CHOOSING A BUILDER
Different builders specialize in different kinds of instruments:
acoustic steel-strings, classicals, archtops, harp guitars, etc.
As you narrow your search, be sure that the builders you’re considering
actually make the kind of instrument you want. It’s pointless
to seek out the world’s most renowned archtop builder and then
order a classical guitar. Once you’ve identified an appropriate
luthier whose work you admire and whose guitars are in your price
range, see if it’s possible to play one or more of the builder’s
guitars. Your odds may depend on whether or not you live near
a major metropolitan area. You may want to start your research
by finding out whose guitars your favorite players use. Some publications,
including Acoustic Guitar, provide that information when
they profile an artist. You should also browse builders’ sites
on the Web (www.acousticguitar.com provides hundreds of links)
and haunt the best acoustic guitar shops in your area. The instrument
you’re looking for may not be hanging on the shop’s wall, but
one of the employees might own one and be willing to bring it
in for an in-store trial. Or the maker may be willing to set you
up with a previous customer in your area, who will let you play
his or her instrument. There may even be an upcoming guitar exhibition
or music festival in your area that features samples of a particular
builder’s work.
SELECTING OPTIONS
Some of the decisions you’ll have to make include body size,
neck shape, woods, scale length, and whether or not to include
an internal pickup. Most of these decisions depend on how you
intend to use the instrument (at home, on stage, in the studio)
and what type of music you play. Smaller-bodied instruments, often
termed orchestra models (OMs) or grand concert models, are as
popular today as the larger-bodied dreadnought developed by C.F.
Martin and Co. years ago. Traditional dreadnoughts are loud and
powerful with a tremendous bass response, while smaller-bodied
guitars can offer a more precise, balanced sound that is often
sought for recording situations. The size of the body will also
affect the gauge of strings you need to use. Light-gauge steel
strings, for example, are usually recommended for small-bodied
flattops. Specific needs may send you to a builder known for a
particular specialty, or you may prefer to work with a luthier
open to a wide variety of construction options, woods, bodies,
and styles.
The conversation between you and the builder, store employee,
or dealer will start with these factors and then branch off into
the finer details, such as the shape of the body, the dimensions
of the neck, the price, what kind of deposit you need to put down,
how long you’ll have to wait for the finished guitar, and the
warranty terms. A luthier’s construction techniques, such as internal
bracing patterns and finish, are usually static, so if you have
strong preferences about them, you should take that into account
when choosing a builder. Many luthiers and shops will do sunburst
or tinted finishes, but they usually charge significantly more
for them.
Whether or not you order a cutaway will depend on how far
up the neck you tend to play. While some builders feel that cutaways
affect the sound of the guitar, others believe that they cause
no loss of volume or tone. Most builders and shops will also accommodate
left-handed players with custom cutaways.
When it comes to scale length, most luthiers will honor requests
for slight variations on what they normally use. These days, it’s
almost as easy to order a guitar with 12 frets clear of the body
as it is to order a 14-fret guitar. Some flattop builders, including
Kevin Ryan, are using slightly longer scale lengths (25.7 inches
as opposed to 25.5) to increase the string tension slightly and
thus accommodate lowered open tunings. Archtop and flattop builders
may opt for a scale length of 24.75, 25, or 25.4 inches, depending
on the type of guitar, and the scale for parlor guitars can be
even shorter.
As far as choosing tonewoods is concerned, you’ll need to
decide on woods for the soundboard, the back and sides, the neck
(although mahogany is by far the most common choice), the fretboard,
and the headstock veneer. Ebony is the most common fretboard wood,
but various types of rosewood can also be used.
Bindings and purfling are frequently chosen by the buyer, and
most makers offer the option to bind the neck and headstock in
addition to the body of the guitar. Ivoroid (or other synthetic
materials such as fake tortoiseshell) used to be the most common
binding, but more and more high-end luthiers are turning to wood.
Ivoroid bindings may be easier to repair, and they offer a more
traditional look on archtops and certain vintage-style flattops.
Herringbone and abalone edge inlays are commonly available, although
they’ll add to the cost of your guitar.
Other options include the type of headstock (solid versus slotted)
and sometimes its shape, the tuners (silver- or gold-plated, for
example), the rosette design, the type of pickguard (tortoiseshell,
clear plastic, wood, floating), fingerboard and/or headstock inlays,
and other cosmetic touches. Some luthiers do their own inlay work,
while others hire specialists like Larry Robinson. Intricate inlay
work is hugely time-consuming and will cost you, but a unique
(tasteful) design can add to your guitar’s value. Many builders
will create an inlay based upon your original sketch. A less costly
option is to choose from among several inlay designs the maker
cuts via a CNC (computer numerically controlled) design. Keep
in mind that inlaying your name into the instrument will make
it almost impossible to resell.
