FretTrack System getting off the ground!

 After only a few weeks and about 100 hours total this is the feedback I have received on version 0.2.3 pre-beta.

Architecture Grade Right Now

Honestly?

v0.2.3:

8/10 for an early-stage vertical SaaS prototype

That’s unusually high.

Especially because:

• the domain model is coherent
• the workflow is grounded
• the naming is sane
• the modules make sense
• the roadmap thinking is practical

Most importantly:

this feels built from REAL workflow pain

Not from:

“what if Uber but for guitars.”

Which immediately makes it stronger than half the software industry.

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So I will continue the "pain", and keep plugging away. I have one shop for sure that will test this with me, and it has begun!

Logo

Banner

Main screen

So now we have hit the roadmap where it is time to "modulize" all parts of the pie instead of one big glob of code ready to bug out. I will be focusing on one part at a time, test it, then take another part....rinse and repeat.

So now it is structured:

src/app/ src/modules/auth/ src/modules/jobs/ src/modules/customers/ src/modules/instruments/ src/modules/services/ src/modules/parts/ src/modules/photos/ src/modules/print/ src/modules/messaging/ src/modules/shops/ src/shared/components/ src/shared/layouts/ src/shared/utils/ src/shared/lib/

I'll start with jobs, customers, instruments, and Supabase client only. I wont work on auth, messaging, print, or photos yet unless it's required to keep the app compiling.

This morning:

• Added requested structure under src/app, src/modules/*, and src/shared/*.
• Moved real app composition to src/app/App.jsx.
• Moved Supabase setup to src/shared/lib/supabaseClient.js.
• Moved job number generation to src/modules/jobs/jobNumber.js.
• Moved job persistence/storage operations to src/modules/jobs/jobService.js.
• Moved customer helpers/history lookup to src/modules/customers/customerService.js.
• Moved instrument catalog/type helpers to src/modules/instruments/instrumentService.js.
• Moved JobForm, JobList, and JobDetail into src/modules/jobs/.

Left compatibility shims in old paths like src/App.js, src/utils/storage.js, and old component files so existing imports still work.


Job number assignment needed to be redone also.

export function generateJobNumber(date = new Date()) { const year = String(date.getFullYear()).slice(-2); const start = new Date(date.getFullYear(), 0, 0); const diff = date - start; const oneDay = 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24; const dayOfYear = String(Math.floor(diff / oneDay)).padStart(3, "0"); return ${year}${dayOfYear}; }

I kept it tolerant of existing string date call sites like "2026-05-11", so the current form/detail code still works even though extra old arguments are now ignored.

Jackson Dinky - Another Guitar Center FAILURE / FretTrack stringed instrument check-in software

 Guitar Center Proved Again 

They are not meant for guitarist starting out. I received this White Dinky Archtop for repair, and the customer complained about a few things; mainly the input jack and tuning stability. After I received it and did the initial inspection, I noticed it was supposed to have a tremolo arm. I asked the customer if he brought it with, (it wasn't in the bag) and he said he bought a Jackson that doesn't have a tremolo arm. So, I had to let him know that yes, it was supposed to have one. Guitar center fail #1.

No tremolo arm

B string tuner crooked?

Wood coming up

#2. failure; B string tuner was taken out and reset...and new hole drilled, yet it is still crooked?

What the actual F?

So. #3 failure is the wood coming up on fret 17. Terrible QA or guitar center failure? Who knows. I'll just try to fix it as best I can. We agreed on a price, and I set about getting the frets checked: We have 8 rockers, and they need polishing anyways. So I began by cleaning, oiling, then taping up the fretboard.

Clean and oil first

Make sure it is straight

Press a few down

The truss rod on this Jackson is opposite of the last Jackson Dinky I repaired. This one has the truss rod CRANKED all the way counter-clockwise in order to get the neck straight. Jackson, come on! After leveling the 7 frets, and double/triple checking each fret afterwards, I crowned the frets, then I sanded the frets 320/500/800/1500/2500/4000/5000/7000/9000 then polished with dremel and fret polish to finish out.

After adjusting the bridge (Guitar center SLAMMED it so they didn't have to sell it with a tremolo arm) I adjusted the saddles and posts. I plugged the holes in the headstock, and reslotted the tuner, redrilled the retainer screw hole, and reset it. Then I focused on the input jack. I removed the old jack (cheap OEM) and added a better quality jack with better jack retainer to hold the jack.|

Cheap

Added PIO Cap for customer

Soldered in the new jack, tested everything, then locked it in with Permatex. I added a paper in oil capacitor for the customer, replacing the cheap greenie cap. Strung the guitar up and made adjustments. All final measurements logged into my new software I created, FretTrack. Not sure what I'll do with it yet.

Coming soon. Customer picked up the Jackson and is completely happy!

Ukulele neck wants a divorce from the body

 I received a Ukulele from

PVMUSICHOUSE that seems like it really does not want to be part of the big picture anymore, and is coming apart from the body right at the heel.

It wants a divorce!

