cmatthes

Alright - I'll add some REAL Korina to the mix tonight if anybody's interested. I've got a rough cut out beautifully matched Korina body traced off of my 4-digit Standard and also a quilt maple billet that would fit to top it off, and a stupidly lightweight Korina Tele Thinline body with a maple top that'll appear in this space later. Prices & Pics will follow ASAP...

The initial run sold out right away, but Mike will be opening up for individual orders once he can come up for air!

Sorry, Brian - I knew you just HAD to push the envelope!

The bugs are being worked out now. PLEASE DO NOT post Mike's Paypal address here (or anywhere)!!!

Too obvious?

Mike is spending some quality time with his family this weekend, but the contact emails will be going out as soon as he and his wife are back and able to get those out to everybody. Although the initial list was filled almost immediately, there will likely be some withdrawals or bumps, as there usually are when it is time to pony up deposit money. Requests that vary from the basic spec may or may not make the cut - while most requests have been very reasonable, there are some things Mike can't/won't be able to do (Hamer logos, boomerang or insane inlay work, nutty graphic finishes...). For the dude who wanted the doubleneck Scepter in "Wonderbread White with Primary Color Polka-dots", and the many faces of Emmett Kelley, Jr. inlayed in the fretboard...uh, sorry. Not happening!

Completely different concepts, Geoff. Both are great, both have business models that appeal to particular audiences, and each responds to a particular niche. I don't see any sort of conflict, and in fact, I imagine that each wants nothing more than to see the other succeed.

There were over 80 people on the order list within the first 24 hours. Most of them in the first 12 hours that the site was live. Mike is pretty buried in filtering the requests for the limited run and pure custom instrument quotes, so is not able to respond back immediately. There's a LOT of work behind the scenes going on here. As mentioned by several other people above, the point is NOT to have a larger pool of orders at the special pricing. It's not meant to be exclusionary in any way, and the guitars he builds outside of that will be priced very reasonably, but assuming that it is a savvy marketing strategy to put out the lion's share of initial production at a loss or barely break-even point makes even less sense. Identical instruments will still be available after this first run, and in fact, are basically available for order now, just not at the introductory price. Nobody is being excluded from ordering, it's just that this is ultimately a business, so Mike needs to build in some kind of profit margin or it just isn't worth his time, effort and aggravation. I don't think there is a single person who could legitimately argue with that. I also deal with IPOs and private company launches on a regular basis - that's not the same concept as what Mike is doing here at all. There will be plenty of great stuff for everybody, and the prices will be extremely competitive for a custom instrument hand built in the USA by the best in the business. I don't think Mike's regular pricing will offend anybody here!

Keep in mind that quote requests and the limited, reduced price offering are two different things. The introductory offer/limited run is for one style, similar guitar for the entire run of instruments. That sold out within a matter of hours. Custom order quotes are more wide open ( within reason, of course!), and are based on Mike's regular pricing structure. Those are not subject to a closed, limited list.

As an update, the initial response far outstripped the available slots for the limited run offer. Once the dust settles a bit and Mike is able to review the orders, he'll contact the first people in line and take their deposits. If somebody doesn't pony up a deposit or if their submitted order goes too far off the basic offered spec, then the next person in line will get the nod. There were over 50 requests for quotes or submissions within the first 12 hours after the site went "live" at Midnight on Thursday (and more after noon today), if that is any indication of the volume Mike is sifting through right now! Thanks for your patience, and you'll be hearing from him shortly... The following message appears on the site now, but not sure if everybody has seen it: ** PLEASE NOTE ** The response to the initial "Ultimate" Model offer has exceeded the available slots for the run. Submissions will be reviewed and responses returned in the order they were received, and places will be held based on timely receipt of Deposits. If slots open up, notification will be given to the next available name on the list, in order. Thanks!

Replied! It is not a Warmoth (they don't do set neck options, and can't make a "Flying V" or other Gibson body style any longer). It's a custom ordered, lightweight body for a set neck, 58 Style Vee. Really a nice body. The plastic and tailpiece are shown for illustrative purposes only and are not included. Tossing in the Schlitz and the Korina blank, and I'd be losing more on the deal than I'd be getting back!

