NOTICE: I am in the process of “building away” a 9-24 month backlog cycle typical of the last 20 years.
In the interim, I may have an available/soon to be available Xen/x/10x piece! Please contact me here for current Pop-up status! Some of these Lab funding “one of a kinds” appear on Instagram.
Call me M-F 9AM-5PM California time
Jonathan
First of all thank you for your interest in acquiring one of these special instruments I am known for! Some background on me and how this specialty cinematic stringed instrument laboratory came to be and operates: In the 80s I became intrigued by this instrument called the Arpeggione, spent the 90s playing a collaborative prototype, and in the early 2000s, eliminated all the things I did not like about that first one and made one to an ergonomic scale to suit the natural quirky (TogaMan) manner that I play. My recording ambitions gave way to unexpected sudden demand for the instrument itself! Reluctantly I took an order in 2002. then two. then three. (lather rinse repeat for the next 20 years). It all started with a chunk of alder, a bastard file, blistered hands, and a dream! (More tools and machines were added with each build. From scratch!) Ready, fire, aim!
I’m not an MBA nor manager entrepreneur superstar with a factory; simply a musician artist (turned specialty engineer craftsman with a lab) who happens to have succeeded In building modern Arpeggiones (known as GuitarViols) that have otherwise been a failure for the last 200 years. Part of the reason why they have historically failed is that they are very difficult to do (well) in practical repeatable ways! (The best violin and guitar builders fail at this). Many have tried, quit, or wound up in the poorhouse like Stauffer did almost 200 years ago. (Also bad timing in the 19th century and they didn’t sound so great with gut strings and metal frets). I have devoted my life to taming and unleashing this lion! Approaching 400 ever evolving Instruments in a narrow, special niche is not for the faint of heart! The fact that hundreds of active media film TV game composers use my instruments (daily) around the world – it’s hard to wrap my head around it! (Humbling actually). It is literally hard to binge watch Netflix Showtime HBO And not hear one in a score somewhere! (I would like to think that this reflects well on my work!) Absolutely blown away that some people have made careers out of this thing! How did that happen? Not easy! No low hanging fruit here! Very hard, determined and resilient work with some questionable poetry & humor! Building these Arpeggione/GuitarViol things before it was cool to do so. (Here come the copy cats…)
Anyway I strive daily to make the best possible version of these instruments ever! In the past I made a variety of electric and acoustic models. In recent times, I have had to pare down the menu to a very focused direction with some “greatest hits” aspects derived from what I’ve Learned and developed the hard way! If I only made one model what would that be like? A repeatable artist print series! In recent times I’ve been applying State of the Art composite tech (even processes that I’ve been developing here!) No matter what I make my instruments out of they have to sound, feel, play amazing! Besides Carbon fiber and carbon graphite, I have been exploring alternative green organics search is flax, hemp, and Various Up cycles and plant based resins. So you see, in reality, I run a research laboratory funded by instruments I develop along the way! Exploring alternative organic materials as a sporty engineering challenge! Ever advancing the state of the art: Modern Arpeggiones known as TogaMan GuitarViols!
For these reasons, I mostly have to say no to most “custom requests” that do not fit within the range of focus (Taking the operation off course/momentum – no joke – even little things can do that). Ferrari meets Stradivari in spirit! The process is similar! Check out the new Substack email for updates and other articles of interest.
Over the years I’ve trained some apprentices. Some of these guys are successful indie Guitar builders today! Very proud and honored to have been part of their journey! I am often approached by would be protégés. We live in different times now!
Cases: Sorry, not in the case business! However, Kingham MTM cases in the UK (Bob Kingham) makes great cases and has GuitarViol Patterns. Inquire for your model and I’ll assist. *See Crate/bubble/box below.
Please know, ETA’s are estimates. Vicissitudes happen. (Especially this decade!) Goal posts can (and do) move! The mission remains! The risk is mutual and there are no refunds; only instruments, what ever it takes! in 20 years, forfeits are fortunately rare!
- Payment options include PayPal, and credit card through PayPal (keeps the ducks in a row!) Inquire for alternative bank wire options.
- When you are ready to initiate the first round, invoice you from there.
California residents are subject to area (zip code) tax.
In person will call/pick up subject to Valencia California tax.
California teleproduction professionals Can get a 5% (sales tax) break with the right paperwork in place.
Shipping in the continental US “Lower 48” (FedEx ground) has ranged from ($150-$200 it changes daily, ball park-ish), we will know on the big day! We round up to closest average for billing as actual invoice does not arrive until two weeks after.
Crate/bubble/box All GuitarViols are shipped in a crate made here onsite ($150.00). The outer box is 46″ x 20″ x 12″ with a slightly smaller 45″x19″x 11″ inner crate. The GuitarViol is cocooned safely in the bubble wrap and accessed by opening the box and removing 8 #2 phillips screws on designated panel. The result is a “super box” fortified by inner crate. It is actually safer than being in a case!
Outside of the the US, we use bonvu.com as a forwarder. You pay for volume discounted shipping directly to them. You make me your own declarations. More Bonvu info below.
Feel free to reach out! I am in the Lab/studio most days between 9-5PM
Visits can be arranged, please contact me regarding what may/may not be available
for demo encounters (or the safety conditions of the time!)
Also, we can plan a Skype/Zoom/iPhone facetime meeting (818) 268-5602
Also stay in touch on Instagram & Facebook 🙂
Have an exceedingly awesome day, and stay inspired!
Jonathan
More Bonvu details:
All international (outside US) ships through www.bonvu.com Bonvu becomes your US address, forwarder, smooths out customs documentation, and saves $$ through bulk shipments. To estimate your Bonvu shipment, enter a 46” x 20” x 12” box at 27 lbs and your destination address into the Bonvu shipping calculator. As with the information below, add the Crate/Box ($100.00US) With Bonvu, you make your own declarations and be prepared for customs duties your government may collect. (Preparation is key so there are no surprises). How this works: Register with Bonvu. When the big shipping date arrives and all is packed, I’ll contact you/Bonvu and they take it from there! (Bonvu charges $40.00 for pick up – You do need to email them for the pick up service (more here) but they save a lot overall – trust me on that! They send me a shipping label and it gets picked up! Done!
The BONVU.COM (pick-up from our shop) service fee is $40. The Shipping Calculator can be used to see the shipping rates up to 150 lbs billable weight. If the shipment size is over 150 lbs, please request a quote directly from specials@bonvu.com.
To schedule a pickup, email specials@bonvu.com with the following details:
- Pickup location (GuitarViols inc. 25030 Avenue Stanford, Suite 220, Valencia, CA 91355 USA, bowedguitar at GMAIL.com)
- Ship-to location (contact name, address, phone number, email)
- Item description (for customs documents)
- Item value (for customs and insurance)
- Weight of each package (27 lbs)
- Dimensions of each package (46″ x 20″ x 12″)
- Your preferred method of payment – Euro bank transfer (cash rate), credit card (no fee) or PayPal (4% handling fee)
Once we have the above information and confirmed payment, we will email our Customer Invoice as a receipt and schedule the pickup. We will email a shipping label and Invoice for Customs to the sender.