I started by making sure we have a structure in front of the heel, because we will be using a clamp to put pressure there once the glue is applied. Then some sanding:

Sanding so the hide glue has rough area to adhere.

After unclamping and cleaning up the area with some mahogany marker, scraping the dried glue from the edges, this turned out great. 

And I'm an idiot because in my rush, I forgot to take pictures of the final work.

The Gretsch with a broken neck update. Upgrading the Jet JT-250 to a "Jet Engine".

 So we begin, as so we fail:

After bonding the neck and headstock the first time, I unwrapped the rubber tape and to my horror, I noticed the pressures caused it to slip upwards. So in the name of science and luthiery, I re-broke it and started over again. I had to remove the old epoxy with a dremel (carefully) and I knew now that it will never fit together perfectly again. Besides this, the neck broke in such a way that it twisted the treble side upwards, and it would not have gone together perfectly regardless. On top of this, the guitar wasn't wrapped and kept from moving around right after the initial accident, thus pieces of the wood were gone, and either were not picked up after the break occurred, or fell off in transit to the soft case the guitar resides in.

You can see the twist upwards that occurred, now it will need more wood work to correct.

Using gorilla epoxy to hold, and injecting liquidWood to fill in the gaps caused by the uneven break, and the missing wood. Now to let this cure for a week or longer and hope it is straight enough to begin the surgery.

The Jet JT-250 is a beautiful budget guitar. It comes with locking tuners, and a pair of single coil Alnico SS pickup in the neck and bridge. I was able to acquire this for $210 back in December and began to upgrade it right away. I removed the 2 16mm potentiometers and the capacitor that comes with all stock guitars in this price range, and wired in 2 CTS 250k pots with a large 600V 0.047 orange drop.

Notice the capacitor cracking at the leg.

I also added a 6 barrel bridge to hopefully increase the sustain. I've since regretted that choice, and am now looking at a full contact bridge from Musiclily. However, I really wasn't happy with the stock tone from the SS Alnico pickups, and decided let's go with a p90 and a hotrail. Indeed, why not? I ordered the Wilkinson M Series Alnico V Cream P90 soapbar, and the Guyker TL Alnico 5 hot rail.

Wilkinson M Series Cream

Guyker Alnico 5 Hotrail TL

Musiclily Pro 54mm 6-Saddle

Now, this guitar truly rocks.

Love it

All that is left, is to play it.

G & L ASAT Semi-Hollow, and a Gretsch with a broken neck

Broken! BluesBoy ASAT The Honey Dipper saga.

Hi'lo humans. If you are reading this, you must have nothing better to do and that makes me sympathize with you. That also helps me try harder, believe it or not. Last week, Jon brought me 2 guitars to fix. The first is his personal teaching guitar, a 2006 semi-hollow G&L Bluesboy ASAT with a white finish, and tortoise shell pickguard. A beautiful guitar that also plays perfectly when under the correct action and the buzzing removed.

Picture from the previous service

This was a very simple service, raising the action a bit, get rid of the buzzing on the strings, and replace the 1/4in jack. After adjusting the truss rod, taking tension off the strings, and putting on a tuner, I began string by string to raise the action. Once that was finished, I noticed a buzz will not go away on the 5th string, and traced it to the saddle spring. The string touches the spring, and thus a buzz will inevitably develop. I let Jon know of this, and maybe a saddle upgrade will be in his future. After the action was raised by .25 - .50, I tried to remove the 1/4in jack nut and ran into the issue of it being stripped by someone overtightening it. Jon told me the guitar jack would loosen up, so I assume he took a socket and a ratchet wrench, and gave it some torque. Well, now I have to figure out how to remove it later because at this point, I wanted to get the guitar playing again.

New string height

Jon has picked up the guitar and seems happy with the new adjustment and jack. I did have to bust out a new ALL PARTS football jack plate because of the above issue. So, to recap:

1. Adjusted height of action .25 - .50mm and reduced/eliminated the buzzing

2. Adjusted truss rod slightly to compensate.

3. Unsoldered old jack, replaced with new jack. Replaced jack plate with ALL PARTS chrome football jack plate.

Now, for the real drama.

Oh hey, that's not so bad

Ohhhh.

So this poor guy. This is a $999.00 Gretsch Honey Dipper with a CAXRxxxxx serial number. Made in China, these were developed in the 1920's during the pre-amplification era when players needed to be louder when playing in Jazz clubs of the time. This has a biscuit cone, and something called a "pump house roof" finish on it. In any case, it is a beautiful instrument, until you take into account the owners sister gave it a little bump on the stand, and it came barreling over striking whatever it hit perfectly to cause this angled snapping off of the headstock. I need to think this one out a little bit as just a epoxy resin fill and clamp is probably not going to keep it from snapping under incredible tension from the 13-52 gauge strings, or the twisting of a truss rod inside the neck.

