Custom Instruments
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The Process

Standard Instruments

All custom instruments are GUARANTEED to excel in workmanship and materials. Electronic options feature high quality K&K Sound, Shadow, and Mi-Si pickups and preamps. Note that these are HAND MADE instruments, made entirely from scratch to your exacting specifications. If you don't like the occasional tool mark then these instruments are not for you. I use no assembly line techniques or computer aided machining. Every instrument is totally made with common workshop tools as well as a few very specialized Luthier's tools.

I have "standard" instruments I can build for you as follows:

Instrument/Model No. Description Base Price (Free Shipping to Continental USA)
Dreadnought SS-RW
(Photo coming soon)		 AAA grade Sitka Spruce top, AAA grade Indian Rosewood sides and back, Mahogany neck, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Paua rosette. $1,800
Dreadnought SM
(Photo coming soon)		 AAA grade Spruce top, AAA grade Mahogany sides and back, Mahogany neck, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. Paua rosette. $1,300
1952 Fender "Telecaster" style electric solid-body FTS52


Natural finish, gloss on Southern Swamp Ash. Click for larger image...

 Base model: Hand-picked Southern swamp ash laminated body, maple neck with choice of walnut, rosewood, or maple fretboard. Your choice of body and pick guard color. Other body woods available (see below). Kluson style vintage tuners (reproduced by Gotoh) are standard, other tuner options are available on request. Three types of necks available - standard/vintage, vintage modern, and "Pro" premium (see the PDF document link for complete descriptions of these choices). Genuine Fender parts (knobs, bridge, switches, pots, pickguards, pickups, etc.). Your choice of pickguard color and lamination count from the standard pickguards offered by Fender. Modern Wilkinson and Gotoh bridges are also available. Vintage bridge options have three brass, un-plated, un-grooved saddles, several other saddle configurations available. Fender Mod Shop Samarium Cobalt Noiseless (SCN) pickups, other pickup choices (i.e. Fender original vintage non-hum cancelling, Seymour Duncan, etc.) on request. Pickups and controls are hand-wired. Body cavities are hand-lined with grounded copper foil to help reduce any 60-cycle hum from vintage pickups and other electrical interference. Hard side case with plush liner included.

Great alternative to an American Fender "Vintage Telecaster" that sells for well over $1,800. Looks and plays like a Fender, but sports the J.W. Bosworth signature logo on the headstock - your guarantee of quality and incredible attention to detail. Body is based on Fender's original Tele blueprints. Dimensions will be similar but not exact. And I can experiment...

Other Telecaster and solid body designs are available. I love building these guitars. Design your own - tell me your ideas...
 
How about an all Indian Rosewood Tele like George Harrison's? Base cost is $2,500 (click to enlarge photo). Quality rosewood in billets large enough to make an electric guitar are rare and expensive. Thus, base cost is for a two-piece body. Quality one piece bodies are available but at a significant cost differential. Standard (Vintage) Fender bridge
with brass saddles		 Wilkinson bridge
with proprietary brass saddles		 New! Gotoh Modern Bridge

Click here for a complete description of custom Telecaster options (Adobe Acrobat Reader required - PDF file)

 $1,650
4 or 5 String Semi-hollow Bass Ukulele

 AAAA grade Hawaiian big island Koa body, sides, and back, Koa neck, Rosewood fingerboard (fretted) and bridge. Shadow SH-064 or 065 piezo bridge pickup, Mi-Si Align batteryless preamp and EQ. Hipshot Ultralite tuners, Pahoehoe poly strings. 23.5" scale length. Carbon fiber "T" -shaped truss rod (see below). No rear access plate required since the Align preamp uses a NASA designed "Supercap" to store energy. You never need to replace a battery.

This uke is based on the Road Toad semi-hollow bass pictured left. I am currently building a 5 string bass uke on spec - it and the "Bullfrog" bass pictured below are significant design departures from the RT model. The spec model will look somewhat similar to the RT with an outstanding set of curly koa from the Big Island of Hawaii. The body will be curly koa and it will have a curly koa and Gabon ebony laminated neck. The one shown below was made of waterfall Bubinga, Jatoba neck, and Cocobolo, Padauk, and Yellowheart headstock veneer with a "Bullfrog" theme to the body design and amenities. The fretboard is Madagascar rosewood. Pictures of the uke in progress and when completed are below.

