Any advice on getting a custom built?

xDaigaijin

I'm considering starting the process of geting a custom 6 string electric guitar built. I'd appreciate any guidance on the process, pitfalls and 'if only I'd done that BEFORE I started' snippets of wisdom. I'm equally interested in positive and negative aspects of your experiences. Many thanks in advance.

prlgmnr

Be absolutely sure you can't get the spec you want off the shelf.

TTony

If - for whatever unforeseen reason - you ever need to sell, assume that you'll get back 25% of what you paid.

Talk to the prospective custom builder.  Many times.

Consider building it yourself.  Seriously.  For the cost of a custom build, you can do a course and build your own custom guitar and then you've got the knowledge, understanding and skills to look after it forever.  And build many, many more.

hotpickups

Do you have a budget in mind? Acoustic or electric ?

WezV

Don't try to include everything you ever wanted in a guitar!!

xDaigaijin

WezV said:

Don't try to include everything you ever wanted in a guitar!!

Interesting, how come? I'd hoped to put everything into this one.

Whitecat

Do a heavy google search on the builder you choose - the vast majority are capable and competent and though some might be slow you'll still get a guitar at the end. But there are a handful who are notorious for being difficult to deal with, who take your money and drop communication, who miss deadlines, who make excuses, who just generally should not be in the custom guitar building business despite their talents. TGP is full of both praise and horror stories...

xDaigaijin

TTony said:

If - for whatever unforeseen reason - you ever need to sell, assume that you'll get back 25% of what you paid.

Talk to the prospective custom builder.  Many times.

Consider building it yourself.  Seriously.  For the cost of a custom build, you can do a course and build your own custom guitar and then you've got the knowledge, understanding and skills to look after it forever.  And build many, many more.

Sadly, I'm totoally useless at any kind of build, this would be to precious for me to bollox up and I can assure you that I would. Interesting that they are worth so little. I guess its custom so not to everyones tastes

xDaigaijin

hotpickups said:

Do you have a budget in mind? Acoustic or electric ?

No budget in mind as I'm not sure what these cost but I have high end guitars, electric, 6 string, trem, HSH, nice woods, super strat style, super thin neck, more details under advice from the builder.

xDaigaijin

prlgmnr said:

Be absolutely sure you can't get the spec you want off the shelf.

Excellent point, I've been looking for 'the final one' for ages and there is aways some compromise, so I thought this might be a solution.

skunkwerx

Apart from researching and talking to your luthier of choice, ask to see and play their work, know who will be building it, some might have a team etc. 

Make sure they understand exactly what it is you want but also their feedback might be useful with what will and wont work. 

Whats the policy if it turns out not what you asked for etc. 

Get a decent quote that is not likely to deviate too much if the plan is stuck to. Etc. 

Turnaround times. I’ve heard of guys waiting 5 years... which is mental. 

Just know whatever you end up paying, its only worth/valued at that to you. The fact its custom built by so and so means piss all to most people, unless its a well respected builder, but even so, if it is properly bespoke then they’ll have to want the same specs you’ve chosen in the first place. 

Its like a suit. Research your tailor, talk to them, have a ‘fitting’ and if at the end of the day you hardly use it, well dont expect to be able to claw any money back. You may be stuck with it, or if not know you’ll only get a small amount back for it. 

If it were me, I’d save the money up until its the full amount and disposable. Then re-assess if I want to do it. 

I’ve never spoken to Jon at Feline about custom work, but I get the impression he would be one of the decent ones, offers a payment plan and generally wont fuck you! Lol. 

skunkwerx

If you’re considering it during these times, I’d probably wanna make sure the luthiers stable too. 

Sounds rude and I dont mean anything offensive by it. 

But you hear stories of guys (on here) who spent thousands only to have the luthier close shop and go dark, and not even get the materials back let alone any cash.

Custom work is a long process, I’d wanna make sure the builder is good for the duration y’know. 

Its a lot of cash. 

xDaigaijin

skunkwerx said:

Apart from researching and talking to your luthier of choice, ask to see and play their work, know who will be building it, some might have a team etc. 

Make sure they understand exactly what it is you want but also their feedback might be useful with what will and wont work. 

Whats the policy if it turns out not what you asked for etc. 

Get a decent quote that is not likely to deviate too much if the plan is stuck to. Etc. 

Turnaround times. I’ve heard of guys waiting 5 years... which is mental. 

Just know whatever you end up paying, its only worth/valued at that to you. The fact its custom built by so and so means piss all to most people, unless its a well respected builder, but even so, if it is properly bespoke then they’ll have to want the same specs you’ve chosen in the first place. 

Its like a suit. Research your tailor, talk to them, have a ‘fitting’ and if at the end of the day you hardly use it, well dont expect to be able to claw any money back. You may be stuck with it, or if not know you’ll only get a small amount back for it. 

If it were me, I’d save the money up until its the full amount and disposable. Then re-assess if I want to do it. 

I’ve never spoken to Jon at Feline about custom work, but I get the impression he would be one of the decent ones, offers a payment plan and generally wont fuck you! Lol. 

Wise words, lots to think about, thanks

xDaigaijin

skunkwerx said:

If you’re considering it during these times, I’d probably wanna make sure the luthiers stable too. 

Sounds rude and I dont mean anything offensive by it. 

But you hear stories of guys (on here) who spent thousands only to have the luthier close shop and go dark, and not even get the materials back let alone any cash.

Custom work is a long process, I’d wanna make sure the builder is good for the duration y’know. 

