Frequently Asked Questions
Foundation Series?
Our flat Fender-style reverse headstock was designed from the ground up to combine strength, simplicity, and efficiency. By leveraging the flat headstock’s solid, uninterrupted grain flow, we reduce material waste and labor without compromising performance.
The refined headstock design is more compact and eliminates the string retainer bar, allowing the nut to participate more actively in the system by graduating the break angles off the nut. As String tension increases toward the bass side, the break angles relax, reducing downward pressure and delivering a smooth, balanced feel from treble to bass. The result is a dynamic, responsive hand feel that players notice immediately.
The Foundation Series is offered exclusively as a 6-string bolt-on platform.
Refraction Series?
The Refraction Series is our core lineup, featuring a single 9.4° break angle at the nut across all strings, integrated directly into the neck geometry via a hidden scarf joint. Concealed beneath the front and back headstock overlays (caps, veneers, etc.), this joint allows full, uninterrupted vibration transfer along the entire neck shaft.
The nut is captured on both sides between the fretboard and front headstock overlay in a 0.250" wide slot, providing stability while preserving tonal responsiveness.
Compared to the Foundation Series, the Refraction Series delivers a subtly different hand feel: because the break angle is fixed and integrated into the neck geometry, the tension at the nut remains consistent across all strings, giving a slightly firmer and more uniform response.
The Refraction Series ins offered exclusively as 6 or 7 String, Set neck or Bolt on.
Concision Series?
This series blends the best of both worlds. A 3.5° break angle combined with a Fender-style drop, creates a graduated break angle for headless designs, allowing the nut to engage more effectively in the system. This approach eliminates the “hinge effect” that can develop over time in necks with a hard break angle from fretboard gluing surface to head plane.
Similar to the Foundation Series, the hand feel and dynamic tension are progressive, moving from low to high strings and providing a balanced, responsive playing experience across the entire fretboard.
Fully Optimized Progressive Tension? What's that?
When designing our guitars, the first practical step is selecting the string gauges, tuning, and scale length. These three key variables not only affect note clarity and responsiveness but also form the foundation for our Nut, Heel, and Proportional Spacing dimensions.
We favor progressive tension string sets, where tension gradually increases from high to low strings. This approach delivers an articulate low end, a pronounced midrange, and a buttery smooth high end. With our string gauges defined, we can determine Nut and Heel widths and precisely place dots and inlays for optimal playability.
We allow 0.125" of fretboard overhang at the nut and 0.1575" at the 13th fret, that is from edge of string to edge of fretboard, accommodating the wider timbre of the lower strings. This creates a slightly asymmetrical fretboard taper, offset toward the bass side, proportionally consistent across all our instruments, fully accounting for the difference in string diameters.
Bolt-on or Set-neck?
Our guitars feature an extended tenon that runs from the end of the heel into a mortise beneath the neck pickup, much like a traditional set-neck. This design acts as a secure stop, preventing neck slippage over time (commonly referred to as “creep”), and shifts the fulcrum closer to the body to resist forward “peel” under string tension. The result is improved neck-to-body coupling and a stronger, more piano-like resonance.
This construction offers the best of both worlds: the rich sustain and stability of a set-neck, combined with the crisp, responsive attack and tonal clarity that players love from bolt-on designs.
What Oil Finish Do You Use?
We use a hard wax oil finish to protect our guitars while highlighting the natural grain. Each instrument is carefully sanded and treated with multiple coats of two-part wax oil and grain filler for a smooth, durable surface. After curing, the neck, fretboard, and body receive an additional two-part ceramic nano coating for long-lasting protection.
What Spray Finish Do You Use?
We opt for a UV Cured, High Solids Polyester finish.
After meticulous inspection to ensure the guitars are free of scratches, defects, and unwanted surface imperfections, the process diverges based on the desired color of the guitar. It may be dyed or left natural before entering the booth.
Over the course of 1-2 weeks, we gradually build up and cure enough coats to achieve a smooth, glassy surface, ready for the application of color coats. These color coats are then sealed in with several final coats and finally top coated with Matte or High Gloss.
Do you offer Customizable Control Layouts?
Each guitar control layout is customizable.
Standard "Traditional" wiring
3 Way Toggle(or Blade) 1 Volume, 1 Tone
Standard "Modern" Wiring
3 Way toggle(or Blade) 1vol, Master Series/Parallel
Push-pulls, 5 Ways, DTDP switches, and kill switches are all available.
Where are you located?
We are located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Do you offer Shipping?
