HylerTouchstyle
16th June 2009, 11.30 am
http://www.hylertouchstyle.com/images/homem.jpg
Online Store: http://www.HylerTouchstyle.com/Order
Inside The Shop:
Quality Hardwoods; Flame Maple, Cocobolo, Bocote, Brazilian Rosewood, Red Oak, and Walnut.
Handmade Instruments; Cutting, Routing, Drilling, etc. is all machined, but never leaves human hands during the process (does not apply to metal parts and other guitar hardware :) holding that while being machined could be very dangerous....)
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/65/l_903c23a608124423a9963dee8b8d73f8.jpg
History and Introduction: http://tappistry.org/forum/showthread.php?p=13519#post13519
We've been a private San Diego shop for going on 4 years now, mostly dealing in building exotic guitars, but have done a bit of restoration work as well. Most recently, over the past two years, we've done custom work on Chapman and Stu Box instruments (only one of each to be honest, but enough to introduce us to the inner workings of touchstyle instruments). Since then we've been a strong supporter of TouchStyle instruments, but absolutely jawdropped by their prices. While working on the guitars, we saw no signs of why they should cost so much. Woods are not too exotic, construction is very solid but not too extensive looking (time-wise), and the same type of hardware (headless and multi-string)can be machined in our CNC and Manual Mills for very low cost from aluminum and brass.
With that we launched several lines of Touchstyle instruments (well only 2 different types are continued being produced at this moment, but there's more styles floating around from our early prototypes). We also have an electric upright bass which we are currently putting finishing touches on, they will be exhibited over the next month and available to the public after that.
Our main goal is to either lower the entire price range of touchstyle instruments across the board in a hope to bring these instruments to the mainstream, or at the very least (and more likely) provide affordable alternatives with the same quality hardware and equal or better wood (usually better, as we love exotic woods and have a great affordable source for them when we buy in bulk). Years ago, the first time we saw a touchstyle instrument, our customer told us they saved up for 2 years to afford it, at first we thought this was just a top of the line model, but were shocked to hear there were no realistic/common alternatives in terms of affordable touchstyle instruments.
So, almost 4 years later, here we are. There's always a catch of course, because of our prices we do have a tiny waitlist, but regardless we always build more than we get in orders as 90% of our time is spent setting up machines and only 10% shaping wood and machining metal, so we can easily put out more if we make multiple instruments simultaneously. So if you're in a hurry, send us a message on myspace ( http://www.myspace.com/hyler ) and we can do rush orders at no extra charge. We always try and start production on the first and third weeks of every month (takes about 2 weeks from start to finish on any given instrument, usually about 4 instruments per cycle). We've handled most orders in person locally as that's where our advertisements are based, but have recently started branching out over the internet and so far have had two customers overseas and several more in the states outside of CA, so feel free to let us know if there's any way we can improve our distance customer service
Hyler Touchstyle Hardware soon to be available seperately!Great for luthiers and personal builders
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/88/l_c33282754d0f4a0f8329508d11009824.jpg
We know that trying to fit two bridges together causes gaps in the center of your instrument, and individual string bridges cost more than most can handle. We will be offering a variety of touchstyle bridges from 8 to 12+ strings, single piece fanned fret accomadating bridges, narrow width bridges, and headless bridges with tuning blocks and floating saddles option for all of the above.
Pricing
Instruments start at just $499 for available stock guitars, $699 for basses. Custom orders usually carry no extra charge inherently, but more expensive woods, extra hardware machining, etc. can increase the cost substantially depending on what is requested. For example, a custom built to order short scale instrument made out of ash with a non figured maple fretboard and piezo pickup system would cost $499, no more than a premade instrument by us, however a extended scale instrument made out of wenge with an exotic highly figured top and/or fingerboard with magnetic pickup system and headless option would cost hundreds more.
