electric viola de gamba

[jude]

Hi! I'm looking for a luthier in the Bay Area who can work with me in building a bowed electric guitar much like "togaman" jonathan wilson's but to my specifications. It's a very specialized niche type instrument and the luthier would have to be very creative. Does anyone have any recommendations?
thanks
Jude

[FRANK]

well I am in Modesto CA and willing to tackle a Giant I have built 30 plus Stringed Instruments and 1000S of repairs look up Modesto Guitar Mill My name is Paul Cheers

[Laurent Brondel]

Why don't you contact Jonathan?

[jude]

i have contacted jonathan. He has been so kind and taken the time to talk to me about my vision but he told me that he's going in a direction that won't allow him time to build what I'm looking for. I'd love a togaman guitarviol. He has spent so much time making sure his instruments sound good and play well. It's just not exactly what I'm looking for.

[Laurent Brondel]

Jude, could you describe what you're looking for?

[Bob Webster]

To echo Laurent, yeah, contact Jonathon. I just took a tour of his site(s) and I'm extremely doubtful that anyone could make anything from a cold start that would come anywhere close to the quality and playability of his instruments. One of the biggest barriers is just pickups and he seems to have that surrounded.

If price is an issue, there's no one that could make a similar instrument for you from scratch that could possibly beat his prices and make any money off of it. In the same vein, a part-time or amateur builder might also take a damned long time to make any progress. Just my two cents. I gotta say, though, that Togaman is one sick puppy. I'd love to give one of his instruments a try. It's gotta be a gas. Imagine Apocalyptica playing on a set of these.

Cheers,
Bob

[Jerry Mercer]

What about Fred Carlson? Check his website out. I think you can find it on Frets.com under NCAL. He's made some pretty bizaar(sp?) instruments