The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #31  
Old 10-30-2020, 03:47 PM
Norsepicker Norsepicker is online now
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 212
Default

No Morgan it’s not just you
Reply With Quote
  #32  
Old 10-30-2020, 04:05 PM
justonwo's Avatar
justonwo justonwo is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 7,120
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by morgankelsey View Post
Buying a handmade guitar is what ultimately got me into luthiery. It wasn't a commission, I bought a pre-owned flamenco guitar from a reputable dealer, made by a well known flamenco luthier. Ironically, I make steel string flat tops mostly, but the craftsmanship and sound of that guitar changed my life (literally).

I wouldn't shy away from buying a "spec" guitar from a builder either. Personally I've done some of my best work when I'm building "just because". When I'm doing a commission I spend too much energy worrying about whether the client is going to like this or that, and consequently take less risks. It's probably just my own neurosis manifesting itself, but it is akin to the mystery many of us know as players -- we do our best playing alone, with no one listening. Again, it could just be me....
Spec guitars are great! Some of my favorites are spec builds. Then again, I don’t usually ask for much customization.
Reply With Quote
  #33  
Old 10-30-2020, 04:27 PM
jt1 jt1 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,062
Default

You folks are so fancy.

Me? I just want cool stuff. Guitars that make me happy the moment I pick them up, even before picking a note. Guitars that no one else has.

I've spent decades playing guitar, attending guitar festivals, and writing about guitars.

I own two varieties of guitars: 1) rare vintage models and 2) guitars that luthiers in the unobtanium category built for me.

Yes, I've owned a bunch of guitars. Yes, I've sold a bunch of guitars from both of my categories. Yes, my current collection makes me happy.

There are few experiences in life that make me happier than playing one of my guitars while thinking, "I'm lucky to be playing this thing."

My only bit of advice: don't fall for the current fad of believing that the guitar with the most miter joints that features the thickest, shiniest finish you've ever seen is the instrument for you. There are a lot of mediocre "luthier" built instruments out there in our guitar geek world. Choose carefully.
__________________
John
Reply With Quote
  #34  
Old 10-31-2020, 05:26 AM
SprintBob's Avatar
SprintBob SprintBob is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 5,253
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by justonwo View Post
Spec guitars are great! Some of my favorites are spec builds. Then again, I don’t usually ask for much customization.
I’ve had just that experience with the Edwinson Zephyr I got a couple of weeks ago and I was fortunate to be able to travel to their shop and A/B this guitar against one of my benchmarks. That Zephyr was new and Steve had built it to what he believed he could do best with the design spec he had for it. To a big degree IMO, that is what you are getting with builders like Froggy Bottom, SC, and Collings.
__________________
Doerr Trinity 12 Fret 00 (Lutz/Maple)
Edwinson Zephyr 13 Fret 00 (Adi/Coco)
Froggy Bottom H-12 (Adi/EIR)
Kostal 12 Fret OMC (German Spruce/Koa)
Rainsong APSE 12 Fret (Carbon Fiber)
Taylor 812ce-N 12 fret (Sitka/EIR Nylon)
Reply With Quote
  #35  
Old 10-31-2020, 06:02 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: The Isle of Albion
Posts: 22,067
Default

I lived in West London from 1970 to 1975 when I was really getting into guitars, and well placed to react to classified ads in a weekly music paper (The Melody Maker).
Stuff I bought often needed repairs, and I became good friends with a local luthier, who did me a lot of favours.

In 1973 I changed jobs and tripled my income. He was starving, so I commissioned two (or three) guitars from him.

Looking back they weren't that great and one (a Martin style 12 fret 12 string, failed completely).

This was partly for the fun of having a design built which smply wasn't available in the UK at the time.

In '98 I fancied a 12 fret 00 size guitar and my tech (and main Martin supplier) built me one commissioned by my wife for my 50th birthday.



For my 60th, I ordered a Roy Smeck type of guitar from a company in the south east of the USA -a customised version of one of their standard models. It was unplayable from the start. The experience was extremely expensive, disappointing and the customer service appalling for me and the dealer.

No further custom builds for me me unless my dreams are fulfilled and I get them from builders than I know and trust -but its not going to happen.
__________________
Silly Moustache,
Just an old Limey acoustic guitarist, Dobrolist, mandolier and singer.
I'm here to try to help and advise and I offer one to one lessons/meetings/mentoring via Zoom!
Reply With Quote
  #36  
Old 10-31-2020, 10:52 AM
vanceen vanceen is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 137
Default

I picked up a used Martin OM-28V with a 1 13/16" nut width for a very good deal and loved the way it played. At the time I had a Heritage Golden Eagle archtop, which was a beautiful instrument, but it had a 1 11/16" nut which was significantly narrower than ideal for me.