Although it shouldn't need to be said, the aforementioned item is NOT an available option.

This is 100% Mike! Any involvement by others here is purely to support/launch his venture and help him continue to do what he loves to do and does so well.

Geoff: Right now, Mike is working out the custom pickup concept and basic supplier. Obviously, that will be based not only on his vision/hearing and customer inquiry, but also by whatever makes economic sense for him as a builder. I wouldn't rule anything out at this stage, but having you do a video (or videos) would definitely be a cool thing to add as a site feature!

Understood and already assumed as much. Had NO intentions of getting my specs to be considered as options in the Ultimate run. It's still major-league excitement on this end. I've been walking around with a boner all morning. Or I was until I read the no boomerangs clarification. <droop> Who knows...maybe he'll be able to get away with "reverse check marks" or something...

** PLEASE READ THIS!! ** Keep in mind, "The Ultimate" run is for a basic run of "4-Digit" style guitars. This is not intended to be for totally tricked out instruments - the special pricing is geared around Mike's ability to produce a repeatable, basic guitar format, which is the only way that low price will work. Just because there are options in the drop downs for custom quotes does not mean that these will be available on the limited run guitars, and DEFINITELY not at the price point indicated. The idea is to get things going and get some really cool guitars in the hands of players, but not to make every one of these a totally unique custom guitar. There will be some things (finish selection, fingerboard wood, etc.) that may be available as upcharges, but for the people looking for "ultimate multi-ply binding", scale length other than standard, Floyd Rose trems, or names inlaid in the fingerboard - that's not happening at the special run pricing! The regular "Custom Quote" option, at Mike's higher, regular pricing, will apply for anything outside of the basic model. For those who have asked, Sustainblocks and boomerang inlays are NOT available. Sustainblocks supplied by the purchaser could be an option, but boomerangs are a Hamer property.

I think you're good!

I believe that leftys will be easily done.

Keep in mind, you need to contact Mike through the Shishkov site to participate in the Special Offer. Pms or emails via the HFC, Facebook, etc. won't get you in line for "The Ultimate" run.

I'm in for one.

We are pleased to announce that Mike Shishkov, one of the insanely talented builders from Hamer, is officially launching Shishkov Guitars, USA. Mike started a quarter of a century ago in the Arlington Heights shop, and made his way East to New Hartford in the late '90s with the company. With Hamer now a thing of the past, Mike will be hanging out his own shingle and taking on orders for what will simply be the finest custom electric guitars out there. Some of you may have noticed the first ever banner ad here at the HFC. We totally believe in this guy - he is the real deal, and he has been a long time friend and inspiration to us all. Please take some time to check out his site, ask questions, and revel in the knowledge that he'll be building them just as good, if not better, than before! This has been a long time coming, and things are still ramping up, but this could very well be the best news of the year! www.shishkovguitars.com

Okay - I'm bringing back the project purge until I get some of the things I've got going wrapped up. My lack of focus is your gain, and the perfect time to pick up something cool. First on the block... A very lightweight (under 3.5lbs), custom made here in the USA, Swamp Ash Flying Vee body with a light nitro finish. My Korina Vector was the inspiration, but I was originally thinking about trying a single pickup version (a "Vee Jr,"). This can be that, or the traditional two pickup style. I spoke to Jay (Murkat) earlier about making a neck for this one, and he said that he could do that for an incredibly reasonable cost. The neck joint is designed as a long(er) tenon "Gibson" style, but It can always be done "Hamer" style too. The end is intentionally left squared off so that it can be blended properly when the neck is installed. I'm asking $150 for this one, which is considerably less than I paid to have it done. Feel free to ask questions...

Bubs...you were WAY after me in line, pal!

Put that damned cake down, Stike! You've got a Hamer to finish painting for me! :D Have a great day, pal. We'll have to add that to the list of things to celebrate next time you and Betsy break out the Maker's Mark.