blakeish Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Well, they have some great prices on their catalog, although using their webiste to search their stock is disappointing, it appears as though over 40 percent of what's in their catalog isn't on the site, eh. I emailed them twice, asking about their mahogany body blanks and maple tops. Haven't gotten a reply yet.....maybe it's still tea time, eh? Sorry, didn't mean to knock anyone from the UK with that. I finally decided im making a stark-frickin'-white les paul, and keeping the binding solid black, with black hardware. Extreme color contrast? Yes. Rediculously boring? Probably. Oh well, I think i'll put something silly or memorable in decal form somewhere on the body, behind the bridge..... ANYWAYS..... Anyone know off the top of their heads a guesstimate as to what the cost would be, in USD, to ship some wood from the UK? I mean, with what i found in their catalog, the body wood and top pieces are like, under 100 bucks, so, if shipping cost is low enough.....craftsupplies is my new best friend. Even if shipping is double their local rates, its still REALLY good price wise..... QUESTIONS I THOUGHT OF WHILE TYPING THIS.... I'm assuming painting an all white guitar, might as well swap out the body with Adler or Swamp Ash, to save money?.....I'm not too delicate when it comes to recreating a LP's tone..... So yeah, I used the search, didnt find EXACTLY the info I wanted, so I'm sorry, if this is a repost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluespresence Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Why buy from the UK and pay shipping and import fees when everything you need to build a guitar is available in the US or Canada (assuming you are from one of them) at the same if not better pricing? Here's a great thread with lots of suppliers listed for your info and research: Suppliers Thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Dude, realize that you need to double the price in pounds to get Dollars, or near as, and count on pretty damn hefty shipping surcharges. Craft Supplies also isn't near good enough to be worth that kind of hassle. Get your stuff from the US. A 2-piece mahogany body blank should not run much more than 50-60 bucks, anywhere, and that's Honduran. If you're painting the top white, hit your local lumber yard and get some cheap, unfigured stock, and don't pay more than about 20 or so. 100 bucks is what I pay for a decent but not absolutely spectacular figured top, and there are more of those in North America than in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 I've never ever heard anyone say that anything was cheaper in the UK than in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 I've never ever heard anyone say that anything was cheaper in the UK than in the US. ← And that's because it's true for almost everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernova9 Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 I've never ever heard anyone say that anything was cheaper in the UK than in the US. ← And that's because it's true for almost everything. ← Pardon the thread hijack, but curiousity has just struck - can anyone find anything that us brits aren't paying more for than you guys? As for the original question - UK builders import stuff from the US for a reason - usually cost. You're lucky enough to be where it's cheap and good already. Stewmac, Gilmer, Durawoods etc. are all in your country, use them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Pardon the thread hijack, but curiousity has just struck - can anyone find anything that us brits aren't paying more for than you guys? ← I'll bet you Camilla coffee mugs are dirt cheap over there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 True, we get a steal on mugs with horsefaced sloanes, you get a killer deal on onions and stripy t-shirts... we'd both trade it for some reasonably priced guitar parts.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 True, we get a steal on mugs with horsefaced sloanes, you get a killer deal on onions and stripy t-shirts... we'd both trade it for some reasonably priced guitar parts.... ← hehehe...I'd say you have cheaper real ales, but even that's not true any longer. Tarten tat's probably cheaper as well, if we're talking Britain rather than just England. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batfink Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Marshall amps are just about the only thing that's cheaper over here than over there - oh, and exploding buses ! Jem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fryovanni Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Mattia,Setch,- Arghhh... Shipping to you fellas is too high so we try to point out local suppliers in the UK. Now its turned the other direction . Shipping a body blank costs almost as much as a full priced blank (US-UK, and I am sure it works the same UK-US). Best advise for anyone who wants to save money. Go find a LOCAL supplier. Most towns will have more common hardwoods available at some retail location (you just have to look). Peace,Rich Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Im still waiting for my mahogany from craft suplies, i orderd 2 months ago. Im actually just gona call them now. Oh an btw im in bonny ole scotland, its 6buk shiping to me. Id find a US suplier if i were you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambo Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 To be honest, Craft supplies is all well, but they do charge alot for what you get, the stuff is ok, but you only very occasionally get a nice piece of wood. Its OK if you can visit them and choose your pieces, but otherwise! As for their mahogany, don't bother. get some from somewhere decent (timberline is very good for honduran). Maple is nearly always cheaper to import from the US (Durawoods on ebay is very good)... But what pissed me off was that at one stage, it was cheaper to fly to washington, pick up an AC30 ovet there and come back than it was to buy one down the road from where they were made.... Hummmm.... But ho humm.... Nevermind hey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 But ho humm.... Nevermind hey. ← Yeah, sure. I mean, look at all the good things that you get from being British! Oh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Yeh, i love the rain i do... Sambo, whats up with craft suplies mahogany? should i cancel my order and go somwhere else for it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 In my experience there isn't much wrong with craft supplies' mahogany, though I'd prefer it if their neck blanks were quarter sawn. I've never had any real grumbles about the stuff they've supplied to me, and I've built 3 very serviceable guitars using mahogany from them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Ahh, thats ok then, i'll just keep moaning at them till they send me my mahogany. 90buk and its still not been sent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrk- Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Actually Kettles cost a **** load in the US compared to the UK (last I remember)... Wierd eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambo Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 I've just had some rather.... Knotty mahogany neck blanks. Maybe it was just a one off, but i never bought from them again! It sounds like you've ordered a couple of blanks, it might be cheaper to go and buy a smallish board of mahogany from somewhere else and make two up? I mean 90 quid will get you a fair bit of mahogany, and you could get it specifically thicknessed! Their padauk is very nice though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setch Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Knotty? That'a a definite return job. If the knots are visible from the outside it merits a good complaint too - shipping 'meh' wood is one thing, shipping unuseable wood is quite another, though the maple they sent me for my LP was dangerously close to unuseable. I've also used padauk from them - it's got the most eye-popping ribbon grain, shame it's so heavy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzocchi705 Posted October 3, 2005 Report Share Posted October 3, 2005 Hmm, i was thinkin about padauk, ive played a SG made of padauk, it was nice, but i wanted mahogany for this project. Mahogany is hard to get localy up here, at least ive never seen it (and by god ive looked) and the ash i got from them had some nice grain paterns (it was DAMN heavy tho) and it got deliverd in about a week. Maby a trip to aberdeed is in order, there might be some good wood lurking about there. Also the 90 buk included a truss rod, fretwire and shipping. The wood was fairly cheap. If it has knots itl defenatly go back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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