Allow me to share my new venture

[Orpheo]

As some of you may know from being a Facebook buddy of mine, I'm doing something new. Something I believe to be amazing. That's (part of) the reason why I rarely come here anymore. Yet, I feel the need to tell you all what I'm planning, because I have a lot of you guys to thank for much of what I have learned.

Before Christmas, Orpheo Custom Guitars will go live and before NAMM 2014, all the websites will go online as well. My anger at Gibson and resent that Warmoth can't make singlecut guitars, combined with my need to do something with my life, something I love and care about, spawned me to develop my own business. I'm working with my best friend on this. He's doing the 'hard labor': cutting and crafting the rough guitars, based on designs and templates I made. I'm doing the finishing, setup and hardware installation as well as keeping in touch with suppliers and vendors.

I don't think you guys need much thought as to what I'll be making, but let me put it this way: I wouldn't be able to do in the USA, what I am doing in my own country.

The pic I attached is my company logo. Fully custom, completely bespoke and unique. The top part was hand drawn and on my request expanded to be a complete font.

I don't want to mention pricing and options, but everybody who's been keeping track of my Warmoth projects for the last decade will know what to expect. All I want is you guys to share in what I'm going and get feedback and ideas.

 

[clearerphish]

I can't wait to see what you come up with!  :rock-on:

 

[Ddbltrbl]

Glad to see someone reach for something! Hope it works out well for you!! ccasion14:

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Sneak preview (the final headstock will be different):

 

[mgaut051]

Ooooooooooooooh!
Looking forward to see what exotics you pull out.

 

[SustainerPlayer]

Sneak preview ...

Knowing Orpheo it will be a bolt on! 

TT: Looking forward to this!  :icon_thumright:

 

[Orpheo]

Sneak preview (the final headstock will be different):

absolutely not. I don't do inlay (like that), I don't do binding on the neck or on the body, my lacquer isn't nitro but shellac and my headstock is different, not to mention other woods!

Oh about the neck joint. I don't do bolt on's exclusively. I have an ash 'les paul' (ash body, 2 piece, but a carved front!), with a bolt on maple neck 25.5'' scale, one piece neck + fretboard, with a 3 saddle string thru bridge. Like a merry child between a les paul and a tele. But a bit more luxurious and less 'wonky' than Fano.

My woods... My standard back is 2 piece korina. For a small upcharge is single piece. Mahogany (swietenia, imported from Honduras) is also possible for an upcharge. My tops are like that gibson. My standard neck for a korina/maple guitar is rosewood with an ebony board. Customwound seymour duncan pickups, by the way. Bourns pots, switchcraft jack and switch, rosewood knobs. gotoh hardware. That's standard. A case is optional, I have to admit

My wood selection for the more exotic ranges? Makora body backs, zebrano tops and back lams (thick enough to carve). Walnut tops going from a nice flame to really huge artist grade flame. Single piece afzelia backs (like canary). I found ebony, large enough for neck blanks. Purpleheart neck blanks. Quilted bubinga neck blanks.

Is that exotic enough?

 

[stratamania]

Good luck with your venture...  :icon_thumright:

 

[Cagey]

I wish you the best of luck and prosperity in your efforts. Having seen what you've done in the past, I'm sure you'll do well.

 

[Orpheo]

Thanks Cagey

At the moment we're working hard to make jigs for the necks. We want them to be repeatable and to be build easily.

I also decided today, on the spot, that I want to have ebony on everything (for the moment). Even on the tele-ish les paul. Making the filler strip is a pain in the @$$, and this is much faster, easier and in the end cheaper. I mean, I buy my ebony for 50$ a billet (and I can get 8 fretboards out of a billet).

Just sayin a carved top glued in LP with a rosewood neck and top notch hardware doesn't have to cost over 2K.

 

[elgravos]

Excellent, best of luck with it.  I'm very curious to see what will be available.

My 2 cents on the neck joint issue: would be cool to build an LP based guitar with a neck joint similar to what PRS had on the 24 CE.  Best of both worlds in my opinion.

 

[Orpheo]

Excellent, best of luck with it.  I'm very curious to see what will be available.

My 2 cents on the neck joint issue: would be cool to build an LP based guitar with a neck joint similar to what PRS had on the 24 CE.  Best of both worlds in my opinion.

It's way less bulky and much, much smoother. But... it's similar in its construction! The fretboard rests entirely on the neck shaft, and the neck goes in the body all the way up to the back of the neck pickup pocket, effectively making the heel almost twice as long, allowing me to sculpt away a smooth heel. I also offer tummy cuts and/or a thicker body. tummy cut often makes the tone thinner because you lose wood. Having a thicker back negates that problem.

 

[Cagey]

I also decided today, on the spot, that I want to have ebony on everything (for the moment). Even on the tele-ish les paul. Making the filler strip is a pain in the @$$, and this is much faster, easier and in the end cheaper. I mean, I buy my ebony for 50$ a billet (and I can get 8 fretboards out of a billet).

Just sayin a carved top glued in LP with a rosewood neck and top notch hardware doesn't have to cost over 2K.

I'm a huge fan of Ebony. Some of my best necks use it because it can't be beat. Smooth, hard, matches anything aesthetically and doesn't destroy the frequency response curve.

