Investment casting (which is how the handle is made) would be very expensive for small runs, and I suspect the shape could be too complex.

You're right, it would be expensive. You *can* however make really intricate stuff using investment casting. That is how a lot of gold rings are made, or at least the mounts for the stones, and some of them can get very intricate. They do use some tricks to get the metal to flow into all the small channels though.

Hmm, don't really think I could convince the workshop here that an empeg faceplate is work related .... Pretty much the only project (that requires workshop time) we have going at the moment is a 4 legged walking machine that stands nearly 2m high at the hip. Don't think I could convince them the faceplate was for it. (darn!)

(list 6284, Mk1 S/N 00299 4GB blue [for sale]. Mk2 S/N 080000094 6GB blue)