Ep 14 - Prepping for the Bridge | Building a Guitar from 42,000 Year Old Wood!

[@picklofamily]

My father and I build custom homes and pools in Texas. What you said about quality and price is exactly what we deal with. We aren’t building as many homes as some of our competitors, but we refuse to dumb down and cheapen our product to reach a client’s budget. We firmly believe in building quality and price accordingly. We have a good name and have been in business for 43 years. I believe success is defined by your company’s longevity and what is said about your name and reputation. Not by how much product you pump out and not by your profits. At least not in a small business. I sleep well at night knowing we do our best to provide the best product we can. So, you keep moving in the same direction that you are now. I know it’s the best way.

[@Echo3_]

I bought a brand new Dan Ryan home in WV I would have rather paid 100k more and had a quality home than a 200k with 100k in repairs in the first 2 years. there will always be a market for quality.

[@carpingdownsouth7082]

I really miss the full builds, it’s so hard to keep track when spread over months. But of course thanks for the content. I will take whatever I can get !!

[@ReVeRbx-fe5wr]

Months? This build been going on for almost a year.

[@stevenlight6785]

Your welcome

[@johnnybird7593]

That wood will be 43 000 years old by the time this build finishes....😅

[@davidqueree]

Definitely quality over quantity. Your quality is what I admire most in your work. If sales became an issue. Just make a budget range where it’s clear that steps of perfection are missed as this is the budget model. Simples. 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙂

[@ZenLizardTV]

I live in the western United States, and I would order ALL my supplies and tools from Crimson were it not for the incredible shipping cost. I hope you can open a distributor over here some day. I think a lot of us would rather buy from you than Stew Mac or Amazon.

[@ericlopez9640]

You keep doing you brother. Your attention to detail and quality are why there's such a big response to all of the crimson guitars on DGD. You've got really loyal fans here who'd love to own an instrument from anyone from your shop. Keep on truckin brother

[@bigkidbrother]

“Files it are”… My vocabulary has forever been expanded. 😂

[@SweetTGuitars]

I will echo a few other comments I've read here lately. I know you have a responsibility to your staff and you yourself need to make a living and I understand that. I was brought to this by you and I have become a better builder because of you. It would just be nice to see a little more of what brought most of us here in the beginning. I miss the inspiration and the knowledge I gained when you were posting builds more frequently. I don't watch the daily draw videos because I have become a builder, not a collector and I've owned every guitar I've lusted after already. I sold them all to become a builder and that my friend is down to the teachings of you! I am so very thankful that I discovered your videos when you were still in the garden shed. I am also really happy that it has paid off for you. All of that aside, this is about learning skills and gaining knowledge for me. I find it very easy to learn from you and I miss that! I'm still forever in your debt brother and I always will be!✌️🤍

[@radioking]

Bridge locating jig is the best way of doing this job. 100% accurate and foolproof

[@Forest_Fifer]

The figuring on the body is just 💯

[@geoffdillon6013]

Have been waiting for this video. And the SG. Love your build and tear down videos and have missed them a lot lately.

[@SweetTGuitars]

So two things! First, while I agree with you on the quality of a build vs. the price point being a moral dilemma, I also think that we need the guitars of the past to figure these things out. What could have been done better, etc. I think it comes down to getting guitars in the hands of potential players and making at least some of them affordable enough for that to happen. Secondly, you have done an absolutely beautiful job on this build and I'm sure the client will be proud to call it his!! Peace & Love!

[@mototakahe836]

Always fascinating. Thank you for your dedication as a craftsman.

[@billsguitargarage]

I can only imagine what this guitar looks like in person! I was lucky enough to visit Crimson last year and saw the wood in person and it is utterly amazing!

[@greenatom]

Thanks Ben. Onwards!

[@U014B]

1:23 Looks like part of a wedge anchor bolt. Can't imagine how they would use one in surgery, but they were wilin back then.

