Guitar Gear

I’ve had a couple of custom guitars made for me. One was under my direction (Goldie, by Saint Guitars, to the left), and the other was like it was made for me, even though I didn’t specify anything in the build (“Katie May,” by Perry Riggs of Slash L Guitars). And even though I didn’t specify materials in Katie May, in order to write my review of her, I had to have a deep discussion on the materials and build process in order to understand the guitar better. At the end of the conversation, I told Perry that Katie May was built exactly how I would’ve specified. Anyway, I digress…

So you want to have a custom-built guitar made for you. There are lots of considerations. But to help you along, I’ll give you some pointers on what you’ll have to consider. Mind you, while I will cover materials and such, there are so many other things you need to think about, and I’ll do my best to share my experience.

Visualize

There are lots of reasons people choose to get a custom guitar. For me, it was to fill tonal or versatility gaps with the guitars I had and to create something that was truly unique to me. For others, the reasoning may be different. But whatever your reasoning, you should visualize what you’re after.

1. First off, it’s helpful to visualize the tone you’re after. With both my own custom guitars, I was after a hybrid Strat/Les Paul sound. With that in mind, I was looking for either a P90 setup or coil-tapped humbuckers. It also meant I’d like to have jangle of a Strat but the sustain of a Les Paul. For me, versatility is a key issue.
2. Next, think about what your application will be. I tend to be a lot more pragmatic about my guitars. I have to be able to gig with them. So my reference point for their use is in a live setting. Weight is then a concern.
3. Do you like burst finishes? Opaque? Natural? What does that guitar look like to you?
4. As far as body shape is concerned, do you want something with a more traditional body shape or something more avant-garde?

The point to this is that you should spend some time getting a mental picture in your head about the guitar before you go out and find a luthier.

Speaking of Luthiers…

There are probably thousands of luthiers around the world. The one thing I found with pretty much all of them is that they’re pretty creative people who, in general, do a good job of building guitars. Of course, some are just better than others. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a luthier:

1. If you find an interesting luthier, call them. Better yet, if they’re close enough, pay them a visit if you can. Don’t email. Strike up a conversation. Establish a personal rapport. Pick their brains on how they approach building guitars. You want to gauge how well you can work with the builder.
2. When researching builders, you might peruse forums like “The Gear Page” to see if you can get feedback on others’ experience. People might be satisfied with the end product, but in some cases have complaints about the process or the length of time it took, etc. Despite the negative feedback, you may still go with a particular luthier. But never go into a build blind.
3. You might also want to consider how long a builder has been at it. My friend Perry Riggs hadn’t been building guitars for very long when I first reviewed one of his guitars. But he had some real talent from the get-go, but some builders need to more time.
4. One thing you might consider as well if the builder is doing stuff that’s a bit off the beaten path and if that appeals to you. Again, with my friend Perry Riggs, I was intrigued by his “neck-through” designs. What this allowed him to do was create a thinner, tapering body, as most of the tone would be generated from the neck. The result is a much lighter guitar that still has TONS of sustain.
5. Finally, an important thing to consider is how good of a business person a luthier is. I’ve met some luthiers such as Preston Thompson of Preston Thompson Guitars who is a great businessman. He spells out everything in detail. Many of those details can be handled online, but if you visit his shop in Sisters, OR, you can speak to him directly. On the other hand, you might want to stay away from builders who are a little “open-ended” with their business practices. You might luck out, but it is a risk.

What About Tonewood?

Here’s an excellent article on tonewood published back in 2008 by Guitar Player. It’s still relevant, so I needn’t rehash. This will give you an idea of what to expect out of the woods you can choose from. The thing about wood is that it’s a real personal thing. But whatever wood you decide on and subsequently discuss with a luthier, make absolutely sure that they’ve built guitars with that wood. For instance, some woods, such as cocobolo are now being used in place of Brazilian rosewood. It’s not easy to get, but the one thing about that wood is that it has a high oil content, which makes gluing an issue unless you know how to pre-treat the wood so it can be glued. If a luthier hasn’t worked with it and you’re set on wanting that wood, you should probably move onto the next builder.

Hardware?

Again, this boils down to personal preference. But have a conversation with the build on what they prefer. With both my custom builds, the builders used my favorite hardware: Gotoh 510 bridge and tuners. I love the tuners as they not only keep their tune but they also have a very low gear ratio so you can tune in minute adjustments. As for the bridge, I dig the wraparound bridge. The string literally wraps around the bridge which seems to me to impart more of the string vibration into the bridge. It’s pretty cool.

Put Your Ego Aside

This is perhaps the most important point I’ll be making, so I saved it for last. Let’s say you spent a lot of time visualizing your custom guitar. You’ve researched wood and hardware and picked a color. You then find a luthier with whom you want to work. When you describe what you’re after, he tells you that your wood combination won’t work. At that point, just shut up and listen to their reasoning. Chances are that they’re giving that feedback based on personal experience. Instead, ask what a viable alternative might be. If you don’t like it, then move on. But the worst thing that you can do is get pissed and argue. I’ve heard of stories like this which is why I’m sharing it. It could very well be that your wood combination is something that doesn’t work with that particular builder’s designs. But hear them out, then see if there’s another luthier who has had success with it. But in any case, just play nice.

You may have probably expected something else with respect to this particular subject, but I wanted to offer a different perspective. Having a custom guitar built is a very personal decision and frankly, a little soul-searching is thrown into the mix. It’s easy to get hypnotized by your prospective new toy. So what I’ve provided are some pragmatic insights based on my own experience.

To me, a custom guitar is the ultimate expression and extension of who you are as a player. You want to get it right.