Masquerading as a Tour of the Website
Wow, it’s December. Not sure where this year went but here we are! For everyone who is looking for last minute gifts, a couple of the fellows here at Solo thought it would be a good idea to do this month’s blog, on the website…just in case there is anyone who hasn’t perused the entire site! There may be a few items here that you were not aware that we carried. We have 10 pull-down menus on our home-page and we will just take a quick look at them.
DIY Kits – This is where the business started…guitar and bass kits. This menu is divided into 8 categories to make it easier for you; our valued customers, to find the product you are interested in. Each kit is carefully and professionally photographed to give you the best view of what you are getting. We do our very best to keep all these kits in stock, quality control each one before it goes out to you, and also keep our eyes open for new and exciting kits!
Bodies and Necks – Whether you are looking for a finished or unfinished body from Fender or Solo, we keep a very good stock of these products in house. Depending on the level of quality you chose, you can assemble an intermediate or very professional instrument…it all depends on your choices and your abilities. We also carry guitar and bass necks which are manufactured to specification and ready to install on your new or used instrument. Necks are really a lot of work to create from scratch and require a great deal of experience. Buying a Fender neck or a selected Solo neck could be the easier way for you to complete that special project!
From Our Shop – This menu is probably the one we have the most pride in. We do bring some body blanks in from our suppliers, but we also go in search of top quality wood from both a visual beauty and tonal perspective. Our in-house wood expert machines and matches these woods to give you the best of both worlds. We also select specific woods for tops and fretboards which we machine and glue in-house as well. Our man Vatche is a CNC expert and our modern shop is equipped to cut, plane, sand and shape whatever your need is. We also employ outside expert consultants to help with projects and selection of wood.
Luthier Tools – Even though our business has it’s roots in guitar/bass kits, we now have the best selection of lutherie tools in Canada. From drill and router bits and saw blades, to jigs that make your work easier, templates, inlays, gauges and fretting tools plus much much more. We can outfit your guitar making business from top to bottom. We have also begun to fabricate some custom tools in our in-house machine shop. Whether you are buying an apron or a drill press, jointer or bandsaw, or literally hundreds of hand-tools between, this section deserves a close look.
Finishing Supplies – The world has changed from when I started in this business. Back then you needed a contact in the automotive industry or furniture industry to find even a fraction of the materials we have on our website. Whether you are oiling a finish, using a water-based product or creating a vintage nitro finish, we have a stunning array of products for prep, finishing, buffing/polishing and finish repair. We carry products from some of the biggest names in the finishing business, and our expert sales staff are able to steer you in the right direction if you need help!
Parts – Well, what can I say about our parts department? We have the largest selection (in-house) of guitar, bass, pedal and amplifier parts available to you in Canada, and one of the largest selections in North America. Whether you need parts from Fender, Gibson, Marshall or a vast selection of top-rated companies that specialize in particular products…we probably have it here in stock. There are literally thousands of parts available! It is important to mention our incredible selection of machine heads, bridges and pickups from many of the best-known manufacturers out there. There are very few things you can imagine doing to build or customize your instrument, that we do not have the parts to complete.
Strings – Solo carries strings for almost every stringed instrument available, from all of the major string manufacturers. Whether you are looking for your favorite string or looking to discover a new string for your favorite instruments, our expert sales staff can help you or suggest something for you to try.
Accessories – Once again, despite our roots here at Solo, as we expanded our stock on parts, we have also expanded our selection of accessories. From apparel to bar stools, cases and gigbags to tuners and guitar tools, taking a close look at our accessories can result in you finding something you have needed or at least wanted for a long time, or, finding that perfect gift for the musician in your family. What started with us here at Solo just supplying the basic picks, straps and tuners, has come to our selection today that includes recording accessories, wireless systems, amplifiers pedals and even electronic drums!
New Arrivals – For those of you loyal Solo customers, the New Arrivals Menu is an important way to keep up on what we are offering. We do our best at Solo to search and find new products or at least products that complete certain projects and update this menu monthly. Currently we have 184 new products which include new colors and styles of pickguard blanks, pickup winding parts and wire, new colors in nitro finishes, new pedals, new kits new parts and …. well take a look, there might be something you’ve been waiting for.
Deal Zone – Finally….the Solo Deal Zone. You will find two categories in the Deal Zone. First is the B-Stock. Here you will find kits with certain issues that are described in the text, or end of line kits that we will no longer offer. You will also find returned products or open box products, and quite often bare bodies or necks from our kits that may be supplied with some parts or may not. There is something for everyone in this section! The second category is the Special Offers. Here you will find products we have over-purchased and need to clear out, products that didn’t sell well and we need to clear out or products we just feel we would like to offer a special price on. Always worth a look through as you never know what gem you may find!
So…..you might think this is in-your-face advertising…and it probably is. But for those of you who are new to Solo, or who haven’t really bothered to look at what else we carry, we felt that it was time for a guided tour of the website. If you find yourself near our facility, it’s a great place to get lost and spend a couple hours in, just looking at everything we carry at Solo Guitars. It’s also a good place to get some questions answered as our expert staff can assist you in pretty much anything to do with guitars and bass. We also host several special events every year, that usually are combined with some form of special discounts or pricing. There is much more to come here at Solo Guitars, and we hope you will stop by either the store or the website for a second look!