Note: The 5-string will be about $250 higher. Other woods can be used to build this ukulele and may increase the price. Ask for the wood you want. I use only AAA or AAAA Luthier grade tonewoods in my customs as there is no point in putting the time and money into these instruments and use lower quality wood. My suppliers hand-pick the woods I cannot pick myself to my exacting specifications. These instruments are intended to last a lifetime and, as we all know, usually you get what you pay for. I won't compromise on the quality of them.

Recently completed "Bullfrog" 5-string bass ukulele.

Owner's comments:
Aloha. All is well. The A.E.R. AMP-ONE exceeds its reputation and sets a new standard for amp performance. With its 10 db boost at 55 Hz; on-board compression, "Color" and "Frequency" controls, the signal shape is adjustable, expressive and awesome! It makes the Bullfrog stand out, bright tenor highs along with unbelievable bottom expression. I am playing with it and learning its dimensions. Now I can go out with it. I will look for opportunities to display the Bullfrog's features and provide you feedback.

Z. H., Kauai, HI

Photos:
 


  
Cocobolo Bridge, SH-065 Piezo Pickup.
Before and after view  with a channel routed for the Shadow SH-065 pickup. This was shaped from a photo of an antique iron potholder that the client sent.
The German made Shadow pickup has 5 separate piezo crystals - one for each string. This will connect to a Mi-Si batteryless preamp with volume, treble and bass controls and out a switch jack. 


Bridge with the Shadow pickup in the slot temporarily mounted on soundboard
 

Mahiole headstock with Hipshot tuners installed. When the strings are added it will be a little crowded up there.  It could be a little wider. The Madagascar rosewood fretboard has not yet been oiled and the flash makes it look lighter than it is. It  and the ebony nut will darken considerably 

Bullfrog bass strung with black Pahoehoe strings.
String and fretboard close-up. Fretboard has its first coat of Behlen fingerboard oil.

Bridge detail. Shadow SH-065 pickup in place.
Mahiole headstock with strings on HipShot Ultralite tuners. A LOT of tension in a very small area!

$2,600
Tenor Ukulele UT-S AAA grade Englemann Spruce top, AAA grade Sapele sides and back, Sapele neck, Ebony fingerboard and bridge. 17" scale length. Paua rosette. Premium Gotoh geared tuners, gold w/amber knobs). Your choice of headstock veneer. Hard side case included. Tweed case available. Add a K&K Sound Twin Spot active bridge pickup with a PrePhase preamp for just $250. $850
Tenor Ukulele UT-OM AAA grade Englemann Spruce top, AAA grade Oregon Myrtle sides and back, Sapele neck, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. 17" scale length. Paua rosette. Premium Gotoh geared tuners, gold w/amber knobs). Your choice of headstock veneer. Hard side case included. Tweed case available. Add a K&K Sound Twin Spot active bridge pickup with a PrePhase preamp for just $250. $950
Tenor Ukulele UT-PF AAA grade Englemann Spruce top, AAAA grade Pau Ferro sides and back, Sapele neck, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. 17" scale length. Paua rosette. Premium Gotoh geared tuners, gold w/amber knobs). Your choice of headstock veneer. Hard side case included. Tweed case available. Add a K&K Sound Twin Spot active bridge pickup with a PrePhase preamp for just $250. $1,000
Tenor Ukulele UT-SW AAA grade Englemann Spruce top, AAAA grade Sri Lankan Satinwood sides and back, Sapele neck, Rosewood fingerboard and bridge. 17" scale length. Paua rosette. Premium Gotoh geared tuners, gold w/amber knobs). Your choice of headstock veneer. Hard side case included. Tweed case available. Add a K&K Sound Twin Spot active bridge pickup with a PrePhase preamp for just $250. $1,100
Cigar Box Ukulele

Carpathian Elm Burl Headstock
As a result of a collaboration between Charles Zuber, Kala Ukulele, and me, I am now offering custom-made, one-of-a-kind cigar box ukulele. Charles is a very talented uke customer of mine who works in a tobacco shop in Manhattan, NYC. These are his idea. He's sent me some very cool cigar boxes - the good kind, made of mahogany and other quality wood with excellent joinery and interesting designs. By special arrangement with Kala, I acquire their well-crafted mahogany necks, rosewood fretboards, and quality geared tuning machines to assemble to the cigar boxes. The neck is joined to the box with glue and stainless steel screws. Polished rosewood bridges come from Stewart MacDonald Luthier's supply. Stainless steel bridge screws are hidden by paua abalone dots from Australia. Saddles are genuine bone. The headstock is overlaid with hand-selected  exotic wood veneers such as Carpathian elm burl, padauk, and bloodwood. Your choice of Aquila or Worth strings. High-end Gotoh or Grover tuners are also available for $55 additional. The ukes will be principally sold at the Manhattan tobacco stores and are available direct from me on a limited basis.

