Lowe Shop Notes

[BTL]

I have 21 necks to level and crown this week.

[BTL]

At heart, I think of myself as a designer. I felt the four/five string conversion saddle, as designed, was functional but not optimal. Adjusting the groove to 60 degrees vs. 45 degrees maximizes the utility. Objective = Achieved.

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Due to shop construction delays with my OEM, I'm bringing wiring harness fabrication back in-house. I learned about ways I can improve my build quality and workflow, so no regrets.

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Measure 48 times, cut 24 times. They don't all pass the audition. I had a CNC vendor for nuts that got bought out. If I continue cutting 8-string nuts by hand, I need to fabricate a slotting jig out of aluminum. It's on the to do list.

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Sunrise is always such a peaceful time in the community. Today was quiet, but there's usually a steady commute of ibis, crows, cranes, and other local birds heading out for their morning destinations.

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It's official, I'm almost sold out of these. Wild.

[Ken]

Nice! Seems like great validation.

[BTL]

Nice! Seems like great validation.

A buddy requested the 10-string version, and I fully expected a few to sell and the rest to sit idly on the shelf for years. They are never going to be a wildly popular item, but having more manufactured was not on my 2026 Bingo card.

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I got called out for a squirrelly nut slot. In my defense, I did say "They don't all pass the audition."  I scrapped all but one, then used that one as a template.

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One of my neighbors, enjoying the winter weather.

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Danny Gold recently shared this photo of one of my basses side-by-side with a vintage Fender. It got me thinking about nickel/nitro vs. chrome/2K-urethane and how each ages over time. I'm a fan of chrome/2K, but wonder if I'm in the minority. Thoughts?

[Ken]

Give the people what they want?  I prefer the look of yours.

[BTL]

Bass players seem happier with chrome/2K while guitars players seem more interested in nickel/nitro, so it's likely I'll stick with that formula for the next few order cycles.   

[BTL]

Lowe Custom Guitars started in 2009, and site-specific versions of my "Shop Notes" thread launched in 2011. That means I've been telling my story online for more than 15 years. I'm proud of what I have accomplished and I look forward to what the future holds.

One thing I'm particularly proud of has been my continued presence in the Talkbass Luthier's Corner. The blog-style format of the "Shop Notes" thread is an anomaly there and it doesn't conform to the subforum rules, so it was a surprise when the moderators reached out and offered to not only keep the thread going, but make it "sticky" at the top of the forum. I feel like I have arrived.

[BTL]

Where's Waldo?