NECK SPECS
After the neck and fingerboard woods are chosen, the measurements
of the neck need to be pinned down. The neck connects the player
to the instrument, and defining its dimensions is one of the most
important factors in ordering a comfortable guitar. The size of
your hands and your playing style are the two most important factors
to consider. You may be most comfortable with the neck of the
instrument you learned on, and it’s quite common for a customer
to bring a luthier his or her favorite guitar and request that
the neck be replicated for the new instrument.
The neck width (the distance from side to side) is usually measured
at the nut, and it also affects string spacing. Many vintage guitars
sport a 1 11/16-inch nut width, which is also commonly used on
electric guitar necks. Builders catering to fingerstyle players
frequently ship with a 1¾-inch nut width but will go wider or
thinner upon request. Some major manufacturers tend toward the
1 11/16-inch nut for dreadnought bodies and the 1¾-inch width
for orchestra model guitars. The necks on classical guitars are
much wider, normally about two inches at the nut.
The neck profile, also referred to as the depth or thickness,
is the distance from front to back. Some players prefer a fatter
neck, while others like a thin or "fast" neck. The shape
can vary from an oval or C shape to a V shape. Another question
is how the neck is joined to the body. In the past, dovetail joints
were the only acceptable ones in quality guitars, but today many
builders use bolt-on necks. Metal truss rods are common in steel-string
guitars, and many builders are using a combination of a truss
rod and carbon graphite for added strength and stability. The
neck on an instrument with no truss rod cannot be easily adjusted
in response to humidity changes or long-term change brought on
by string tension.
TERMS AND FINANCES
After you’ve nailed down all the specs and design options, it’s
time to discuss payment and warranty terms. In some cases, the
luthier’s waiting list is so long that he or she cannot guarantee
the price of the instrument. The cost of woods and supplies is
always rising, and the maker’s current price may not be enough
to cover costs and make a profit five years up the road. Ask what
happens if you don’t like the finished product. Will the luthier
sell it to someone else and start from scratch on a new instrument
for you? Will he or she make alterations to the guitar, and if
so, will you have to pay extra? Can you get a full refund of your
deposit? It’s best to get such policies in writing before you
pay your deposit. Also find out how long you can expect to wait
for your guitar. Estimates for turnaround times can be found in
the Custom Guitar Gallery online at the Acoustic Guitar Web
site at www.acousticguitar.com,
but workloads and backlogs are always changing, so it’s a good
idea to ask.
Because of the subtle variations in woods (even from the
same tree), the tonal qualities of a guitar can never be fully
anticipated in advance. If the sound of the finished instrument
is close to what the customer was seeking, time and playing might
make the difference. Some woods, such as spruce, have a reputation
for opening up after a few weeks or months of playing, and many
instruments continue to improve over the course of years. Acoustic
research has encouraged speculation that this maturing process
is a result of changes to the wood at the cellular level that
are caused by vibration and aging. Most luthiers have a good idea
of how much change to expect in the sound of their guitars, and
some will allow you to trade the instrument in for another if
you’re unsatisfied with the tone after playing the instrument
for a few weeks or even a few months.
The care and feeding of a meticulously built custom instrument
is the responsibility of the owner, so you must talk to the luthier
about how best to care for your new guitar. Attention to humidity
is paramount with acoustic instruments, and builders usually advise
their customers to watch for extreme weather conditions, monitor
the humidity levels inside their guitar, and use a guitar humidifier
when necessary. Be sure to keep your instrument in a high-quality
hard-shell case. The builder will set the guitar up for you before
delivery and adjust the action to suit your preference, but you
should also find out who to turn to down the road for expert adjustments
to the neck, string action, electronics, etc. Many larger manufacturers
will have assigned warranty stations, and some small builders
also have authorized repair professionals you must go to lest
you invalidate the warranty.
One additional item to keep in mind when choosing a luthier
is that guitars built by the more established and respected builders,
although often higher priced, will maintain their value and increase
in value over the years if the instrument is well cared for. On
the other hand, a luthier who has not been in business as long
may do tremendous work and offer good prices while building his
or her reputation.
