Well, I can't read French.

But going by what you say:

1. The dent may have happened in transit. Depends of course if the case (if it had one) or package was dented too.

2. Tuners... may have been a shitty mistake.

3. Pickup dangles? What, was it not fixed to the guitar properly? Or is this not the word you mean?

Weird if all the stuff is actually the fault of Ran. Will have to see what happens with that.

__________________

I hope this doesn't mean the Ran build quality is declining because of the workload they have. I'd personally rather wait a year for the guitar than get a half-assed job done on my custom.

look at this hot ran with kahler. it looks fucking class man. its really building up my ran gas!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/11-4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/09-5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/08-5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/07-4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/06-4.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/05-5.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/04-6.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/03-8.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...uitars/02-9.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v...itars/01-11.jpg

thats a really cool guitar, but unfortunately its missing a string

is that the metallic black paintjob?

Looks kinda like my Invader. sweet.

the only problem i have with my ran is that i banged it around too much and the volume pot is a little loose, but that's my own fault + an easy fix.

i was thinking about getting another Ran but the prices are getting a little too high for me 2 grand easy now. hey, i know, full custom and all that but i could just as easily get a jackson soloist for $1000 on ebay..

__________________

hmmm, actually Ive just ordered a full custom RAN some 2 months ago (fully custom shaped and all) and its still well under 2 grand (thats € though)

About that;
I´m also french,i read that post and theres nothing about the wrong machine heads.
the dent its surely from the transport(I hope ).About the pickup....thats strange.
If some of you dont know,the pictures above are from that guitar.The pickup in cause was the neck one,the guy put it some kind of glue,not realy glue,but something grey he said,aparently the screw holes were realy damaged.He also glued the piece of wood missing,it was somewhere in the case.
And its not the only,there was another guy with a similar probleme.If something like this apen to me,i think a would kill every moving living creature around me.lol!

its a passive pickups, so that grey "glue" is most likely wax.

http://www.guitarnuts.com/technical...rical/index.php

its called potting a pickup

I can't wait to see the 7 string kahler.

__________________

[QUOTE=Vince]About that;
I´m also french,i read that post and theres nothing about the wrong machine heads.
QUOTE]

You're wrong:
Here is the link to the related part of the forum...

Ran provided wrong machine heads to this guy.
This is a real problem when you need locking tuners (in his case, he already
had a locking nut...ok...but locking tuners help changing string faster).

Styx

ups....sorry..hehe..I didnt see that part of the story.I only saw the first link above.My bad.

No.What that guy put there was to lock the screws,i think i dont know the word for these,but, the holes where the srew "screws in",were....dam...Whell.The srews werent fixing the pickup,thats all...

I'm thinking of finally ordering one.. gotta sell my ESP KH3 first tho, you think it's worth it ? It's gonna be 1570 euro (1610 with shipping)

http://img125.imageshack.us/img125/...incustomlv6.jpg

Specs:
R or L handed : right handed
Scale length : 25.5
Body shape other : kruos
Construction : neck thru body
Body material : mahogany
Body binding : none
Pickup configuration : H-H
Finish : solid
Finish other : black
Custom finish : bevels
Custom finish other : red (not too bright, not too dark)
Headstock shape other : ESP
Neck material : maple 3P
Headstock : reversed
Truss rod cover : plastic (b/w/b)
Headstock finish : match body finish
Neck finish : match body finish
Fingerboard material : Indian Rosewood
Number of frets : 24
Fret size : Dunlop 6100 (XJ frets)
Fingerboard inlays: skulls
Fingerboard side inlays : plastic dots
Fingerboard binding : none
Headstock binding : none
Nut : graphite
Width : 1 11/16(43mm)
Hardware color : black
Bridge system : Schaller T-O-M/String Thru Body
Tuning machines : Sperzel locking
Straplocks : Schaller
Pickups : EMG
Neck : 85
Middle : -
Bridge : 81
Pickup rings : none (direct mounted)
Control knobs : volume
Pickup selector : 3-way toggle
Flight case : yes

What do you think, any suggestions ?

I think that perhaps Ran have taken on more than they can chew. Since i ordered my Ran in Feb, the last few months have seen a decline in the helpfulness i've found them, and i'm starting to get pretty annoyed at the seeming change- if you say it'll take 1 week to correct something on the (finished) guitar, i don't expect to still be waiting 3 weeks later. And having another email saying it'd be finished by the end of the week, and 3 days after that deadline, nothing

Perhaps a controversial comment there, but thats what it has been like for me.

