Ok, You might catch a little flack about calling this a commissioned build. It is just for a friend and as long as your friend understands your experience I believe this is fine(but I would not call it a commission-Just call it a build for a friend, there is a big difference in the professional/client relationship).
That said. Nothing wrong with most of what you have listed(design is you and your buds call). However a non-adjustable trem and carbon rods??? Why would you possibly do that? If you want to build a rigid neck, be prepaired to be spot on or expect absolute failure. Also you have no ability to add relief if prefered(this all has to be finalised during building*** and in my opinion is a HUGE design flaw). I have a non-adjustable Modulus neck on a bass of mine. It works, but it is a bass(it would be crap on a guitar). Also carbon supports?? Is the non-adjustable truss a steel bar? One way or the other, I would strongly recommend a two way adjustable truss rod(I use LMI or Allied style). A couple carbon rods in conjunction with that truss would be a nice combo.
Peace,Rich
I guess I shouldn't have said friend. He is more of an aquatince than a friend, and as soon as he found out that I build guitars he sent me the list that I posted. I am going to e-mail him back with my personal suggestions (and yours) because I personally don't know where to start on improvements.
I guess the reason he want's the neck like that is for the stiffness of graphite but the beauty of wood. I think he's a little nuts personally.
I'm also trying to get him to change the headstock to a talman style head stock or if that fails maybe somewhere inbetween a jazz master and a strat...
He refused to buy a Talman because he "only plays neck-through" once again, he's kind of nuts...
It's going to take some work with the rolling nut and bridge because he thinks it will stay in tune better when he bends notes, but I've gotta try.
Last but not least I'm going to try and talk him into a the very least a 11 in radius fret board...
The last thing I want to do is have the first guitar I make profit on be a piece of junk...
Then again his will be exactly how he wants it (unless I can help it). Worth the price...
Oddly enough the materials for this build are only going to cost me about $380. I'm thinking of charging $950? Too low? Too high?