/180 days to pay it off. The quicker you pay it the less interest there is on the purchase. You are basically working off the manufacturers money until day 180. After 180 days you have paid for the inventory in full and you are working off your money. Usually that brings on the sales to move the stuff and clear for more inventory.Dealers would also swap inventory between shops to better accomodate customers. Not all dealers wanted the high end stuff and some dealers in order to get the high end stuff had to take the low end stuff to get it. Gibson/Epiphone does than now.If you want to carry Gibson you have to carry Epi because of the contractual agreements. Alot of times the dealer will sell off the Epi stuff at cost+ to other dealers to keep the "cheap stuff" off their floors and inventory and have more of a boutique store.
Custom shops were as Newc said.. half down and the other half when it arrives. The cool thing is most dealers would allow you to do the half down and break the other half into payments while you were waiting on the guitar to arrive.
I don't know about now days but some of the bigger Charvel/Jackson dealers would order their own custom shops and have them for sale as inventory. Some were dealer exclusive some were just run of the mill CS stuff.
On average it takes me about 6 weeks to get a custom build out the door.Usually 4 weeks at the painter and the rest is assemble time.While the body is at the painter I have time to get everything else together. I dont have 1000 orders waiting so its not a huge deal.I'm also not charging $4k either. I do ask for half down to cover materials since I've been welched on custom orders before. If its just a parts build no more than 2 weeks from arrival to the customers hands and the profit margin is about the same.
A friend of mine has had great success with taking stock charvels and the likes and making them "stage ready" he orders the stock stuff.. does the common mods inhouse and sells them as inventory. He does his own warranty work so if there are any bugs in the guitar its weeded out before it ever hits the bench for mods. As he said... custom shop is way over used so this was his way of enhancing an already good guitar and making them better.

[charvel750]

Let's put this into perspective. In the year 2000, there were 1553 USA made Jacksons. The exact breakdown was as follows:

17 Custom bolt ons
37 Custom JJ's
75 Production bolt ons
15 RR Customs
62 J Customs
5 Archtops
1342 Production neck throughs

Even if the Jackson crew worked 365 days a year, that would equate to more than 4 guitars finished per day! So when you put in an order, it's going to take a lot of time to finish. The actual build time may only be a few months, but until they can even start, it might take a year or more!

[bombtek]

Let's put this into perspective. In the year 2000, there were 1553 USA made Jacksons. The exact breakdown was as follows:

17 Custom bolt ons
37 Custom JJ's
75 Production bolt ons
15 RR Customs
62 J Customs
5 Archtops
1342 Production neck throughs

Even if the Jackson crew worked 365 days a year, that would equate to more than 4 guitars finished per day! So when you put in an order, it's going to take a lot of time to finish. The actual build time may only be a few months, but until they can even start, it might take a year or more!

That's a lot of nice figures, but from what I understand, the CS only does CS orders now. Anything else (USA Selects) is done completely by another crew.

[Dred]

Let's put this into perspective. In the year 2000, there were 1553 USA made Jacksons. The exact breakdown was as follows:

17 Custom bolt ons
37 Custom JJ's
75 Production bolt ons
15 RR Customs
62 J Customs
5 Archtops
1342 Production neck throughs

Even if the Jackson crew worked 365 days a year, that would equate to more than 4 guitars finished per day! So when you put in an order, it's going to take a lot of time to finish. The actual build time may only be a few months, but until they can even start, it might take a year or more!

2000 was a leap year, mate!

[Brian]

After a while you get used to the wait times. It's just the way it goes. It always has been like that.

My first custom in 1993 took 4 months. Second one in 1994 took 8 due to an earthquake in Southern California causing some damage to the paint room. They said the guitar had to be refinished. That may have been the Northridge Quake.

Everything I have ordered from any manufacturer since then has taken 8 months or more. Longest wait was 2 years for a Ken Lawrence custom Explorer.

I have a custom KV on order right now. Placed the order in August 2008. They said it went to paint in March and its delivery date is July 2009. Not sure why painting takes so long :think: , but whatever.

[charvel750]

That's a lot of nice figures, but from what I understand, the CS only does CS orders now. Anything else (USA Selects) is done completely by another crew.

Even so, that's 1 guitar every 3 days! Wow...