Having a guitar made... who would you pick to do it?

Boromedic

fretfinder said:

richardhomer said:

Terry Morgan

Apparently he's retiring in a couple of years and may not be taking any more orders.

How do we find out?!!

Sassafras

Bravewood Guitars.

ThorpyFX

So the keeper guitars I have bought in recent times have been custom. I trust a few companies, Feline (I have a custom SG and a double cut Jr) do a fantasic job and the guitars are LOUD and resonant. The same can be said for Patrick James Eggle, both companies have their own 'feel' but both have out of this world levels of perfection.

Whitecat

I ordered a "slightly custom" build from Knaggs a few years ago. It's probably not so custom anymore since they've expanded their options range quite a bit since, but at the time it was only either the first or the second to have a spalted maple top, and the first Severn to have P90s. Nothing is really otherwise changed from the standard Severn Trembuck spec, it's mainly materials and colours, so it wasn't a HUGE ask to have them do it. It's an amazing guitar. I'd happily do something again with them but the prices have gone up and the £ has gone down so I'm gonna have to really work at stuffing the piggybank first.

guitarfishbay

I would pick PRS... single EMG81 hardtail CU22 with a wide fat satin maple neck.

Would go solid colour or sparkle finish, and dots on the FB. Purple, or black. Blazing copper or silver are cool too 

It'd probably have the worst resale of any PRS ever but I'd like it

Boromedic

Sassafras said:

Bravewood Guitars.

For Terry Morgan?

mudslide73

I've had a proper look at Jaydee which were incredible and JDavey which were also very lovely. I love the look of the Probett stuff but I've never seen one in person. The Feline stuff at Bham was utterly wonderful too. 

Sassafras

Boromedic said:

Sassafras said:

Bravewood Guitars.

For Terry Morgan?

I get my Terry Morgans made by Gibson.
They're easily the most accurate Terry Morgan replicas available.

Teetonetal

Enough! - no more mention of Terry Morgan please.

Boromedic

Sassafras said:

Boromedic said:

Sassafras said:

Bravewood Guitars.

For Terry Morgan?

I get my Terry Morgans made by Gibson.
They're easily the most accurate Terry Morgan replicas available.

Hahaha

PVO_Dave

I've had two kits custom made for me by Precision guitars in Canada, I've then done some work on them and had them finished in the UK. Both turned out amazing looks and play-ability wise




The others I've custom built with @GSPBASSES choosing the look, layouts and wood, again doing some work myself but paint where applicable by others;





I guess the beauty of doing the partscaster way is if you get the neck shape too wrong, it wouldn't be the end of the world to get a replacement neck  

Also had Raygun Relics put together a hardtail Strat in LPB for me, but that was using an off the shelf body and neck, so not sure that counts, few other guitars that have been finished off with custom / hand made necks too, but I've already posted too many pictures in this thread  

 

webrthomson

I would heartily recommend getting something made to your own specifications – I stumbled across Hugh Manson in the early 90’s and I’ve not got three from him, this is my latest from Tim at the workshop:

I also have some stuff underway at Feline – this is a picture from Jonathan of my custom one (currently pre paint):

Lastly I’ve been working with Matt at Kemp Guitars on some other ideas that I have and this is in the works:

TBH I’ve never understood why you would pay to have £4K plus to have an old or custom shop guitar when you can, for the same money, get something totally bespoke the way you want it. I do find myself in GuitarGuitar looking at £6K Gibsons and Shurs thinking " Yeah nice, but..."

In terms of the how the builds get started I’ve generally always had something in my mind’s eye for all of them at the start so I’ll know things like scale length, body shape and most of the timber types I’m thinking of. None of my timber choices are that out there so far, the Manson above does have an Ebony top, but I do have some ideas that I’ve been bating back and forth with Matt that might be a bit more exotic.

Most of my conversations with the respective luthiers have been about what I’m trying to do and things I’ve not thought of that they need to know – I know mostly what works for me and what I comfortable with in the main.

I’ve been very lucky thought as dealing with Jonathan, Matt and Tim has been extremely easy, they are all massively knowledgeable and helpful!

Wazmeister

fretmeister said:

Teetonetal said:

ICBM said:

crunchman said:

Or does anyone know anyone else who builds decent guitars based on the classic Fenders?

