having a custom guitar build

having a custom guitar build

  • yay

    Votes: 6 27.3%

  • nay

    Votes: 16 72.7%
  • Total voters
    22
Re: having a custom guitar build

The 2 guitars I have for the moment are very good players, but both seem to lack something... so I figured, if I build a custom guitar it will be exactly to my specifications (of course there's always a risk of having made an expensive guitar which isn't perfect either, but on the other hand, it could be the best guitar in the world (to me))

thx for the links btw, those guitars indeed look very nice...
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

I actually did this years ago. I sold my 2 prs's, a bass, and an acoustic to fund the money for an Ed roman quicksilver, without even playing it first.


I got EXTREMELY lucky, and still have the guitar as my number one to this day. I wouldnt chance it tho. I think you need to try out other guitars before you go the custom route. U get no resale value, and you better not want to resell it since it will be to your specs.


Sell ur guitars, take the money and buy a really nice quality pro guitar (PRS, Gibson, Jackson, Etc.)



Dre
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

I voted nay.unless the builder understand exactly what you ask him to do.
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

Be vary careful and be very, very, very, very, very, very, very, specific about every single last detail of the guitar, no matter how minuscule the detail. I tell you this from experience.

I ordered a custom guitar and things didn't go so well, admittedly due to both the builder and I. I learned a lot from that experience. Just be careful and think everything through and leave no detail undiscussed.
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

id say find a production model of what you want, and then build off that.

to me the perfect guitar was my 06 Ibanez Iceman IC400. i still play the hell out of that thing.

but it wasnt perfect for everything, so recently i built a guitar that can do everything the IC400 cant and nothing the IC400 excells at.

i know that doesnt make sense, but its better than a jack of all trade master of none guitar, atleast to me.

and i ended up with two badass iceman's, one that sounds perfect for my metal band and one that songs perfect for my rock band
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

To be honest, if you can see yourself having a lot of questions for us on aspects of this guitar, you probably don't know what you want enough for this to turn out great. Perhaps more time should be spend in the coming months playing every guitar possible to get a better sense of EXACTLY what you want, that way you get the most out of your money. It's definitely not something to rush in to.
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

Or you could look for a semi-custom builder - one with a defined range who's already chosen the majority of the hardware he/she wants to work with, and offers a good range of options to complement it.
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

Those against custom guitars: where did you get these custom guitars from?
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

IMO a custom guitar is for someone that know EXACTLY what he wants, down to a T.
Like said above, you should have an exceptionally good idea of how you want it to be down to the most miniscule of details like the screws plating.
Even then, you must be absolutely certain that what you want cannot be found on production guitars nor can it be modified after market.

If you've explored those routes and still cannot be happy with what you find then and only then is a custom guitar an option.
If you're confident of the above then go right ahead, but before you do so be certain you go in this with both eyes open...
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

Thx for all the wise words, I 'll definately keep them in mind :)
It's not something I 'm going to rush into..... Before I sell any of my guitars I will do some thorough research on every aspect of the guitar. I'm not a know-it-all-guy, so I will also ask some questions around here, because there is a lot of knowledge to be found in this place :)

One of the main reasons why I want a custom guitar, is because I really like guitars who have a carved top and a Floyd rose, but there seem to be very little companies who offer those (hence the esp horizon model I mentioned earlier)...
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

By carved top do you mean like the C-1 Hellraiser or a fully arched carved top like a Les Paul?
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

Then there are several, just take a look at the upper LTD, Edwards and ESP line As well as in this year's Schecter. There are a lot going on.
Similarly take a good look at the Carvin line, they have both single and double cut carved top guitars and you can specify a Floyd for a bridge.
Ibanez's S line also is arched top with the Edge type Zero tremolos.
This year they're releasing two with 24 frets.

There must be a couple more if you look around.
First try all those out and see what you like and don't like in each one.
See if you can find one that will suit you fine, even if you have to make after market modifications.

At the very least in the end you'll have a much better idea of what works for you and what doesn't ;)
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

thx, I was planning on playing a couple guitars to have a better idea of what I want. At the moment I have a Hellraiser FR at homewhich is beautiful and plays great, but it's not "my perfect guitar" Carvins are rather hard to get here in Belgium... I will try some ibanez's but I 'm not really an "ibanez-man" there 's something wrong with them :)

But I will try out several guitars to have an idea of what direction I want to go
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

What the Hellraiser FR needs IMO is passive pickups. Bad.
Every one I've played sounded phenomenal acoustic, really loud, fat and resonant and then I plugged it in and heard the EMG-itis. Bleh.

