Why aren't all wealthy musicians using custom/boutique quiars

[jklotz]

I'd be willing to bet most of them, if not all, have custom instruments. I'd imagine most of them don't get taken out on the road though, so they don't make it into the pictures. Some do - Brad Paisley's custom Crook tele's and signature Santa Cruz come to mind. Vince Gill gigs his very expensive vintage Martin's. Marty Stuart gigs Clarance White's first B bender guitar. Lindsay Buckingham and his custom Rick Turner's. Brian May with the guitar he and his dad built.......

You've got to keep in mind the custom built guitar craze has been gaining in popularity and availability for maybe the last 20 years? Back when a lot of the famous guys were honing their craft and making their signature sound, the only decent guitars were the big factory ones. I remember the 1st time I saw Mark Knoplefer playing his Schecter strat, I was blown away that somebody would play a concert with a guitar from a then unknown to me builder.

[RalphH]

Originally Posted by beninma

Meh.. buying ultra expensive versions of anything is about image & what you want other people to see in addition to function.

And sometimes these people just like something from a big manufacturer better.

This is no different than us amateurs. Just cause someone owns cheaper guitars and posts on here doesn't tell you anything about how much money they have, only how much they are willing to spend.

Lots of people who are multi-millionaires or more drive Honda Accords and are happy with a Timex watch and a Yamaha FG guitar and don't care about buying flashy boats or other trinkets that other people buy to try and show off.

Well that's very true - my guitar cost waaay more than my car because I don't care about driving a flashy car (car was 2nd hand, not made in China). I'd just have assumed that a professional guitarist would also be into guitars, but I guess it doesn't necessarily follow, and conversely, if you are trying to show of / have an image, a handmade guitar might not be the right image; if you want to project a bad rocker image, with your tattoos and leathers - a finely made guitar with artful leaf inlays might be exactly the opposite of what you want.

[catndahats]

Beatcomber said, "I get the impression that many professional musicians are not gearheads."

I agree.
Recently watched a few podcasts/interviews featuring somewhat well-known musicians over the last year, and often the interviewer would be surprised when the musician did not share the gearhead's enthusiasm over the details of their instruments and set-ups.

Also, in contrast quite a few successful guitarists have a ton of cool instrument collections and endorsements from high end builders that never get taken on out on stage performances.

[JGinNJ]

If you're really good and/or well known, you don't even have to buy your guitars. You get an endorsement deal or they make a custom signature model for you.

[paulyy]

Its just a mix of woods with strings haha. Real guitar players just play good guitars not boutique ones. Even tho a lot of people think they need a custom shop to fill that insecurity or feel complete.

Just get something that makes you feel comfortable & something you like how it sound. But the most important thing: create something and make music, thats the hole point of this.

[beninma]

Originally Posted by RalphH

Well that's very true - my guitar cost waaay more than my car because I don't care about driving a flashy car (car was 2nd hand, not made in China). I'd just have assumed that a professional guitarist would also be into guitars, but I guess it doesn't necessarily follow, and conversely, if you are trying to show of / have an image, a handmade guitar might not be the right image; if you want to project a bad-*** rocker image, with your tattoos and leathers - a finely made guitar with artful leaf inlays might be exactly the opposite of what you want.

There are a lot of people who have money and are flashy with it and you have no idea how responsible they are, they can have a lot of stuff and not much in liquid assets.

The physical items someone buys that you can see are not that reliable of a way of telling how much money someone has.

Even some of these professional musicians, you might think they have more money than they do.

And if they value having 5 different guitars more than having 1 that costs 5x as much that's a thing too. They're tools, not treasures.

Cars are probably the perfect product for this kind of comparison.. all kinds of people buy or lease a new car every 3 years to try and look like they're doing well and if you've been through enough of that you can realize it is not in any way a sign of financial well being or success.. sometimes it's the opposite.

People buy stuff to make themselves feel good sometimes. At some point when you've got enough money you don't are about doing that.

[captain_jack]

yeah if you watch a lot of rig run down videos on youtube, the number of people obsessed with the intricacies of their gear seem to be the extreme minority, vs people not even knowing what kind of pickups are on their guitar and yelling to their tech for info.

[mr. beaumont]

Well, they might have them, even if they don't perform with them.

For a touring musician, it makes sense to play and become "at home" on an instrument that can be replaced in a pinch...touring is ROUGH, on you, and the instrument.

[hubcapsc]

I bet a bunch of famous people playing Martins, Gibson and Taylors are
sponsored by Martin, Gibson or Taylor.

And a bunch of them would want to take their replaceable-off-the-shelf
guitar on the road more than some guitar that XYZ made special for them.

-Mike

[TomB'sox]

And then there is this:

[RalphH]

Originally Posted by TomB'sox

And then there is this:

I don't sound that good on my gibson :<

[Mr. Bill]

James Taylor used a Gibson J50 for his first 2 albums. The Olsen appeared later, and according to him, had a sound & playability that was superior.

[edcmat-l1]

How bout Willie Nelson's guitar. OOOF!!

[ship of fools]

Are you going to take say a Kathy Winger guitar out with you on tour when it runs say $20,000.00. Or into a studio where there are lots of folks who may trip over it.
I know say several musicians who have their customs at home and because they have a certain sound well it may not work on the road that they capture in a studio with say a Gibson or Taylor or even Martin.
Most folks I know who own custom guitars do so for them self's and that's why I have owned them.

[Nymuso]

I think a lot of the "wealthy" disposable income is going to vintage and/or iconic instruments.