Rick Kelly (Carmine Street Guitars) and my new "Kellycaster"

[joelf]

If anyone's seen the documentary Carmine Street guitars they know of Rick Kelly and his dumpster-diving at construction sites to find wood to build unique guitars he calls 'Kellycasters'. If you haven't, well now I've told you. (And the doc is viewable on YouTube and available for purchase).

So now some personal news and reflections on Rick, his shop and his decency and generosity as a human being:

1. This past Friday I put a down payment on my very own Kellycaster. (Yes, Rick agreed to a layaway plan.) I only tried 2, and it was love at 1st try and listen with the 2nd. It has a maple neck and I think body, 2 pickups, and amplified sounds to die for. And once he sets it up it'll damn near play itself.

2. I've known Rick for around 16-17 years, and happily can attest to what a great man he is. Carmine St. Guitars was, when I still lived in NYC (until 2016) a place to duck into from the street any old afternoon (as was the late, lamented Fat Cat). I could lay my burden down and while away enjoyable hours talking shop with other players and/or trying out various interesting guitars. I still could today, and would, only I live out of town now.

Rick saved my hinie many times in those earlier days, doing emergency repairs as needed and always charging beyond fair prices. (Ex 1: once the male jack input screw and washer fell inside the body (of my Godin 5th Avenue Kingpin). I think I had a gig and no other electric guitar. He expertly fixed it in a jiffy, charging me the non-princely sum of $5---and only after I insisted that he had to be paid. Ex. 2: My 1st Martin was in bad shape with 2 huge cracks and a hole at bottom. The owner of that 'other' W. Village shop that I bought it from got wind of what had happened and, being a well-known and roundly disliked slimeball, gave a sales pitch the wind-up of which was 'So we teach guitar repair, and I'll buy it from you for $50'. [The guitar cost me around $1,400]. I held back from cussing him out and went right out the door to Rick's. He again quickly and expertly fixed it, charging me a mere $60).

He's just that kinda guy---a true friend and mensch, with a heart of gold.

And I'm not sure when he and apprentice Cindy started manufacturing these rare and very great instruments (out of wood oftentimes as much as 200 years old). But now, I'm certain largely b/c of the film, he has a shop full of them. They sell for a little over $3,000 to $4.000 and probably can be shipped. If you can get to NYC and would like a Kellycaster to call your own, do get your hindquarters over there. And no rush either: in-between the 1st one I tried not quite ring enough bells for me and the 2nd rang one ringing every bell in the world he offered to custom-build one for me.

As usual, w/o a hint of bragging, he told me it would take just a week...

[alltunes]

Please post some pictures when you get it. I believe it will also have the benefit of being on the light side. My Danocaster is 6lbs 4oz and very resonant and so comfortable on the gig.

[John A.]

Rick is great. I’ve had a lot of repairs done there. His turnaround time is not as fast as it used to be because he’s so focused on building guitars now, but he’s still a relative bargain.

[ewall]

I believe I went to that "other " W Village Shop and they wouldn't let me try any of their high end guitars "unless you are serious about them". Never went back.

[unstrung]

Not disputing your description, I'm sure he's been (and is) a great friend to you. It would make sense considering you go such a long way back, and he's probably great with his friends.

My own experience with Carmine Street Guitars has left me bitter and determined to never order a custom-made guitar ever again, from anyone. I won't get into the details here because that's not the kind of thing I want to do, but just be warned that not all that glitters is gold.

If you can go into the shop, test a guitar and decide it's going home with you then that's probably the only smart way to get a Kelly.

I will say that they're marketing geniuses, with the documentary and Instagram and all the podcasts they're doing now.

[Hammertone]

...I will say that they're marketing geniuses, with the documentary and Instagram and all the podcasts they're doing now.

...As opposed to the "good old days" when there was no Kelly marketing machine, and you could wait, and wait, then wait some more. But they were cheap. Now, not so much.

...If you can go into the shop, test a guitar and decide it's going home with you then that's probably the only smart way to get a Kelly.

Agree. And it's still a kooky place to hang out.

[unstrung]

...As opposed to the "good old days" when there was no Kelly marketing machine, and you could wait, and wait, then wait some more. But they were cheap. Now, not so much.

You still wait. If you really bug him and remind him of your build constantly it can be around 4 years (for a quoted delivery time of "about 2 years"). A couple of people on another forum, who were apparently more timid, have told me they were around the 10 year mark with no guitars delivered.

"Two weeks" or "one week" is what he'll say most of the time when you ask once you get close to the "delivery date". Believe that at your own peril.

[Dennis D]

Agree. And it's still a kooky place to hang out.

After watching the film and getting the vibe describing wood from Jarmousch's loft, and or Salinger's and Hemingway's hangout, and ( Hendrix 's whatever ), I'll bet that wood has a real ' bouquet' to it..?? : )