Designing your own guitar and having it built by an expert luthier is really the only way to have a truly unique guitar that you can be assured sounds like no other instrument in the world. There is nothing like the sound and feel of a one-of-a-kind instrument, whether you are a casual player, professional, or a guitar collector. Since custom guitars can be expensive, it's important to find the right luthier, and it's equally important to ask them the right questions before they even start building. Let's take a look at some things to consider when choosing your custom guitar builder.
ReferencesIf you go on the internet you'll find probably a hundred guitar luthiers, offering a variety of pricing and a variety of services. As you shop, remember that this is a high-involvement purchase, and even a little thing going wrong can make you feel like you wasted your money on the project. As you find and talk to luthiers, ask them for references of real customers they've recently made guitars for, and call these people. Most folks love to discuss their guitars, and you may learn more these conversations than you will from having a luthier explain their process to you.
OptionsIf your intention is to have a unique instrument, you'll need to find a builder who offers many options. There are dozens of different wood types that can go into the production of an acoustic guitar, and you should find a builder who has experience across many types of wood. After all what's the point in having a guitar made if it's just going to look like the ones off the shelf at the store? Learn about tonewood, and ask the builder to describe for you how different wood affects the sound, look, and feel of the instrument. Even if you already know which wood you want to go with, this conversation can serve as a good interview for the luthier, to see how wide-ranging their skills are. The experienced luthiers know about all the wood types and will offer a wide variety of options for making your instrument. Also remember, it's not always about wood - there are options for hardware, electronics, and trim that can add a lot to the final product, and part of the fun in designing your instrument is going through all the choices for these items as well.
WarrantyDoes the custom guitar builder offer a warranty on the work, and what does it cover? You should hope for the best but plan for the worst, by having an agreement in place that specifies what happens to the deal if you are not happy with the guitar, or if there are some workmanship defects that are noticed later on. Any luthier worth his salt will offer you something reasonable, as they want their work and their reputation to hold up over time.
ExtrasMany custom guitar builders offer little extras that make the process more interesting and fulfilling, and provide you with some cool stuff to go along with your guitar. For example, many guitar builders will create a photo journal of your guitar as its being built, so you can experience all the stages of creation and have a record. This type of extra can also be valuable down the line if you want to sell the instrument, as it gives potential buyers a lot more info about the instrument and the quality that went into it. If your builder is not local to you, you can also ask them to make a recording for you prior to shipping the guitar, so you can hear it, just in case there's anything about the sound that concerns you.
Overall, the experience of building a custom acoustic guitar should be fun and worry-free, so find someone who has the talent and skill to give you what you want, and will stand by their work. When spending that kind of money, you should be part of the experience, and enjoy it every step of the way, whether your builder is down the street or across the country.
Griffbrett Gitarre
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