Made To Measure
We consider the pros and cons of buying a guitar from a small independent maker. It’s not for everyone…
Many of us wince when we see guitars with four-figure price tags, let alone when those four figures start to become a very noticeable chunk of your annual earnings. And yet you don’t have to look very far at the mainstream electric market from key players – such as Gibson’s Custom division, PRS’s upperlevel core models (let alone its Private Stock division) and, increasingly, Fender’s Custom Shop – before £3k to £5k seems the going rate. But around and above that is a whole level of über-guitar, invariably made in small workshops by solo makers or small teams where that sort of figure might
barely get you entry. This is a different and well-established world centred firmly on the art and craft of guitar making, and about as far as you can get from the factory-build business model with its distribution and retail mark-ups.
Once known as ‘custom’ guitar makers, individuals would invariably ply their trades repairing, refretting, refinishing and creating the occasional new build; others would concentrate on new builds, their own designs or replicas of more classic designs. And while many custom makers have turned into large-scale concerns, just as many have returned to their roots.
So, why would you want to enter this world? The first reason is quite simply because you can’t find a guitar of the style, specification and quality you want. You might want to add your own flourish (or even discuss a completely new design/ concept with the maker) that the bigger custom shops won’t entertain. Some makers are certainly more ‘custom’ than others, although the choice of woods, hardware, finishes and inlays – not to mention more specific things such as fingerboard radius, fret size and neck dimensions – will be wider than most high-end mainstream builders. In many cases, you’ll be able to choose the exact woods that will make up your instrument.
There’s the possibility of crafting you an instrument that perfectly fits your needs. That said, many makers of this breed have quite specific designs – their vision. Not all will accept vastly different custom orders; fewer will craft your own-design shape.
You may want to enter this world quite simply because you can’t find a guitar of the style, specification and quality you want
One misconception is that these makers only whittle away with hand tools and basic machine tools such as pin-routers and sanders. An increasing number use more modern technology – CAD design and CNC milling machines – because, for certain things, they are simply more accurate.
“I learned how to build entirely by hand,” says Seth Baccus, “but in 2013 I got a small CNC machine primarily to do backplates, scratchplates and logos, that kind of thing. But once I saw what it could do and the accuracy, for certain jobs I’ve moved more into CNC work on the wood side of things. I think a combination of CNC and handskills is always going to be a winner.”
Finishing, too, for various reasons, might not be carried out by the actual maker, as Seth explains: “I currently don’t do my own finishing. It’s a space issue in my workshop.
I work closely with another guitar-maker friend of mine in Portugal. I’m very happy with the quality; it took two years to get to the quality I needed. It’s slightly bonkers as I’m now back in the UK, and until I can do my own finishing I actually ship the guitars back to him to finish, because I know they’re going to be right. The Nautilus you have on review is a polyurethane flatted back to a satin finish. We do nitro, too, but generally we use polyurethane because we can get it on that much thinner.”
The definition of a guitar maker is not 100 per cent specific, either. Some will buy in parts (necks and bodies) along with their hardware. Other ‘brands’ might just be effectively a marketing vehicle where the guitars are actually built by another maker with spare time and capacity. It’s not exactly a level playing field.
The Cost Of Custom
Perhaps the most difficult area to quantify, then, is the actual price you’ll pay for this often-more-personalised service. Invariably, newer makers will charge less. The more experienced makers with many years of guitar building behind them and a few big-name professional guitar players as clients will be able to charge more. And it’s the same criteria if you ever need to sell your über-axe.
Pricing can be influenced by many other factors, too. There are many makers (and we’re talking about pickup, amp or pedal makers here, too, of course) who work part-time on their passion and keep up a day job to pay the bills. An increasing wave of makers might have retired and can therefore afford to charge less.
It’s also this reputation that can directly affect how long a new build will take. Yes, many of these independent makers will have small dealer networks. World Guitars here in the UK is a real champion of these high-level guitars and offers you the chance to play them before you either buy from stock or order your own. The North American Guitar (TNAG) specialises in both acoustic and electric builds from a dizzyingly diverse selection of makers. It’s also worth checking stores like these, because their sales or promotions may present the opportunity to bag a bargain.
If you’re ordering direct from the maker, however, you can expect to wait many months. In the classical guitar world there are historic makers who have waiting lists that run into years; the same can apply for any in-demand maker. The bigger the name and reputation, usually, the longer the wait.
After-sales service, warranties and the like can vary from maker to maker. Many years ago this writer had published a review of a neat Brit-made guitar only to get a furious phone call from a mainstream guitar dealer: “You’ve just recommended buying a guitar from a fireman. Try calling him if you’ve got a problem: he’ll be up a ladder with a hose!”
Obviously, doing your homework is essential. There are numerous UK regional guitar shows throughout the year where many smaller independent makers will be showing their wares: a perfect opportunity to meet them, play some examples and get a feel for what they do. The Holy Grail Guitar Show in Germany is a must if you’re seriously interested in the art and craft of the guitar outside of the mainstream world.
We’ll conclude with a word of warning: once you enter and get a taste for this world full of passionate and artful guitar makers, you might just get hooked…
Perhaps the most difficult area to quantify is the actual price you’ll pay for this often-more personalised service