__________________

I think that looks pretty cool.

__________________

Your mockup shows a Bernie Rico Vixen body shape, but the specs say Kruos body shape. Which one do you want? The reason I'm asking is that the Kruos-shape is a bit different than the Vixen. The wings are a bit shorter.

Agreed, D said he'd let me know when he knows himself on my guitar, surely its not that hard to smash a mirror though right?

__________________

I want the Kruos, I put that in the quote.
And I'm sure that he can tell by my crappy picture that it's just an example

I just gotta sell the KH3 and I'm ordering it

Ok, well it appears that the email Dariusz sent me got lost in (cyber)space. With that in mind, i'm less angry now, and although the guitar has a couple of differences to what i wanted, it looks incredible

overall picture
other pictures here

Should have it in a couple of weeks then

__________________

sweet axe man

__________________

That looks fantastic dude! Nice one! I love the way that glossy fretboard looks...it's like it's covered in glass.

Did you ask for the "Custom" like that?

__________________

yeah cuz it looks kinda weird, or atleast I wouldn't want it like that and my headstock is a similar shape

I asked for it to have the custom to the right of the Ran logo, it doesn't look quite how i imagined, but seeing as they've already had to re-do the headstock once, i just want it to be over and done with I think it looks good though

For the record, the things that aren't what i wanted are: Pickup rings, i specified without, and obviously they've put them on and it can't be reversed, so i'll have to live with it. And i had asked to have the Ran address put on the back of the headstock, but i can just take off the 40 euros cost it would have cost for the extra screen print. And there isn't a fret marker on the 1st fret either like i asked for

I like the look of it, and im glad that they managed to get a deeper cut lower horn for better access to the upper frets

__________________

yeah it looks great.. lot's of frets

If I were you I wouldn't pay for it until it's exactly how you ordered it. I mean, it's a custom guitar made to your specifications, not an off-the-shelf item. But I guess if you're happy with it, then it's all cool.

I'm stumped as to why Ran forgot those important details on your order...it would be a shame if this is the mark of a drop in quality control.

Edit: Reminds me of what happened with my Ran. I had specified a turqoise/green burst/see-through finish, but it turned out as a plain dark green see-through finish. I was still extremely happy about it though, just like you are with your own Ran.

Eh, now I'm worried about my second Ran that's supposed to be ready soon. Basically the whole aesthetics of the guitar rest on how well they pull off the paintjob, since it's pretty intricate design. Guess I'll just have to wait a see...before I ordered, I triple-checked with Dariusz as to if it could be done, so I'm holding him to his word.

Yea, i've been thinking that too, but its been 9 months now since i ordered. The pickup rings can't be reversed- it'd leave the holes in the wood, so basically to correct that, they'd have to build a whole new guitar... the fret marker too, i'm not sure if they could add that in seeing as the neck is all radiused and finished- they'd probably have to de-fret it to finish the neck off again, and that risks pulling off/ splitting the fretboard and then they'd have to re-do the whole guitar. The address on the back i could understand- it wasn't on the original invoice, so that can be forgiven, but the pickup rings and 1st fret marker i specified.

I'm going to have to mull it over for a day or two perhaps, might send D an email pointing out the errors and see what he says about it. It is a bit odd... my feeling is that something went wrong with the guitar around June, so they had to re-build, and they've just rushed it?

EDIT: bb: yea, i think it'd be best to check and confirm little details with him, we know that they are much much busier now, so i think they're getting a little overwhelmed maybe.

__________________

Ouch, this kinda stuff is why I was a bit worried about having someone I couldn't actually talk to build my guitar.

My mate has made loads of mistakes on my custom, and to be fair we haven't really done it the same way you would with Ran (we never actually sat down and made a spec sheet!) and so Dylan rebuilt the entire enck when he made a mistake, and the trans burst on the body was too dark so we sanded it off and redid it. Because I can go into the shop everyweek, it's easy for me to check up on the progress, and this is one of the reasons I went local.

I still want a Ran in the future, so this sort of decline in attention to detail (not necessarily quality) is very worrying.

They shouldn't worry about making people wait longer for the guitar. If they have hundreds of orders then they'll just have to state that and make them wait so orders do not get rushed. If they find they would be waiting longer than say Jackson or ESP could make them one, then they always go and pay those extra 2 or 3 grand!

