Ry Luthier - FAQ's

General FAQ's

Is there a warranty on your guitars?: Yes. Lifetime warranty on structural integrity to the original owner. Details are given in the work contract.
What type of finish do you use?: I recently changed over to nitrocellulose lacquer now that I have an adequate spray booth. "Satin" neck finishes are also available.
Can I get stainless steel frets?: Yes. Stainless frets last much longer than normal fretwire. It is however, harder to work with, and wears on my specialized files more. For these reasons, there is an upcharge is price.
What are my color options?: As long as I'm on board with the decision, any color either opaque or transparent is available at additional costs.
What type of cases do you provide?: Whatever kind you want for custom instruments. I recommend Ameritage cases by far. For many guitars, a custom sized case is the only way to go. Standard models will most likely be TKL.
Are your guitars tap tuned?: Somewhat. There are many factors that come into play when talking about a well voiced guitar. The size of the soundhole, space inside the body, bridge material, and string tension all affect the tone and volume. Its a painstaking process to perfect, and must be exparimented on the same type of instrument over and over to find out what works. I get my tops as thin as possible, and fine tune the deflection (movement of the top under pressure) to get more volume. I believe this makes for a more evenly responsive instrument.
Do you build mandolins, banjos, ukes, ect.?: I could, but I bet there's someone out there who's a lot better and quicker at it than I am.