Fender

There's always a smart arse!

The fender CS and MB prices are insane. I think there is scope for a Fender inspired guitar, not built by fender!

Of course there is.

And they are worth at least 10% of the original price when they are 5 mins old.

Wisdom awarded mate !

RiftAmps

In no particular order:

Feline
Probett
Antony Ryder
Andy Viccars
Fylde
Rob Williams

I have no experience of the others, but have only heard good things.

mburekenge

Boromedic said:

fretfinder said:

richardhomer said:

Terry Morgan

Apparently he's retiring in a couple of years and may not be taking any more orders.

How do we find out?!!

It's not a rumour. The scientists in the Gibson laboratory conducted molecular analysis on Terry Morgan. They are confident that the Reissue or clone of Terry Morgan is going to be more accurate than ever. Even his family will have a tough time telling them apart.

mburekenge

duplicate post

nickb_boy

I'm not sure I'd go down the complete custom spec route again anytime soon.  I've had my fingers burnt a few times with build sagas, the finish not quite living up to the image I had come up with and then the added difficulty of the "keeper/dream guitar" needing to be sold.  I love the idea of it but have settled for now on being able to see and feel the finished product before I commit which means not commissioning  builds but buying off the (used) shelf so to speak.

If I did take the plunge again I'd opt for something more unique than a rehash of a Tele or Les Paul.  I regret not going in on a deal with @Lew  when I encouraged him to buy his Millimetric.  That thing is a work of precision art. 

I'd also like to get hold of an Alpher Instruments Mako Elite Thinline to see if Yorkshire can produce guitars as well Tea and Puddings:

http://alpher.co.uk/guitar-gallery/

earwighoney

I have two guitars ordered from Spanish builders who didn't speak a word of English, and I didn't speak a word of Spanish and I hadn't played any of their guitars before I ordered them.  Huge gambles, but I am delighted with both. 

Each of the guitars is about the same price as a Patrick Eggle electric.  Both are worth a fair chunk more than what I paid for them.  

BowynMadley

Jonathan at @FelineGuitars without a shadow of a doubt. 

SquireJapan

A timely thread for me actually.

I recently bought a used Feline guitar (the purple one if anyone remembers it) and love the thing to bits. Neck is fantastic, and the whole thing is of a very very high quality. I'd change a few features, but there's zero that would need to be improved in terms of quality.

I've been very lucky buying (used!) and selling high end guitars and been able to own for at least a short while pretty much everything I've ever wanted to own - this is made easier by the fact I tend to like modern type instruments (Ibanez being my main staple), as well as fairly conservative Fenders.

I've owned a Masterbuilt Todd Krause, Cunnetto, Gibson LP customs, Jems, PGMs, J Customs, Jacksons, Custom Shop Charvels, Custom Shop fenders (Tele and Strats), Jacksons (80s, 90s, Custom Shops), Explorers, PRSs (all flavours), Parker Flys ... (note, these rarely overlapped!)

Jon @FelineGuitars has seen most of these things as I've bought them needing a bit of love and then had them tidied up - handy thing was, that in doing this I got to play lots of Feline's guitars. 

Having played so many of Jon's guitars, and deciding what I like and what I don't about all the others I've owned, there's no doubt that I can work with him to build me exactly what I want. 

I would say though, if you want a Fender Strat (or Tele, LP, etc.) then buy that ... if you're trying to get someone to make a good copy of something that already exists, you're kind of wasting your time. The best strats I've ever played have been masterbuilts (and the Cunetto I got from @gassage).

Also if you're thinking of resale when buying something truly bespoke - you're doing it wrong. Buy used (it _will_ turn up, you just have to wait - I've owned some quite specific stuff, I just had to wait several months/years ...) and then sell it. I've owned many guitars, but only usually a couple at a time.

I've "played the field" (in a lot of senses ... ha.) and now I'm ready to settle down. The Feline I have is getting played to death and has been for a few months now. Everyone who touches it raves about the neck on the thing ... the other guitars I have really can't match it. I just want the same thing, but with a hardtail (and a few other specifics).

Apologies this is a bit of a Feline love-fest of a post ... I can't speak for other makers, plus I would like to repeat my previous statement - if you want something that's the best version of a Fender strat ... buy a fender strat ...