Guitar builders/luthiers

On topic, I'm sure you could buy a good quality reproduction Telecaster style body, and a good quality reproduction RT650 style neck, and then kit the resulting bare guitar out with the hardware and electronics of your choice. That might be a more realistic and cost effective proposition than having a guitar made to spec, from scratch, which I'm sure you know will cost a fair few thousand.

This company make some stunning and reasonably priced necks, some have 'uncut' headstocks so you can have them shaped how you please. I like the one-piece roasted flame maple necks myself.

https://guitaranatomy.com/product-category/necks/

You can also get a custom Poplar Telecaster style body made to order from here:

https://www.guitarbuild.co.uk/colle...roducts/tc-customisable-1?variant=29472363777
 
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Thanks so much man, guitar build.co.uk is around the corner from me, I was looking at doing something through them a while back, I might see if I could get a custom body. I didn't know about the guitar anatomy site that's a great shout!
 
Manners14 said:
Thanks so much man, guitar build.co.uk is around the corner from me, I was looking at doing something through them a while back, I might see if I could get a custom body. I didn't know about the guitar anatomy site that's a great shout!
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No probs, and sorry again for not fully thinking it through before jumping on the "wood type? Pfft" bandwagon. :p

Guitarbuild.com have a tonne of necks as well it seems, I haven't seen those ones in person though (or anything they make for that matter), but if they're round the corner from you, I guess you could have a poke around. They might be able to show you some. :)

Looks like they only charge £30 extra for a custom headstock shape too... So it looks like they could do you a PRS style neck to fit your poplar Tele style body... The base price of the neck is a fair bit more than from Guitar Anatomy though.
 
There were a few YouTube videos where they tried to do a scientific test of different woods and it was interesting to watch and hear as they plugged the guitars in and did blind tests too, most of differences are so subtle you wouldn't know the difference, but the poplar stood out to me compared to the mahogany for example, which I know to be quite a dark sounding wood anyway... Then I went off a few other videos where they were just knocking the different woods like a xylophone and hearing the difference made me buy into it a little... I've played enough guitars to know that pickups are obviously the biggest factor in the tone, but I think it all counts like you said.

I don't mind sinking some money into something I'll keep forever, the resale value will be horrendous with it not being a major company, so I would look to make something to keep.
 
I'm trying to find out if my Squier Affinity Strat has an alder body or a plywood body now... I have a horrible feeling its plywood. :p

I've had it since I was a kid, not much of it is original anymore. The body, neck, and bridge, thats about it. Neck is bare maple.

The only reason I haven't replaced the body/neck is because I still want it to be the same guitar that it was when I first got it. If I replace those, its like Triggers broom! I really want one of those roasted maple necks for it though...
 
It's one of those if I won the lottery things.. I would take a "guitar building holiday" for 3-6 months and make a violin-esque hollow body guitar. Using a computer to create the model for best frequency response. Bit of a journey if you will.
 
NickK said:
It's one of those if I won the lottery things.. I would take a "guitar building holiday" for 3-6 months and make a violin-esque hollow body guitar. Using a computer to create the model for best frequency response. Bit of a journey if you will.
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Using a computer to create a model for best frequency response sucks the soul right out of it. It sounded lovely up to that point! :D
 
Acme said:
I'm trying to find out if my Squier Affinity Strat has an alder body or a plywood body now... I have a horrible feeling its plywood. :p

I've had it since I was a kid, not much of it is original anymore. The body, neck, and bridge, thats about it. Neck is bare maple.

The only reason I haven't replaced the body/neck is because I still want it to be the same guitar that it was when I first got it. If I replace those, its like Triggers broom! I really want one of those roasted maple necks for it though...
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I would probably keep that as it is, it's worth more sentimentally than it would be as an instrument you could get any real mileage out of.
I'm pretty sure they're alder body's so not the worst things to be built from!
 
Its got a seymour duncan humbucker, an oripure humbucker and a vintage fender single coil pickup in an HSH configuration (fairly unusual for a Strat) with new good quality 500K pots, all new wiring I did myself, an improved jack, new scratchplate, and controversially perhaps, Gibson LP knobs!

Its a decent guitar now, certainly better than its player. :D

To be honest I think Squier guitars in general are good solid guitars that last a long time, mine is just slightly hotrodded now.

Apparently the Affinity Series guitars were Alder yes. :)
 
Ah nice that sounds awesome, makes all the difference with a few tweaks here and there doesn't it.
I quite like the Chapman guitars mantra of, 'heres a basic model, it's really easy to change stuff so here you go'
Encourages people to tinker and see what happens.
Some of the new squirts, the classic vibes especially rival the Mexican made fenders.
I've never been a big fan of fender to be honest, for every good one I've owned I've had 5 bad ones, I've got a Geddy Lee signature Jazz bass made in Japan and that's all now.
 
In fairness though I think the £75,000 price tag was more to do with the guitarist not the luthier! :p

"I once made a guitar for David Gilmour, it sold recently for £75,000" is definitely an excellent thing to be able to say as a business owner/craftsman though!

Jeez his work is stunning... :)
 
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That's the dream, make use of his hobby and those skills for his own enjoyment as well as others... And earn a living from it too.
 
Manners14 said:
That's the dream, make use of his hobby and those skills for his own enjoyment as well as others... And earn a living from it too.
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I would love to be a master of a craft and wile away time in a workshop on my own terms making things for people and earning a good amount of money as I go...
 
If only we could all afford to do that, id love the chance to start again and pick a different path.
Or just have my house paid off to allow me to take a pay/hours cut and see what happens
 
Probably not to be honest, they're quite pricey and bring along their own brand of awkwardness setting them up and changing strings etc.
I quite like gotohs, never had any issue with them, Ive never had a Wilkinson or a hipshot buy I've heard excellent things about hipshots, so I'd be keen to try something new that is similar to what I already use.
 
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