[@lrstaf6]

Hi Ben; Greetings from Wisconsin, USA. For filing F-holes, I find a ladies fingernail emery boards work great. There cheap in our Dollar stores over here. I've been watching a lutheir build and repair guitars on videos for years now. he locates the bridge and glues it to the guitar. Then he has a low saddle that he sits on top of the bridge. he puts in an end pin then puts a temporary wire tailpiece and installs the two outer strings. with these two outer strings installed he locates the front edge of the saddle at the correct intonation then puts a line on the front of the bridge there. He then clamps an adjustable routing jig to the top of the guitar that is lined up to the line he put on the bridge and routes the saddle slot to that line using the jig to guide his router. He then makes a tall saddle to fit the slot and determines how high he wants it to be for correct action. He can then cut the top of the saddle to that height. he adjust the intonation of the other four strings by fileing the front edge of the saddle in front of that strings peg.That way the intonation is always right and the front edge of the bridge is always square to the center ling of the guitar.

[@jamiekrautkremer9962]

That surgery tool you asked about. I’m no expert but several years ago I had knee surgery and I was able to watch the procedure. The doctor used a similar tool to essentially poke holes in my femur to promote new cartilage growth. I suspect that’s what that tool was used for.

[@Ruddigore]

I remember watching a luthier some time back and whist working on the neck he said "That'll do" and I thought NO, that won't do, you should keep working on it until it is as perfect as you can make it. I commend you Ben for the stance you take regarding quality.

[@dbailey9455]

You need some of those disposable nail files, I use them all the time!

[@guyincognito1423]

Looks incredible! Cant wait to see the finished product. Gluing or taping sandpaper to a tongue depresser or popsicle stick works great for sanding narrow areas

[@veguitars]

Ben thank you a lot. As an aspiring guitar builder I appreciate your stance on quality. As a non professional guitar player I would hardly spend money on a guitar beyond 1k. For u as a business owner though maybe a go to market scheme would be to put out a guitar model built to a budget without compromise on playability but to serve as an appetizer for boutique build guitars? It would be a different approach to the big ones who offer the premium and then have a low cost replica approach (e.g. PRS vs SE). Am just putting it out there. I have no guitar selling business experience. Luv your content, story, and guidance! Cheers V!

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

I had forgotten about this. I’d love to see the build videos coming out more regularly. Maybe record in advance and publish on a schedule? That way its predictable and we don’t miss build episodes.

[@StevieScotty19]

Hey Ben m8,Don’t ever let the quality of your guitars go,Ok,the other competitors in the guitar world might do this n that,But at the end of the day,A well built and good looking guitar what you and crimson produce is the be all and end all,That’s how you guys will be around long after others have gone,I’ve watched you long enough now to know that even the finest detail is done to a tee,I’ve bought Gibsons,Fenders and the like but I’ve promised myself my next guitar will be a crimson,Obviously not a custom,Unless I come in to some cash down the road😂😂Take it easy Ben m8👍👍

[@davidwellings2783]

Full of little tips and tricks, as ever! LOVE these videos! I have two of those fantastic sanding sticks of yours - could someone do a short demonstrating the replenishing of the sandpaper! I’m sure it’s simple, but I’m also certain that you have an ingenious trick! Thanks for everything guys! 🍷🍷🎸🎸

[@vincentvandervaart8019]

This wood is so unbelievably gorgeous

[@silviopimentel7247]

What a beuty i would exclusevly just play that & not my collection! Cause im fed up with fender & even gibson. So amazing the wood, the shape, the look! Just wonderfull peace of pure art & pretty sure its tone also🎉

[@trueevilturtle]

would love to see the process of time and cost that goes into a crimson guitar

[@hizzeist]

I found what you said about quality and your personal constraints interesting... If you can't compromise on quality, where can you.. perhaps on complication? It'd be an interesting bauhaus-ian exercise to try distill down a guitar to something as simple as it can be while maintaining function and beauty.

[@minimoog4236]

Like a 1960 Les Paul Jr. double cut?

