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How long is long enough to give someone to get a commission job done? Would two months suffice if it was a dreadnought? What do you do when you ask them time and time again if anything is being done and they tell you that they have had this come up or that come up?

I am going on 18 months now and am now to the point of ... just give me my stuff back and I will do it myself. Would it be rude to ask for it back and how does one do that without offending the artist?

Tried to not bother the guy too much but I am really getting frustrated with it. What should I do?

Easy, you say 'I want to cancel the job' and go from there.

If its not been started, all should be good, and the most you should be out is the shipping cost of your stuff back to you.

Generally, there should be some sort of cancellation terms already laid out.

I'd expect to churn out a dreadnought in a week tops, once started. It's starting the project that causes grief.

What was your initial agreement? I'm guessing you didn't have one. Honestly, I though 18 months is way more time than is reasonable in any case.

I generally tell people up front an idea of how long it should take. I think the longest somebody has had to wait after making an initial payment was 4 months - and that was because I had 3.5 months of work ahead of them. They knew that in advance, though.

These questions pop up every month or so it seems, and I guess it is just the nature of being a hobby but it goes to any other contractual work.

Define your scope of work up front, settle on a time table and a payment schedule as well. It would save a lot of head aches on the back end and it also gives you some measure of recourse when things go sideways.

I know with some painters have well over a year of scheduled jobs, others are able to complete all but the largest of jobs in a month. That will vary depending on their schedule and the size of the job, but it really should be sorted out and have a contract of some form before you get started.

Sounds like you might of got your stuff stolen.