Custom shop

[kentcarlevi]

I'd like a Axis with Black flame but it's not available as an option on the website.
Can I still order it as a Custom made or how does this work?
Are there 3-4 regular colors and all the rest has to be custom made?
If so, I don't get it..
It's "just" a painting job and a custom made could easily be painted in whatever color the customer wants, right?

 

[fogman]

No.
What you see is what you get.
I would like to see colours of past also, but there are enough colours regardless.

 

[koogie2k]

I'd like a Axis with Black flame but it's not available as an option on the website.
Can I still order it as a Custom made or how does this work?
Are there 3-4 regular colors and all the rest has to be custom made?
If so, I don't get it..
It's "just" a painting job and a custom made could easily be painted in whatever color the customer wants, right?

EBMM does not have a Custom Shop. That has been inquired before and the cost would be tremendous to them to have something like that. As for the color, I'm not sure if that one is still available.

 

[GWDavis28]

Kent, if you look at the amount of options for just one EBMM model you'll see that every instrument is really a custom made instrument. When you order a F*nder or a G*bson, you get what you get or else they trap you with the "Custom Shop" thing. But EBMM's are made the way that you order them, making every guitar/bass custom. They give you a boat load of options and colors. Sure it's only paint, but you have to think they are not a giant mechanized factory turning out pieces of crap. They are hand crafted, quality instruments and better than any F*nder out there.

They change color out that they feel didn't sell as well, smart business move if you ask me.

If you want an Axis in an older paint job, search their database there are dealers out there with NOS (New/Old Stock) you might find what you are looking for.

Read this thread and it migth help you to understand things better.
http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7075&highlight=custom+shop

Best of luck to you. Glenn |B)

 

[jimmyp]

I'd like a Axis with Black flame but it's not available as an option on the website.
Can I still order it as a Custom made or how does this work?
Are there 3-4 regular colors and all the rest has to be custom made?
If so, I don't get it..
It's "just" a painting job and a custom made could easily be painted in whatever color the customer wants, right?

I hate to say this, but here goes... E-Bay is probably your best bet - I've seen a few black Axis and EVH models on there in the last few months for decent money - if that is your dream guitar, be patient and one will turn up. As the other guys have mentioned, the custom shop idea has been nixed many times before on this very forum - best to let that idea drop...

 

[kentcarlevi]

But what I don't understand is why they discontinue color options?
It could be understandable if it was a machine made product line but when all guitars are handcrafted, it just makes no sense in my opinion.
It's all about paint and I guess you can keep the cans for a long time before they grow old.
I can understand the problem of offering different wood and stuff but paint?
Be gentle to me, I'm not critical - just curios.

 

[GWDavis28]

Kent, read this it is from Big Poppa (aka Sterling Ball) it might help you to understand better.

http://www.ernieball.com/forums/showthread.php?t=6245

Later, Glenn |B)

 

[kbaim]

Also, different guitars in the eb line come in different colors. Seems like the Axis models and the Albert have the largest selection.

I once asked what happens if a guitar in a discontinued color is in need of repair, and was informed that a small amount of each color is kept for ONLY that purpose.

 

[kentcarlevi]

I perfectly understand why they don't produce guitars that don't sell but if one of their retailers put a special order and pay in advance I can't see why they can't do it?
The result is just a matter of a can of paint and a huge amount of skills.
Keeping some spray cans of "sparkle black" in case of special orders shouldn't be so hard, right?
I guess they didn't fire the guy that painted sparkles so what's really the problem?

The guitars are all handcrafted so it's all about switching one spray can for another.
Perhaps I don't see the problem cause my kind of art is music, not painting jobs

 

[jongitarz]

*sigh*

 

[kentcarlevi]

*sigh*

I'm sorry if I step on someones toes but I really don't get it..
Could it be that the painting moment is done by a machine?
In that case it makes sense.
Or are the colors perishables and very expensive to keep in stock?

 

[tvanveen]

Do a search on custom shop, this has been discussed quite a bit.

 

[SteveB]

I perfectly understand why they don't produce guitars that don't sell but if one of their retailers put a special order and pay in advance I can't see why they can't do it?
The result is just a matter of a can of paint and a huge amount of skills.
Keeping some spray cans of "sparkle black" in case of special orders shouldn't be so hard, right?
I guess they didn't fire the guy that painted sparkles so what's really the problem?

The guitars are all handcrafted so it's all about switching one spray can for another.
Perhaps I don't see the problem cause my kind of art is music, not painting jobs

Talking about a Music Man guitar finish in terms of a can of spray paint is way off. These guitars have a finish similar to those of automobiles, minus the weather-resistant components. I don't think GM or Ford will paint a car any color you want just because you pre-paid.

