custom made guitars or well known brand guitars?

[cobain1980]

If a custom guitar built according to your spec by some Luthier is going to cost you around $4.5K, will you go ahead and have it built or you will rather spend these money on well known brands like Gibson, Ibanez, Suhr, Fender etc? I feel that one thing bad about custom guitar is that you only get to know the quality after it is built and delivered to you, and may not have any resale value compared to the famous brand.

 

[faizal_rocks]

I used to indulge myself in the world of brand guitars before I decided to make one myself. Its not an out-of-this-world style but a custom Strat, using an unknown alder Strat body and Allparts Strat rosewood neck, using Fender Hot Noiseless pickups...it still sounds like a Strat should. It cost me around $1.5K when I bought the parts from a shop but I discovered that I could get them way more cheaper elsewhere and should have done more research. Oh well.

Ur right about custom guitars not having a good resale value cos obviously, its not by some famous brand...but if the bodies are made of good quality parts like Warmoth, USACG, Allparts, there's a higher chance for the bodies to be sold easily

 

[EngelFaeuste]

Between a Gibson costing 5k and a Custom Ran costing 4.5k, I'll take the Ran. Not just becuase I'd take a $500 Ibanez over a Gibson.

 

[seekz]

If you already know what you want, then just save up for it and just go for it.
Whatever it might be. Custom built or not.

A lot of people think have the misconception that Gibsons, or Fenders are overpriced, and you're paying heaps just for their namesake/branding. But if you think about it, getting a Custom builder to build a SG standard, or a 59' Replica is gona cost you way more than buying a Gibson.

Go for a custom builder if there's something sorely lacking in what's already available.

 

[seekz]

Between a Gibson costing 5k and a Custom Ran costing 4.5k, I'll take the Ran. Not just becuase I'd take a $500 Ibanez over a Gibson.

Different people have different needs and different goals.
Maybe to you its about feel, or the QC or whatever it is
that makes you cringe when you think of the name Gibson.

But do note that a lot of people buy Gibsons as some sort of
an investment, of cos not the run of the mills "Standards/Studios/Specials"
Probably the Custom shops or VOS, can be sort of a hit or miss
kinda thing if you're a guitar collector. Like how a 60's or 70's strat is worth quite a bit now.

not to say that there aren't any higher end Ibanez'es that appreciates(d) in value.

But a custom guitar would only be good and probably
remain good to a particular individual, whatever good means...

 

[cobain1980]

Between a Gibson costing 5k and a Custom Ran costing 4.5k, I'll take the Ran. Not just becuase I'd take a $500 Ibanez over a Gibson.

Hey I saw your first custom guitar thread. There's another polish luthier REK guitas beside RAN. Did you also consider this luthier before going for RAN to build your guitar?

 

[EugeneSmasher]

Engelfaeuste seems to have quite a serious grudge against Gibson guitars... Wonder why... No offense intended, just curious... I find that they are awesome, but still over-priced.

Personally I'd rather get a branded guitar rather than build a custom from scratch.
1. I can always find a standard production guitar that fits me.
2. I don't like to wait or take the trouble to have a custom built. I just head to the store, try a few, and choose one that I really like.
3. A custom will be more expensive.*
4. I'd like to have support and prior reviews from many others before I purchase a guitar.

*Not always the case. Look at the Gibson L-OO. It's a standard production model yet it costs $7K US dollars.

 

[MadWerewolfBoy]

for me, i would buy a guitar which will have resonable resale value just incase i needa sell it in the future.. haha its like investment! :twisted:

 

[XLayaR]

I'm a custom player and I can honestly say I'll go for the custom one any day. Since its to YOUR SPECS, you can't complain about anything, and I believe you'll play better(I know I have). You feel like "Damn, its my masterpiece!"

Of course I would love some branded strats and RGs not because they play well, I'd never know cos I'm lefty, but to COLLECT.

Just my 2cents.

 

[Slap Happy]

There would have to be something sorely lacking in the well known brand guitars for me to go custom. You get so much more for your money with a manufactured guitar. Quality control and consistency are so much better now than they used to be that most name brands are building very, very good guitars in that price range.

Play a lot of guitars and if you don't find what you are seeking talk to a Luthier. I just don't see how he can make you a "one of" for the same price as a good production model.

 

[dickhead]

start out with a shelf guitar, and when you know exactly what specs you want, down to the neck proflie etc, get a custom.

 

[Whitestrat]

If you already know what you want, then just save up for it and just go for it.
Whatever it might be. Custom built or not.

I like this point... I fully agree.

Thing is, it does take sometime and some experience with quite a few different guitars before one finally understand what one needs/wants from a guitar.

It took me 20 years and a total of more than 20 guitars to know. and up to know, I'm still learning...