Note that prices may vary depending on the quality and rarity of the cigar box. Some very "pretty" boxes may not lend themselves to becoming a ukulele at all. It takes a while for Charles to collect and send me just the right cigar boxes and then I build each uke by hand. So be prepared for a wait (though not as long as a scratch built instrument). Contact me to place an order and be sure to read the Process section to understand how to order my custom creations.

I've discovered that cigar boxes that have thick tops will require a PrePhase preamp if you choose to electrify it, otherwise the pickup sound will be significantly muted. I'll let you know if the box I use for your ukulele will need it.

 Tenor size cigar box uke: $295
$390 for an electric version with K&K Sound Twin Spot piezo
under-bridge pickups and a strapjack.
K&K Sound PrePhase switchable phase preamp installed for $90 more. The PrePhase virtually eliminates feedback when playing through an amplifier and boosts the volume and tone of the Twin Spot pickups.

Concert and Soprano size: $270
$365 for a K&K Sound Twin Spot electric version.
"Gray Squirrel" Hourglass Mountain Dulcimer DULC-H AAA grade solid northern cherry or black walnut (specify). Standard scale length. Ask about special customizations on all dulcimers, such as headstock designs and binding/inlay. Add $30 for black walnut. Add a K&K Sound Pure Classic passive soundboard pickup for just $200. $600
"Gray Squirrel" Teardrop Mountain Dulcimer DULC-T AAA grade solid northern cherry or black walnut (specify). Standard scale length. Add $30 for black walnut. Add a K&K Sound Pure Classic passive soundboard pickup for just $200. $550
"Gray Squirrel" 6 String Hourglass Mountain Dulcimer DULC-H6 AAA grade solid northern cherry or black walnut (specify). Standard scale length. Add $30 for black walnut. Add a K&K Sound Pure Classic passive soundboard pickup for just $200. $750
"Gray Squirrel" 6 String Teardrop Mountain Dulcimer DULC-T6 AAA grade solid northern cherry or black walnut (specify). Standard scale length. Add $30 for black walnut. Add a K&K Sound Pure Classic passive soundboard pickup for just $200. $700
K&K Sound Electronics:  

Custom Instruments

Custom instruments can be ordered via email or phone (email first). I have access to a very wide variety of tonewoods, some of which I have in my own personal inventory, others I can order. All tonewoods are minimum AAA grade. As a sampling, I currently have several beautiful dreadnought-size, bookmatched sets of German Spruce tops that are over 50 years old. I also have some 1950's Koa laminates that have some exquisite figure.  These would be best suited to the construction of a tenor ukulele. The laminate base is maple, so the tonal qualities are almost exactly the same as solid Koa, but without the cost. On-hand stock also includes high-grade, nicely aged Oregon Myrtle, Pau Ferro, Satinwood, Jatoba, Bubinga, and Sapele (see pictures below) and is subject to change.

Wood choices (other woods on request):

Standard wood:
  • Honduras Mahogany
  • Select Hawaiian Koa
  • Oregon Myrtle
  • Primavera
 Premium wood
(top, back, sides) :
  • Curly Koa
  • Curly Mahogany
  • Curly Myrtle
  • Curly Walnut
  • Figured Mahogany
  • Curly Primavera
  • Yellow Cedar
 Premium  wood
(back, sides):
  • Purpleheart
  • Cocobolo Rosewood
  • Figured Maple
  • Bubinga
  • Jatoba
 Superior wood
(top, back, sides):
  • AAA Curly Koa
  • Curly Mango
  • AAAA Oregon Myrtle
  • Kauri
    (50,000 year-old wood
    perfectly preserved from
    bogs in Australia)
 		Soundboard wood:
  • Sitka Spruce
  • Engelmann Spruce
  • Curly Redwood
  • Western Red Cedar
  • Yellow Cedar (A Cypress)

Headstock Veneer:

  • Cocobolo
  • Bloodwood
  • Bocote
  • Lacewood
  • Maple
  • Select Hawaiian Koa
  • Myrtle
  • Sapele
  • Walnut
  • Purpleheart
  • Rosewood
  • More on request...
 "Telecaster" body wood:
  • Alder
  • Basswood
  • Black Korina
  • Maple
  • Mahogany
  • Poplar
  • 2 or 3 PC Indian Rosewood
  • Southern Swamp Ash
  • Walnut

(Inquire for pricing on
these woods)

 

Pricing Options:

Premium Wood $100
Superior Wood $150
Other premium wood Market
Laminated neck (based on wood choices) $30-$100
Cantilevered fretboard (increases soundboard resonance) $75
Custom designed headstock $100
Wood binding top & back w/ BWB fine line purfling $75-$100
Plastic binding top & back w/ BWB fine line purfling $60-$70
Wood purfling (top or back) $40-$50 ea
Back Stripe $30
Abalone purfling (top or back) $135-$200 ea
Hardwood rosette $30-$40
Floating soundhole rosette $60
Bound fretboard $40-$50
Custom tuner options (call or e-mail) TBD
Wood bridge pin w/ Abalone or MOP dot (each) $3
Custom inlay or laser etching (price to be determined) TBD
Lacquer satin finish STD
Lacquer high gloss finish $150
5 string model (ukulele)- std tuners (add) $50
5 string model (bass)- std tuners (add) $100
6 string model (ukulele)- std tuners (add) $100
8 string model (ukulele)- std tuners (add) $200
K&K Sound, Shadow, L.R. Baggs Electronics/Pickups - Passive (specify) $75 and up
K&K Sound, Shadow, L.R. Baggs Electronics/Pickups - Active (specify) $175 and up

Contact me for more information or to customize specific features. For example, see the Rosettes page...

The Process

My desire is to build instruments one at a time and to the highest possible standards. The most satisfying part of the work is to bring out each instrument's individual character. Building this way takes a tremendous amount of time, but the results are worth it. I do NOT use assembly line production methods. Everything is made or fitted by me, exactly as you order it.

To Place an Order

I require a refundable (see note below) deposit of $500 at the time an order is placed. This locks in your price and locks in your place in the schedule. All target dates are approximate and subject to unforeseen delays. Typical wait times based on my current schedule and project complexity are 8 to 10 months. The deposit is for purchase of a spot on the build list (see Right of Refusal below). The deposit must be made with PayPal, cashier's check, or cash.

In some instances I will require more for a deposit. Some exotic or rare woods or custom inlay will require an additional up-front deposit. It usually works out to approximately 20% of the full price of the instrument.

Since building instruments one at time can create cash flow issues, I reserve the right to ask for up to half of the balance due at the time the finish work begins.

Note: Refunds are based on how far I am into your project. Allow up to 30 days to receive the refund. The following table explains the refund scale:

Condition:

Percentage of Deposit Returned:
Within 10 days of placing order 100%
Project not started but on the build schedule 95%
Tone woods purchased 75% less tonewood cost
Construction begun 50%
Ready for finish application 10%
Completed 0%

To receive your instrument: I will accept payment in full by PayPal, cashier's check, or cash before shipping.

Right of Refusal: If the instrument you ordered is not satisfactory, you have two business days in which to contact me and return it for refund. Upon my receipt of the instrument in the same condition as it left my shop, the purchase price will be credited to you and will be refunded in full upon sale of the instrument to another customer. As with all rules, this one does have some no-brainer exceptions: Special orders (inlay, unusual combinations, neck/body shapes, and/or scale lengths) will be NOT be returnable.

Tone Wood Samples (click picture for larger image):

Jatoba (South American/
Brazilian Cherry)		 Waterfall Bubinga Sapele Mahogany
Jatoba is an exceptionally hard and dense wood. It dulls steel tools rapidly. This wood will be used as a substitute for now scarce Koa since its grain and color is very similar. The hardness allows for a slightly more ringing tone than Koa. Jatoba is an exclusive to my instruments - not found elsewhere. Bubinga has qualities very similar to both Rosewood and Mahogany. It is popularly used for backs and sides as well as necks and bridges. The figure in this piece is quite beautiful up close and the color is a rich, dark rose.

Lexus uses this wood for interior trim in its high-end luxury cars.

 Sapele, from Africa, is also frequently used for backs and sides as well as necks and bridges. It is an affordable substitute for Honduran mahogany. This piece has very distinctive grain and color.

Cadillac uses this wood in their STS model.

Note: These images are of the raw wood. No finish has been applied. Imagine what they will look like with a few coats of lacquer...