Blog
It’s all happening!
Some highlights from the past month or so…
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- Kevin
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- Archtop Dave
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- Nick Harris returns…
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- Ian Gailey
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- Brian Green
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- Graham Taylor – veteran
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- Hwai Dan!
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- David Carss
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- Mark Screeton
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- John Graham
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- John Boyle
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- Nelson
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- Jim
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- Alex
Apologies if we missed anyone – I promise to get to you all eventually…
News
A few weeks have passed since our biggest ever grand prize draw and our feet have barely touched the ground. We had such an amazing response it has been extremely hard keeping up in the workshop with so many custom orders coming in not to mention stock guitars selling faster than we can make them and of course Build your Own Guitar goes from strength to strength – virtually everyone who comes here for a stock, custom or build your own instrument wants to come back which explains why we are so busy! This is great news and Bailey Guitars is in the best position ever thanks to all you guys and gals. The only down side of all this is that…well there is only so much time and if I am stacked out in the workshop then I cannot keep the blog up to date (nearly a year behind with course guitar blogs!). This is really frustrating for me as I really want you all to see what we have been up to. There have been some spectacular guitars (and basses (and Ukes…etc)) made here in the Bailey workshop over the last year most of which have not yet appeared on the blog. So there will be some changes – first I will endeavor to make more regular posts – (not short of material – just time). I will be aiming for Tuesdays and Thursdays with some extra ones thrown it to help catch up.
More news
Read and write it on Reddit !
Our eagle-eyed web spotter came across this entry last week at reddit.com – a guy asking for info about the Bailey guitar experience…if any of you have time to make an honest post we’d be grateful (thanks to Steve Skelcher for his entry )
Made to be Played
We don’t just make ’em… we have been asked to play and do workshops at the Ardrossan Music Experience for the third year running, and some of our Bailey Artists are making great music out there. Check out acoustic composer Preston Reed with his signature baritone and jumbo acoustic; Duffy’s Gypsy Band with the incredible one off custom bazouki; BYO builder Andy Gelband and the awesome Colourflow ; beautiful singer songwriter and Sweet Pea player Melisa Kelly
If you want to see some Baileys in action, then there’s always the Kirkmichael Music Festival 13-15 June… as many different musicians as you can get in a small space – including Carol and Mark!
Even More News
Coming soon! Can’t wait? Why not check out our Facebook page and subscribe to our youtube channel
£5000 Guitar Live Prize Draw!
Good Luck Folks!
UPDATE: Congratulations to Steve Skelcher – winner of the £5000 guitar prize draw!
First Chance ..Last Chance… Every Chance
Kithara
First Chance – DAY 1 in the Bailey Workshop
Yes…its the first day of our course…welcome to Brian from Henley-on-Thames who is building his first 6 string electric…along with Graham from Aberdeen (on his 4th) making a thru neck bass; John B (Troon) on his second classical, and John G (Linlithgow) on his second acoustic. Join us LIVE for the next few days … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30-roHH2_TA
Last Chance – to ENTER THE £5000 guitar draw
just go to the on-line shop – you have until 23:59 TONIGHT – here are all of this weeks offers
Acoustic Guitars – Up to 27 % off many (see on sale stickers in shop)
Electric Guitars – voucher for a further 10% off – put “RockinMad10″ in at checkout – even those on sale
Custom Guitars – £200 voucher towards upgrades on any custom commission if you buy a design session (before the end of 5th April…)
Other stuff – 20% off all Bailey Hoodies, Fleeces and Polo shirts (using the code “ 15LastWeek20percent ” which will appear in the checkout)
Buy ANY VEST, CAP, T shirt , Women’s-fitted T, kids sizes T and we will send you another of those items FREE! (tell us what you want and what size in the special instructions at checkout)
Every Chance to Win !
It only takes ONE ticket …and that lucky person will be getting a guitar, a nights B&B and a bottle of Scotch… draw LIVE on 15th April @15:15
Tomorrow we will be sweet sixteen…. thanks to you all.