Also Available: Excalibur Electric Upright Basses! The cost of low end mass production basses with the exotic woods and craftsmanship of high end custom works.
http://www.hylertouchstyle.com/images/instruments/1.JPG
Online Store: http://www.HylerTouchstyle.com/Order
Inside The Shop:
Quality Hardwoods; Flame Maple, Cocobolo, Bocote, Brazilian Rosewood, Red Oak, and Walnut.
Handmade Instruments; Cutting, Routing, Drilling, etc. is all machined, but never leaves human hands during the process (does not apply to metal parts and other guitar hardware :) holding that while being machined could be very dangerous....)
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/65/l_903c23a608124423a9963dee8b8d73f8.jpg
History and Introduction: http://tappistry.org/forum/showthread.php?p=13519#post13519
We've been a private San Diego shop for going on 4 years now, mostly dealing in building exotic guitars, but have done a bit of restoration work as well. Most recently, over the past two years, we've done custom work on Chapman and Stu Box instruments (only one of each to be honest, but enough to introduce us to the inner workings of touchstyle instruments). Since then we've been a strong supporter of TouchStyle instruments, but absolutely jawdropped by their prices. While working on the guitars, we saw no signs of why they should cost so much. Woods are not too exotic, construction is very solid but not too extensive looking (time-wise), and the same type of hardware (headless and multi-string)can be machined in our CNC and Manual Mills for very low cost from aluminum and brass.
With that we launched several lines of Touchstyle instruments (well only 2 different types are continued being produced at this moment, but there's more styles floating around from our early prototypes). We also have an electric upright bass which we are currently putting finishing touches on, they will be exhibited over the next month and available to the public after that.
Our main goal is to either lower the entire price range of touchstyle instruments across the board in a hope to bring these instruments to the mainstream, or at the very least (and more likely) provide affordable alternatives with the same quality hardware and equal or better wood (usually better, as we love exotic woods and have a great affordable source for them when we buy in bulk). Years ago, the first time we saw a touchstyle instrument, our customer told us they saved up for 2 years to afford it, at first we thought this was just a top of the line model, but were shocked to hear there were no realistic/common alternatives in terms of affordable touchstyle instruments.
So, almost 4 years later, here we are. There's always a catch of course, because of our prices we do have a tiny waitlist, but regardless we always build more than we get in orders as 90% of our time is spent setting up machines and only 10% shaping wood and machining metal, so we can easily put out more if we make multiple instruments simultaneously. So if you're in a hurry, send us a message on myspace ( http://www.myspace.com/hyler ) and we can do rush orders at no extra charge. We always try and start production on the first and third weeks of every month (takes about 2 weeks from start to finish on any given instrument, usually about 4 instruments per cycle). We've handled most orders in person locally as that's where our advertisements are based, but have recently started branching out over the internet and so far have had two customers overseas and several more in the states outside of CA, so feel free to let us know if there's any way we can improve our distance customer service
Hyler Touchstyle Hardware soon to be available seperately!Great for luthiers and personal builders
http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/88/l_c33282754d0f4a0f8329508d11009824.jpg
We know that trying to fit two bridges together causes gaps in the center of your instrument, and individual string bridges cost more than most can handle. We will be offering a variety of touchstyle bridges from 8 to 12+ strings, single piece fanned fret accomadating bridges, narrow width bridges, and headless bridges with tuning blocks and floating saddles option for all of the above.
Pricing
Instruments start at just $499 for available stock guitars, $699 for basses. Custom orders usually carry no extra charge inherently, but more expensive woods, extra hardware machining, etc. can increase the cost substantially depending on what is requested. For example, a custom built to order short scale instrument made out of ash with a non figured maple fretboard and piezo pickup system would cost $499, no more than a premade instrument by us, however a extended scale instrument made out of wenge with an exotic highly figured top and/or fingerboard with magnetic pickup system and headless option would cost hundreds more.
Also Available: Excalibur Electric Upright Basses! The cost of low end mass production basses with the exotic woods and craftsmanship of high end custom works.
http://www.hylertouchstyle.com/images/instruments/1.JPG