Even though you can tell the rough ends it has it has a really inviting neck and feels solid. A great axe.
Truth is, I've never felt good with an Ibanez either. I just want to reaffirm that with the new S line.

About Carvin, there is http://www.mafico.com/ at Bergschenhoek.
Either way since you were prepared to build a custom guitar perhaps playing a couple Carvins and then ordering a custom one with the specs you like could just be what you want...
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

I wouldn't go bankrupt to have a custom built, but if you can pay it and at least keep 1 favorite guitar, go for it...
I did just that! Also mine was kind of a Horizon shaped thing but with some very different details.

It's very, very exciting from the day you order it until the day you get to play it... I have to agree that you really must know what you want. I was in contact with the luthier several times every week, discussing different things. Some things I did change from the original plan, such as inlays and binding, ebony pickup rings and whatever...
But man, planning the guitar, then order it and after some months receiving it... What a trip! Better than anything!!:beerchug:

Oh here's a pic of it by the way, just over $2000, built in Poland, so a bit cheaper than buying in the west.
Quality was excellent, these guys know what they do, this I had also assured me of before ordering...
You can see more at: http://rekguitars.com/english.php?site=dir&nr=7

0.jpg
 
Last edited:
Re: having a custom guitar build

wow, that's a mighty fine looking guitar :32:

Could you tell me the things you had specified? I just want to know that I 'm not forgetting things....
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

shark said:
wow, that's a mighty fine looking guitar :32:

Could you tell me the things you had specified? I just want to know that I 'm not forgetting things....
Click to expand...

WEll, this was the specification I sent them:

Specification custom guitar built by REK Guitars

Tone description:
Bite and attack when hitting the strings. Tight bass with well-defined mids and highs. Not too cold or shrill... but bite/attack with a touch of warmth without getting muddy.... Also, lot of sustain is desired.
Setup:
Low string action. As low as possible without string buzz. Requires exact filing of nut, bridge and frets to fit the radius of the fretboard. Intonated for standard tuning E-A-D-G-B-E.

Internetaddress for describing pics: http://hem.bredband.net/b469227/Customdescription.jpg

General details:
• 6 string
• String gauge 10-46
• Right handed
• Neck through body
• String through body
• Scale length 25 ½”
• Hi-gloss laquer
• Good access to upper frets a’la ESP neck-thru
• Fitting aluminum flight hardcase
Body:
• ESP Horizon shape (see pic)
• Elm wood body wings
• Nicely grained Elm wood top not split, 1 piece.
• Front color: See-thru blue (a very clear deep blue, but not too dark or light) with a black burst towards the edges (see pic)
• Backside color: No color, clear laquer
• White-black-white binding on top
Neck:
• Wood: 5-piece. Maple-wenge-maple-wenge-maple (see pic)
• Thickness incl. fretboard 1st/12th fret 18 mm/20 mm
• Width at nut 42 mm
• C-shape
• Backside color: No color, clear laquer
• Nut: Graphite (GraphTech Tremnut?) black/dark color. No string tree
Fretboard:
• Wood: Ebony
• 24 frets
• Radius 15”
• Jumbo frets standard
• Inlays: Custom inlay, as discussed before.
• White-black-white binding
Headstock:
• Shape as Jackson Soloist SLS (see pic)
• Angled
• Front color: Elm wood top, See-thru blue with black burst (same as the body front color)
• Backside color: No color, clear laquer
• Truss rod cover: Ebony or same as headstock top.
• Headstock logo: REK logo on trussrod-cover.
• White-black-white binding on top
Hardware:
• Tuning machines: Sperzel locking
• Bridge: Tonepros Tuneomatic style
• Knobs: Metal, not plastic. Dome-style
• Jack: Standard, oval shape, attached to side, standard
• Strap locks: Some nice looking standard
• Hardware color: Chrome for everything, even the bushings for string-thru-body and so on…
Pickups:
• 2 humbuckers, bridge and neck. Will be sent to you by mail.
• Pickup rings: Ebony
Electronics:
• 2 volumes with push-pull pots (500k) for splitting the humbuckers to parallell-mode
• 3-way mini switch
 
Last edited:
Re: having a custom guitar build

wow, thx a lot :)
This is going to be very helpful in creating my own custom...
 
Re: having a custom guitar build

shark said:
wow, thx a lot :)
This is going to be very helpful in creating my own custom...
Click to expand...

No problem!
Just know that this is a specification before building really. You have to go more in depth with the luthier about many details to make sure he really understand what you want...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top