Sebastian wrote
they're actually cheaper if you know the right people, and you get exactly what you want. i've already had an SG-style guitar made for me, love it to pieces and want another...
what do you guys think on the topic? do any of you have custom made guitars? and one technical question....
Depends on your definition of "custom". I have a Mervyn Davis Smoothtalker with some features to my specifications. Mervyn is not into doing all and any customisation on Smoothtalkers, but there are some things he will do EG the neck is basically anything you want as long as it fits on a standard Smoothtalker. So my neck is a little wider at the nut than his standard, and quite a bit thinner. Also has non-standard machine heads, warthog tusk nut (from material donated by a friend who was also having a Smoothtalker made). It doesn't look hugely different from other Smoothtalkers. In fact you'd have to line two up next to each other and have a bit of a squizz to see the differences. All the "unique" parts of my guitar are in the neck. In every other respect it's a bog standard Smoothtalker. So is that "custom"?
I think that in many cases "custom" is not absolutely anything you want and exactly what you want. They are assembled from a "menu" of components.
They shouldn't be cheaper than a regular factory made instrument. Not if they're assembled and finished by hand. But then "custom" and "hand made" are not necessarily the same thing.
It's a tricky term, and perhaps too vaguely or incorrectly used. If I wanted what I understand by a "custom" guitar I'd go to California and hunt down Rick Turner or Danny Ferrington.
