Let's discuss custom guitar options

[hippietim]

How about we start a discussion on the various builders out there in terms of build quality, price, features, options. I'd like to keep separate whether or not one likes a particular brand or not or you think the guitars are fugly or whatever.

I'll kick it off with some that I have some experience with.

Carvin
Pros: affordable, high build quality, quick turn around time, easy to order, plenty of options (even more if you actually speak to someone)

Cons: limited shapes, limited pickup and hardware selection, limited finish options (although they have a lot of them)

GMW
Pros: affordable, high build quality, no limits on body shapes, any finish you want, any hardware and electronic options

Cons: limited headstock choices, build times have been traditionally long (although Lee is working to improve that)

Suhr
Pros: high build quality, lots of hardware and electronic options, lots of finish options,

Cons: expensive, limited body and headstock choices, limited finish options (from what I've seen at least)

Grosh
Pros: high build quality, lots of hardware and electronic options, lots of finish options

Cons: expensive, limited body and headstock choices, build times can be extremely long

PRS
Pros: high build quality

Cons: expensive, limited body and headstock choices, build times can be long

So far, the common theme is high build quality. I'd like to hear more on all of these guys as well as hear from folks with actual personal experience buying a custom ESP, Ibanez, Hamer, Dean, Washburn, Anderson, Fender, Gibson, Tyler, etc. Let's keep this limited to companies that will produce an actual completed guitar - so no Warmoth, USACG, Musikraft, etc.

[kelly user]

i was going to mention jackson stars, but i'll leave that to someone who actually owns one.

[Thor Von Clemson]

What about companies like Ran, KXK, and LGM?

[hippietim]

What about companies like Ran, KXK, and LGM?

Absolutely!

[VinceV]

I like this thread.


As you have seen already.


Hamer

pro-high build quality, quick turnaround times,easy to order, killer korina stash

cons-limited shapes and headstocks, depending on mood will or wont do some request(i.e Floyds), limited colors, all changes from stock guitars are upcharges


Thorn Guitars

pros-Super high build quality, 1 man building your guitar, unlimited options for body styles he does, reasonably priced for what it is. Excellent 1 on 1 communication with builder. Even though this shouldn't be part of the equation, guitars can almost always be sold for at a profit(as long as not too customized with graphics or names) just because he is in such huge demand and people are willing to pay not to wait.

cons- wait times(currently not taking order) but wait times are around 18 months, limited bodies/headstocks

[Bengal65]

Jet Guitars- North Carolina

Pros: Awesome build quality, many finish options, a very resonant and well playing guitar. A dealer not connected to Ed Roman is in Houston (Infinity Guitars). I've played several.

Cons: Does not sell direct, limited dealerships for placing orders, 2 body styles and one headstock. Expensive.

Other: I couldn't really categorize this as wait times are less than 6 months. So it could be a Pro or Con depending on who you compare it to.

[hippietim]

I started this web page to capture this info. I've not populated it completely yet. Is this on track? Useful?

http://hackolutions.com/customguitarbuilders.htm

[Niccolai]

ESP Guitars

Pros: excellent build quality, nearly unlimited hardware and finishing options, reasonable turn around time, very fair and competative pricing, TONS of shapes and headstocks to choose from.

Cons: Not all shapes are available to US customers(due to copywrite laws), made in Japan (many people here would prefer a US made axe), and some people don't like their 'borrowing' of other companies' shapes.

[danastas]

One suggestion. Everything seems to have excellent build quality. WOuld it be wrong to ask people to grade on a scale of 1 to 10.

[hippietim]

One suggestion. Everything seems to have excellent build quality. WOuld it be wrong to ask people to grade on a scale of 1 to 10.

I think the thing most of us are looking for is the QC track record more than anything. I think all of the companies discussed so far built high quality guitars. As we've seen with J/C lately, it's all about consistency.

[Niccolai]

Moser Custom Shop:

Pros: Excellent build quality (best I've ever played), many traditional and wild shapes, unlimited hardware and finishing options, very good prices for a relatively small shop, You don't haveto order through a dealer, easily the BEST customer service of any company in the music industry, and some damn fine people as well.

Cons: Very long wait times (9 months to build, but I believe there's a very long waiting list as well), and you will likely haveto pay big money for an aftermarket case that would fit most of their models.

[toejam]

Carvin
Cons: limited finish options (although they have a lot of them)

What specific finish would you be looking for? They'll do just about any color if they can mix it with whatever paints exist in their inventory.

[hippietim]

What specific finish would you be looking for? They'll do just about any color if they can mix it with whatever paints exist in their inventory.

graphics, metal flake, etc.

[toejam]

Ah. It would be pretty cool if they did graphics.

Do they not do the silver metallic any more? They would use that as a base coat and put any other color on top of it if someone wanted a certain metal flake color.

[danastas]

Yes, I can see your point, though I think it's ironic that Jackson gets knocked and this is the Jackson board. They have certainly screwed up a lot lately, but then again no one scrutinizes them more than us. On other boards, some of the "excellent builders" listed have been knocked hard and scrutinized. I've seen this about ESP for instance. That's why I looked at some of the ratings with a raised eyebrow.

But I've never really picked up a custom ESP, so I can't speak to it firsthand.