Hi all,
Thanks for the continuous support and understanding all these while. However, time has come for me to close down on this small little sideline i am running.
Gr3y Custom Shop started off way back during my NS period. I still remember bringing a homemade pickguard into camp on weekend guard duties to do filing. Those days, a simple pickguard will make me feel really proud and happy. After posting on www.soft.com.sg, i was encouraged that it can be a feasible service job for people who wants to do something special on their guitar.
I still remembered the excitement i have when i found out projectguitar.com! The amount of information there is just beyond my imagination. So slowly and i started to get addicted to buying cheap guitars for some diy modifications. Those days, a completed project makes me really happy.
Soon after, i started offering more services online for modification on other people's guitar. During the start state, monetary reward was really some good encouragement to keep me doing more and more repairs/modification. However as time passes, i realized i am not getting the same feeling anymore.
I got complains for minor or inevitable damages, compensations for repair job that end up wasting both my time and income, lowballed due to market competition and even some nasty remarks. All these were never shown to the public. Don't worry, i ain't going to show them anyway.
It's all these that made me think again. Why will i want to make a pickguard that i charge around $100+/- but uses 5hrs or more of my time and get complains? Is that $100+/- really worth all these?
For a start, my friend told me it's going to be a tough job if i want to carry on. But i told him "This is my hobby and i really enjoy the look on the customer when i pass a completed customized guitar modification back." Now? I think i've chicken out and starting to agree with him.
In anywise, you might want to check out Singapore Kindness Movement Facebook if you are reading this post ;) I've modeled in a photoshoot there :D but.. that's beside the point! What i am trying to convey is that, even a cleaner in a hawker centre deserves your kind words to keep his spirit up. It does not cost you anything but it makes the world spins happier :)
I've decided to close Gr3y Custom Shop because i wish to retain this hobby of mine. I want the initial feelings that i had. I don't want to repair a guitar on a schedule basis. I also want to move back into music creation. I hope you guys understands me and supports my decision.
Anyway in my last official post, i'm showing my last few work with my fellow customers.
Yep that's right! This is the Orville Les Paul that was originally black. The custom wants it in Red Wine. I told him i might have to experiment with the color for a while as i've never done a red wine. I'm surprised for the result i've got here :)
This is what i call a tele that have went for a slim treatment. This guitar belongs to Ben from En-X and he specifically wanted weight reduction by creating an ash hole :D The weird swimming pool routing is as per what he drew :) Don't worry, the pickguard will cover everything anyway.
The last is a Ibanez Jem Universe that belongs to Simon Yong of Zero Sequence as well as guitarist for The Unexpected. This guitar came in with a black and dull pickguard and is not flashy enough for simon. So i initially suggesting doing a pickguard with leds at the side to make it real bling bling. However, after experimenting, that did not work out well. So instead i made him this carbon fibre green edge pickguard. Cool eh!? I've never seen such a sexy universe. Anyway i still gotta do some setup and wiring before sending back to him.
For the last picture in my last post, this is what kind of mess you can get when you do routing in your own apartment. I'm not sure how many of you are willing to do that to your room. Well i did, for quite a while. Oh yes, that's my foot print :DSo that's it!
Thanks for all the support all these while. Gr3y Custom Shop is definitely closing but i ain't stopping my hobby of modifying guitars. I'll still post my work whenever i've done anything nice :)
If you have any questions, you can either leave it here or email to Gr3yCs@Gmail.com
Best Regards,
Vincent
