Starting a Jazz Guitar Manufacturing Business in The UK

[Archie]

Hey Teeps.

Thanks for the words of support. Sometimes a but of encouragement is all one needs.

Vacuum cleaners and dust extractors are like cars and tractors. Cars go fast and are small. They can't really pull much and have little force in the surrounding atmosphere.
Tractors are slow but can pull a heavy weight and punch a big whole in the surrounding atmosphere.
I suppose to follow on from this somewhat dubious analogy, using a vacuum cleaner would be like trying to plough a field using a car.

I'll show you my extractor and current plans tomorrow, when I get back to the workshop. You'll see better the difference.

[Archie]

Hi everyone.

I’v been beavering away in the workshop for some months now and haven't had the time to catch up with media etc….

Here’s a quick update:

I had a few set backs regarding my dust extractor and then a final set back when I was told two weeks ago that I had to get out of the workshop.
This was looking like the end of the road but I managed to secure another workshop just in time and will be moving again (3rd time in 2.5 years) and re setting everything up in the new place in March.

It's all been rather difficult stressful and frankly heart breaking but that is the way of things. I always knew everything I built at my current location would have to come down at any time.

I will be shutting everything down in Jan, taking it all apart and shipping it and rebuilding in March.

On the bright side I pressed my first plate last week; a reproduction of an Ibanez JP-20 (don't ask lol).
It turned out really well, so I continue with a spring in my step.

I will do a video about it all when I shut the workshop down over the next couple of months. I’ll have more time then to finally catch up with some media.

Hope everyone is well and looking forward to Christmas?

[voxo]

Epic story...best of luck...

[Archie]

Epic story...best of luck...

Thanks Voxo

[Archie]

Here are some pics of my pressing the Ibanez JP20 plate.

Ignore the wood. It’s just some scrap sycamore maple.

This former was made from a 3d scan of the guitar in the picture and reengineered in CAD. I then machined the former on CNC and used it to press several maple veneers using vacuum pressing.
You can see the contours of the top are identical.

I wonder if 30 years ago, Ibanez thought someone would be doing this? The JP20 has been resurrected; history has come back to life!

[339 in june]

Archie,
Did you notice any springback after forming ?

[Heybopper]

Its surprising that Ibanez Joe pass models havent really moved much in price over the last 20 years. I remember going to a private guitar dealer in the early 2000s here in the uk. He had about 7 arch tops in his house, guild artist awards, a fender d'aquisto an 175 and two Ibanez Joe pass models. I chose the 175 as it was £1000 and thats all I had but I think the Joe Pass ones were about £1600. There are two on reverb at the moment at under £2000. Ive never played one. I dont like the cutaway shape or the daft f holes but I bet they are really good guitars.
For advertising ideas I would find out all the universities in the UK that do Jazz guitar and put up a poster in the halls. Best of luck with it all ill keep my eye out for updates

[Archie]

Archie,
Did you notice any springback after forming ?

Yes and no.

I think there are 3 concerns here.

1) The glue used must be stiffer, so a pva type would likely cause some spring back as it is soft. An epoxy will be better.
2) The grain orientation will help create opposing forces.
3) Thickness of the veneers in the stack.

On this pressing the top collapsed but was due to the veneers being all orientated in the same way and book matched. One opposing grain woufl have stopped that.
The horns have retained their shape.
I’ll take another pic of it tomorrow.

So no, no spring back.

[Brian859]

First, good job on the data/analysis. And, that data is what one would expect to see within a process like building guitars. Such as natural variation from one guitar to the next, as well as a noticeable migration of data of a longer period of time. Tool wear, different operators or suppliers for parts or components and what not. When I was in charge of the incoming parts for an the entire truck body, I would often be asked if the parts and body were to print. The parts were 99+% of the tine. But for the body, I would answer if it meets all structural, safety and design requirements, and it looks good, its to print. You can get into this mode trying to chase data where you make a minor adjustment in one place to make everything great, and the next thing you are screwed somewhere on the opposite side of the thing. Sometimes the data doesn't have to be perfect, but just has to be good enough in the assembly.

[Archie]

First, good job on the data/analysis. And, that data is what one would expect to see within a process like building guitars. Such as natural variation from one guitar to the next, as well as a noticeable migration of data of a longer period of time. Tool wear, different operators or suppliers for parts or components and what not. When I was in charge of the incoming parts for an the entire truck body, I would often be asked if the parts and body were to print. The parts were 99+% of the tine. But for the body, I would answer if it meets all structural, safety and design requirements, and it looks good, its to print. You can get into this mode trying to chase data where you make a minor adjustment in one place to make everything great, and the next thing you are screwed somewhere on the opposite side of the thing. Sometimes the data doesn't have to be perfect, but just has to be good enough in the assembly.

Brian thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge. I think you're right.

What I'm trying to do is to set things up, that once you press play, the product just falls out the other end. Obviously a crude way of putting things but you get the point.
Making the guitar is not the most important part. Making the process that makes the part, with repeatability and accuracy in order to create a great component, is what makes the guitar. The guitar is almost secondary.
Your comment is a good reminder however that things aren't going to run like a cookie cutting factory because there are too many variables.
Keep offering advice as I go, I'll no doubt need it and be happy to have it.

[Brian859]

Thanks Archie. I was a little long winded there. What I was trying to convey in a broad sense is dont get bogged down chasing dimensional perfection as you really can't achieve that. From the customer standpoint, they want a tidy, attractive guitar that plays and sounds good for the money they spent. But you already know that.

[Archie]

Archie,
Did you notice any springback after forming ?

I just took this for you.
it’s been nearly over a week since being pressed.