I think part of the cost of using it might be tool wear, though. Stuff is harder than dammit. Eats cutters for lunch, and they don't exactly give those away. Not to mention being a bit toxic. But, the Koreans manage to pull it off without charging a bajillion dollars for their stuff, so perhaps we've been mislead about the cost of using it.

 

[Orpheo]

I also decided today, on the spot, that I want to have ebony on everything (for the moment). Even on the tele-ish les paul. Making the filler strip is a pain in the @$$, and this is much faster, easier and in the end cheaper. I mean, I buy my ebony for 50$ a billet (and I can get 8 fretboards out of a billet).

Just sayin a carved top glued in LP with a rosewood neck and top notch hardware doesn't have to cost over 2K.

I'm a huge fan of Ebony. Some of my best necks use it because it can't be beat. Smooth, hard, matches anything aesthetically and doesn't destroy the frequency response curve.

I think part of the cost of using it might be tool wear, though. Stuff is harder than dammit. Eats cutters for lunch, and they don't exactly give those away. Not to mention being a bit toxic. But, the Koreans manage to pull it off without charging a bajillion dollars for their stuff, so perhaps we've been mislead about the cost of using it.

I don't think it should cost that much.... I use zirkonium sanding belts all along the way. I don't 'cut' it, I sand it with high quality sanding belts. works much faster and more precise. I only need to change a band saw blade every 100 hours or so. maybe 250?I don't know. for now it cuts ebony like it's a hot knife through butter.

 

[elgravos]

It's way less bulky and much, much smoother. But... it's similar in its construction! The fretboard rests entirely on the neck shaft, and the neck goes in the body all the way up to the back of the neck pickup pocket, effectively making the heel almost twice as long, allowing me to sculpt away a smooth heel.

That's exactly what I had in mind!  and I like the tummy cut too.

 

[Cagey]

I don't think it should cost that much.... I use zirkonium sanding belts all along the way. I don't 'cut' it, I sand it with high quality sanding belts. works much faster and more precise. I only need to change a band saw blade every 100 hours or so. maybe 250?I don't know. for now it cuts ebony like it's a hot knife through butter.

Ok. Well, then perhaps I've read too many crybaby accounts about working Ebony. Might be like the guys who cry about their tools wearing too fast on stainless frets. They're just not using the right tools.

 

[Orpheo]

I don't think it should cost that much.... I use zirkonium sanding belts all along the way. I don't 'cut' it, I sand it with high quality sanding belts. works much faster and more precise. I only need to change a band saw blade every 100 hours or so. maybe 250?I don't know. for now it cuts ebony like it's a hot knife through butter.

Ok. Well, then perhaps I've read too many crybaby accounts about working Ebony. Might be like the guys who cry about their tools wearing too fast on stainless frets. They're just not using the right tools.

that's my idea exactly. I was getting so fed up with super expensive guitars. I don't believe guitars, great, hand crafted, bespoke guitars should cost over 2000 dollars. Of course, binding and complex inlay cost more. that's logical. but COME ON. A standard PRS CU24 shouldn't be that much.

 

[stubhead]

I have a couple of Schecters with set MAPLE necks, in "mahogany" body with a thick maple cap. It's a really nice tone combination, that Gibson and family don't do - obviously, brighter & sustaining. I say "mahogany" because who really knows what they're using. I hope you're not leaning towards any maple veneers, I consider that scam advertising. I'd rather look at a plain thick maple top than 1/16" "flame... Also, if you lean towards the Fenderish side on any further pieces, one greatly under-used body wood is... cherry. Real woodworkers consider alder and poplar to be like scut cherry, they use cherry for drawer faces and tops and alder for bottoms and insides. The only reason alder ever accumulated such cachet is because Leo Fender was too cheap to use cherry. But it makes a ducky "wood finished" alternative to swamp ash. And walnut kicks ass 11 different ways, as does... spruce, though they're the 11 opposite ways. :laughing7:

If I were to build along those lines over here, I'd be walnut/sprucing & cherry all over it. I don't really know what prices and woods you have over there, but it's one way to get a bit off the path and make some guitars that aren't exactly the same - it is a very, very crowded field. One other thing - I would probably have about THREE Carvins if they would OFFER DIFFERENT NECK SIZES. Every other option under the sun, but necks that make an Ibanez Wizard feel mighty.  :icon_scratch: USA Custom has a great way of dimensioning necks - six basic contours, but you pick the depth. Alas, they are inexorably tied to their single-action trussrod.  :sad1:  But make some LP-ish walnut guitars with BIG FAT NECKS, you'll sell out quick.

 

[Orpheo]

spruce and cherry are still on my wish list! I have to admit that I'm a sucker for those woods. what about a 2 piece red cherry body but carved, full thickness body, with a flamed maple neck, ebony board and finished in shellac, loaded with 2 p90's? if that isn't a tone monster, I don't know what is.

But, I will be offering any neck shape you want. i shape each neck by hand, so that is how I can make the favorite neck of yours! My max thickness is 28mm (1.1'').

 

[rapfohl09]

This is super exciting news. I have been thinking I wanted to dump some change a full custom and let someone else pull their hair out and then I can just reap the rewards haha. A guitar from the great Orpheo would be at the top of my list :icon_thumright:

I think I get too vested in trying to make instruments for myself.