Is there a list of “Custom Guitars”?

[jay42]

I’m not great at searching here. Custom seems a bit vague. I’ve recently tried some Boucher and Furch guitars. They seem like smaller production builders vs. custom. Do they qualify?

[TomB'sox]

There are factories, smaller factories, what people call boutique builders like Collings, Froggy Bottom, maybe Santa Cruz and then individual luthiers which I consider the true custom builders where you can be involved with everything if you wish. Many of these sponsor on the AGF and some can be found on the right hand side of this page and of course many are showing builds on this page. Here is the list of all sponsors and the one or two man/women shops are listed, at least those who sponsor here.

[Jack the Pearl]

I don't know the answer to your question. If required to guess, I'd say they don't qualify. I think of a "custom" guitar as one made to specs that are set by the purchaser at the time the instrument is ordered.

Hand made, one at a time, to order are also criteria that come to mind.

Another factor that might count is the size of the "builder's" marketing budget. That last one is me being a curmudgeon, I admit. After all, in these days of the internet advertising blitz, no one will know you're out there building guitars if you don't do some marketing, and that costs money.

I will suggest one maker that makes truly custom guitars. He teaches and works at Roberto-Venn School of Luthiery in Phoenix, AZ and he makes fantastic guitars by hand, one at a time. His name is John Reuter. Look for Reuter guitars on the internet. You'll find the web site. You may have to find one of his guitars used, or go to Phoenix to play one. And who would buy a "custom" guitar without having played some examples first?

[tadol]

Frequently, custom guitar builds indicate instruments that the purchaser worked with the factory/small-shop/solo luthier to make some number of decisions about the build of the instrument that are either not standard dimensional specs, or using specially chosen or obtained woods, inlays, or finish details that would not be part of a standard build from that shop.

It doesn’t necessarily mean unique - so many Martin “customs” are pretty regular types of builds, but also many solo luthier builds, where every build is unique based on customer input is “custom”, even if those choices are only the choice of woods used or type of tuners -

[jt1]

So many stellar luthiers who build custom guitars, and so few AGF sponsors.

Ask around.

[The Bard Rocks]

A few years back (5? 7?), I made a list with other info on ones that had come to my attention. As I recall there were over 100. It would be much longer today.

[Dogma]

When I first "discovered" AGF a few years ago, one of the first things I encountered was a listing of all of the luthiers who would be participating in the Woodstock Invitational Luthiers Showcase with live links to their websites. That was the beginning of my deep dive into the fine craft of guitar building. This list might still exist in the deeper reaches of the forum. A similar listing probably also exists on the show's website, or on the website of one of the other such shows. I know that the LaConner Guitar Festival I attended in May had a page with participant overviews and links to individual websites. Here's the link:
http://laconnerguitarfestival.com/luthiers

[colins]

Another good source of information on custom builders is the dealers that specialise in selling their guitars (new and used). Some have great websites you can browse, in particular I recommend Dream Guitars, Luthiers Collection and Guitar Gallery (the Nashville one). These three dealers will show you typical pricing for custom instruments from a wide range of builders, generally favouring single luthiers rather than the small factories. Dream also has great sound clips.

[stillpractising]

Try the Luthiers Showcase website, too: https://www.luthiersshowcase.com/
It lists the guitars of individual luthiers for sale with links to each luthier's home pages.

[Bill Kraus]

Originally Posted by colins

Another good source of information on custom builders is the dealers that specialise in selling their guitars (new and used). Some have great websites you can browse, in particular I recommend Dream Guitars, Luthiers Collection and Guitar Gallery (the Nashville one). These three dealers will show you typical pricing for custom instruments from a wide range of builders, generally favouring single luthiers rather than the small factories. Dream also has great sound clips.

I'd like to add The North American Guitar to this list, they have a nice listing of luthiers, here's the link;

https://thenorthamericanguitar.com/pages/luthiers

[inc0herent]

Great list at Cedar Rock Guitar Gallery as well as awesome demos by Dustin and Matt:

https://www.cedarrockstudio.com/prod...egory/guitars/

[Baxendaleguitar]

Originally Posted by jay42

I’m not great at searching here. Custom seems a bit vague. I’ve recently tried some Boucher and Furch guitars. They seem like smaller production builders vs. custom. Do they qualify?

If you want the best new hand made guitar you should really consider the guitars my son, J. C. Baxendale Guitars. He most recently built Mark O’Connor the guitar he currently using and recording with. I sent him a set of premium Brazilian rosewood that I bought in 1985 and he built me a long body OOO with a 12 fret neck and slotted peghead. It’s far better than any new Martin, Collings, Sant Cruz ,Bourgeois guitars and his guitars rival the best guitars ever made in the 1930’s.

His shop is in Durango Colorado and his prices are way too low for the quality he is building.