I decided that if I was going to own a good archtop, it ought to have the neck I want, and discovered that finding an archtop with a neck other than 1 11/16" was not so easy. So after some research I commissioned a Mark Campellone Special with the neck I wanted. That guitar turned out to be insanely good.

Somewhere in there, after salivating over things like Lowden redwood/African blackwood guitars, I decided I needed a first rate finger style guitar. I didn't want to spend Lowden money, though. I found the Breedlove Concert FS redwood/Braz, which was relatively accessible at $5k. However, after a couple of years I faced the fact that while it was an excellent instrument, it was not a "lifetime" guitar for me. Around that time I discovered that the luthier Steve Kinnaird, whose work I had seen on this forum and elsewhere, was none other than the Steve Kinnaird I had known in the early '70s when he was at Stephen F Austin University. Knowing that he had sold a guitar to one of my musical heroes (John Sebastian), I got in touch with Steve, visited him and Ryan in Nacogdoches, and commissioned a Lucky Strike redwood/ziricote deep body OM (after consultation). The result was magnificent.

I have some other very nice guitars, but the Kinnaird OM and the Campellone Special are my "thank you" guitars. Whenever I play them, I'm thankful for the privilege of getting to play such fine instruments whenever I want to.
Reply With Quote
  #37  
Old 11-03-2020, 09:31 PM
gitarro gitarro is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 2,510
Default

Creating a functional work of art that should be still being played long after we are no longer around and that will help bring music and simple joy into peoples lives.
__________________
In the end it is about who you love above yourself and what you have stood for and lived for that make the difference...
Reply With Quote
  #38  
Old 11-04-2020, 11:41 AM
srick's Avatar
srick srick is offline
Moderator
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 8,176
Default Great Question - I'd love to see this become a 'sticky' topic

Quote:
So what led you to commission your first custom build? How did you go about selecting a builder? Had you played that builders guitars before ordering one? Or did you just take a very expensive leap of faith? How did it turn out? Any words of wisdom you care to impart on the uninitiated?
What led me to commission my first build? Since 2007, I have been reading about all sorts of luthiers and their builds on AGF. Having done a lot of woodwork (including building several dulcimers) in my life, I could really appreciate what went into the build process and the piece of craftsmanship that resulted.

Had you played the builder's guitars before ordering one? What really sealed the deal was several trips to the 'Woodstock Invitational Luthier's Showcase' (WILS) where I met Dale Fairbanks. Plus, at the time, Dale lived in my town. Dale focuses on building Gibson-style guitars from the 1930s and it turns out, was perfectly suited to my playing ragtime and fingerstyle songs in the style of Rev. Gary Davis and Hot Tuna. I couldn't really hear the guitar well at WILS (it's a zoo), but it felt great. Later, I was able to play several of Dale's guitars in smaller settings and confirm they were a good match.

Was it an expensive leap of faith? My build is still in progress. Link The wood was supplied by a good friend who had recently lost his ten year battle with cancer. Knowing Dale personally, I wanted him to build it. This guitar is a tribute to my friendship with Larry Fox. So yes and no. I knew what Dale's builds looked and sounded like. I knew that my guitar would be similar to those, but it will still be unique.

Words of wisdom? Yes, many. Being a participant in the build is a fantastic experience. As far as hobbies go, guitars are not that costly. So if you have that dream guitar built, it will be a good friend forever.

You might want to listen to the episodes of the "Luthier on Luthier" podcast available on 'The Fretboard Journal site'. There, you can get a feel for the most prominent luthiers in the country. But there's a another route: you may have some luthiers living and working in your vicinity. You may have to do a little digging to find them, but the personal connection is an added bonus. Also, if you can get to a regional guitar show, you may meet your builder there.

And, most important, let your significant other know about this in advance! He\she knows how much pleasure your guitar brings to you, but may have a few different priorities for spending the family income!

I've found the best purchases and achievements in life are those that require a substantial amount of planning and anticipation. I have spent hours drooling over my build pictures in anticipation of the guitar. And when it comes, it may take a little bit, but I'm pretty sure that we'll bond and become lifelong friends.

best,

Rick

PS - You'll be dead a long time, so why not go for it before it's too late?
__________________
”Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet”

Last edited by srick; 11-04-2020 at 12:13 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #39  
Old 11-04-2020, 01:34 PM
jaymarsch jaymarsch is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: North of the Golden Gate, South of the Redwoods, East of the Pacific and West of the Sierras
Posts: 10,569
Default

I was very lucky to pretty much have stumbled into the world of hand made acoustic guitars back in 2003. I was playing the Martin M-38 that I had saved up for ten years earlier and the 16" lower bout was giving my bum shoulder fits. I was looking for another guitar and happened to mention that to a new guitar playing friend of mine that happened to be in a writing group that I was in. (The Reverend Heng Sure for those who know him as "Monk" in the guitar community.)