[@bramweinreder2346]

That's a good tip about adjusting the scale length. I typically set it 2mm shorter (center of a TOM or Wilkinson bridge before intonation) because a string will stretch slightly when you fret it. Go fig.

[@mattomon1045]

Thank you Ben

[@BBGuitars]

Very pleased to see some great build content back on! Have you been smashing the gym btw?

[@andymiller1803]

Get some 4k cameras, and then we can see the chatoyance. 4k quality is worth it. And try to get your video encodes done in a way that KZbin doesn't need to re-encode. Which means VP9 4K.

[@gothridercreations]

We miss the live shows Bun

[@X22GJP]

Price to build, 100%. The market will ALWAYS have a range of customers with all budgets. There’s nothing wrong necessarily with a more affordable range that adheres to your company values and ethos to get people into your brand, but never, ever lose that quality that you are known for.

[@AdrianDecaux]

Ben, selling with lower quality is done all the time across all industries, lowering does not mean to lower quality of all builds, you could launch a different brand or an alternative brand of crimson guitars like "crimson for all" or "crimson begginer", etc.

[@Echo3_]

6:50 the biggest mistake that companies make is focusing on the money. every company that focuses on money loses their was and often their viability. The money is the result of the work and the product, keep doing it the way you have been, you aren`t going to convince the $500 buyer to drop 3x that if they don`t have it but those who want the very best will always come back, and those around them will strive to obtain your products as well. you get what you pay for and no one out there is putting more work in to the products at your price point.

[@simonwhitlock9189]

If you need a fine sanding stick have you considered using a manacurist emery board or nail file?, available in various grades so I am told.

[@tahoemike5828]

I stopped caring about this guitar about a year ago. I really miss the old style videos.

[@simcoe75]

To paraphrase Homer Simpson, “Mmmm, pizza” 🍕. And to do do that again, “Mmmm, kauri” 🎸 😎

[@Finn-McCool]

Ben, in my estimation there are only 3, count em three, aspects to the sale. Time Quality Price Now, the only thing I ever felt that I NEEDED to control was any 1, count em one, of those aspects of the transaction. The customer must be able to request control over two of them whenever a custom item is being sold. Be it furniture or automobiles. So if your "competition" are making a less expensive guitar for the customer that wants it to be both affordable and in-stock. Then the quality is an expectation of the sale that needs to be communicated. Because production quality is far removed from custom one-of-a-kind Grace Kelly fretboards. As long as it is "playable", a basic neck might have many layers of "quality" attached to it. If they want the finest quality and fastest delivery, then the higher price will be the aspect that should be focused on during the sale process. But when the salesman needs to tell the customer that they will always be paying for the highest possible quality regardless of the end-use of the guitar. It may indeed lead to the customer (and perhaps the salesman) being frustrated and looking elsewhere. Especially when the instrument may be the first one they've bought, or perhaps for a young student. Playable is more important than heirloom. And there is a need for any manufacturer to decide what niche they will fill or if they will offer an entire range of affordability, quality and availability. -✌️

[@Slikx666]

If I was good enough at playing the guitar and was on stage every week then I'd definitely own a really good quality (Crimson) guitar, but I'm not in that position so I buy what I can and just have to make them better. But if I owned a company I'd be like Ben, do your best, make a good name for yourself and be happy about it. 😀👍

[@fepatton]

Yesterday I was re-shaping the neck on a guitar I’m building and found that my rasps were too big to get the new curve in the transition to the volute. After scratching my head for a bit I thought, “I have a Crimson sanding stick! Where is it??” My first use of it, and it was perfect!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Sounds great, glad to hear you're enjoying our products and good luck in your builds!

[@echoes675]

Have you any footage of the original fender being played? Would make for an interesting comparison when this is done. Otherwise this build is looking great!

[@ChrisFranklyn]

7:39 Pooping myself. I nearly had a heart attack!

