Hi! This isn't a public page, though I'm sure cyber-stragglers will drift in. You all are welcome, too... but to know what we're talking about, go here to the Birdsong Guitar Co. home page. There's so many of you now and we're so honored to be building instruments for you! This page will be updated weekly (in a world with 36 hour days and duplicate Scottbots) and will help keep us with router, sander, oil cloth and soldering iron in hand where we really need to be. 

UPDATED JULY 22, 2008 
4 basses out so far this week... fun! 
packing708.jpg (190373 bytes)
We're not rushing anything, just working steady. We'll get as many done as we possibly can before we break in early August for some MUCH needed recharging, to-dos around the homestead, moving finishing and woodburning to the new shop, maybe some work on an old Mopar or two. As always, we're waiting on shipments of pickups and hardware. No matter how we order the stuff, our butt kicking focus & the devotion of our hands makes things rock and roll a little ahead of the beat and we end up short on stuff. It's a torpor-inducing wait on your side of the screen, but believe me - in here the action never stops. So here's the big ol' update, couldn't get to it last Friday. Enjoy!

Here are the three we shipped on Tuesday - C134, C126 and C131. Walnut with gold, Walnut with black, Blackwashed Mahogany with black... one to California and two to Alabama! And we shipped C127 on Monday...

Rear rout Blackwashed Mahogany with black hardware... to NY, bound for Saudi Arabia!


Here's how things go 'round the workshop. 

We probably gave you an idea of the time frame you can expect to wait. This is a reasonable prediction and we'll do our best to stick to it. It's also reasonable to understand it is a prediction and you might have to wait a little bit longer... we try to factor everything in, but we're people and this is life - neither of which runs like a machine. Despite our best efforts, of course! :)

We welcome changes to your order, but understand some cost money and most add time. If your mahogany Cortobass is in finishing and you have the Walnut Epiphany, I am totally cool with that. But the one in finishing will get done and go to the next client who wanted one or into inventory first. This is how we keep the lights on, fresh plugs in the old Mopars and food in our bellies. (This also explains sometimes why higher numbers than others suddenly turn up finished.)  

Most of the wait on your build is actually getting to it. It takes time to have everything ahead of you out of the various corners & stations here so we can begin on your order. If we have a series of complex multi-wood masterpieces ahead of yours, things slow down, especially if they get tricky with us. This is why we try to leapfrog "stock" builds through first as we're able to; it's the way things flow best. What's listed here is the next phase your order's in line for or in the process of. 

The philosophy that keeps things moving smoothly, us safe and sane, and the workshop a fun place to be (which in turn feeds this cycle again) is simple: "When I'm done for the day, I'm done for the day. There's only so much that's going to get done, there's only so much of me to give, and the rest will all get done, starting tomorrow."  We're not fast food - we're home cookin' and (within reason of course) that takes what it takes. I end every week knowing I gave my all, and then I'm done. And the August break is coming up - we're working steady but when it's time to close up for some R&R we will do so knowing we got out as many to you as we were possibly capable of. :) 

The numbers... no factory here, it's a workshop. If I have three in Mahogany or a couple in Maple or similar glue-ups, etc., I may hold one back and pull another forward in line to do them together. They're all getting worked on, but pressing a fixed numerical order into play with so many variables doesn't result in the best flow through the shop. This natural flow helps me be most productive & do good work, and that makes smooth & steady work for everyone else, and this all makes great basses and that's what we ALL want, right?

Most of this stuff is  factored in to the quoted build time. Other things aren't, like an extraordinary long wait for a certain wood, a week of muggy days where finish takes three times as long to cure, impacted belly button lint, the occasional re-sourcing of components from a different company that will actually show us some respect, a perplexing peculiarity in the preferred piece... so much goes on behind this screen you're looking at. It's really quite a ride, like being in a band that's got a buzz about it.

So most of your wait for your order to be up & halfway done is me. I love to talk with you when I'm here in the office, but these days it may take a day or three to get back with you. I thank you so much for your trust, patience & enthusiasm for what we're doing. It wouldn't be happening without Jamie (poor gal jumped off a perfectly fine career to live in the woods & build guitars) and our little crew of great souls. Hope this is informative & entertaining, thanks so much and know you all can call us anytime (512.847.6014). ~Scott, May 2008

C=Cortobass
S=Sadhana bass
F=CortoFusion bass
M=Mesquito bass
H=Hy5 5-string bass
EJ = Electric Jazz guitar
INV=building to sell in Inventory when ready
X = Custom. Deviates from a stock shape or model. 

Cortobasses 

8C-061 An unearthed '06 body claimed from inventory - Assembly - getting neck on this week
C61f.jpg (165034 bytes)

8C-062 An unearthed '06 body claimed from inventory - Finishing
C62c.jpg (98854 bytes) Here it is just after routing... and shaping... C62d.jpg (136971 bytes)

8C-120 Glue-up... this will be a fairly complex build. Here's the back glued & planed... Maple & Purpleheart.
C120c.jpg (119424 bytes)

8C-124 STILL READY TO SHIP! 
C124d.jpg (146674 bytes)

8C-125X Assembly - neck, tuners on - waiting for bridge & pickups
C125d.jpg (107085 bytes) C125e.jpg (164770 bytes)  
Yep, a BEAD Cortobass with a Hy5 body shape... if that ain't a "CortoCustom" I don't know what is!


