L.A. Kidwell Musical Instruments

Building Your Custom Instrument

L.A. Kidwell can build custom electric basses or guitars to your specifications. The price may be much lower than you might expect for a hand-made, one-of-a-kind instrument. If you've always wanted a luthier to build an instrument to your specifications then feel free to contact L.A. Kidwell to discuss your ideas.

L.A. Kidwell will evaluate your requirements and determine if the project can be accomplished successfully and within budget. L.A. Kidwell will allow you to select your choices of hardware, materials, and finish. Depending upon the complexity of your design, allow a minimum of 4 months to complete an instrument. Manta and Phantom models have been averaging about 6 months to complete.

Payment
To begin construction, L.A. Kidwell requires a minimum deposit of $500.00 USD or 25% of the quoted price of the instrument if the quoted price exceeds $2500.00 USD. The deposit is not refundable if the buyer does not complete payment in full or cancels the project. This is due to the fact that the deposit is to cover the costs of materials and supplies for the instrument. In some cases, the desposit may be higher if up-front project costs are unusually high. If, for any reason, construction is delayed more than 2 additional months over the agreed upon period, the buyer may elect to terminate the purchase and the deposit will be refunded. The balance is due upon completion of the instrument. Once payment has been received, the instrument will be delivered to the buyer. Shipping, insurance, and accessories such as a case are additional costs.

Methods of Payment
L.A. Kidwell accepts Visa and MasterCard purchases through PayPal. Cashier's Checks and Money Orders are accepted. Personal checks are accepted but must clear the bank before construction begins or an instrument is delivered.

Effective April, 2005: L.A. Kidwell's PayPal policy will be to only accept payment from verified PayPal accounts and to only ship instruments to verified addresses that match the PayPal account. In addition, PayPal payments will require an additional 5% expense to cover the PayPal transactions fees. Any refunds will not include PayPal transaction fees.

10-Day Money Back Guarantee
L.A. Kidwell offers a 10-day money back guarantee. The buyer has 10 days after receiving an instrument to evaluate the instrument. If, for any reason, the buyer is not satisfied with an instrument, L.A. Kidwell will refund the entire purchase price upon return of the instrument in the same condition it was when it was shipped. Shipping costs and other non-recoverable transaction fees are not refunded under the guarantee. In the situation where the buyer specified non-standard or otherwise unusual components or materials for the instrument, L.A. Kidwell will not refund the costs of those components, instead, those components will be returned to the buyer and the cost would be deducted from the balance.

Warranty
L.A. Kidwell offers a limited lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects. The buyer is responsible for shipping costs when returning an instrument for warranty repairs or replacement. Some components may be covered under other manufacturer's warranties. Before returning an instrument for warranty repair, the owner must contact L.A. Kidwell, describe the situation, and request an RMA number. In certain situations, L.A. Kidwell may elect to provide replacement components or authorize a local luthier to make a repair if excessive shipping cost or an urgent need becomes an issue. The warranty does not apply in cases of accidents, neglect, abuse, or alteration from the original construction.

Customer Satisfaction
L.A. Kidwell is committed to delivering exceptional instruments. Any problems with a new instrument will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. If your instrument should become damaged or you are interested in performing modifications to the instrument, L.A. Kidwell will be happy to discuss the situation and offer shop service or advice.