The ordering process at Boatright Guitars is very casual. Basically you send me an email and ask for an instrument, I come up with a price, you give me a deposit and I build your instrument.
Instrument Type
I’m a bass player, so I build basses. It’s what I know. Can I play guitar? kinda. Can I build you a guitar? Sure, I’ll build a guitar better than I’ll play it.
Ultimately, you’re going to get a hand-made, quality, whatever you ask for. My attention to detail borders on unhealthy, and while the instrument WILL be hand made and thus prone to inconsistencies you may not get from a factory made instrument, it will be as nearly perfect as I can make it and still get it to you in a reasonable amount of time.
Wood
I try to get my wood from lumber yards that source responsibly. It’s not a perfect world, but I do my best. As far as what wood your instrument will use? Let’s talk. If it’s not something I have stock of, I’ll order some. If you don’t know what kind of wood you want, I can help you figure that out.
Pricing
This is where the rubber hits the road, yeah? Right now I’m a luthier without a reputation. That is to say, you’ll get a deal (this is subject to change). You will pay for your hardware, your electronics, you will pay for your lumber, and you will pay a percentage of the materials for my time.
Time
As I said above, I’m a luthier without a reputation. This means I also have to be a computer programmer with a decent reputation, or I’d be the father of a destitute family with a bad reputation. All of this is to say, I will build you an instrument as quickly as I can. Twelve weeks build time (that’s excluding ordering, though that can usually overlap) is a reasonable estimate for a straight-forward build. The more complicated your order is, or the more it differs from past builds, the longer it’ll take me.
Deposit
I don’t need any more instruments sitting around my office waiting to be sold, so I’ll need some deposit to ensure you’re invested. Deposit will be my time percentage and 50% of any special ordered items. If I have everything you order on hand, then it’s just my time percentage. This deposit will be non-refundable unless the deal falls apart by my doing (I don’t meet the estimate I give you, etc…)
That’s it
That’s all you need to know to start the process. If you want a quality instrument from a straight forward builder for a heck of a price contact me.