Music Man instruments are not 100% hand crafted. The bodies are made by a machine (CNC router), and then sanded by hand. I believe the necks are also machine-made and then hand-sanded. The finish and fretwork involve more of the human touch, but they are also buffed out by a machine.

Sometimes art and the need to make a profit cannot be reconciled.

 

[koogie2k]

Yep. Do a search about it. It really has been beat to death. I understand your curiosity (as we all wonder about things), but quite a few of us have seen this topic come up several times and the same questions are asked AND answered by those in the know.......that, being EBMM themselves.

 

[tommyindelaware]

sometimes..........state of the art is a perfect balance of machine and the human touch................which is what ebmm guitars seem to have accomplished.
c.a.d. can make a pefect neck pocket .........everytime !!!!

Talking about a Music Man guitar finish in terms of a can of spray paint is way off. These guitars have a finish similar to those of automobiles, minus the weather-resistant components. I don't think GM or Ford will paint a car any color you want just because you pre-paid.

Music Man instruments are not 100% hand crafted. The bodies are made by a machine (CNC router), and then sanded by hand. I believe the necks are also machine-made and then hand-sanded. The finish and fretwork involve more of the human touch, but they are also buffed out by a machine.

Sometimes art and the need to make a profit cannot be reconciled.

 

[slukather]

This topic has been dicussed so many times, and it was said by big Poppa (sp?) l believe, the reason guitar companys have a custom shop, is because there normal line of guitars suck. Ernie Balls guitars don't suck, they are well built, you have so many selections of colors etc, they don't need a custom shop!!!!!!!!!

Scott.

 

[OrangeChannel]

Jeebus Kent....

There's no point to argue this considering (and I'm beating it to death) that Sterling (Big P) added his 2 cents as to why they won't have a CS and remove colours from the line....if that ain't from the horse's mouth i don't know what is...and at that point you just need to step back and say...jeez that Carbon Blue Pearl or ButterCream looks sweet!

 

[kentcarlevi]

My intention was not to argue, it's just the fact that I don't realize what the problem is. I'm sure this has been discussed before and I'm sorry if I repeat someone else questions, I'm new to this forum

I've been in contact with a lot of dealers looking for a certain color, even contacted EBMM and they gave me a tip which dealers to contact.
If none of those dealers had the guitar I could make (quote): "a special order" through the dealer (with several months waiting period).

Here comes the part I don't understand..
They can make the Axis according to my needs, BUT with let say, 15 different color options. That is great and the color options are nice!
It's not like I was going to invent the guitar in Photoshop, give them the picture and say: "hey, make this guitar for me", then it would be a real custom shop.
Further more it's not any unknown color, instead it is a color that they have had, and know how to do, if they simply had the paint necessary to do it.
The paint shouldn't be that hard to keep in stock for future requests?

 

[jimmyp]

This topic has been dicussed so many times, and it was said by big Poppa (sp?) l believe, the reason guitar companys have a custom shop, is because there normal line of guitars suck. Ernie Balls guitars don't suck, they are well built, you have so many selections of colors etc, they don't need a custom shop!!!!!!!!!

Scott.

And I've argued before, why do PRS do private stock then? PRS guitars are at least as well made as EBMM but they offer high end customs to those willing to pay. I've said before I don't think EBMM should go this way, butit's worth remembering that not all companies regular lines suck

 

[SteveB]

Kent,

Your question is fair, and I don't mean to come off as being argumentative, so I apologize if it came across that way. It's okay to be new around here!

The business issue is rather simple. At some point it is no longer cost effective to support options that have been retired. Sure, they have the *ability* to re-paint a guitar whose color is no longer available. But the warranty on the guitar is for one year, so they really aren't *required* to be able to re-paint any color that has been retired for some time. (Although I'm sure they can.)

Now, if EBMM decides to retire a certain color today, it could be months or even years before the existing stock at *all* of their dealers is sold off. So the need to retain those colors hangs over the company for a while, but eventually there comes a time when their obligation to keep that color (for warranty repairs) comes to an end.

If they would allow individual orders here and there for discontinued colors, they could never stop carrying those paints. Here's a hypothetical: you might order a guitar today in a discontinued color. In the end, you decide not to purchase it and your local dealer is stuck with it. It sits on the wall in their shop for 2 years and finally someone buys it. EBMM has a warranty for 1 year to the original purchaser, so we're looking at 3 extra years they have to be able to re-paint that guitar if necessary, all from a single order!