Soldato
You are not wrong about the rule for the number of guitars, but sometimes its worth rotating things out in order to make way for something new.
As to the custom build. Well, A few months ago, I started looking around for ideas as to something that would have meaning for me, and with which I could remember my grandparents who both passed away in short order in early 2018 (they were in their 90s so not unexpected, but still). I started out thinking that what I wanted to do, was buy a guitar that I would never think of normally, so gave some consideration to something like a fender custom shop, but then I stumbled across a small UK based company (Gordon Smith Guitars), and the service that they offer in terms of being able to specify the details of what I wanted just blew me away, woods, colours, design, pickups (wound by themselves), fretwork etc.. and the price was impressively reasonable. Lead time of 8 to 12 weeks, but for something bespoke that is handmade (not CNC) by a small UK company that originally came from the same area as my grandparents, I couldn't resist. As they put it, if you can dream it, they can build it.
In the end, I've ordered a Graduate 60 (les paul style with carved top), mahogany body and neck, walnut top, rosewood fingerboard, S.Steel frets, tortoiseshell binding, locking tuners, p90 pickups, black burst colouring, gloss front, satin back and neck, with the burst extended to the back and headstock. Cost me about £1700 and well worth it in my opinion, now is just a case of waiting for it to be completed, but the last time I spoke with them, they told me that it was coming along nicely.
They don't blow their own trumpets, they just let their work speak for itself.. and they are a very friendly bunch too..
I route the Bass/Drums through my wife's bass amp when she's not using it which gives it an even better sound