We ship World-Wide, fully set up and ready to play in an Air, Yorkville or Gator Case to keep your guitar safe from damage.
Do You Offer Payment Plans?
Yes! With an initial non refundable deposit of 30% to get started, 30% before finish, and the remaining 40% prior to shipping. You will be contacted and invoiced at each milestone.
If you have another payment schedule you'd like to discuss do not hesitate to ask!
What if I Want to Cancel my Order?
If you would like to cancel, you my request so up to 1 Week after your initial deposit, after that, your down payment will have been spent on the woods and materials we harvested for it.
Further Information
Asymmetrical Neck Profile
Our neck profile has come a long way from a standard C, or D shape. Using Bezier Curves, we've created a comfortable, elliptical shape at the nut. As you venture down the neck towards the bridge this shape casually morphs itself, offset to the bass side, allowing a more comfortable and smooth transition between playing positions. Custom Neck profiles are available.
Multi Laminate Necks
All our necks feature a minimum of three-piece laminations, always in the quarter-sawn orientation. This orientation ensures a significantly more rigid and stable neck compared to alternatives like flat-sawn or one-piece necks. We've discovered that more laminations tend to compress the sound, and we generally don't recommend exceeding seven, unless the end result calls for it.
To enhance the sound quality of the neck, it's crucial to maintain these laminations within a set parameter along the centerline of the neck, ensuring consistent thickness along the sides.
Over time, these laminations may undergo "Lamination Shift" as a result of fluctuations in environmental conditions, leading the different wood species to react and expand or contract at different rates. Neck material is properly seasoned in house for a minimum of 1 year before production, this is to allow all the movement to happen in our hands and not yours. Unstable storage conditions can lead to artifacts, to mitigate this issue, the neck can be sanded smooth again and refinished.
For the glue-up process, I utilize epoxy to prevent the introduction of water to the joint and to minimize the likelihood of lamination shift.
Roasted vs Un-Roasted
Roasted woods are more dimensionally stable than non-roasted woods. It does not shrink or swell with the same capacity as it would have before the roasting process. This makes for a great neck material, especially in areas that experience the four seasons.
Carbon Fibre Neck Reinforcements
The primary function of neck reinforcement rods is to enhance the neck's resilience to environmental fluctuations. However, it's essential for the builder to select suitable wood for the neck and ensure it has been adequately dried and acclimated before use.
The carbon fiber rods I incorporate are chosen for their structural rigidity and their capacity to return to a "zero" position after flexing. Extensive research, experimentation, and findings from various online studies suggest that carbon fiber rods offer approximately ten times more flex resistance than maple of the same dimensions.
Standard 27" Scale String Gauges
- E 0.009" - 16.2lbs
- B 0.0125" - 17.6lbs
- G 0.016"p - 18.1lbs
- D 0.025" - 20.7lbs
- A 0.034" - 21.2lbs
- E 0.048" - 22.4lbs
- B 0.064" - 23lbs
Standard 25.75" Scale String Gauges
- E 0.0095" - 16.4lbs
- B 0.013" - 17.2lbs
- G 0.017" - 18.6lbs
- D 0.025" - 19.0lbs
- A 0.036" - 20.7lbs
- E 0.050" - 22.3lbs
- B 0.068" - 22.1lbs
Multi-Scale String Gauges
- E 0.095" - 16.1lbs
- B 0.013" - 17.2lbs
- G 0.017" - 18.9lbs
- D 0.025" - 19.5lbs
- A 0.034" - 20.4lbs
- E 0.048" - 22.0lbs
- B 0.064" - 23.0lbs
- F# 0.085" - 22.0lbs
- C# 0.115" - 22.8lbs
Scale Lengths:
- 6 String - 27.00" - 25.75"
- 6 String - 27.25" - 26.00"
- 7 String - 27.00" - 25.50"
- 7 String - 27.25" - 25.75"
- 7 String - 27.50" - 26.00"
- 8 String - 27.25" - 25.50"
- 8 String - 27.50" - 25.75"
- 9 String - 27.50 - 25.50"
BOOK A CONSULTATION WITH BRETT BAILEY
Let's Talk Guitars!
Professional Buyers Consultation service providing expert guidance and advice to assist you in making informed decisions when selecting one of our instruments.
In-depth discussions will cover the fundamental mathematics underlying fretboard geometry and neck profile, along with considerations regarding wood selection, finish, and electronics.
Throughout our session, we'll examine 3D models, and detailed sketches of your instrument to ensure it meets your preferences and requirements.