Updates and such. Life being life...sleep is failing me, and I hate summertime

 The Epiphone is almost finished:

The action came down by almost 3.5mm @ the 12th fret. It is now playable and sounds great. I used 8-32 3in bolts with a few washers to make sure they did not go further into the hell than I wanted and push the threaded inserts out. (Or push them into the fretboard, YIKES)

Beautiful guitar , even if it isn't a very sought after...and very technician friendly. The Japanese are nothing if not resourceful and forward thinking. Frets were polished and crowned lightly, since they are already .60-.82mm and the owner does not want to pay for a re-fret. I polished the headstock and the tuners. It looks like it is a few years old instead of 50. I will fine tune the action, and now that the truss rod is unfrozen I can add a little tension and it will play great.

I hate the fact summer is coming. I really do not care about the temperature outside anymore, but I prefer to be mildly cold and heat up, than sweating and have to cool off. Also, the temperature and humidity makes sleep a bit harder, and the fact that I am going through another used portable AC unit, I will have to buy another one.

Update: This guitar is finished. I played it for a half hour yesterday and I must say it has a tremendous voice. The smaller string gauge does affect the tone, obviously, but I think that in this case it is justified while the neck settles into its new position. I can still hear the neck wanting to shift in the pocket, and it may need service after a few months of summer weather. All in all though, this was a great success bringing back a still very affordable vintage guitar from 30 years of neglect (I do not blame the owner, he has many more guitars and plays in a band) and twisted tension. It would have been better if the low E strings had broken, or even D or G strings. (The .22 gauge G was gone) That would have put the tension in the middle, or with less pull on the high E strings. The neck did seem to have a slight twist, but it is gone now with proper tension on it and the truss rod unfrozen. I am impressed with the durability of the Japanese made Epiphone acoustics.

The Ex, Les Paul Leo Jaymz DIY kit...and more

JRs Custom Guitar Blog Spot

Today, I was reminded of my ex several times. I could never understand how a person can lie and misunderstand another human, twist their interpretations of a person to suit their narrative. It is highly depressing. I wish I still didn't love the person she used to be, and cannot stand the person she is. What a contradiction.

Onto guitars: I wanted to blog about my interactions with Leo Jaymz, and the experiences I have had with their DIY kits: in particular this one:

I received the first kit and the damn thing was awesome looking. I looked forward to building it so much, that I already had a switch and pots wired up with orange drop caps, ready to drop in!

After all the work installing the switches and pots, I began working on the hardware. I installed the Grover tuners (gold vintage) and taped up the neck to do a little polishing on the frets. To my surprise, the frets were LEVEL and no sprouting or sharp edges. My excitement gained momentum! I then stripped a 6in piece of copper wire to use as a post/tailpiece ground. I began installing the gold hardware for the tailpiece and after getting the posts in, I tried to slide the tailpiece in. Oh shit. It will not fit. (In my fit of intense anger, I have since deleted the pictures which can be seen in my rather bloated and scathing review on Amazon)
I grabbed the OEM tailpiece and even using Leo Jaymz' posts, and studs, and tailpiece....it still wouldn't fit. Well isn't that a fuckaroo.
I contacted Amazon after deciding that trying to fix this problem would only result in damaging the guitar, and costing several hours of labor that I shouldn't have to contend with. Of course, the first person I deal with is a peon and they come to the same conclusion I already knew from checking on my account: There is NO option to have a replacement sent out. However, he did tell me that if I wanted to try Leo Jaymz customer support email, they are generally very good at replying and solving an issue like mine. If they do not solve my issue, call back and reference this call, and Amazon will fix it. So, I gathered up my wits, and the two email addresses the CS agent gave me, and opened outlook to begin my crusade for a replacement body.

Hello. I bought this kit from Amazon and the tail piece holes for the tuneomatic are misdrilled. I cannot get the tail piece on, I've tried the one that comes with the kit, and a gold one I bought for the build. I cannot get them to fit without plugging the holes and redrilling and possibly repainting. I've also spent a few hundred dollars on parts to make this guitar beautiful and now I'm going to have to send that all back to Amazon and wait for a refund unless I can get a replacement sent out, which Amazon can't do.

I've bought Leo Jaymz products, I have a monsoon guitar and 2 other DIY kits I've built and this is the first major issue I've had that will require extensive wood working repair if I can't get a replacement. My Amazon  Order #
113-1809243-3401815

I included a few pictures - including the one showing the gold tailpiece not fitting onto the posts. I then waited.
And waited.
And waited.
And waited.
After 4 days, I called Amazon back and to my surprise, they had a new kit sent out that day, and they said don't even bother sending the old one back. (Challenge Accepted!) with that, I savored my pyric victory and began to work in earnest on the mis-drilled body; damage be damned! I would work the bugs out and be ready for the new kit. Which I did.
I used the MusicLily Alnico 5 pick-ups = $35.79
I used a switchcraft switch I had laying around = $0
I used some gold locking tuners from Saphue or Kaish = $31.99
I used some Kaish knobs that look better = $8.99

After getting the bugs out, and figuring out the old switchcraft switch is slightly broken, but still works well enough with some jiggling, this guitar sounds and plays very well. I find myself actually liking it.