August 26, 2017
I launched my guitar-building website, www.zeeguitar.com. though I don't really know where I'm going with it, honestly. I'm building guitars but they're all for my own playing enjoyment so it's probably going to be difficult to part with any of them. In the back of my mind there's a nagging feeling that I should and will put some of them up for sale. Will anyone be interested in them? Hard to say. They'd be on the pricey side for an electric guitar just to my cover costs, never mind my time investment. Is anyone willing to spend $2-3000 for a handmade electric guitar? There's other builders out there getting that kind of money for their instruments, I just don't know how mine stack up to those.
I use high end components (tuners, pickups, bridges, and woods) in these guitars and I pay full retail price for them because I don't have any volume to ask for a quantity discount. I'm willing to discount my time considering that, in many respects, I could put less time into the build process if I spent more money on tools that helped make the process more efficient. Sounds a bit odd to offer to charge less for doing more but there are some things I do that are ridiculously and needlessly labor intensive simply because I don't have the workspace and/or am I unwilling to make the investment in equipment that would make things easier. I can't justify charging extra for no value added. At any rate, stay tuned; I'm getting closer to the moment I try to sell a few if for no other reason than it will allow me to keep building and perfecting without blowing the kids inheritance.
On the musical side of things, the last couple of months have brought a lot interesting opportunities my way. I've subbed in a classic rock group, Flatbed Ford - that was a great time - I haven't played that kind of stuff in decades. I backed up a country artist, Renee First, a Grammy-nominated songwriter. I hope to do some more with her (and drummer, Greg Webb). Also backed up a new singer/songwriter, Gordeaux Ricke, in addition to working with Jay Webber, Blue Gardenia, and Apex Explosion band. It's been a lot of fun lately with all the different genre'.
And I'm seriously pondering starting my own thing. I'd really like to do something Jazz-related along the lines of Spyro Gyra, Fourplay, Rippingtons, etc. We touch on this kind of groove with Apex Explosion but just enough to get a taste. I'd really like to sit down to a full meal though. Throw in some updated Coltrane, Davis, et al. Just plain old good listening music with space for the musicians to spread out a little. I wonder if there's a local market and enough venues for a 5-6 piece ensemble doing this sort of thing. If you have an opinion, drop me a line.