Very Expensive Handmade Guitars

[Poetmonk]

Yea, i do have a comment. I love my Lance McCOLLUM guitar but i don't want this to become a " I can afford a handbuilt guitar and you can't, so i feel special", kind of thing, and i know the original post was not at all about that. But i just don't want someone coming along and thinking it's that way. I can make music with pretty much any guitar, thank the lord, so it's not about high priced guitars but about willingness to learn the craft and playing from your heart with what you have. And for what i have i am thankful, but sometimes i get lost and forget because I'm busy making music, so threads like this make me stop and take notice of my past and where i am today. Remember, the guitar itself nor the builder makes the guitar, but the hands of the guitarist does.

[rattletrap]

I havent seen anyone mention some of the luthiers on this forum.

How about Tim McKnight to start this line of people to add to the list!

[Compurocker]

I agree with Cotten and Paul Woolson. I never meant or said overpriced. Just expensive with a base price of at least 5K. I too will someday own one of these expensive handbuilt Guitars. Someone I am familiar with and have done some research on. Considering you can buy a beautiful Taylor or Martin for well under 5K that makes a 5K Handbuilt guitar expensive. Eric Clapton usually plays a nice Martin live. Many wealthy professional Musicians play Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Guild etc. Acoustic guitars by choice because they are great Guitars! This was just a thread for fun to see who the Luthiers are building expensive Guitars most of them probably only a handful a year! That would make a Guitar expensive when it is done right! Some of the builders on that list state on their website a base price is $25,000. That is very expensive. I am not saying that is overpriced either. A lot comes into play when pricing these gorgeous handbuilt Guitars!

[rcemech]

How about Tim McKnight to start this line of people to add to the list!

Though we all would probably agree that we love Tim and Mary, and they make wonderful guitars (I played the diamond and loved it!) Their base price is below the 5k mark which was the criteria for the list. The list has no bearing on quality or any other factors, just base price.

Cheers!

[Compurocker]

Originally Posted by rattletrap

I haven't seen anyone mention some of the Luthiers on this forum.

How about Tim McKnight to start this line of people to add to the list!

Tim McKnight builds beautiful Guitars! I had to set the bar somewhere and it just happened to be 5K. I would be willing to bet Tim's Guitars are just as nice (if not nicer) than many on the list. I don't want to turn this into a who builds a better guitar thread! Like I said it is really irrelevant when you look at what the super famous are playing! At home or in the Studio they may they play whatever they like. On stage they may have a deal. Play this Martin or Taylor and we will Spec it out to your liking and they are free if you use them live and let us use your image for advertising purposes. I sure wouldn't mind being sponsored by Martin or Taylor and design a Guitar per my specs!

[Irreverent]

There may be a few options by Matt McPherson below $5K, but not many. I will add him to the list.

[mykey]

I'm sure I'll get bashed for saying this but Ayers guitars in Vietnam builds handmade guitars, even customs for under $5k.

I have a custom Koa built from them that cost me less than $3k.

[Denis]

Originally Posted by Ovaltitan

Linda Manzer - guitar maker for Pat Metheny and Bruce Cockburn. Very expensive instruments but worth every penny:

http://www.manzer.com/web/index.php?thisid=170

William Laskin (queue heavenly chorus) - The Michaelangelo of Luthiers. His inlay work is masterful:

http://www.williamlaskin.com/gallery2.php

Both former Larrivee apprentices...surprised you didn't mention Sergei DeJonge...he's not far from Ottawa, just over in Chelsea, QC.

[Kevin A]

Originally Posted by mykey

I'm sure I'll get bashed for saying this but Ayers guitars in Vietnam builds handmade guitars, even customs for under $5k.

I have a custom Koa built from them that cost me less than $3k.

No bashing here, Mykey, but the OP who started the thread indicated a list of builders whose base price is around $5K. There are plenty of very talented builders who built for less than the number the OP selected, but I believe the intent was to list those who match the original request.

[David Hilyard]

Boaz Elkayam (Clarita Negra, etc.)
Tom Bills (archtops, hybrids)
Fred Carlson (Sympitar, etc.)

[ljguitar]

How did we forget Harry Fleishman?

[Herb Hunter]

Even with a good discount the Taylor Presentation Series exceeds $5,000.

[sdelsolray]

If not added already, there's Roy McAlister, Julius Borges, Bill Tippin and John Greven.

[Compurocker]

Originally Posted by Herb Hunter

Even with a good discount the Taylor Presentation Series exceeds $5,000.

Yes, it does indeed. But the list is of Luthiers whose Guitars start at a Base price of 5K. Martin has Guitars that cost over 5K as well but both Martin and Taylor have a lot of great Guitars for less than 5K. If I were going to spend 5K on a Taylor today it would be an R.Taylor.

[Mr. Bill]

Jamie Kinscherff
Ed Claxton
George Lowden