Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Shannon

[shredmonster]

I ordered a custom PC1 last August. I have made several changes to it including changing to a Demon body style, scalloping the 22 - 24th frets, headstock change, elimination of scarf joint in the neck, tiger burst orangish brown color with shaded edges on the body.

Over the past week I contemplated and decided to go with two humbuckers instead of H-S-S.

My dealer called today and actually spoke with Mike Shannon who happened to be getting ready to route the pickups on the body today.

Talk about perfect timing! Lucked out I guess.

Guitar is supose to be ready in June.

I will post pics when I get it.

[dinkyjacksonman]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Shannon

Can't wait!
PC1 to Demon Body?
That's a lot of changes
[img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[shreddermon]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Shannon

With all of those spec changes, the custom shop guys have got to be loving you. Bad form, my man. Bad form. [img]/images/graemlins/nono.gif[/img]

[VinceV]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Shannon

I have to agree. I'm suprised they haven't told you to blow, make up your mind and call back when your ready. Your not talking about a color change, you have completely changed your order, several times.

[neilli]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Shannon

I haven't change my specs at all (and have no intention of doing so!) so with any luck, mine shouldn't take too long, unless people changing their minds affects other orders!

[shredmonster]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

Well by "changes" I meant alterations based on the PC1 that I originally requested when I turned in my custom shop order at that time.

"Changes" as in I took a PC1, decided what I wanted different and turned it in as a custom shop order. Sorry I was not clear on this.

I made only 2 total changes SINCE I turned in my original custom shop order is what I was trying to say

- body style - which I changed about 3 months ago
- and pickup configuration which I changed today.

The guitar was not even being built yet when I turned in a change on the body style.

I did not even know what a Demon was really or I would have ordered it off the bat. I had not ever seen one and had to have that body style - which I requested a reverse Demon by the way so the larger horn is on top and lower horn on the bottom.

Thanks to a custom shop limited run thread on this forum I happened accross this body style.

The pickups are a different story though.

Nothing so far has changed the timing of my order though because it was suppose to be here in June anyway.

[shreddermon]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

Well, that may be slightly better than the original description. Nonetheless, changing the body style and PU layout are both MAJOR spec changes.

I'm not trying to give you a hard time here, but that is normally frowned upon. And, IMHO, it should be. Unless there's some significant error or miscommuniction (i.e., you spec'd something special, but it was interpreted incorrectly and not caught until later, etc.), normally they won't allow changes to custom orders once they've been placed. I'm surprised the custom shop didn't flat out say "no".

And, yes, every time you change a spec, it adds time to both your order, as well as others'. It may not seem like a lot for one person's guitar but, if a lot of folks do that, it all adds up. Keep that in mind.

[nor]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

How many other shops would even consider spec changes?
I think it's cool as hell the boys from Corona go the extra mile for us.

[shredmonster]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

[ QUOTE ]
How many other shops would even consider spec changes?
I think it's cool as hell the boys from Corona go the extra mile for us.

[/ QUOTE ]

My point exactly.

First of all, its not big deal to change a work order. Any smart business person would not get upset over that and lets face it - this is a business we are talking about here.

The body change was made on the work order before the guitar was even being built or the wood picked out. No big deal.
As I said, had I know there was a Demon I would have ordered it initially.

Now the pick up change is another story. I did not expect them to change that myself after the guitar had been started. And I would not have blamed them either. I figured I was too late on that but I asked anyway.

But they did change it. No complaints, no gripes.

I think that is so cool and that will keep me coming back as a customer. And that is the point I am trying to make here.

Any company who acts and thinks like they are a bunch of primadonas are eventually going to pay the price for it and some of the comments here are typical of why most businesses fail. Its that attitude of the owners who don't put the customers first.

In business you have to be flexible - WITHIN REASON.

[Newc]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

Speaking from the manufacturing standpoint, I agree that changing the order prior to production is not as big of a deal, it's cancelling one order and replacing it with another order that screws everyone else up.
But I can see Shreddermon's point as well - it's indeed a stroke of luck that you were allowed to change the body style once the order had been submitted (though I can't understand why you'd want a reverse Demon, it's basically a Soloist/Collen Archtop that way), but then if the order had been close to being worked on, Jackson would probably have set it aside until they were sure you made your mind up.

I doubt your changes will be reflected in anyone else's order.