2 days left… Spotlight on Bailey Acoustics… the sweet sound
Only 2 days left to take advantage of our spectacular £5000 guitar draw!
Win ANY of these guitars!
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- Moonshiner
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- Bootlegger
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- Sweet P
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- Camino
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- Camino 12
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- Coryphee
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- Kithara
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- Made with love
Mark finished his first acoustic here in Scotland, live at the Kirkmichael International Guitar Festival in 2003 – and it was that unique acoustic musical experience that inspired two things – to move to South Ayrshire and start making jazz archtops.
Spending a whole weekend in a tent in the glorious Ayrshire countryside being inspired by the awesome playing skills of Tommy Emmanuel, Adrian Byron Burns, Woodie Mann, Steve Howe, the sadly late Bob Brozman and Eric Roche ..to mention but a few. And of course Dr Martin Taylor, who’s great idea the whole thing was, and who encouraged us to make the big move north.
So, the making of acoustic guitars and playing of acoustic music became Marks second love – and with some helpful advice from Martin, he was inspired to start making beautiful hand carved archtops – the Coryphee was first, followed closely by the Kithara.
KIGF 2000 was also the first time in Ayrshire for Preston Reed, the “father” of percussive acoustic playing…we couldn’t have imagined that only a few years later he would approach us to create his new Baritone and Jumbo signature series acoustic guitars
Our acoustics come in 4 models – Bootlegger, Moonshiner, Sweet P and Big D – standard, special or custom versions…and if you have something else in mind we can create a totally custom shape. They aren’t cheap, but they are made by hand here in the UK using the best materials.
Sweet…
On Sunday 6th Bailey Guitars will be 16! After nearly 11 years in Scotland, that’s something worth celebrating – so we are offering major discounts on all our acoustics, and other items…and for the next 2 DAYS all our customers will get a chance to win one of those inspired Archtops (one ticket for every £9.99 spent – more info here)
Tomorrow is the last day of our 15th – we will be live streaming from the workshop – day 1 of Bailey BYO course – and that will cost you sweet…
3 more days to go…Bailey Electrics…sounds, woods and rock n’ roll
50% off selected models ? A rockin’ joke ?
Mark’s first guitar was an electric, and in his teens he bought himself a metallic green hat, ripped the arms off his shirts, got a great 80’s haircut, and joined a rock band…
Electrics were his first love, and as a player working at the Patrick Eggle factory he knew what would help get all them licks and runs flowing from the fretboard.
Guitar making isn’t rocket science
Making a great playing guitar to make great sounding music is not just about the wood choice and pick ups…its definitely a lot to do with how the neck is made and feels, but its a really individual thing as to what is actually “just right” for you.
I Am the Neck Carving Champion of Europe!
OK Bold claim…self declared…there goes my ego mania again. At least I didn’t say ‘the World’.
Well the truth is as I understand it – back in the ‘Eggle’ days we were the biggest manufacturer of guitars in Europe (at our peak) and for the longest time I carved all the necks – that is several thousand…since then I have made hundreds of different instruments from the smallest sopranino uke to the largest archtop bass – anyone want to challenge me for my title?
Seriously though I do consider neck carving to be one of my specialities as I have just had so much experience. I once carved eight bass necks in one day, all by hand – often I will carve a neck for a customer while he waits…this way he/she can check progress as we go and have a feel so I can get it just right – Here at Baileys I make sure all our electrics leave with a great playing neck and fast low action (its the most consistent feedback we get)
Tight Leather Troosers
Like it says in the vid – All our production models (Bandsman, Curve and Exotica) are available in Standard, Special (one off, or upgraded ) and finally, Custom versions (where you ask us to create a version of the model to suit you down to your tight leather troosers)
Bag Yourself a Bargain!
