The 8 String "Leviathan"

Doctor J

You just up? If he orders the guitar in 2005... and it takes a year to build... you can see where this is going, yeah?

feylya

Yes, I am just up. Thanks for noticing

Ah, I see what you did there. You added a year onto next year, a year being the time it'll take to complete the year long build, while carrying the annual turnover, carry the one, eh.... Yeah.

Doctor J

A year seems extraordinarily long to build a guitar though... I wonder how many folk are involved in making it?

feylya

Actually, it is quite long, isn't it? ESP take about 8 months and even that's a bit long. 6 months should be about right. The body carving and neck construction should take about 2 months, another 2 months for spraying and buffing and 2 months for electronics, hardware and setup.

Doctor J

Only if a frail old man was making the thing by himself in an isolated cabin in the middle of nowhere and he had to walk to the guitar part shop very slowly.

The only thing that'd make sense was if they had a backlog of orders to get through first. It shouldn't take a year to physically construct a guitar.

feylya

Wittling it out of one piece of wood?

Doctor J

With a blunt spoon


Dunno, I just can't see where the work is that'd take a year. It's not a very unusual design or using wierd parts they don't have in their other guitars.

feylya

It's probably just to cover themselves in case they had to start again or something...

Karl Hungus

It's definetly odd, but I can kinda understand that it could be as feylya says, to cover themselves, even incase of a backlog. I don't know of any guitar that would take physically 12 months, and I'm sure BC Rich could easily fire one out in less than a month if they had their resources pooled into doing 1 guitar.

Still, it's plenty of time to pay it off.

Doctor J

True. Do they offer a courtesy guitar while you're waiting?

Karl Hungus

Nope... But doing some different pricing, the fairly basic 7 String from LGM works out just under €1400, about a grand cheaper than the BC Rich, but that's before I take into account various options I'd want and considering that Jeremy doesn't do neck-through models, which fairly sucks.

Meh, I'd say I'd rather the BC Rich as far as a 7 String would go, and I'm much more used to their guitars. Gah, I know I can afford the deposit for either really, but it's still a lot of money either way, and I want to be sure it's something I'm going to be happy with. Argh.

Doctor J

Can't help you with that, I'm afraid. If money or time wasn't an issue, what guitar would you go for?

Karl Hungus

Easily the Rich.

No, I think I am pretty solid in my notion that the Stealth will be the guitar for me, I'm just grumbling at the moment because 12 months is quite a long time. As for paying them in full now, I don't think there's any way in hell that I'd pay for something I'm not going to see for a year. That is if I had the money up front. I don't.

Maybe I'm getting a little anxious though? It'll likely be sometime in January I can place my order, and the fact is that 12 months is more than enough time to save up, so it's pretty much a reality... I just gotta put in the order and wait. Damned I'm giddy.

Doctor J

Is there a production BC Rich which comes close to your specs?

Karl Hungus

Nope. Not by a long shot, and the fact that the stealth is a custom shop only model is another thing to take into consideration.

Doctor J

Ahhhh I see. Well, there doesn't appear to be a Plan B available here, so it looks like you'll just have to grin and bear it. Good luck to you, sir, we all offer our support and councilling services for what will no doubt be the longest year of your life

I'm waiting on the Ibanez a week and already the tension is killing me


It'll be well worth it in the end, a custom shop Stealth with, of course, your name on the headstock? Yes indeed, many an ass to be kicked with that particular instrument

Karl Hungus

My name on the headstock? Naw, I doubt it, but getting my name engraved on the truss rod cap could be cool.
And jesus yes, it will be one hell of a long year.

Doctor J

You want to get your name on there somewhere... and get the chaps who make it to sign the inside, always a nice touch

Karl Hungus

You think? Hmm... certainly could be an idea. Where inside would they sign it?

Doctor J

Control cavity. I remember the first time I popped the scratch plate on the Ric to find the lads who made it signed inside the routes. I was just so impressed that they sign their work. It's a small thing but it really made my day.

Karl Hungus

Cool enough so. I wonder is it something they do of their own accord, or something I'll have to request though?

Doctor J

Only one way to find out. I'd say they'd be pleased to be asked if they didn't (and they'd make damn sure it was a kick ass guitar if they're putting their name on it )

Karl Hungus

Right, I'll request their names on it when I order it. And my name too, of course.

Doctor J

Of course

Heh heh heh I'm getting excited about this guitar too now, when are you putting the money down?

Karl Hungus

Not sure exactly, sometime in January I'd imagine.

Can't blame you about getting excited either, and you're more than welcome to try it out when I get it. You never know, it could be finished and ready to ship a hell of a lot earlier than the extimated 12 months?

Doctor J

I'd be surprised if it didn't.

Karl Hungus

Well the email from Guitar Asylum said 12 months MINIMUM, which I'm a little sceptical about, but I won't get my hopes up that I'll have it in time for my birthday.

Doctor J

There's no way you can get it from BC Rich directly?

Karl Hungus

Nope, you have to go though a dealer, and supposedly this is the BC Rich Custom Shop policy, nothing to do with Guitar Asylum themselves.

John

This is a very informative thread, I can't believe I didn't read it til today.

12 months seems like a long time to me. I know building a guitar is very precise craft but that seems a bit much.