the process
How it works
Design
The guitars I do at Tonguesoflame reflect different degrees and perspectives of customization. Some (Masters of Line series) are tributes to particular artists I admire. Some (Thrudgelmir, String Theory, Phive) are built around particular concepts or themes, while others (San Miguel, Twain, Oda) are pictorial and symbolic stories about or essays on the musicians they’re designed for.
If you have a finished instrument you want customized, it needs to be stripped of any clear-coat (or I can start with a blank, if you’re building your magical tool from scratch.) In most instances, if you can give me a theme, energy, feeling or favorite artist or art period (i.e., Viking imagery, St. Theresa, grief, Rackham’s fairy tale illustrations, medieval manuscripts) and let me run with it, I can have your guitar done and back to you in two-six months, depending of course on things like complexity, coverage, detail, and time of year. I have a lot more time to focus on my art during the summer. Work done mid-August to late May has to be accomplished around a more-than-full-time day job. Please note that if you have a particular artist in mind whose style and/or imagery you want on your instrument, it needs to be somebody whose work is in the public domain (in general, anything published more than 75 years ago.). I’m not in business to bite any working artist’s style or step on somebody’s copyright.
Another option is a symbolic portrait, in which the artwork is a kind of pictorial private invocation, or personalized mandala. That’s a more involved, intimate and expensive process in which we talk/text/email, whatever works for you to collaborate in designing the imagery, and it takes as long as we agree to. You tell me your ideas, what it feels like when the music is coming through you, what you want to capture or communicate in your music. Let me hear your work, and the music that moves you, that influences your sound. We'll talk about what you believe in, what you care about, what you dream of. Tell me about what matters to you. It's different for everybody, of course. That's the point, after all.
Regardless of the degree or focus of design, all Tonguesofflame guitars are designed as living ritual tools for your use. From Thrudgelmir’s invocation of a particular set of ancestors, to the preloaded seals of Phive (which comes with a user’s manual for which chords awaken which Sephirotic fuses in the artwork) to the Christian mysticism of the Infernocaster or the grim piety of Apokalypse, every piece I do is infused with the understanding that music is ceremony, that ceremony has consequences, and that the right tool can faithfully amplify and execute the intention of the user. You don’t have to believe in magic to use these guitars, of course. But you should understand that they do. The artist assumes no liability for any negative karma accruing from the misuse of these instruments.
Pricing
The closest analogy (in some ways) to what I do is probably tattooing. Prices for a design are comparable to those for tattoo work in a decent shop. Like a tattoo, the cost depends on the size, positioning and complexity of the design. The following is a rough outline offered for reference ONLY, and does not represent a binding offer of any terms, which will be individually negotiated, and subject to considerations including, but not limited to,: time required, size, complexity, degree of detail/scale, challenge and availability/cost of artist/materials/processing.
For a theme/artist concept guitar:
Complete instrument (front, back, potentially sides, neck, stock, if appropriate)—1-5k
Complete panel (front or back)—$750-$1,500
1/2 panel (front or back)—$375-$750
1/4 panel (or comparably sized single image)—$200-$500
If you feel the need, but not the budget, hit me up. There are other factors that can influence how much your dream design costs. If you can wait longer, it’ll cost less. A complete panel that consists of a single, large-scale image is probably going to cost less than the same area covered with a richly detailed mosaic of figures and symbols. If you want to do it in installments, I’ll work with you to figure out a sequence that makes sense.
We’ll agree on the cost in writing before I start, along with the terms. 1/2 the full price is expected up front, the other on completion. The client is responsible for shipping costs, including insurance. The artist reserves the right to use all images in advertising, exhibits, virtual media and any other venue whatsoever in perpetuity.
Time
Time involved is also, of course, dependent on the size and complexity of the design. Expect no less than 6-8 weeks for the completed piece (unless we're talking about something really small, or simple). Bigger/more complex pieces take longer, of course, and the artist’s availability fluctuates pretty wildly in the course of an average year (this is not my day job), but we'll agree on a mutually satisfying deadline before beginning. Each guitar is signed, titled, and numbered by the artist.
Service Policy
I reserve the right NOT to serve absolutely anyone, for any reason whatsoever, including that the idea doesn’t excite me, or something just doesn’t feel right.
