Customizing a current guitar vs custom ordering

[Emperoff]

Here's an example of how sometimes a subtle detail can make all the difference:

Before:

After:
- Elysian Trident IIs w/ quilted maple bobbins (to match the bevel)
- Hipshot satin black knobs and tuners (to match the bridge)
- Switchcraft 3-way toggle

@CanserDYI Do it.

 

[Crungy]

I have both. I'm not above changing out parts, or getting finish work done, or whatever else on an already existing production guitar.

However, I've also had custom guitars built just for me from the ground up with things that I wanted. Even if it's not another strat/tele, or an amoeba, or whatever other pathogen some luthiers want to emulate these days in their creations, there's more than enough under-the-hood type material in what I've had that wouldn't make sense to either wait for a production model to finally come around, or to compromise and settle for less with a semi-custom brand's offering that I wouldn't be fully happy with since they're neither able nor willing to actually get me what I asked for.

Such builders will take time and effort to seek out in finding who will accommodate without coming up short if not being on a completely different page over a client's preference in design, aesthetics, functionality, etc- so yes, there is still a niche for that. And despite a few bad apples in the bunch who have been deservedly ripped apart in the past for one reason or another, if not more, there's still some decent folks who can take it a step past whatever the aforementioned could or would offer in their builds. Regardless of how weird said aforementioned + their more outspoken fanbois opt to react, in turn.

And @CanserDYI

I think the time in waiting for a custom and cost is enough of a deterrent for me. Plus, I'm more than happy with regular production instrument quality: My RG7321 gets just as much play time as my nicer 7's, it plays and sounds just as good and my butthole doesn't clench if I ding it up.

@NickK-UK I think I could handle doing the work myself as well as pickup installs or other bolt on mods. I'm not too interested at the moment in routing pickups, finishes or actually building an entire instrument. I do respect the hell out of anyone that can do that stuff! I'm happy to Frankenstein something together with off the shelf parts/husks, that's worked out decently. I've been wanting to ask my brother in law to paint a body for me as well... He's painted cars for many years and I think he's done a guitar or two. I'd trust him to do a good job with a finish.

@Captain Shoggoth that Explorer is fucking sweet, holy shit! Is it Gibson scale or longer?

 

[SalsaWood]

MH417

I gigged with one for a year or so. It was ok. Neck specs weren't really the best fit for me personally. It worked well, though. I only sold it because the finish definitely didn't wear evenly at all, and the back of the neck was about 90% of the way to absolute gloss in practically no time. IIRC I sold it to some guy who did studio guitar work with Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. He said he was going to mod it, slim and carve the body a bit or something, but I never saw it again.

 

[Crungy]

I gigged with one for a year or so. It was ok. Neck specs weren't really the best fit for me personally. It worked well, though. I only sold it because the finish definitely didn't wear evenly at all, and the back of the neck was about 90% of the way to absolute gloss in practically no time. IIRC I sold it to some guy who did studio guitar work with Tony Danza Tapdance Extravaganza. He said he was going to mod it, slim and carve the body a bit or something, but I never saw it again.

That's pretty sweet it had a story that continued on!

That was definitely one thing that might keep me from buying of them. Matte black finishes are ass.

 

[Captain Shoggoth]

@Captain Shoggoth that Explorer is fucking sweet, holy shit! Is it Gibson scale or longer?

Thanks dude! It's 25.5! The body is kinda stubby and designed for a 24.75" 22 fret neck so all together the proportions look a bit off, but as a spec combo it's awesome. Super resonant too. I am still stoked on it every time I see it, genuinely cured my Explorer GAS for life.

I wish the frets were bigger than med jumbo but that's fixable down the line anyway. Given as it has 0 resale value I might even scallop the board eventually.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Same as @Crungy 's reply... but don't be shy, share your Freeway absent blasphemous guitars in the mean time...

Perhaps 'blasphemous' was too strong a term, since they're only specifically nuanced to my tastes. Still, there's always the option of listening to those guitars instead...

 

[Crungy]

I saw in another thread @MFB posted a link to Mecha's Castle https://mechas64castles.net/CharvelJackson.html

Jackson has some Soloist 7's that tick a lot of if not all the boxes... I either didn't see them on the Jackson site or maybe they're not current production.

 

[odibrom]

Perhaps 'blasphemous' was too strong a term, since they're only specifically nuanced to my tastes. Still, there's always the option of listening to those guitars instead...

Thanks for suggesting that link. I was seeing it int the New threads list, but somehow kept on missing it. After watching the video I went the rabbit hole of checking out your 2016 (?) album and it's right up my alley. Nice work!

