Lol. Yeah. The build didn't come together very well. I posted about it here:
viewtopic.php?f=188&t=55341&hilit=egc+b ... 0#p1202369
The TLDR version is that the neck dive on the bolt on due to weight was too much to overcome, shooting pain up my wrist after 10 minutes. I tried. Before I ordered the bolt on I sent money for a deposit on a new build...
The new guitar was supposed to be quick. Kevin said he had the parts around. I assumed it was going to be no problem. Didn't even tell anyone for a while about it, just wanted it to show up quick and be like, hey look what I got. Nope. Over 3 years now. Paid in full. Asked for a refund at one point, received a phone call that I could get my money back minus deposit or he could finish it and sell it and pay me back in full. Don't want to misquote him, for accuracy, but the conversation led me to believe that would happen quickly and no surprise it didn't. The call was also to make sure I was doing okay, something I said must have clued him that I wasn't, so it was a nice gesture to reach out. But our relationship is based on business, I send money to get product, but this product is in production limbo. Maybe I should scream louder next time. But I just don't care anymore. Don't even really want what I ordered. Maybe I would find a use for it. Maybe I list it for sale the next day. Maybe I never even take the guitar and he sells it for me so I don't have that additional hassle.
What I really don't understand is that I am not alone in my several year wait. Several people on the aluminum Axes FB group have voiced their concerns about their own lengthy wait times. We were all in the dark until a Russian guy lost his shit about a custom 7 string build that took 5 years (though that type of guitar had never been done before). But, what, once a week a random guitar build is posted for sale on Reverb? And as of this post, he announced another batch of neck orders this past week. Cool. Make more shit for people who haven't been trying to wait patiently after giving money. Kevin stopped taking custom orders a while ago to help streamline production. Okay, sure, maybe he has less headaches trying to figure out how to make a 9 string guitar with 4 pickups and LEDs inside. Then following the FB drama, they announced a deadline where they weren't going to take money for new orders until they caught up. I don't even want to know if that is true or not, because it doesn't really even matter. I would love more transparency but it is too much to ask. Some people just don't have the ability and organization to run a business. The whole situation is just sad. Never played a better guitar than the one I have.
To reiterate some common sentiments:
DO NOT order a new EGC.
If you want an EGC, but used or from EGC's store on Reverb when they list random builds.
There are other players in the game: Robot Graves Industries, TTTides, Nude Guitars, Developing Nation Guitars, Aluminati, and Alef Guitars.