"boring" looking Custom Shops

[Iced In Flames]

What are your opinions on Custom shop finishes? I'm getting my Rhaods in a gloss black finish and everyone I talk to say that if its a custom shop it should look fancy and nice. I dont agree at all. I think it should sound good first and foremost.

What are your opinions?

[RP]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

I think it's your custom shop so you should get what makes you happy.

When I ordered my custom shop Jackson back in the '80s, I felt obligated to get a graphic just because that seemed like what you were supposed to do.

Now, if I were ordering a custom shop, I wouldn't feel as obligated to get a graphic, though I'd still probably want a non-standard paint color just to make it more "custom".

But I agree that any guitar should sound good first and foremost.

[Iced Dragon]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

Nah,

my custom would just be an archtop soloist with quilted maple top and trans-green finish. Of course with some special features hardware-wise...
I don't have a clue of wich graphic I'd want...
I have a very nice RR LTG wich always has been my dreamguitar. 'Nothing' special...

It's you who decides!

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

I wouldn't spring for a full-on new custom order unless I was after something truly unique. To me that means unique features in the construction of the instrument that aren't otherwise available, not necessarily a graphic finish. You can always change hardware & pups and even refinish the guitar later if you want to but you can't really make significant changes in the construction after-the-fact. Graphics? Not really a big deal to me. Have the guitar you really want to play built, you'll enjoy it no matter what it looks like.

[darkknight]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

YetAnotherOne, what do you mean by unique construction. Like the type of woods or like custom shape?
[img]graemlins/toast.gif[/img]

[Epica]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

I also wouldn't get a graphic.. a nice flamed or quilted top is much nicer imo [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

[Newc]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

It's your Custom, get it your way, even if it's a bolt-on in a plain color. A Custom doesn't have to be unique in all the world, and it doesn't have to be spec'd out to a $4000 final price with abalone, custom inlays, and exotic woods.
I also don't agree that it should have unique construction, unless it serves a purpose or it's just your "dream guitar". My Custom Warrior will have unique construction features - not because it costs more, but because I want it done a certain way, and the only way to get it is to Custom order it. But there's no "rule" that says a Custom Shop should be radically different than anything ever made.

If you can get along just fine with a bolt-on maple/ebony neck and alder or poplar for the body, hey, go for it. We've already proven time and again around here that neckthrough/set-neck/bolt-on are tonally equal, and we all know that body wood affects tone, so all you really need to decide is what hardware/pickups you want on it.
Most everything's been done already - Zamiale's custom inlays (which actually showed up on another guitar before he got his), old-school construction/logos (JCF01), custom graphic jobs (Xeno's dream Shitload of Skulls Warrior), and custom body carving (Zoraxe, Lynch's JFrogs).

Newc

[YetAnotherOne]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

Actually I agree with you Newc. I'm talking about unique construction features that add to one's own sense of playability/tone. Things like: neck profile, fingerboard radius, fret size/material, body/neck/fingerboard wood, bridge type, modified cutaways, modified/scalloped neck joints/heels, etc., make huge differences in playability and/or tone and they're tough to modify after you get the guitar. Things like: custom inlays, abalone, graphics, (debatably) flame/quilt tops, etc., are all nice but they're icing on the cake and don't make or break the guitar as a musical instrument.

If I were going to sit down and spec out a custom shop piece, my primary reason for doing so would be to get all of the features I love in my other guitars in one axe. In other words, to make it a great instrument for me to play. Then of course I'd proceed to trick it out until the pricetag made me cringe but I've been known to go for some of that flashy shit on occasion. [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

But if somebody wants one, whatever their reason, more power to 'em.

[xenophobe]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

I would agree as well. Get it HOWEVER you want to order it. It's your money. Someone else would order something completely different than you would.

I was thinking about ordering my custom Warrior Pile of Skulls, but after seeing Charvel750's, I'm really put off... I know that wasn't done by DaPainter, but it's more fancy than I really want, besides I already have a custom shop endorsee Warrior from one of my favorite artists.

I'm going rather simple, but with really unique features. I've posted it in several threads in the past, and won't do so again here, but it's just something that can't be done without going thru the custom shop, so that's what I must do.

To each their own. Hey if you want to order a SL2, but just have it made by the custom shop, go for it. As long as you're happy with what you order, there isn't anything else necessary.

[Newc]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

Ah ok, neck profile and all that - I thought you meant like one-piece head/neck/body tenon and such [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

But yeah, definitely fretboard radius and neck profile, angled fretboard end, frets, inlays, yadda yadda [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

Newc

[busdriver]

Re: "boring" looking Custom Shops

Originally posted by Iced In Flames:
I'm getting my Rhaods in a gloss black finish and everyone I talk to say that if its a custom shop it should look fancy and nice.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">YOU have to like the guitar and not the people you talk to. Go for a gloss black finish, if you like that. If other people think a custom guitar should look fancy, why don't they order their own one? [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

A while ago I ordered a custom guitar (seems I already wait forever) which is a mix between a DK-1, PC-1 and SLS. I took everything I like most about each model and put it into my own one. Honestly, I give a sh** if other people will like it or not!! [img]graemlins/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[VitaminG]

Re: &quot;boring&quot; looking Custom Shops

go for whatever floats your boat. It's your money, it'll be your axe. If you want a basic guitar with features unavailable in a standard production model, and are prepared to pay for it, then go for it.

Too many people associate "Custom Shop" with "pretty figured maple top, trans finish & gold hardware". But if you wanted something like Xeno's black Warrior, or Archtop's black single hum archtop, you are going to have to go Custom Shop. The colour doesn't make them any less cool, or any less individual.

[shreddermon]

Re: &quot;boring&quot; looking Custom Shops

Like others have said, it's your money. You should be happy with the axe. Forget what others think.

That said, unless you've got other unique and "must have" (to you, at least) specs, think long and hard about paying the custom shop upcharge. That's a fairly big $ leap from a USA Select. If you can live without some of the specs and/or can easily mod a USA Select to suit your wants (different PUs, hardware color, etc.), you might want to go that route instead.

[fuel0707]

Re: &quot;boring&quot; looking Custom Shops

Like most of the others, I definitely agree with getting what you want. If you want a solid color that isn't "one of a kind", then go for it. The idea, after all, witha custom instrument is to get what YOU want. One of the most expensive guitars I ever got was a Don Grosh Retro Classic and it's got a fantastic-looking but not wildly unique 3-color burst. I could have gotten a one-off color but I really wanted that burst, so that's what I got.

I heartily recommend getting the color and features you want. After all, you are the one who will have to live with it, play it, and look at it on a daily basis. So enjoy it!

[roodyrocker]

Re: &quot;boring&quot; looking Custom Shops

I think you should order it the way others would want it. That way when it arrives and its not what you like you can sell it to me for cheap [img]graemlins/images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Rudy