__________________

what fretboard-material is that?


damn, I just hope they get my guitar right how I want it to be (I changed 2 things after the invoice, one being the shape of the guitar)


maybe its time for RAN to expand a bit, dont you think?

It's hard to do.

Seriously, do you want a factory, or a skilled team of luthiers? You need to find luthiers who will produce work to the same standard your name is renowned for.

Clearly this isn't happening as such, so the only way Ran can get back on track, is to increase waiting times or accept less orders, unless they can recruit some more luthiers, and they don't just grow on trees.

__________________

It's very sexy... I'm very very anxious to get my hands on mine...

Dariusz mentioned a while back in an email that they will probably make a "waiting list" for new orders around christmas. I hope it will ease up their situation a bit.

yes that would be good I think

have you guys heard whats happening at LGM? they have stopped taking orders for now and seem to be really strugling to get the guitars finished that already were on order and there are BIG delay-times. it would suck if that happened to RAN, too...


thats right, it must be kinda difficult to find good luthiers to work for you


yea well, Dariusz sent me an updated Invoice everytime I changed something, so I guess it should be all right (its all written down so it should be hard to forget that something was changed)

About the french guy who had is guitar with some defects;

Hello JL,
sorry for wrong things on your guitar...we have some new workers and
probably they missed it.
I will send you the right tuners, tomorrow...the same address?
Unfortunately, we aren`t responsible for delivery, but the package was
insured, so I will inform UPS about this situation.
Have you signed the delivery paper before, you unpacked the guitar? Have you
got protocol of damage?

Best regards
Dariusz Kuczynski

Dariusz is the best!!

I was just wondering... What are the necks like on your guitars (everyone) ?

Of course how a guitar plays is very important, I wouldn't want to get stuck with a custom that has a neck that I don't like and then not use it that much or sell if for half it's price (or less).

I noticed that it doesn't say anything in the custom quote about a neck profile, so I was wondering.. Did you guys specify a profile or did he just make something and what is it like ? I myself like Ibanez necks and some ESP necks

seems to me that if you ask for a thin neck that theill make you a thin neck.

if you have a neck that you like, you could measuer the thickness on the 1st fret and on the 12th fret (or 24th fre twhatever you want), and tell him how you want it.. same for the profile, if you ask him to build a flat neck hell understand, i eman their luthiers, they should be able to make things like that.

__________________

Brief update: As was to be expected, they can't add in the fret marker on the 1st fret because it's too difficult now the whole guitar is finished. I didn't ask about the pickup rings- the email it contained must have got lost, because i know i asked him about this, and all my mockups had them photoshopped out (and because i'm not really a fan of them, but i'll have to get used to it). So those pictures i posted before are as my Ran will look Originally i had asked for on/off/on mini toggle switches, but they've had problems with their supplier in getting them in, so i've only got on/on, but it actually works out a big better- i don't need to have coil split options anyway. I just hope that the guitar isn't damaged during shipping.

__________________

yeah I know I can just ask for a flat neck, but I was just wondering how you guys like the necks on your guitars, playability and such

I like Ibanez and thin Jackson necks. I'd go to the website of your favourite manufacturer and find the neck dimensions of your favourite model and send them in the spec list. That way it'll be exactly how you want it.

__________________

but remember to put the neck shape aswell as the dimensions because you could ask for 19mm at 12th fret and 17mm at 1st fret, but it could still be rounded. so if you want it to be thin and flat, tell him, dont just give dimensions.

lol, im ranting again...my bad

but yea, give neck dimensions AND general neck shape

i personally would order a neck with the dimensions of an ibanez super wizard neck and would ask for an extra thin flat neck shape.

Yeah it's a very good point.

I like mine wide with a flat back, a "flat D" I guess you say? Or would I just say C#...

__________________

Unfortunately though, the neck-measurement-note scale is not of equal temperament; C# would yield a neck shape of: |>

__________________

Doesn't Zakk Wylde get his new guitars from Gibson and then sand the necks down immediately into a harsh V shape? I'm sure I read that in an interview with him.

I played on a Fender acoustic once with a V shaped neck profile.

__________________

hes a gibson endorsee, i doubt he does it himself, the custom shop probably does it for him...

YEAH, and gibson ALSO hammered all of those beer bottle caps into one of them too!!!!



r-tard.