[shreddermon]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

[ QUOTE ]
Any company who acts and thinks like they are a bunch of primadonas are eventually going to pay the price for it and some of the comments here are typical of why most businesses fail.

[/ QUOTE ]

[img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

So THEY would be primadonnas because YOU can't make up your mind, and expect them to be willing to change your order at any time? ...Come one, dude! Who's really the primadonna in that scenario?

Again, I never said they shouldn't be flexible within reason. But - with very limited expections - once an order is placed, it should be "locked in". And if you expect a company to do otherwise, that is not being a "reasonable" customer.

And, going out of business? Dude, get a clue. J/C has more than enough business than they can handle, so worrying about losing a flighty customer or two that can't make up their mind is probably not too high on their priority list. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] And, sorry, but your "bad reputation" argument is bogus. Most reasonable folks would NOT agree that denying multiple changes to custom orders is "bad business" done by a company with an "attitude". [img]/images/graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]

Again, man, I'm not trying to give you a hard time. No hassle or malice intended here. With all due respect, just trying to give you a more reasonable perspective on the issue.

[Zerberus]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

[ QUOTE ]
...
I doubt your changes will be reflected in anyone else's order.

[/ QUOTE ]
We´ll find out when someone else that ordered a PC-1 also gets a reverse Demon in 12 months [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[shredmonster]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

[ QUOTE ]
So THEY would be primadonnas because YOU can't make up your mind, and expect them to be willing to change your order at any time? ...Come one, dude! Who's really the primadonna in that scenario?

Again, I never said they shouldn't be flexible within reason. But - with very limited expections - once an order is placed, it should be "locked in". And if you expect a company to do otherwise, that is not being a "reasonable" customer.

And, going out of business? Dude, get a clue. J/C has more than enough business than they can handle, so worrying about losing a flighty customer or two that can't make up their mind is probably not too high on their priority list. [img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img] And, sorry, but your "bad reputation" argument is bogus. Most reasonable folks would NOT agree that denying multiple changes to custom orders is "bad business" done by a company with an "attitude". [img]/images/graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]

Again, man, I'm not trying to give you a hard time. No hassle or malice intended here. With all due respect, just trying to give you a more reasonable perspective on the issue.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well I guess we'll have agree to disagree on this point. To me changing a work order before the anything takes place is not expensive, time consumer or any big deal in my book. I am in sales and I deal with customers all day long and these things happen.

The reality here is that it did not cause any hassle and Jackson did it. It did not slow anything down or cause any other custom orders to be slowed down.

Would you have the same perspective if I were to completely cancel my order and order something else? That would be the only alternative. You think that would all take less time than the way I did it?

Like I said I would not have expected them to change the pick ups but they were nice enough to do it. So that is not an issue here because they could have said no and I would have been happy anyway.

And the body style was changed a long time before they started construction.

I am not saying I would do this each time I ordered a guitar but I am the one spending a lot of money here not you and I became aware of a preferable body style. If they would have not changed it I would have simply cancelled my order and reordered. The wait would have been no big deal to me in doing it that way.

So in the end what is the difference here - nothing. Either way this guitar would have gotten built and the "argument" comes down to precedure in the end.

And as a tangent large businesses go out of business every day with plenty of customers. Ever hear of Enron? Worldcom? Aurthur Anderson?
It can happen and does happen over night in the real world.

My point is that a business should be customer focused to maximize profits and stay competetive.
Thats basic business my friend. The day you start thinking your are infallable you put yourself at risk.

A lot of people on this forum have complained about Jackson not being customer focused, not endorsing artists, etc...

Here I am trying to say the people at Jackson are good guys and I am getting ripped for changing an order that in the end has not caused anybody any problems.

[sevser]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

Whats the problem?

So they had to grab a different template. If they said okay then there obviously isn't a problem.

If a person can't change their mind before production some things wrong. A customer should be allowed to be a prima donna to a point anyhow.

You guys are acting like he insisted they scrap a body and start over again. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[hippietim]

Re: Custom Body Being Worked on Today by Mike Sha

Customers have no right to be such prima donnas when ordering from Jackson. After all, these custom guitars are very affordable and they turn these guitars around very quickly. It's not like you have to pay 1/3 or 1/2 of the money ahead of time and sit around waiting for months or years before you get your guitar.