CUSTOM SHOPS
One option is to order an instrument from the custom shop of
a larger manufacturer, such as Gibson, Martin, or Guild. In most
cases, you’ll have to place your order through a retail store
and work with one of the shop employees to examine standard models
to determine which custom options you want. You can point to a
specific model on the wall, for example, and say, "Order
me a guitar just like this but with koa back and sides, a Sitka
spruce top, and my name emblazoned in abalone at the 12th fret."
Some custom shops, such as Guild’s in Nashville, deal directly
with customers as well as working through a local dealer. Guild’s
production manager, Mark Kendrick, notes that players tend to
be more traditional when it comes to Guild instruments, but the
shop still gets special requests on everything from inlay work
to custom colors. His shop will supply almost any variety of woods
or options the player requests, "as long as the instrument
has structural integrity."
MIDSIZED SHOPS
The Santa Cruz Guitar Co., founded in 1977 by Richard Hoover,
is an example of a midsized shop that has built a serious reputation
for quality steel-string guitars. Santa Cruz guitars feature a
lot of handwork, although more than 650 are currently produced
each year. Hoover has a dozen employees who help him build 12
different models, and 50 percent of the company’s orders are for
custom guitars. The guitars are ordered through a dealer, but
Santa Cruz expects to spend some time on the phone with the customer
early in the process. "My preference is to talk directly
to the player," says Hoover. "It’s better to get the
information from the customer about what they want." Santa
Cruz offers a limited lifetime warranty to the original owner
and supplies a list of approved repair shops around the country
who are authorized to handle warranty work.
Michael Millard of Froggy Bottom Guitars has been building guitars
since 1969. His company currently builds 100–125 guitars per year
and sells about 35 percent of them direct to customers and the
other 65 percent through dealers. The basic Froggy Bottom production
flattop features mahogany back and sides, a Sitka spruce top,
and curly maple binding. There are 15 basic body styles to choose
from as well as an incredible variety of options. "We go
to truly great lengths to make the right guitar for the player,"
says Millard. "We work with a dozen or more different woods,
a variety of plate thicknesses, and a broad array of scale lengths.
We build 12-strings, parlors, and baritone guitars as well."
INDIVIDUAL MAKERS
Many makers work independently and complete only a handful of
instruments each year. One example is Don Musser, who builds fewer
than a dozen classical guitars and flattop steel-strings per year
in his shop in the Colorado Rockies. He offers four basic body
shapes: a parlor, a classical, an orchestra model, and a dreadnought.
Like many luthiers, Musser shies away from custom body shapes
due to the effort that goes into creating molds. His guitars can
be purchased direct or through specific shops and dealers (note
that some individual makers only sell direct). He offers
many custom options and selects the tonewoods to suit the player.
"The number one question I ask my customers is what they
hope to use the guitar for," he says, "in the studio,
for personal enjoyment, or (God forbid) for touring. Based on
what the person tells me, I tailor the woods to achieve their
goals." Musser works most frequently with Indian and Brazilian
rosewood for backs and sides, and he offers a variety of choices
for soundboards. "I avoid cedar or redwood tops for people
who are planning to use the guitar in the studio because those
are overtone-rich and don’t give as condensed a sound as some
of the hard spruces like Sitka. Engelmann spruce is a balanced
wood and can be colored one way or the other, depending on how
the top is braced." Musser works out the details with his
customers, gets a 20 percent deposit, and then sends a letter
to the customer confirming the deal and the instrument’s specifications.
SPECIALTY GUITARS
Canadian luthier Shelley Park has carved out a niche building
replicas of Selmer and Maccaferri guitars, which are used to play
the Gypsy jazz music popularized by Django Reinhardt in the 1920s
and ’30s. Park currently builds about 20 guitars per year in her
Vancouver, B.C., shop. Before starting her own business, she worked
as an apprentice for many years with Jean Larrivée and
David Webber. Park, who spends her weekends gigging in Seattle
with a Gypsy jazz band called Pearl Django, endeavors to help
potential customers find instruments they can test before ordering,
but it’s difficult because her guitars are spread out over North
America. "By and large," she says, "my guitars
are bought sight unseen. It takes a lot of email and phone calls.
If the finished guitar was not what the customer expected, I would
make it right or let the customer return the instrument. But so
far, my customers have liked the instrument 100 percent of the
time."
GUITAR BOUTIQUES
More and more guitar shops all over the country carry guitars
by small and midsized builders in addition to larger manufacturers,
and they place custom orders on a regular basis. Joe Caruso, who
runs the Music Emporium in Lexington, Massachusetts, takes custom
orders for Martin, midsized builders like Santa Cruz and Collings,
and smaller builders such as James Goodall and Eric Schoenberg.