__________________

didnt Dimebag also use that V-shaped neck-profile?

you can tell dariusz to make the neck with pretty much any dimensions and profile you want, you just need to tell him.

personally I asked for a thin, fast neck, telling him that I'm used to an Ibanez RG (that is for a 7-string though)

zakk did that, not gibson.

__________________

I think you missed his sarcasm

__________________

I think you are right

__________________

sorry... e-sarcasm is really hard to express clearly... i was just pointing out that zakk wylde is the kind of do it yourself guy... and i dont think he'd ask gibson to sand down his neck when he is perfectly able.

__________________

well im no zakk wylde fan, but surely hes got better things (and people ) to do than sand down a neck on a guitar.
can you really blame me for thinking that the custom shop would do that? i mean, come one, they make the guitar from scratch, what would be the point of telling them to paint it or shape it a certain way just so you could sand it down to the way you like it once it got home?

thats "r-tard"ed imo.

D just told me he might not be able to finish my cracked mirror due to lack of mirror.......sucks.

__________________

no i cant blame you. I was just expressing an opinion... and hoping that everybody would pick up on my reference to the South Park Episode about World of Warcraft.


Oh and art of shredding, i feel for ya. it truly breaks my heart. look at the heart --> </3 hahahahahha

__________________

Hahaha wtf? I take it they have to use special ultra-thin mirror material?

I dunno I asked him the same Q, waiting for him to get back to me on that one.

__________________

tell him to look in his bathroom, might be a mirror there :P

nah seriously, that sucks man..

i gues that if they brea the mirror, and it breaks into to many to small pieces it will be realy fuckign hard top glue it back together, or it would take liek months befoer youve managed to make all the pieces fit

__________________

Shit dude Doesn't seem like Ran have had much luck with us Englishmen of late!

__________________

But they wouldn't smash the mirror up to break it, they'd probably put a sheet of mirror on top of something like a few nails, then cover it in a towel and put pressure on it so it breaks up a bit.

__________________

I played a Dime guitar 8 years ago and it did have a sharp V neck contour. I personally didn't like it much at the time.

I feel better with a more smooth neck contour shape with a nice flat fretboard radius. I like a thin contour necks ( like Ran guitars ) for speed but have no problem with vintage Gibson thick necks either.

__________________

Dariusz Makes you every neck shape you wish.
I ordered Dime Tribute ML last year with a sharp V shaped neck, just like Dime played it. It was no problem at all.

Greetz Boesefloe

__________________

yep, I saw that guitars. looks damn great!

well my cracked mirror isnt happening so i've decide on another finish, hope he can do this one.

__________________

damn what are you getting now??

__________________

Apparently it wont be untill januray that I get my Ran i'm a little dissapointed as I could have done with a very nice guitar for recording days on my course in collage but it'll be excellent when it arrives in january...

Ozz

when did you order ?

That was your guitar?
That's probably the best guitar Dariusz has made, IMO. I love it!

__________________

Thank you! I´m very happy with the instrument too :-)

__________________

I have been mailing with Dariusz for a while now and I told him I was about ready to order and I asked how long it would take... He said it would take at least 8 months, BUT he has a waiting line now, so he won't start till March

That means if I order now, I will have to wait 12 months.. a full year for my guitar

a year isn't that much... Neal Moser has something like a 2 year waiting list...

but still, i think a half year ago or so, ran had a 5 or 6 month build time

__________________

wow, seems it was good for me that I didnt wait longer before I ordered. he also told me it would take 8 month at least but the process started only a few weeks after my order. they are working on it and if the 8 months thing is correct it should be completed around april/may 2007 just in time for my birthday

Jackson custom shop takes a minimum of 18 months as far as I know so 8 months is still quite acceptable (though a shorter time would be nicer of course)

Yeah, it said 8 months on the site but people on here were recieving them at about 6 months.

ESP is about 8 or 9 months.

__________________

yeah he said 8 months... maybe a year would be ok..

What do you think about your comminucation with Dariusz btw ? When I ask him questions I get e-mails like "that is correct" or "you are absolutely right!
"... sometimes seems as if he's not really taking me serious... Maybe he doesn't care about new orders that much at the moment because he's got too much work already ? Or maybe he's just busy and/or thinks for some reason I don't really want to order ?