[@ianthomson9363]

Though I'm not a future customer (I made a solemn promise to my fiancee that I wouldn't buy any more guitars) I would be saddened to see budget Crimson guitars in the future. The quality of your instruments surpasses nearly everything else and as in many other things, quality will always win over quantity- I can't imagine that you would buy cheap tools, for example. I for one would definitely buy a smaller version of your file- the small version's just slightly too big for what I would want it for. And I like the new logo!

[@ianwelburn7514]

Dilemma indeed. You could head over to Loompaland and recruit some orange and green interns? Others have got mass production "cheap" versions and custom versions, but it dilutes the brand name a little if you're not very careful.

[@jlphoto1143]

Thanks... My time zone is 6hr behind you and NOW, I too want a pizza !!!

[@dominicbutler7311]

sorry if this is a daft question but how come the Bridge dips on the B string?

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Hi, this is to compensate for the length and thickness of the strings so that it intonates accurately.

[@coderebel3568]

No Ben, don't add a scratchplate! That is the most beautiful part of the body.. It would be such a waste to drill holes there and cover it up.. It needs to be visible. The lacquer not being entirely flat just makes it a bit more interesting I think.. A bit like the raw series only much more subtle. Either way it wouldn't annoy me. The beauty of this wood makes up for it. Also, what you said about that moral dilemma.. I agree with you. Never sacrifice on quality. You're less known than fender or gibson, but there are lots of eager players in this market. Your guitars are little pieces of art. Quality is something that fits with that style. So if your selling point is quality above all for artful instruments, then keep doing that. You need to build up a customer base that is willing to pay a bit more for that. It will just take time. If you sacrifice on quality now in order to offer a more competitive price, you might end up ruining that reputation of high quality and losing customers in the process, and you don't necessarily get more (other) customers back just because you have a lower price. This is more than just being competitive. It's your identity as a company you're talking about. Change it now and customers may just end up not understanding what you stand for. Perhaps you could consider a line of guitars that are easier to build so that you can offer the same level of quality, but still offer a more competitive price. In software engineering project management we have this triangle of scope, time, budget.. You can get two fixed as long as you can fiddle with the third. So you can promise it will be done by a certain date and on budget, but then you might get less than we planned, or you could promise a date and a scope but then it may become more expensive as you need to hire more people to get it done. Of course some variables are easier and businesswise more realistic to play with than others. But in the middle of that triangle is quality because you never sacrifice on that. What I mean is you could perhaps offer a lower price by fiddling with other parameters than quality. By the way, this is easily one of the most beautiful guitars you've ever made! 😍

[@xmarcovinzx]

Is it me being over-obsessed, or you do collect watches, fine ones to be precise? 😁

[@fat_freddies_cat]

Hi Ben, I would feel a little uneasy using a stock bridge for this exclusive build that does not offer the possibility of intonation. I would rather copy the bridge layout but instead of slotting it for a one piece bone insert, I would cut multiple parallel fine slots and insert 6 cut-off pieces of fretwire at the individual point of intonation.

[@smmyers5956]

Ben. That wood is GORGEOUS. You ever think of just putting in your isotunes and just focusing on the build? Come back later and overdub your narrative and explanations? I think you might enjoy doing build videos more if you didn't have to worry about focusing on the build while doing commentary. Love to see more build videos. Make some sawdust!

[@jimmypenrose1401]

Always stick to producing the best quality possible. "If you want nice fresh oats you have to pay a fair price. If you can be satisfied with oats that have already been thru the horse, that comes a little cheaper.” One never needs to apologize for NOT taking the easy way out. As design choices go, I'm a little mystified by Fender's decision to use a traditional acoustic bridge for this kind of instrument. It's one thing to use an acoustic bridge when using an adjustable bridge simply isn't possible, it's another thing to choose not to when it is possible. One thing I find a little frustrating about acoustics guitars is the inability to properly set intonation and action; the intonation and action an acoustic instrument has when it's built is the only intonation and action that it will ever have. That's not so horrible assuming you never change the string gauges or any other variables that the instrument had when it was built - but, realistically, who does that on an electric instrument? If you ask me this instrument is absolutely crying out for a gold finished Schaller 456 micro-tune bridge with Ghost saddles. But, on the other hand, I'm just a player - not a luthier; so what do I know?