He told me about the Healdsburg Guitar Festival that was taking place pretty much in my back yard in a few months. He also mentioned the names of a few luthiers, including Jim Olson, Kathy Wingert and Dana Bourgeois. He advised that I go to some guitar shops and play as many guitars as I could, paying attention to how they felt and sounded. This was the best counsel that I could have received as I discovered so much about what I wanted in terms of tone and feel.

I met with several luthiers at the festival and Kathy checked all of the boxes for me, including my budget. I decided to take the plunge and I am so glad that I did. She soon became a much sought after builder and her prices grew with her well-deserved reputation.

Two years ago, I decided to go through the process again to obtain a guitar that had a different tonal signature and decided to go with Sparky Kramer. I have played many of his guitars over the years and always loved the tone, aesthetics and overall quality of them. Wonderful process and I couldn't be happier with the result.

Some things that I learned along the way:
  • Being able to find a luthier that you can communicate with is critical. The builders that I chose listened and asked me great questions to help us both determine if they could deliver on what I wanted.
  • I felt fortunate to select luthiers who were within driving distance. Not a requirement but it was great to go to their shops and meet in person throughout the process.
  • Both luthiers that I chose are also fine musicians and guitar players. Again, not a requirement but I found it beneficial.
  • It also helps to be a person who appreciates the adventure of the creative process. I liked the element of trusting that the luthier would bring their skills and instincts to create the guitar that would inspire me.

I am so grateful that I have been able to go through this process twice with outstanding luthiers who have exceeded my expectations. Please let me know if you have any other questions about it as I am happy to help anyone who wants to take the plunge.
Best,
Jayne

Last edited by jaymarsch; 11-04-2020 at 01:36 PM. Reason: Fixed typo
Reply With Quote
  #40  
Old 11-07-2020, 09:31 AM
jklotz jklotz is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Atlanta, GA
Posts: 3,561
Default

Thank you guys. I appreciate all the input and find it helpful.
Reply With Quote
  #41  
Old 12-22-2020, 06:43 PM
Wally Taylor Wally Taylor is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 67
Default

I was moved to a custom order by the beautiful tone that every guitar made by Drew Heinonen is capable of producing.
Reply With Quote
  #42  
Old 12-22-2020, 06:50 PM
difalkner difalkner is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NW Louisiana
Posts: 1,187
Default

An article in Bluegrass Unlimited on Doc Watson and his Gallagher - in 1974. So just before Christmas in 1974 my BIL and I drove the 600 miles to Wartrace, TN, and met with Bill and Mr. JW about the guitar I wanted and it was a pretty cool process. Still have the guitar and it's a cannon! Love it!

David
__________________
David

My Woodworking YouTube channel - David Falkner Woodworking --------------------------------------------
Martin, Gallagher, Guild, Takamine, Falkner
Reply With Quote
  #43  
Old 12-23-2020, 01:22 PM
Benjo Benjo is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 640
Default

I just posted here in this forum b/c I too am thinking of commissioning one.

As to the OP's question, what led me to do so, it's not being able to find a 12-string that is the right ergonomic fit for me.
Reply With Quote
  #44  
Old 12-23-2020, 01:59 PM
hubcapsc's Avatar
hubcapsc hubcapsc is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2020
Location: upstate SC
Posts: 2,686
Default

I had always played inexpensive (the kind I could afford) guitars.
When the 2000's rolled around I got added on to a kind of
contractor side-job software thing. Related to that, I was on
a trip and after the day's meetings I was walking around in
Provo (Utah) and came upon a guitar store. I walked in and
they not only sold guitars, but the personable and talkative
guy there also made them, you could see parts of his workshop.
I liked him and the guitars of his that were there. When I
found out his guitars were "only" two or three thousand dollars
and not ten thousand, I got on his list. After a while,
my new guitar showed up at my house in South Carolina ...

As a cheap guitar player, I didn't carry around a bunch of
pre-conceived notions about Martins and Gibsons and
Taylors or their differences. Had I had those notions,
who knows what kind of guitar I might have gotten then,
but I ended up with a Ken Stika guitar, which I now know
is as different from a Martin/Gibson/Taylor as they are
from each other.

Now I'm retired and have a Gibson and a Martin too, and pre-conceived
notions about them ...

-Mike
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:58 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=