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Colourflow

Colourflow

by | Jan 10, 2014 | , , , ,

Andy Gelband Rocks his Bailey BYO Guitar!

andy gelband bailey byo guitar

Andy Gelband

Turn up it up!

‘…being promoted to your community is a massive bonus to us, so thanks very much….and thanks for my awesome guitar’ – Andy Gelband

Andy came on one of our courses a few years ago and is now working with his new band Colourflow. He sent us this track from the first album which is still work in progress.

There is a full album of photos from his build on his Facebook page – somehow he managed to include a cheeky pic of me and Carol at the end.

Making guitars is my passion and helping others like Andy to do the same is a great thrill for me, but I also really love to hear them being played- after all that is what it’s all about at the end of the day isn’t it?

Have a listen and see what you think – It sounds totally awesome to me…The album is not yet available to buy but keep an ear open – if this track is anything to go by it is going to be a stormer – Turn up the speakers and prepare to ROCK!

Do you have a recording of a Bailey guitar that you would like to share? Contact us – we would love to hear it!

Custom Bootlegger for Steve Skelcher

Custom Bootlegger for Steve Skelcher

by | Jan 9, 2014 | , , ,

Steve’s Third Bailey Guitar

Three cheers for Steve Skelcher!

Steve first contacted us to commission this custom black exotica and then went on to order this single cut custom soon afterward. I guess we must be doing something right because here he is back once more – this time for a Custom Acoustic Guitar. Hurrah for Steve!

The guitar is be based on the Bailey Bootlegger but Steve specified Cocobolo for the back and sides, a Bear Claw Sitka Spruce soundboard and a Zebrano rosette. It promises to be a fantastic combination…Cocobolo sounds awesome in my opinion – one of the best tonewoods on the planet and truly striking to look at.

Steve asked for this guitar to arrive at the same time as both the others did in previous years – just in time for Xmas. When we pointed out the coincidence, he said “Well…..it ain’t Xmas without a Bailey” – We’ll definitely use that one again next year!

In It To Win It…

Because Steve commissioned this instrument before the closing date (still 3 months left!) he is also is eligible for the £5000 Prize Draw! In fact I can confirm that statistically he has the best chance of winning as he aquired the most entries to the draw so far – Best of luck Steve!

Were you forced to spend Xmas without a Bailey? Never-mind, got a birthday coming up? Keep an eye on our online shop for some new models and amazing deals and better luck next year!

Happy New Year and Thanks to You All

Happy New Year and Thanks to You All

by | Jan 8, 2014 | ,

THE FIRST BAILEY BLOG of 2014

mark bailey happy new year

Mark Bailey

Here at Bailey we are just coming out of festive hibernation, starting to reorganise and repair our well used workshop… and make our plans for 2014/2015.

Firstly we should send out a BIG THANKS to all those who joined the Bailey family over the last year, with Bailey models, customs or a BYO – and a big welcome to the latest of you to join…those who got their new Baileys for Xmas. Thanks to Steve Skelcher CA 021 for his ‘It ain’t Xmas without a Bailey’ quote…he should know as its his third…Look out for a blog about that one very soon!)

Secondly, it is still our 15th anniversary year and there are 3 months left until the Grand Prize Draw to win a Kithara  Archtop worth £5000…we plan a series of countdown “archive” blogs (including catch ups of builds/events over the last 2 years that have yet to reach ‘The Bailey Blog‘ we have a bit of a backlog – if you been waiting to see yours keep an eye out!

2013 – that was the year that was…Who would have thought that Bailey Guitars would have reached its 15 year milestone birthday? If you remember the days without walls, a caravan wood store and the famous double decker workshop, it was probably hard to imagine, but here we are.

