I was just thinking what I would order from a custom shop... that would be a PRS copy with a string-thru stop tail piece.

Is it worth making/ordering a custom guitar? They seem so expensive!

KRIS

Sort of depends. If there's guitar model close enough what you want I would just try a lot those out and pick a good one.

But considering modern high end PRS/Parker/Gibson/ESP prices, temptation to get a custom made guitar is quite big

But I am happy with my guitars, no real need to buy anything before I destroy them. Maybe something for backup.

From all the production model guitars I've played, PRS are at the top of the heap. I've got two custom 24s - and I've been playing one of them since 96 now, and played it a LOT. Not only great sounding, but extremely reliable. I have a Gibson which crapped out on me after a few years - potis crackling, input jack broken, rust ate away the pickup mounting screws etc. while the PRS is still going strong except for fretwear which you can't avoid. Haven't adjusted the truss rod in years.... THAT's also a thing you get when you pay more - I call it hidden quality.

http://www.trueper.de/gallery/prs_custom24_1996.jpg
http://www.trueper.de/gallery/prs_custom24_2002.jpg

I was just thinking what I would order from a custom shop... that would be a PRS copy with a string-thru stop tail piece.

It's funny, because I did something very similar:

http://www.trueper.de/gallery/nice_lovepotion_custom.jpg. Custom handmade in Switzerland for me. One piece mahogany body with maple top, maple neck set into the body - the neck reaches through half the body and stops somewhere below the bridge pickup. String through body tailpiece. THe thing has incredible sustain - since the neck is VERY fat too, like 28 mm at the first fret. Ibanez Wizard necks are what, 19 mm? Always felt like toothsticks to me, I like a big neck. Pickups where custom designed and handwound for me. The bridge is string through. 25.5 " scale.

And overall I paid LESS than I would have had to pay for a new PRS Custom 24 here in germany, where they are much more expensive than in the US, and I got an instrument that has all the features I want - like for example 42 possible pickup switching combinations. Really!

Going the custom made route is extremely sastisfying - with a caveat: you have to REALLY know what you want from a guitar. For this you have to have played many different axes and have years of experience. IF you just want another strat clone, there's no need for a custom luthier. So I wouldn't recommend getting custom handmade guitars to a beginner or a player with, say, 5-6 years of playing under their belt. If you really have found out what you like, it's really great though.

Now, for the entry level segment to mid price, I have come to the opinion that Yamaha is often overlooked these days and that they are hard to beat. I've got three Yamaha instruments (two guitars, one bass). One guitar is made in Japan (top of the line for yamaha), one in Taiwan (bottom), and the bass is made in Korea. I ordered them all sight unseen over the internet, and I couldn't find a flaw with them. Hell, the manufacturing quality of the 4oo EUR Taiwan made instrument is great - totally tight neck pocket, flawless fret job. The materials are cheap, of course, but it seems that while the labor is cheap in Taiwan too, it's also really good (or they good one heck of a QC going on there). Compared to that, ALL the US made Gibsons I've played in the last years had flaws. Maybe we only get the clunkers here in germany, and all the good ones stay in the US. But I wouldn't recommend to anyone buying a Gibson here.

If you're interested, here's my little guitar collection photo gallery: http://www.trueper.de/gallery.

Tammo[/url]

yo tammo how much did that custom potion cost you

yo tammo how much did that custom potion cost you

about 2100 EUR

Tammo

As I said, custom guitar is a good buy if you want something different or compare the price to PRS or alike.

Good buy that one, looks sweet!

I've only been playing for about 5 years, and I'm just really starting to figure out what I like/need and what I don't. Last summer I saved up and bought a Gibson Explorer and I love it. To me, it feels perfect, has great balance, and sounds great.

Probably the most important thing I've learned about guitar playing so far as far as fiddling with specs/mods/etc. goes is that you need to figure out for yourself what you like, don't put EMGs into a guitar just because James Hetfield or Jed Simon does (which I had played with the idea of doing). The Gibson pickups that came in my Explorer sound awesome. In a few years when I have some more money and have a better idea of what I want, I might get a custom made guitar, but what I have is great for now.

How do you like that Seagull Boogie? Those are made about an hour and a half from me. My bass is made by the parent company of Seagull and it is great...

How do you like that Seagull Boogie? Those are made about an hour and a half from me. My bass is made by the parent company of Seagull and it is great...

very good. Great value - and I prefer cedar tops to spruce. And the neck is a little wider than standard. I like that, because I grew up with classical guitar necks.

A no-nonsense guitar. And the pickup system is great - with piezo and built in microphone - I record directly from that pickup system and have been very satisfied. The pickup was one of the main reasons I chose that guitar - it was the best built in pikcup system that I had heard so far when I bought it.

Tammo

Ibanez Ibanez Ibanez Ibanez Ibanez Ibanez

You know what?

I voted Ibanez.

Northwood Guitars, it's a luthier from Vancouver area, I have 2 basses and an acoustic from him.

http://hevydevyforums.com/phpbb/album_pic.php?pic_id=59 is my 4 string


For guitars I like Gibsons with EMG's and ESP explorers.

I love my Sting Ray 5!!! Music Mans rock!!!

I really want a Caparison guitar. Soilwork dudes and Darkane dude all use them.

I'm waiting till after I graduate from college to get my first real custom guitar but I own or have owned fairly high end Jackson, Ibanez, BC Rich and ESP guitars and I would have to say that my personal favorite is my ESP LTD MHB 400 Baritone. I had tried using an Ibanez S series that I have set up to be tuned to B but it sounded like crapp that way. I also have an ESP m-207 7 string that plays pretty nice but I don't like playing on the seven's they throw me off when I try to play cords. Nice guitar though. My BC Rich is a NJ warlock with EMG 81/85 setup It plays really well and has a nice thick sound and awesome sustain for being a bolt on. Killer looks too. Probly my second favorite overall. Long ago before fender owned jackson I had a RR Professional that I loved to death. It had Seymor Duncans in it and it sounded bad ass. I sold it when I was still in High school and now I check ebay periodically hoping to find one just like it. As for Ibanez, for the money you get a nice quality guitar with decent looks and decent sound. I mostly play metal and when I'm not, I like to play acoustic so Ibanez is just not my thing. Don't get me wrong, they are nice guitars, just not great for metal. That S series I have weighs about 4 ounces though, very easy on the back if you are playing for a while.