For the next 3 days you can bag yourself a bargain in the on-line shop AND get tickets to win the £5000 guitar prize draw – there are major reductions (yes up to 50%) on many guitars and a melodic 10% off our newest stock (including any orders made) – use the code RockinMad10 at the checkout …many more reductions are already in the shop.
Not to your musical taste ? Well then…all things acoustical for T minus day 2 of the countdown – watch out for that tomorrow….
Don’t forget all our guitars are made with renewable energy!
Custom Build Left Handed Neck Thru Electric Guitar – Part 4
Allan’s Custom Guitar
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- Deep carve
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- Full frontal
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- Custom inlay at 12th fret
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- Laminated neck
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- Floyd rose locking nut
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- Allan is trying his new guitar for the first time
Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4
The finished article
One of the most spectacular guitars I have built – quite a challenge but well worth it I think.
Specification:
Custom thru neck construction
25.5 inch scale length with 24 frets
Neck: Laminated flamed maple with black pinstripes and ebony fretboard
Body: flamed maple with quilted maple carve top
Original Floyd Rose with Titanium block
Electrics: Fernadez sustainer with custom HSH layout
Custom AW inlay on 12th fret.
Custom Build Left Handed Neck Thru Electric Guitar – Part 3
The Tricky Bits
Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4
How it all began…
Allan lives and works in Glasgow and as a left handed player has had a lot less choice of guitars over the years – he came on the Design Your Own Guitar Course in early 2012 and left behind his dream guitar ideas on a full scale drawing. These ideas & choices became a quote – he then paid his deposit and the roller coaster build began…
To infinity and beyond!
We want all our players to stand back at the end of a build and say ‘its exactly what I wanted and more’… but having almost infinite choice at the outset can sometimes be daunting. We don’t expect people to know everything they want or need…that’s all part of the process. Exploring options. Making choices. Updating quote. Its a two-way process where the final thing has evolved from the decisions made at every stage.
Left Handed? No problem.
Allan wanted an L/H electric – he really liked the Exotica model and its laminated thru neck with a slightly altered body shape which he drew himself on the design day, and after seeing a double stained and bursted quilted maple carve top in a magazine – he wanted something like that…
The Finish
All our finishing is done ‘in house’ here at the workshop by our master craftsman Billy – this one is a cellulose gloss – none more shiny!
The Trickiest Bit…
The Fernandez sustainer was not easy to fit – originally the two switches were soldered to the circuit board and there was no chance – luckily I have a very good friend who specializes in soldering of the tiniest order. Somehow he managed to remove the switches and add extension wires and that gave me just enough leeway to fit it into the control cavity. After that final assembly and setup was a breeze – you can see the finished photo’s in blog coming your way very soon!!
Your Turn?
If you have an idea for a guitar design that you would like to make into reality – contact us with your ideas or book yourself a design session – and lets get started!
Custom Big D Acoustic Guitar – Stegg – Part 1
Big D for Stevie B
All this has happened before and will happen again…
Stevie came on our build your own course a while ago and made the most spectacular bass on the planet bar none…Now after seeing this video he has decided to take the plunge and commission a Big D custom acoustic guitar! I’m sure the chance of winning the grand prize draw also helped a bit – The guitar will not be finished before the closing date but any payments made will be eligible for tickets – only 3 days left!
The Lowdown
Bass is Stevie’s main instrument but he often finds himself accompanying folks on his acoustic guitar so he wanted something different – being a bass player he particularly liked the huge sound of the Big D but chose some different timbers to enhance the bass even further. The back and sides will be rosewood – well known for it;s fantastic bass response. The soundboard is western red cedar – after a visit to the wood room we found an awesome warm sounding tap tone and long sustain – that is one of the beauties of commissioning your own custom guitar – you can visit the workshop and choose each individual part of the instrument to really make it your own.
Don’t worry
If you can’t visit the workshop we are now able to offer custom design sessions live using Google Hangouts – contact us for more info