Its been a great anniversary so far – Our Workshop was featured in Acoustic Magazine, Bailey Roadshows at the Scottish Music Show and Live@Troon, amongst many others. Our first BYO Uke  course kicked off in style as did our first attempt at live streaming from the workshop beamed across the planet- Luis Claudio came all the way from Brazil to come on our most popular course of the year – Build Your Own First Guitar

Our first placement student, the marvellous and beautiful Margaux Guennoc came from France to help us break into the Netherlands (thank you Marg); Marcel Besselink did us the honour of becoming our “Dutch sleeper rep” (we hope to be switching him on this year!); the most personalised and decorated custom bootlegger designed by our Woman of the Year, Mandy Green; the longest and most awesome custom design /built Left Handed electric for Aldoman Whittaker (his face made it worth the wait) and finishing 2013 with the first CLASSICAL guitar built on the BYOA and finally strung up on Xmas Eve by John ‘Bad Boy’ Boyle.

THANKS to all our players!

There is too much to say in this blog about all our great players (we’ll be featuring more of those in the coming year), but Preston Reed deserves a special mention in this roundup of 2013 – he had fantastic musical year after finishing his massive Masters tour going on to finally release his new Album – almost entirely using his unique Signature Baritone  and Jumbo guitars. What an honour for us too. Watch out for his coming tutorial classes!

Bailey gets all 21st Century.. 2014 ..whatever next?

Yes, the hippies get with it and nerdy. wireless live streaming; using social media; digital promo; mastering Mailchimp; and…  Mark has been studying the art of video and has been dabbling over the last year… brace yourselves for a visual/audio guitar feast in 2014. NEW models and new lower prices, streamlining and simplifying of courses and options; Robots replacing the office staff (that’s a joke…not possible. (Carol) We don’t make resolutions but if we did it would be to get better at all this (any suggestions welcome!)

So…all that remains is to look back on another year with fondness – special thanks to our endlessly patient Webmaster, Jamie, the entire McMillan family and thank all of you for contributing once again!

PS. Anybody want to buy a hat?

Build Your Own Custom Guitar – BYO-310 – Mark Shoebottom

Build Your Own Custom Guitar – BYO-310 – Mark Shoebottom

by | Nov 7, 2013 | ,

So, what did you do on your holiday?

This was Mark’s first build on our Build Your Own Custom Guitar course and he came all the way from Germany to our little workshop in the hills of Ayrshire to do it.

He made a neck thru style rock monster guitar with a wilkinson trem and ‘stab you to death, twice’ humbuckers – the shape came from his own dark imagination, but I made the bit up about the humbuckers… Quite a lot of work involved in sanding the curvy bits but Mark kept his head down and did a really superb job.

He chose to have his guitar finished with a Blue Stain and UV gloss. There was time to pre-assemble it so he could give a bash and check everything worked OK before he left it with us for Billy to disassemble it, spray it with UV and then put it back together again. We sent it to him by courier when it was done.

Although he was the youngest on his course he had no trouble at all with any of the methods and with quiet deliberation created this beast from the pile of raw timber I gave him in 8 days thus becoming our 310th victim…BwaoHAHA…WOhahHAHAhaha!!!

If you would like to build your own guitar get on to your mum, like Mark did, and get her to book you on a course…tell her we will look after you very well and make sure that you will not get into any bother. It’s got to be better than playing GTA with your mates? (you need to be 16+ to come on your own, but we have had builders as young as 12 who come with an adult who is also building)

Iona’s 21st Birthday Guitar – BYO 344

Iona’s 21st Birthday Guitar – BYO 344

by | Oct 27, 2013 | , ,

The Bailey Team all got together…

Billy and Fiona are Iona’s parents and both help us out here at the Bailey workshop.

Fiona made this guitar on our Build Your Own Custom Guitar course and then Billy sprayed it before final assembly and setup. The guitar was made as a unique one off custom deluxe special for their daughter Iona’s 21st birthday.

Iona chose the colour herself after seeing the Art Deco Archtop I made for Steve McKeand – it is ‘midnight blue burst with glitter’

The headstock was inspired by Dave Pullar’s BYO guitar – I am going to call it a ‘Pullar’ style headstock meaning ‘two tone’ – I think it might catch on! Fiona’s idea was to add a strip of abalone which looks really cool.

