Bastin is out of the game, I think.
Hoxley are in ready supply on reverb, but the headstocks aren’t to my taste.
McCauley Nonferrous has 10 years ago prices! Fretboard finishing looks a bit rough in some of the pics.

Who else is out there?

biscuitdough wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:39 am Who else is out there?

This could be way out of date, but Greg Bailey?

(I have no experience but used to see the name a lot. At the very least they may pop up on Reverb)

biscuitdough wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:39 am McCauley Nonferrous has 10 years ago prices! Fretboard finishing looks a bit rough in some of the pics.

No tuners included helps keep the prices down, artificially.

"The necks come polished but are not brought to a “perfect mirror like” polish. Buyer may polish the neck further if they see fit.

I likeMcCauley's listing for giving me the mental image of a grumpy, begrudging neck maker. But I wouldn't rule them out if it was what I wanted...and if their love of where they are didn't make them suspect.

jirbling rake wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 10:53 am

biscuitdough wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 7:39 am McCauley Nonferrous has 10 years ago prices! Fretboard finishing looks a bit rough in some of the pics.

No tuners included helps keep the prices down, artificially.

"The necks come polished but are not brought to a “perfect mirror like” polish. Buyer may polish the neck further if they see fit.

I likeMcCauley's listing for giving me the mental image of a grumpy, begrudging neck maker. But I wouldn't rule them out if it was what I wanted...and if their love of where they are didn't make them suspect.

The $299 McCauley and $449 Hoxey are without tuners, sure. Hoxey has them with tuners for about $200 more. With the typical price seemingly around a grand for the bigger names, I'm assuming that the Robot Graves and Aluminati of the world are trying to sell better finishing, lighter weight or more options. A $500-600 set of tuners would be ridiculous.

I think "made in USA" is to differentiate from mass-produced imported stuff, especially at his price. They do mention using recycled aluminum, too.

biscuitdough wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 12:27 pm
The $299 McCauley and $449 Hoxey are without tuners, sure. Hoxey has them with tuners for about $200 more. With the typical price seemingly around a grand for the bigger names, I'm assuming that the Robot Graves and Aluminati of the world are trying to sell better finishing, lighter weight or more options. A $500-600 set of tuners would be ridiculous.

I think "made in USA" is to differentiate from mass-produced imported stuff, especially at his price. They do mention using recycled aluminum, too.

$500 to $600 tuners, lol. Yeah, I just meant it as a reason it would be so low. Even with tuners it's far, far less than EGC or similar.

Location, not the "USA" part as much as the "in the Northern Neck of Virginia" part. Regional pride is just one of those things that is sometimes a tell for other, less desirable qualities in a reseller. It's not a hard and fast rule, there's a lot of wiggle room, and all disclaimers apply. It's catches my attention.

I've heard that Hoxley was on the right-wing side of things, so something to be mindful of.

jirbling rake wrote: Fri Jun 24, 2022 1:04 pm Location, not the "USA" part as much as the "in the Northern Neck of Virginia" part. Regional pride is just one of those things that is sometimes a tell for other, less desirable qualities in a reseller. It's not a hard and fast rule, there's a lot of wiggle room, and all disclaimers apply. It's catches my attention.

four_oclocker_2.2 wrote: I've heard that Hoxley was on the right-wing side of things, so something to be mindful of.

Sigh, that's unfortunate. But yeah: while I realize a lot of Made in USA marketing may have been a response to sweat shops who churn out cheaply made junk, sometimes it just comes across as xenophobic. It partially made me reconsider ordering from an Indiana guitar maker with "made in the good 'ol US of A" or a pixelated flag on every tab of their geocities looking website..

penningtron wrote: while I realize a lot of Made in USA marketing may have been a response to sweat shops who churn out cheaply made junk, sometimes it just comes across as xenophobic.

Absolutely. I can't find it, but I read an article advocating taking back the "made in the USA" tag from xenophobes who had ruined it. I would much rather buy items made in the United States (local jobs) by adequately compensated and protected workers—which one can research, but it's not always easy.

Of course, most of the aluminum neck makers seem to be in union-hostile, so-called "right to work" states. Or maybe make that increasingly human-hostile states/country, but I'm getting off-topic again.

four_oclocker_2.2 wrote: I've heard that Hoxley was on the right-wing side of things, so something to be mindful of.

Will do, and thank you for finally saying who the suspect maker was

bought one of these https://robotgraves.com/about/ , attaching it to a jazzmaster.

I got to try an Aluminati Orion recently, and it felt great, FWIW. Still a bolt-on neck, so I assume it would be the same as if it were sold separately. The Aluminati neck is chambered, and probably lighter than the EGC bolt-on I have, judging by the overall guitar weight and balance.

I don't think it's been mentioned here, but with some expert routing and drilling, any Fender-style body can be made to accept a Kramer bolt-on neck. Once in awhile I still see good deals on old Kramers, or at least prices competitive with some new bolt-on aluminum necks.