Neck profiles, fretsize and tuner type are something I've got settled. But choice of tonewoods? Scale length? i think i've not owned enough to know. Body thickness is pretty fixed for me now, but bridge type? Mount type? Controls layout? Configurations?

So many variables... I'd say that it would be wiser to stay away from complete customs unless you've really got everything down pat, and are not afraid that the money would go to waste.

If you're not sure of what you want, then try the brands first.

 

[Whitestrat]

But do note that a lot of people buy Gibsons as some sort of
an investment, of cos not the run of the mills "Standards/Studios/Specials"
Probably the Custom shops or VOS, can be sort of a hit or miss
kinda thing if you're a guitar collector. Like how a 60's or 70's strat is worth quite a bit now.

I bought my Gibsons because... well, they're Gibsons. it's nice to have a few Gibsons lying around as gragging points and show pieces. but my most recent acquisition surprised me. I bought the guitar not knowing how it would play or sound. They don't allow testing at the sale, so I plonked cash down on a gamble.

I struck pay dirt. this one is very nice to play and very nice sounding. I don't have the itch yet to go modify it. I don't know what I can do to modify it. It's almost perfect, so I'm afraid that by modifying it, the magic will go away.

But the one thing that really took me by surprise was how much I actually like the 50's neck. I've wlays though it would be too thick for me and how it would obstruct my playing. I knew that playing the upper frets on my Slash GT which has a thinner neck was difficult. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it's so much easier to play upper frets on an LP when the neck is thick! The way the thick neck positions your thumb for support makes it far more comfortable and easier to grasp.

I'm still in a daze over this Standard I got... I didn't know BB Pros paired with a chambered body could sound so nice!:twisted:

 

[khelzy09]

i think, for me, it depends in the quality and of course you should know what you really want..

 

[EngelFaeuste]

Hey I saw your first custom guitar thread. There's another polish luthier REK guitas beside RAN. Did you also consider this luthier before going for RAN to build your guitar?

Nope. Ran obviously only bothers endorsing metal players (Jeff Waters of Annihilator, Peter of Vader, Pat of Cannibal Corpse), as I will only spend money on Metal artists, I will only spend money on guitar companies that make it a point to support metal.

 

[superpotato_30]

everything is opinionated.

Got pros and cons to both sides. No point listing them down here. To me if i want a guitar according to my specs i would go to a luthier assuming of course i got sufficient gold.

If i want a high end guitar which is a reliable brand but not necessary 100% everything i desire in a guitar then i would take the other route.

Isnt that it?

 

[superpotato_30]

I bought my Gibsons because... well, they're Gibsons. it's nice to have a few Gibsons lying around as gragging points and show pieces. but my most recent acquisition surprised me. I bought the guitar not knowing how it would play or sound. They don't allow testing at the sale, so I plonked cash down on a gamble.

I struck pay dirt. this one is very nice to play and very nice sounding. I don't have the itch yet to go modify it. I don't know what I can do to modify it. It's almost perfect, so I'm afraid that by modifying it, the magic will go away.

But the one thing that really took me by surprise was how much I actually like the 50's neck. I've wlays though it would be too thick for me and how it would obstruct my playing. I knew that playing the upper frets on my Slash GT which has a thinner neck was difficult. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that it's so much easier to play upper frets on an LP when the neck is thick! The way the thick neck positions your thumb for support makes it far more comfortable and easier to grasp.

I'm still in a daze over this Standard I got... I didn't know BB Pros paired with a chambered body could sound so nice!:twisted:

60s neck for me man.

But darn ill agree with you the 50s neck is amazing. The orville im selling has the 50s neck and the baseball bat feel is extremely comfortable. Mine is unchambered however but to be honest i prefer unchambered bodies to chambered ones. ( one thing im not too happy with regards to my gibson ).

Sry im a sucker for lespauls.

 

[seekz]

Yes, I agree. Its something that plagues the modern guitarist.
The various choices and options we have now with regards to
guitar has swollen exponentially.

Here's something reslly interesting I came across to illustrate. (if you have the time)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VO6XEQIsCoM

Paradox of choice

 

[xklusivly4u]

Get a well known brand make a custom guitar for you

 

[Whitestrat]

Mine is unchambered however but to be honest i prefer unchambered bodies to chambered ones. ( one thing im not too happy with regards to my gibson ).

Honestly, I got both chambered and unchambered. and for some od reason, the chambered one is winning the battle. It's got a lot more life and more sustain than my unchambered one. i've just changed the APHs on my Slash to Seth Lovers, so lets see if that makes a difference. Otherwise I'll just go get a set of Skatterbranes.:twisted:

it's funny with all that fussing over a set of PAFs for my Gold Top, while my other CHAMBERED standard with stock Burstbucker Pros rules the day!:twisted:

Which Orville you selling?