"When people start looking in the $2,500 to $3,000 range,"
Caruso says, "they want it to really be the guitar they want
it to be. Some people want something fancy and unlike anything
anyone else is going to have. Sometimes they just want a Collings
D-2H but with snowflake inlays instead of diamond-shaped inlays
on the fretboard. The smaller builders offer many features and
options, such as different neck widths, different spacing at the
bridge, and different woods, and some players are willing to wait
for those options."
At McCabe’s Guitar Shop in Santa Monica, California, Nancy
Felixson and Amilcar Dohrn-Melendez specialize in placing custom
orders and act as go-betweens between the buyer and the builder.
"If a customer has particular questions," Felixson says,
"they can talk to the builder. One person wanted a particular
grain of koa on a custom Goodall, so he talked directly to James
Goodall." Many builders supply shops with brochures and lists
of custom options, which customers can refer to. In ordering a
custom Martin, McCabe’s forwards the desired options to the Martin
Custom Shop, and Martin then comes back with a price quote. Even
when taking an order through a store, most builders are willing
to work directly with the customer to help with decisions about
woods and options. "Part of the experience of having a guitar
made for you is to be as involved as possible in all of the aspects
of the instrument’s details," Dohrn-Melendez explains.
Kit Simon, who runs the Olde Town Pickin’ Parlor in Arvada, Colorado,
has been in business many years and sees the future of his business
closely intertwined with custom builders. He intends to focus
on "boutique instruments" in the future, individually
made guitars by a wide range of builders. "That’s the direction
I’m headed in," he says, "because I don’t want to compete
with the Guitar Centers. I want to be a prestigious store featuring
custom guitars." Simon already works with such custom builders
as Eric Schoenberg, Kevin Ryan, and Lance McCollum, and he keeps
his eye out for up-and-coming builders. The ordering procedure
varies depending on the preference of the builder. Collings allows
Simon to handle most of the discussions with the customer, for
example, while Lance McCollum encourages clients to call and discuss
details and even visit him in his shop.
INSTRUMENT DEALERS
Some instrument dealers work from their homes rather than storefronts.
They have working relationships with a number of builders and
facilitate the ordering process for their clients for a moderate
fee. The assistance of an experienced dealer can be very helpful,
especially if you’re ordering a guitar from another country. John
Silva, formerly with classical dealer Guitar Salon International
and now working independently with both nylon- and steel-string
makers, has helped many customers order the guitars of their dreams.
Ordering a classical guitar from Spain presents some unique challenges.
"Trying to get a classical from a top Spanish builder would
be much harder without the help of someone who is familiar with
the builders," says Silva. "There are certain luthiers
who won’t change anything in their design, and it helps to know
the builders, their quirks, and what they’re willing to do."
THE MAKER-PLAYER CONNECTION
Some musicians seek a distinctive sound, and they will go to
great lengths to find what they are looking for. Fingerstyle jazz
guitarist Woody Mann worked with California luthier Kevin Ryan
to design a flattop steel-string with a particular response. He
went to Ryan because he felt that Ryan’s approach to building
was similar in philosophy to that of late luthier James D’Aquisto.
"Jimmy D’Aquisto was a great friend," Mann says, "and
I played his archtop guitars for years. His guitars just sing.
When I met Kevin, he had a similar, experimental attitude, and
he said, ‘Let’s work together.’"
Nylon-string player Muriel Anderson started out playing bluegrass
on Martin guitars. She studied classical guitar with Christopher
Parkening and began playing a Hernandez classical and then went
on to purchase a Ramírez (one of the great Spanish makers)
when she could afford it. Eventually she picked up a used guitar
built by Nashville luthier Paul McGill, and the McGill classical
guitar has since become an integral part of Anderson’s sound.
Since she began touring with the guitar, McGill has had many requests
from other players who ask him to build them a guitar like Anderson’s.
McGill and Anderson decided to collaborate on the design for a
slightly higher-end model, the Model M, which has become quite
popular. In the quest for a variety of tones and textures, Anderson
has gone on to order a steel-string from Kevin Ryan and a harp
guitar from Michigan builder Del Langejans.
Most everyone who orders a custom instrument finds the experience
to be an exhilarating meeting of the minds between themselves
and the builder. It’s a creative adventure, and the result is
a work of art uniquely matched to your music, technique, body,
and spirit.
From Custom Guitars: A Complete Guide to Contemporary Handcrafted
Guitars (String Letter Publishing). To get more details about
the book, click
here. For searchable biographic and contact information on
each of the 200 makers included in the book, visit the Custom
Guitar Gallery at www.acousticguitar.com.