 

[John]

I think the time in waiting for a custom and cost is enough of a deterrent for me. Plus, I'm more than happy with regular production instrument quality

It's not for everyone, not going to deny that. Mixed feelings about some more recent/regular production instrument qualities aside, there's always going to be a niche for getting something that's already there and making that work. I've previously mentioned a few of the ones I've owned in that category, and I don't plan on flipping them anytime soon. Or ever, for that matter.
On the other end of the spectrum regarding a full custom, having patience was a relatively small price to pay for getting something to be fully happy with from the ground up. So, not having to make compromises right and left (ie- unflattering offsets along with other questionable-at-best design changes that weren't greenlit by anyone in their right mind, but I digress). That and some simpler, not-so-invasive electronics or hardware swaps couldn't make compensate on account of differences being rooted more in the building process, so the potential cost of trying to change those out would be silly compared to just getting one built from the start.
For what it's worth- depending on how or who one may luck out with, sometimes the waiting time is comparable to some of those other semi-custom folks minus the weird cult vibes attached. I'm not making guarantees here, but simply stating that here and there it can work out without the feeling of having to wait over what feels like an entire lifetime and then some.

 

[Willtato]

While you do get the cost benefits and time benefits etc... you can know what you want done on a guitar, but can one actually achieve it? I can have specs of a dream guitar I'd like, and have all the parts, but that doesn't mean that the craftmanship or even the finish effect will turn out the way you'd hope, or have the time etc... Getting a professional to do that will add up cost wise.

There is no question that custom builds will take a long time (whether being on a waiting list or just build time), and more than likely, tastes will change - I'm currently waiting on my instrument, and I've already changed the bridge from a FR style to a 510 style because I got sick and tired of the intonation process sometime after I submitted my order.

As someone said, you get good and bad luthiers/brands. I'd also say there are various levels, such as Kiesel being what I consider only semi-custom.

On a different note, while I'm sure that some brands worldwide may be able to produce guitars with your main requirements (I'm assuming flat top means with forearm carve and/or drop-top), have you fully exhausted the JDM market? If I were to think of superstrat, Japan would be the first place I look. Have you also considered artist sig models (e.g., ESP snapper sigs like the ISAO Raiden)? You could then customise from that point forward if you're not too fussy about specs. Admittedly there aren't many which use soapbar-style PUs, and other than a purely metal designed guitar, I think may detract from the overall aesthetics personally.

I really like the Killer guitars empress. I know you said you didn't want black and wanted EMGs, but I really like how the pickup rings are recessed. ... but now that I think about it, most of the brands I'm thinking about produce custom-level products in the thousands, and you might as well go custom at that point. Plus, finding FR guitars with decent bridges under 1k may be more difficult than fixed, so budget is also a big consideration IMO with the cost of the guitar, upgrade parts, labour and issues with resale value.

 

[AltecGreen]

I really like the Killer guitars empress. I know you said you didn't want black and wanted EMGs, but I really like how the pickup rings are recessed. ... but now that I think about it, most of the brands I'm thinking about produce custom-level products in the thousands, and you might as well go custom at that point. Plus, finding FR guitars with decent bridges under 1k may be more difficult than fixed, so budget is also a big consideration IMO with the cost of the guitar, upgrade parts, labour and issues with resale value.

The Empress would be a good choice for a mod based on the OP's requirements. The reason is that guitar already has a battery compartment routed in even though it comes stock with passives. Removing the pickup rings might give enough room to mount the EMGs without mods. I think I measured mine and a seven string EMG pickup might go in without routing.

However, the Empress is not super cheap and rarely in stock since Saki is pretty popular. So routing a cheaper Ibanez would be more cost effective.

 

[CleansingCarnage]

I have pretty heavily modified a couple of guitars to the point of changing all hardware and filling/drilling new mounting holes for bridges etc. I have a lot of fun doing it and really enjoy tinkering with stuff and especially refinishing guitars, but if you don't really enjoy it then it just doesn't make sense. Financially, you're going to end up spending just as much if not more trying to bludgeon a production guitar into what you want it to be when compared to just ordering exactly what you want from the beginning, plus you have to put all the time into it. Plus you will never really add to the resale value of a less expensive instrument no matter what you put on it; on the market it's going to go for the same as any other guitar of that model, for the most part. So I would recommend to anyone to get what they want right off the bat unless tinkering is part of the enjoyment for them.

 

[CleansingCarnage]

Every single time I try to do it properly with wet sanding and primer and gloss clear coat and polishing, it either turns out like shit or never ever fully dries.

When it comes to clear coat you really have to use something like a 2k two part poly or it's not going to turn out well, in my experience. I've had the same issues and it takes a really, really long time for regular lacquer spray can clear coats to fully cure without the hardener you get in the 2k formula.

 

[bmtf]

Always customize a good production guitar. This way when you sell it you can charge more because it's now RARE and UPGRADED and ONE OF A KIND.

i routed an rgixl7 for soaps and was so happy when i finally sold it to gc. i nearly broke even cause it was b stock, buy they tagged it high cause i put so much stuff in it. i guess that shit cost money too, but i wanted the guitar gone at that point

 

[bmtf]

... but Ibanez DID a 7 string loaded with EMGs and double locking trem by 2010s...?

my hot take: they never got it right. or i wouldnt have had to mod my guitars. you know what? im glad

sorry for the double post!