Dear Kurt:
The two painters I've had good luck with for reasonable priced jobs are Assenmacher in Flint MI and Franklin Frames in Ohio. Assenmacher quotes a base price for a single color job at $180, Franklin quotes $200. Both do solid quality work. Of course you can find differences between their work and a Fattic, Bell or Weigle paint job, but certainly they do good solid work. The Franklin price list is here:
http://home.alltel.net/
Assenmacher is here:
http://www.assenmachers.com/
Of course if you're anything like me, you won't stop with the basic price. Graphics, clear coat, lug lining, contrasting panels, adding brazeons, etc etc will run the price right up. Here's two bikes I've had painted in single colors plus clear, the Nobilette by Assenmacher, the MKM by Franklin. Both came in around $300, with extra bottle bosses and pump pegs added. Lloyds supplied the MKM transfers, Assenmacher had the Nobilette graphics.
Hope this helps.
Tom Adams, Shrewsbury NJ
Kurt Sperry <haxixe@gmail.com> wrote: I readily understand that often it takes two or three times as long to get a result that's likely to be seen subjectively as 5% better. I deal with that in my art in a daily basis. I'm just quite curious what the discerable differences would be to the untrained eye assuming the actual paints used are similar or the same. I think if someone offered nice-looking work for UK level prices here in the US, for many people and circumstances that would absolutely be the best option. When I refinish my Cinelli, the cost won't even be one of the issues I consider, but I reckon many a worthwhile frame will simply go unpainted or unridden if the only option is a 500+ dollar refinish.
What options exist today in the US for someone looking to get a nice but not stunning refinsh done for let's say $150 plus the cost of graphics? I've got a couple frames about that really could use a fresh finish but frankly don't merit the attentions of a master painter.
Kurt Sperry Bellingham WA USA
On 4/18/07, Fred Rednor wrote:
>
> > I'd love to see good photos comparing
> > the differences in appearence between
> > a UK paint job and a comparable American
> > one costing three or four times as much.
> > I'm assuming the differences would be
> > pretty immediately evident.
> Kurt,
> Like many things, it all depends... This is the sort of
> thing that might be noticed at a distance of 2 inches (or
> perhaps 2 feet) but not at 5 feet or grater. Plus, it might
> not be obvious at all in a photograph.
> Cheers,
>
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