[@bramweinreder2346]

Very nice clean guitar! Wouldn't mind an option on the donor guitar (the bare bones that's left over) if the client is willing to part with it.

[@PaulCooksStuff]

My memory is foggy (it was a long time ago when the project started!) but I think the client agreed to Ben's suggestion that the remnants become a charity build / fundraiser.

[@bramweinreder2346]

@@PaulCooksStuff the remnants of the donor guitar, or of the wood?

[@PaulCooksStuff]

@@bramweinreder2346 the donor acoustasonic. The kauri wood belongs to the client. iirc Ben is building them 2 acoustasonics and an archtop with it.

[@bramweinreder2346]

@@PaulCooksStuff I had the impression that the wood chips from the hollowed out body would be cast into a resin guitar body, and then also be part of the fund raiser. Thanks for clearing up that the donor guitar is also part of it.

[@y007p3]

Why aren’t you using a standard intonateable bridge? It is an electric after all.

[@Araye]

it's a handle for tightening a tourniquet

[@oldmantwofour5561]

So, what interesting thing will you be doing with the "donor instrument"?🤔

[@rakentrail]

If your kids eat popsicles you will have plenty of close quarters sanding sticks. Also, hit the doctor up for a few tongue depressors!

[@oogkauwgum5123]

I really hope that high gloss is not the final finish...

[@ryanferris7841]

In my opinion if you can still turn a decent profit do not scrimp on quality! However perhaps you should churn out budget based guitars and corner the market.

[@Birkguitars]

Not sure about the "not what it was designed for uses" but I know for certain what Deadpool would call those sanding sticks....

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Love it!

[@paulshouse524]

As for your price-point dilemma I am reminded of a slogan from the Stone Brewing company: "It’s Not Too Expensive; You’re Just Too Cheap". Don't let the fact that Stone's premiere product is called 'Arrogant Bastard Ale' put you off in any way! Keep your quality high and let the other fester in their ill-gotten gains, and hold pity in your heart for their customers.

[@scottmartinezguitarandbass]

Well, I suppose you can have different levels like Fender Custom Shop, where your top standards of quality have the adequate price point, and then you have a DAILY DRIVER price point, where the guitars are still great, but you can make them at a more competitive level. Not everyone CAN or really wants to pay for tip top quality, and just need a guitar in their hands to get the job done.

[@necrojoe]

"Files it are", or were you just showing us a technique you learned from Phyle Z'dar, brother of late actor Robert Z'dar?

[@asmnstn]

What happened with the SG?

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Ben has had to take some personal time recently and content production has slowed down, we're really sorry but he's back in and things have started to ramp up again. The SG build is currently on Ben's bench as we speak!

[@stuartcatt4520]

The last 5% taking 50% of the time is just like million to one chances happening nine times out of ten

[@claudevieaul1465]

I noticed in your recent posts here on KZbin that the volumelevel is quite low. Is that done on purpose, or is that KZbin's doing? The result is, that ads now all of a sudden blare out full blast... Have the loudness wars come to KZbin?

[@cot6428]

What is going on with the SG build?

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Ben has had to take some personal time recently and content production has slowed down, we're really sorry but he's back in and things have started to ramp up again. The SG build is currently on Ben's bench as we speak!

[@donyoan]

Quality is a subjective thing. Also customer demand is in the mix, too. As described in the quality management systems (like ISO 9001) quality means meeting customer's demand. Going over means you're burning resources. I'm working in the printing business and there are challenges much like yours. That's why many businesses are having two or more product lines - for more demanding and less demanding customers.