Fiona also wanted to make a star inlay which took a little time but came out really nice – I wrote a blog about how we did it a while ago.

When it’s all put together the guitar looks amazing! I hope you all agree and I have it on good authority that she loves the guitar. You can see a video of her brother Scott playing the guitar here.

If you would like to build your own guitar have a look at our full range of courses, or if you have seen a guitar you like any where on our main website or the here on the blog why not let me build it for you? – contact us with your ideas! Bailey Guitars are available to buy right now – online!

Build Your Own First Guitar Course – October 2013

Build Your Own First Guitar Course – October 2013

by | Oct 26, 2013 | ,

How can you build a guitar from scratch in 5 days? On our Build Your Own First Guitar Course (of course).

This is in fact Graham’s THIRD guitar despite the name of the course after making a rather splendid bolt on (Build Your Own Custom guitar) and an acoustic with cutaway (Build Your Own Acoustic guitar). As it happens he is not alone – many people have done it in the ‘wrong order’ – it is really not a problem. None of our courses are any harder than any other but some do take longer and demand more commitment which is why we came up with this one in particular – the best introduction to guitar making you could get. Graham has already booked himself up for number four in case you are wondering….

Both of the Johns and Chris were truly building their first and as you can see the guitars are all very similar – the design is based on the increasing popular Bailey Bandsman. Even so, there are still plenty of custom options including choice of wood, hardware and pickups etc, as the eagle eyed among you may have noticed already.

Chris and John (BYO 346) both opted for the satin finish so they left happily clutching there new creations while Graham and John (BYO 347) decided to have theirs glossed. That means they have to leave them with us so Billy can spray them. I will post more pics when they are done. Graham wants it to look similar to David Pullars and John has a stunning piece of Flamed Jarrah which will look like this when it has been polished.

BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT, BUT!

Yes, we run the most amazing guitar making courses on Planet Earth but did you know we also make a unique range of boutique quality instruments right here in the Bailey Workshop! Oh, you did….well if you don’t see what you like in The Bailey Collection, then did you know that I could build it for you? – exactly to your spec? exactly how you want it? Well then…what are you waiting for? Contact us with your ideas!

Guess What Else?

Bailey Hoodies are in and available only in the Bailey Online Shop (amongst other goodies)! Please refrain from rioting while wearing one…

Custom Build Left Handed Neck Thru Electric Guitar – Part 2

Custom Build Left Handed Neck Thru Electric Guitar – Part 2

by | Oct 15, 2013 | , , ,

All the woodwork complete and ready for spraying!

Part 1| Part 2| Part 3| Part 4

As I mentioned in Part 1 last week, Allan came on our 1 day Design Your Own Guitar course where I helped him design this guitar.

Most of the woodwork was done but I still had to glue on the fretboard before the rest could be completed.

With a neck thru guitar like this it is very difficult to get in and drill the holes for side dots after the fretboard is glued, which is when I would normally do it, so I drill them first.

The fretboard was the glued as usual.

While the glue dried I got on with making the custom inlay – looks pretty cool doesn’t it? The shape was made on the computer then printed out and ‘spray fixed’ to a piece of Mother of Pearl. I use a really fine jewelers saw to cut it out and a set of needle files to clean up the edges if needed. A slot is routed into the fretboard and the piece glued in with black superglue. After some sanding and cleaning up it looks like it grew there!

I have already rough carved the body but now it was time to make the re-curve. This was carved by hand with a gouge.

I then flipped the guitar over to carve the heel and the rest of the neck. Allan stopped by to check on progress and have a feel – he seemed pretty happy with it!

The frets were hammered in and jack socket drilled then a matching quilted maple headstock veener glued on and cleaned up before final sanding.

All the woodwork is now complete!

Next:

The guitar is now ‘in the white’ which means sanded and ready for spraying – it will have a dark cherry burst with a matching cherry stripe up the back of the neck – I will show this exciting process in part 3

Maybe you have your own ideas for a custom guitar? We are here to help!

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