Its a lot of cash. 

I had not even thought about that, good point.

prlgmnr

Be honest with yourself about how long you are prepared to wait.

(As an example I decided to order a Daemoness, placed a deposit 21st March 2017 and lasted until....April 15th before I bought a Vigier to tide me over. Given that the Daemoness is no nearer to completion now than when I first imagined it that maybe doesn't matter.)

xDaigaijin

prlgmnr said:

Be honest with yourself about how long you are prepared to wait.

(As an example I decided to order a Daemoness, placed a deposit 21st March 2017 and lasted until....April 15th before I bought a Vigier to tide me over. Given that the Daemoness is no nearer to completion now than when I first imagined it that maybe doesn't matter.)

You have the patience of a stone! No way I'd be happy to wait that long

hotpickups

Daigaijin said:

hotpickups said:

Do you have a budget in mind? Acoustic or electric ?

No budget in mind as I'm not sure what these cost but I have high end guitars, electric, 6 string, trem, HSH, nice woods, super strat style, super thin neck, more details under advice from the builder.

Well I’ve been here and did commission a custom build guitar for myself. It wasn’t  cheap as you’d probably have guessed. It’ll never be for sale so I never entered that thought process of losing in resale etc. However, I did get built for me an absolute beautiful guitar made by a true craftsman and artist. He was a player too so knows what works and sounds good. He didn’t do different shaped guitars just one design but with variations / enhancements which one pays for. 

He wasn’t going to go out of business
or anything as far as I knew but not sure how one would ever be 100% for sure if he/she wouldn’t? So an element of trust will still has to be had. He isn’t a young man so one could say he could stop dead anytime but then again any one of can at any age  

I waited 9 months for the build process to be completed giving him instalments at each stage. That was two years ago now and I still marvel at the genius of that man and his builds  

Go for it I’d say if you can afford and the children won’t be starving if you did  

xDaigaijin

hotpickups said:

Daigaijin said:

hotpickups said:

Do you have a budget in mind? Acoustic or electric ?

No budget in mind as I'm not sure what these cost but I have high end guitars, electric, 6 string, trem, HSH, nice woods, super strat style, super thin neck, more details under advice from the builder.

Well I’ve been here and did commission a custom build guitar for myself. It wasn’t  cheap as you’d probably have guessed. It’ll never be for sale so I never entered that thought process of losing in resale etc. However, I did get built for me an absolute beautiful guitar made by a true craftsman and artist. He was a player too so knows what works and sounds good. He didn’t do different shaped guitars just one design but with variations / enhancements which one pays for. 

He wasn’t going to go out of business
or anything as far as I knew but not sure how one would ever be 100% for sure if he/she wouldn’t? So an element of trust will still has to be had. He isn’t a young man so one could say he could stop dead anytime but then again any one of can at any age  

I waited 9 months for the build process to be completed giving him instalments at each stage. That was two years ago now and I still marvel at the genius of that man and his builds  

Go for it I’d say if you can afford and the children won’t be starving if you did  

A happy customer, good to hear! Not by any chance a gentleman from North of the border? Kids? What's thems then? 

hotpickups

Daigaijin said:

hotpickups said:

Daigaijin said:

hotpickups said:

Do you have a budget in mind? Acoustic or electric ?

No budget in mind as I'm not sure what these cost but I have high end guitars, electric, 6 string, trem, HSH, nice woods, super strat style, super thin neck, more details under advice from the builder.

Well I’ve been here and did commission a custom build guitar for myself. It wasn’t  cheap as you’d probably have guessed. It’ll never be for sale so I never entered that thought process of losing in resale etc. However, I did get built for me an absolute beautiful guitar made by a true craftsman and artist. He was a player too so knows what works and sounds good. He didn’t do different shaped guitars just one design but with variations / enhancements which one pays for. 

He wasn’t going to go out of business
or anything as far as I knew but not sure how one would ever be 100% for sure if he/she wouldn’t? So an element of trust will still has to be had. He isn’t a young man so one could say he could stop dead anytime but then again any one of can at any age  

I waited 9 months for the build process to be completed giving him instalments at each stage. That was two years ago now and I still marvel at the genius of that man and his builds  

Go for it I’d say if you can afford and the children won’t be starving if you did  

A happy customer, good to hear! Not by any chance a gentleman from North of the border? Kids? What's thems then? 

Lol no he’s in Suffolk

daisie_guitar

hotpickups said:

... It’ll never be for sale ...

Anyone who has owned one or more "dream guitars" knows this is a fallacy. 

TTony

Daigaijin said:

TTony said:

If - for whatever unforeseen reason - you ever need to sell, assume that you'll get back 25% of what you paid.

Talk to the prospective custom builder.  Many times.

Consider building it yourself.  Seriously.  For the cost of a custom build, you can do a course and build your own custom guitar and then you've got the knowledge, understanding and skills to look after it forever.  And build many, many more.

Sadly, I'm totoally useless at any kind of build, this would be to precious for me to bollox up and I can assure you that I would. Interesting that they are worth so little. I guess its custom so not to everyones tastes

Seriously - before I did my first course, I couldn't cut a piece of wood in half without something going wrong.    And I'm not the only person who's gone from completely numpty to reasonably competent in a woodworking workshop as a result of doing the course.

The guy who runs it, as well as being a great luthier, is also a great teacher.  He guarantees that, if you can design it, you can build it on his course.

https://guitarmaking.co.uk/guitar-building-workshops/
https://shop.baileyguitars.co.uk/11-guitar-building-courses