If I order it I want the best guitar possible and good communication about it cuz this would be my 1 perfect guitar and I want it to be excellent and not a rush job that he did for "some noob"

__________________

I imagine his English is pretty limited, he isn't being sarcastic or anything, it's just the overly correct english he has learnt.

__________________

wtf?

__________________

whaha porn torrent site, i dno what this has to do with ran customs...

__________________

fuck... I just learned that my delivery date was puxed back from late january to mid march... now I'm pissed...

damn that sucks, seems ran is getting a bit more criticism lately

__________________

Hi i own Ran Guitar and i have to let go it ,maybe someone is interested
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/2924/691jt8.jpg
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/892/6b1ue7.jpg
http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/4675/061rh8.jpg
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/3/6a1eo9.jpg
Ran custom flying v, One piece thru neck construction, 21 frets, Ebony fretboard, Offset clay dot markers, Reversed headstock, Sperzel machineheads, Schaller straplocks and Gotoh hardware, Emg active humbucker 81 and kill switch (cut off switch) as you can see i have spared no expense. The guitar has a transparent/translucent finish which shows off the lovely grain of the wood
The build quality is second to none, and is easily comparable to your ESP, JACKSON, IBANEZ, BC RICH and so on. If you are a shredder this is the guitar for you and any metal guitarist worth a toss should have one of these in his/her collection has a couple of dinks on the horns which cannot be helped with these pointy guitars.Custom fitted case included. if you are (real)interested please reply on my email kornik@supanet.com. Thanks.My location is London UK.

probably would be better if you had some better pics...

waiting sucks.

__________________

and more than 21 frets

__________________

hmm, it's all black and a normal V instead of weird shape.. no neck humbucker, only 21 frets, dont like the inlays.

Might get it if it's a good price tho.. beats waiting for a year

I hear ya, 21 frets isnt for me, too. I like to have 24 frets, even though I use a 7 string and play in B most of the time. I just like to have both octaves completed on all strings

I don't use the 24th fret that much, but frets 21 and 22 are easier to reach on 24 fret guitars, and I do use the 22nd fret

I did use the 24th of my 6 string in B, but obviously less on my 7 string.

Shame cos it's a pretty cool guitar!

__________________

I just add better pic,really sad to go ,but need some money,it is one great guitar.

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/9359/dsc07004zy7.jpg
http://img295.imageshack.us/img295/6313/dsc07005ye2.jpg
http://img465.imageshack.us/img465/9880/dsc07009af9.jpg
http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/8748/dsc07013pb1.jpg
http://img347.imageshack.us/img347/6391/dsc07015aa9.jpg
http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3220/dsc07016kd5.jpg
http://img392.imageshack.us/img392/6110/dsc06982ks9.jpg
http://img150.imageshack.us/img150/7744/dsc07001na9.jpg
http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/8974/dsc07007tl8.jpg
If anyone interested please email me. Thanks.
kornik@supanet.com

Damn that thing is badass. See through black finish and all? Didn't even notice it at first...

__________________

My Ran: Just arrived in the mail a week ago... most amazing guitar i have ever played... i have found no problems with ran or the guitar that are being talked about lately.

http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...rn/untitled.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...itled121212.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...itled131313.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...itled151515.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...itled181181.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...tled1010101.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...ed171717171.jpg
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/...d1414141414.jpg

OMFG... definitly one of the most beautiful Ran's out there.... jaw dropping!!!

It's not my kinda style, but it's a very classy looking guitar!

__________________

HERETIC: the headstock-shape is not for me, but other than that I think you got yourself a really beautiful guitar there!!! VERY nice!

Mine is still doing it's job in a very decent manner, even after a bunch of gigs and some battle damage.

http://myspace-016.vo.llnwd.net/014...417766016_l.jpg

Hi, new here. I would really like a Ran guitar, problem is... I live in the US.

I emailed Darius about this and he said customs/taxes/shipping would cost a total of about 400 Euros. Is this true?? Anyone else here from the states who ordered a Ran? Geez, that's like a third of the guitar's cost!

yeh, someone mentioned a shippign price like that before.. anyway theirs plenty of realy good luthiers in the usa, so y ran?? i mean, youll have to pay alot, and wait for along time anyway so there should be plenty options just looking at builders in the usa.

__________________

Yeah it doesnt really look like the most "metal" guitars...but i needed it for both my death metal band and jazz band...and it does both exceptionally well. I cant play jazz with some crazy pointy flying v with pentagrams all over it

you can't?