BigBeard said:
I'm pretty sure they do stuff in batches there. Meaning, if today is humbucker routing day, that is what they do. It is easier to set up thier machines to do one process on many pieces before re-configuring the machine.
Maybe one of the employee members could shed a little light on this for us? Let us know how they do stuff so we can understand having to wait 2 months for parts? I think we are all pretty curious as to how they do stuff there. We don't need any proprietary info, just some insight on how the process works from when a customer orders his parts to when he gets it.
I mean, if they did everything at one time to each piece, their turn around would be quick, once they got to that piece. I mean, you can rout everything on a body in about 2 or 3 hours total max, but I understand that isn't feesable in a factory setting...
One thing I disagree with is them working on stuff for the showcase instead of custom orders. I think the custom orders should be their top priority, then they could get them out faster!!! Nothing worse than seeing a bunch of new showcase stuff while waiting for your custom pieces. Makes you think your order really isn't a priority.
When working wood it is important to realize you're cutting and exposing new surfaces to the environment. This can cause it to shift. Additionally, steps like gluing add moisture to the wood and needs time to stabilize. Cutting that time is potentially inviting disaster with the wood. Likewise, when applying a finish, the finish needs time to cure. UV ovens can be used, but that still takes time. Cutting that time is inviting disaster with the finish. It is better to take longer and know the end product will be solid.
There can be hundreds of necks and bodies in progress at any given time; all at various stages of completion. Showcase items are worked in between custom projects to keep production on an even schedule. This keeps everyone more efficient instead of ramping production up and down, which ultimately helps keep quality and efficiency high.