Gaskell left handed guitars - "Hybrid Series"

After an absence of 10 years, in 2023 I introduced factory-made left handed guitars again. This was a decision made in response to the economic disaster I wss seeing everywhere, post-COVID. With money tight for ordinary people, I wanted to make it easier for lefty guitarists to get left handed guitars. I did things differently this time. I did one-off builds with custom options. I called these new factory guitars the "Hybrid Series." The word "hybrid" refers to the hybrid manufacturing process. They are "hybrid builds." Factory + Custom Shop. Aptly named. 

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The Hybrid Series enabled me to reintroduced a few Gaskell models that were Legacy models and to introduce a few brand new models to keep up with current interests. I was particularly pleased with the Frankenstarter and my Headless. Absolute killer guitars! 

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Although there was considerable interest throughout 2023, the economics of this effort did not ultimately work out. One-off builds are expensive. The cost of shipping one or two guitars by Air from China to Australia is very high. Almost 20x more expensive than by Sea. The cost of a full, professional Custom Shop finish and set up is more than the initial build cost. And that is a cost I have to pay to someone else.

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It upsets me to have to discontinue the Hybrid Series in 2024 but I am not a "charity." The Hybrid Series was a great gesture, but not viable. 

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So, here we are back to full Custom Shop builds in 2024 and they start at AU$ 5000. Since COVID everything has skyrocketed in price. 

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