[@YeOldeFarte77]

old dental chisel at 1:40 iirc

[@runearntzen6499]

You sure you actually want to finnish this guitar? 🙂 No matter, it's fun to watch 👍

[@captainsparky]

It struck me while watching this how similar the shape of the sound hole is to the Māori “Koru” a shape based on a fern frond. It comes up a lot in Māori carving. It seems appropriate to incorporate Māori designs into a Kauri build. Looking really good.

[@footrot17]

So played out.

[@cheapskate8656]

Quality. Making guitars in a wealthy 1st world country means you dont really have a choice but to make over engineered high quality merchandise. The price of labour means that some economies can produce a comfortable, eye catching, playable guitar for a fraction of what it would cost you to make. The way I see it, you are producing high end goods that require wealthy purchasers who want a guitar that is "just so". The market is smaller.

[@BLBlackDragon]

Bah! Let Fender and Gibson build to a price point. We need people in the world who build to a level of quality. And yeah, higher quality comes at a higher price.

[@pfyitah]

Anybody ever tried emailing Crimson?

[@scottakam]

I don't think quality is a moral dilemma. Once a guitar is built to a point where it plays well, sounds good, is sturdy enough for regular use and looks decent, everything after that is luxury. Some people are willing and able to pay for luxury and some people aren't.

[@chaptermasterpedrokantor1623]

I still think Kauri looks very mediocre, not worth the money, but the gloss coat does do miracles to make it look good. I also have to say, of all the tips and tricks I've learned from Ben none I use as much as the masking tape and superglue trick . It's a million times better then using doublesided tape.

[@MattCaffell]

I find this method great for locating acoustic bridges kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4ndiKmYa7aVd9k

[@guitfidle]

Or ya know, just get a nail file/emery board...

[@paulferraby1202]

Build to a price or price to build? Sadly, the first answer is a question: why are you doing this? If you are doing it for the love of building guitars and the pleasure of creating them and you can make a living doing that then sell what you can build. If you want something bigger, make an impact on the industry, reach more customers, employ more people, make more money.... then it becomes a commercial decision where your actions are influenced by how much money you can make from them. This means decisions where you stop doing what you think is right because not enough people appreciate it and want to pay for it. Either can be successful, but that depends on how you personally define success.

[@SkittleKicksPlays]

From a musicians point of view, guitar quality has been trash for at least 30 years. There is no longer a sense of pride in the workmanship of how things were once made. Knowing how Fender will leave lacquer on the frets of a high end custom shop build is just sad. Quality is job one (what manufacturer once said that), but has been lost to quantity. Ben the reason I have loved watching your builds over the past few years is for that fact, quality is Crimson Guitar's job one! Everything is secondary. While I probably won't ever get to the level of guitar making that you have (cost prohibitive in many areas, health and age also a factor) I have been able to take what I've learned from you and built new skills I never had before. That's rewarding. I never had an opportunity to apprentice with a master luthier, what you demonstrate is as valuable as that training can be. Build how you want to build with the prices that best suit your crafting skills. Competition fades as quality goes the way of the Dodo.

[@dougkennedy4906]

Algorithm boosting comment

[@raycymbalisty5503]

why use the fender guts they're crap you have the means and knowledge to make better

[@PaulCooksStuff]

The internal circuit boards aren't, and Crimson don't.

[@elliotttrent9693]

I don't think Nik Huber was a good example

[@andrewcurtis4568]

Sorry dude, but tattoos are never gonna take off as a hair replacement.

[@peterhansson7967]

I am really disapointed that you blame your ”competitors” for your lack of succes! And I really think you sort of have misunderstood price point versus quality… A price point is an indicator of QC and quality, but NOT a personal preference regarding it. And also feel strongly about you naming competitors that is not ”up to your standard”. Very disapointed indeed!!!

[@chriss2452]

Just burn it already

[@md316]

I kinda wish you'd stop talking about the 'quality issues' of other brands, I get that at crimson you guys really care about the fine details but I wish you'd just let your passion for that shine through rather than call out other companies, to be fair you don't do it too often but every time you do it really puts me off. Just my opinion though other people may love it