Custom Guitar Regrets

[TamanShud]

Hey SSO, I'm in a pickle. I have a custom guitar in progress at the moment but I'm starting to get cold feet. I've barely played guitar for about two months, and even longer since I've played any seven or eight string stuff (the custom is a seven string) and I'm feeling like it's maybe not a great idea to go ahead with it given it seems unlikely I'll play it very much. The music I've been making for a while now is very much not guitar-based.

So, what would you recommend? Do I stick with it and decide when I get the guitar if I should keep it? Or do I back out now and open up space for someone who is probably more keen than I am? I can get a decent amount of what I've paid refunded, but it's more about worrying I'll regret buying it than anything about money.

Any thoughts, advice, anecdotes will be much appreciated.

Peace.

EDIT: None of this has anything to do with the luthier in question or the process with this guitar. That part has all been incredible. I haven't named them because I don't want it to seem related in any way.

 

[CapnForsaggio]

This is not the site to complain about the possibility of getting too many custom guitars!

Re evaluate your existence and get back to us.

 

[wheresthefbomb]

I'm assuming you've made a deposit and still have a substantial payment due, my opinion is given in this context. If you're not gonna use it then cut your losses and move on, especially considering you've got any refund potential. call it a lesson and make room for the next nerd. spend your money on something you'll actually use to make tasty sounds.

 

[TedEH]

it's more about worrying I'll regret buying it than anything about money.

If money isn't a concern, I'd keep going with it. Maybe having a wonderfully made instrument will inspire you to play more. Worst case, you'll have an expensive talking-piece-slash-decoration.

Edit: Also, if you figure you can sell it for a decent amount if you decide not to keep it, you don't have to feel bad about taking someone else's spot, since they'll be getting it cheaper used from you than new from the builder. Your loss is their gain.

 

[Aso]

This is not the site to complain about the possibility of getting too many custom guitars!

Re evaluate your existence and get back to us.

I so want the "like" feature back just for this comment. I have three customs on order right now.

TamanShud, I can totally understand getting cold feet when waiting for a custom to be built. It's a lot of money to spend and a long wait that gives you nothing but time to reconsider, think of other things you'd rather have or just plain lose interest.

 

[Ikke]

I think it depends. If you're sure you can get a refund, then maybe it would be best to stop the process now and take what you can get.

On the other hand, if you're thinking that this drought might pass and you still want to play guitar, then maybe you'd want to just have that dream guitar around. I mean, you're on a guitar forum asking guitar nerds about whether to keep a custom guitar. This puts you in a position to receive biased answers (doesn't mean you will per say...). But, from this I also glean that maybe you are still a guitar nerd yourself. Otherwise, I would think you'd rely solely/mostly on close family or friends.

My bias says keep it (I'm also getting a custom and got an update today ironically). My logical side says: only you know you. No one on here knows you better than you. In my opinion, I think you already know whether you want the guitar, whether you want to continue playing guitar, etc. Maybe you're looking for validation on a decision you've already internally made. But, anyway...

In my opinion, the key questions are:

1) How much money do you stand to lose/gain?
2) Will you have the opportunity to do this again?
3) What are your hobbies now and how long have you had those hobbies?

The last question I think is important because it's more introspective.

As a disclaimer, I just want to say that none of this meant to be antagonistic or rude. I apologize if it comes off that way, as it was not meant to.

 

[Demiurge]

Normally, I'm all about "having a baby to save the marriage" (what I call buying a piece of gear during a playing drought in hopes for inspiration); however, at the same time I'm a cheapskate and appreciate that custom guitars can be expensive, so it's really up to you to figure-out the scenario you're most comfortable with. If you cancel, your deposit is gone, which is a loss but your hands are clean; if you follow through and not play the guitar as much but shove it in the closet, it's a loss and you might feel crummy about it; if you follow through with the build and decide to sell it, you could lose money and also feel crummy about it.

 

[M3CHK1LLA]

if youve committed dude and money is no object...go for it. it may actually inspire you lol. and so...