8C-126 SHIPPED! 
C126b.jpg (150836 bytes) C126c.jpg (139293 bytes) C126e.jpg (128040 bytes) C126f.jpg (105897 bytes) C126h.jpg (77962 bytes) C126g.jpg (65849 bytes) C126x.jpg (74993 bytes) C126y.jpg (114854 bytes)

8C-127 SHIPPED! 
C127d.jpg (146197 bytes) C127e.jpg (143753 bytes)



Here are 127 & 128 captured while hanging around in assembly, awaiting final parts, setup & arrangements...
assembly708a.jpg (162100 bytes)

8C-128 SHIPPED! 
C128c.jpg (159457 bytes) C128d.jpg (129900 bytes)

8C-131 SHIPPED! 
C131a.jpg (154805 bytes)
C131b.jpg (141582 bytes) C131w.jpg (167671 bytes) C131y.jpg (134250 bytes)

8C-132X Assembly - figuring out control plate aesthetics
C132b.jpg (128865 bytes) C132c.jpg (129964 bytes) C132d.jpg (144083 bytes) C132e.jpg (167054 bytes) C132f.jpg (108742 bytes)

8C-133 Finishing - Assembly - should have neck on next week
C133b.jpg (130521 bytes) C133c.jpg (117037 bytes) C133d.jpg (115456 bytes) C133e.jpg (143627 bytes) C133f.jpg (96514 bytes)

8C-134 SHIPPED! 
C134a.jpg (142478 bytes) finishing708a.jpg (126355 bytes) C134y.jpg (94177 bytes)

8C-135 Sanding
C135a.jpg (116993 bytes)
This is C135, C139 and C140 "before":


8C-137 Assembly

8C-138X Workshop

8C-139 Cutting & shaping
C139a.jpg (142811 bytes) Pardon the machining marks - next pic will show the true grain... really nice!

8C-140 Sanding
C140a.jpg (113690 bytes)

8C-141 Workshop

8C-142 Routing

8C-143 Workshop

8C-144 Cutting & shaping

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Sadhanas - PICS OF SADHANAS COMING!

8S-028 Glue-up

8S-029 Routing

8S-030 Glue-up

8S-031 Cutting & shaping

8S-032 Glue-up

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CortoFusions

8F-006 Assembly - neck, tuners on - waiting for pickup & bridge
F6b.jpg (159310 bytes) F6c.jpg (117185 bytes) F6d.jpg (100840 bytes) 

8F-007 THE 4th Anniversary bass... ASSEMBLY 
Since this is July 4th, our 4th Anniversary of launching the website and becoming "official", this bass is now being shown. Details on the INVENTORY page...




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Hy5 5-strings 

8H-013 Assembly - pickups in, wiring done next week
H13a.jpg (117416 bytes) H13b.jpg (122886 bytes) 



8H-014P 1st "wide spacing" Hy5! Assembly - pickups in, wiring done next week
H14d.jpg (151866 bytes) H14e.jpg (123757 bytes) H14d.jpg (85828 bytes) Since this is a prototype I tweaked some pickup specs... always looking for another 2 or 3 % out of these designs... :)

8H-015 Routing
H15a.jpg (140349 bytes)

8H-016 Shaping & routing
H16a.jpg (162689 bytes) H16b.jpg (93632 bytes) H16c.jpg (130067 bytes) H16d.jpg (133798 bytes)

?H-017

?H-018

?H-019 Workshop

?H-020

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Odd projects: 

Tim's guitar - The Great Cedar - Routing
greatcedar2b.jpg (141429 bytes)

Wes's guitar  Routing

Jonesy's guitar  Shaping & routing
jonesyguit1a.jpg (176129 bytes) jonesyguit1b.jpg (168925 bytes) jonesyguit2a.jpg (143396 bytes) jonesyguit2b.jpg (153032 bytes)
Maple top, Walnut back with some artistic striping - Mesquite & Flame Maple...

8XL-001P Levi's 12-string XL guitar  Assembly - Electronics in, tuners on, bridge should be on this week, I should be test playing it next week.
XL1b.jpg (146643 bytes)  XL1c.jpg (151267 bytes) XL1d.jpg (198952 bytes) XL1e.jpg (195680 bytes) XL1f.jpg (126231 bytes) XL1g.jpg (145111 bytes) XL1h.jpg (164572 bytes)

8XL-002P Prototype 6-string XL guitar   Routing 
XL2c.jpg (163512 bytes) XL2d.jpg (146844 bytes) Here's the pickguard template, I'm thinking "vintage tortoise" on this one.

8T-001P "Tulip Bass" prototype - yep, it's a chopped, sectioned Cortobass! Assembly! Waiting for bridge... pics coming of this little gem!
T1b.jpg (130165 bytes)

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