 

[Jacksonluvr636]

Hey SSO, I'm in a pickle. I have a custom guitar in progress at the moment but I'm starting to get cold feet. I've barely played guitar for about two months, and even longer since I've played any seven or eight string stuff (the custom is a seven string) and I'm feeling like it's maybe not a great idea to go ahead with it given it seems unlikely I'll play it very much. The music I've been making for a while now is very much not guitar-based.

So, what would you recommend? Do I stick with it and decide when I get the guitar if I should keep it? Or do I back out now and open up space for someone who is probably more keen than I am? I can get a decent amount of what I've paid refunded, but it's more about worrying I'll regret buying it than anything about money.

Any thoughts, advice, anecdotes will be much appreciated.

Peace.

EDIT: None of this has anything to do with the luthier in question or the process with this guitar. That part has all been incredible. I haven't named them because I don't want it to seem related in any way.

I'd ask how long and how much have you played. If not long and if playing was just a random hobby for a while that you may not get back into I would try to sell your build spot.

For me, I've been playing for over 20 years and music is pretty much a major part of my life so I'd always come back. I took a very long break last year, thought I was done. Had no desire to play at all and when I did force myself it just made me more mad that I wasn't doing anything so I sold all my gear except one guitar and quit for a while.

Then I came crawling back, rejoined my old band and spent tons of money on a whole new set up and another guitar. I kind of regret selling my pitbull amp and one guitar I had and wish I never did it.

My long drawn out point is that if you think you'll ever come back to playing, even remotely I would say to stick with the build. Maybe when you get the guitar it will inspire you as others said.

If you never get it you may always regret it if you get back into playing.

 

[runbirdman]

When it comes to the age old question of whether to buy or not to buy, I have lived my entire life according to one motto:

But seriously though, I hit a lull like every three or four years and an exciting gear purchase is always the kick in the ass I need to get back up on the horse. At least that's what I tell my wife... I'd say there's a good chance you will play more once you get a new guitar. If not, and your invested loss is comparable to your market loss, you will make someone very happy when they get a good deal on the secondary market.

 

[Kittenflower]

Personally I really needed a new guitar to actually start playing guitar again. When I got my semi-custom I couldn't believe how good it felt in my hands, I was missing out on something better than my old baseball-bat-necked Schecter 7 string.

So who knows, if you receive your custom the sheer sight and feel will inspire you to play for hours and hours

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Personally, I don't like leaving things unfinished. There would always be a nagging thought about how awesome of a guitar I could have had. Then again I have incurable GAS. I say finish it, but don't touch a guitar until it's done (or at least attempt to). The urge to play should slowly build to an insatiable need to play guitar (or at least that's how it goes for me when I don't play guitar for an extended period). That or sell me all your guitars since you clearly don't love guitar enough

 

[Fred the Shred]

Heathen! Burn him!

I mean... erm... never mind.

 

[pondman]

This is not the site to complain about the possibility of getting too many custom guitars!

Re evaluate your existence and get back to us.

 

[noise in my mind]

Just do what everyone else does around here when they have had custom guitar for a month. Sell it in the classifieds.

 

[feraledge]

I think it entirely comes down to whether or not the luthier in question has started the build or bought materials specifically for you. If they have started, then you're too late. Pay it out, if it doesn't gel, sell it for a loss.
Considering what a lot of SSO people have going on with luthiers currently, if you found a good one, please don't screw up a build or sale for them unless they have cleared your path out.
If you're thinking twice about it, I would immediately see what your options were with the luthier first.

 

[Shredasaurus]

Seems like you dont want it,you didnt even sound a little excited about ity

 

[vansinn]

If at this point you're uncertain about even using that custom build, either:
* take it as a lesson (as others have commented), buy the thing, test it, and maybe keep it, maybe sell it.
* or maybe talk to the builder about whether he/she can sell it to others, i.e. 'can we strike a deal?' - chances are that the builder has tried this before. and might be willing to cooperate.

You'll likely loose some cash on such a deal, but what the heck, If you're going to sell it anyways, you'll drop cash anyways.
Which makes the whole case that much simpler: You'll loose cash anyways, so just smack your balls in your self-inflicted pain, take the build, play it, keep it or sell it.