Custom vs. High-end production guitars

[FELINEGUITARS]

Interesting 3 piece top on that 513 Sambo
They have gotten a reasonable grain match for a production guitar

[CaptainDesslock]

Which is a huge part of what Custom is about: getting exactly the guitar you want. Which forces me to make a deliniation in custom shops, into Bespoke and Custom:

Bespoke - Legra, Wez, Rek, Feline (?) etc: you get whatever you want.

Custom - You get a guitar built specifically for you, to order (so its custom) and its customisable, but you have to buy into a particular line of guitars that that maker thinks is The Ultimate Guitar (or is a slightly different and marketable idea) - Blackmachine, Organic, Driskill, etc. You dont get whatever you want. You get a custom built and possibly customised version of their line of guitar.

Superb assessment MDV, I'd be interested owning a black machine but the only problem is I need a luthier  who is willing to deal with my requests of installing fuzz factories, laser beams, and weapons of mass destruction, which is why I go with Legra :) 

[JDC]

And Matt77, very interesting. I must get to try a Musicman at some point. Nick who used to post on here couldn't say enough good things about them.

Matt had his musicman at the Manc meetup, I thought it was really sweet, felt like a thin neck, but then I looked down at my hand it's medium neck, and my brain couldn't understand it, in a good way

[sambo]

And Matt77, very interesting. I must get to try a Musicman at some point. Nick who used to post on here couldn't say enough good things about them.

Matt had his musicman at the Manc meetup, I thought it was really sweet, felt like a thin neck, but then I looked down at my hand it's medium neck, and my brain couldn't understand it

Asymmetrical neck profile I believe...?

[ToneMonkey]

how about a warmoth (or something similar) build?  just throwing it out there

[sambo]

Funny you should suggest that, as that popped into my head from nowhere last night.

Just how good is their quality? Would the assembly make a meaningful difference? I.e. would it be worth having it put together by a luthier?

[ToneMonkey]

Not masiively experienced in Warmoth stuff, so I'm sure someone else will pipe up, but I hear very good things.

I think the fit and finish is a very good standard making it fairly easy to put together.  I'd still pack it off for a propper set up and finish though.

[FernandoDuarte]

Just how good is their quality? Would the assembly make a meaningful difference? I.e. would it be worth having it put together by a luthier?

My experience is that they've a very consistent production... Yes, the assembly will make some difference, as it'll need a small fret leveling, specially if you use low action (sometimes it's not necessary even for those with low action, but they don't make any fret leveling)...

Their options are wide, but it's hard to get something that is not listeded as a option, because they're not luthiers, they're a guitar factory that produces in line style... if your plan is swamp ash body with maple neck/fingerboard will be absurdly easy... If you want the same things as Captain Desslock then you'd better just go to luthier...

[mikey5]

Just to confuse you even further, my WezV built custom La Cabronita (costing under £1000) plays as well as my £4500 Modern Eagle - both are EXTREMELY slick.  Never underestimate the value of a good setup, fret dress and neck edge rolling when it comes to playability...
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WezV is righteous

[38thBeatle]

I have nothing to add except that it is good to see you back Sam. I played a couple of Jonathan's guitars a few weeks back and they were superb.

[FELINEGUITARS]

Funny you should suggest that, as that popped into my head from nowhere last night.

Just how good is their quality? Would the assembly make a meaningful difference?
I.e. would it be worth having it put together by a luthier?

It can help ....
Antag has some experience here too

[WezV]

I think warmoth are usually pretty good with no extra work.   if thats what you are after then fair enough.   
considering these necks travel all around the world and are usually easily playable, thats pretty impressive.

but they can be so much more - doesnt take much work (well, a lot of attention to detail) but they are so much better when taken past the 'factory fret job'.  but these are the final details you should find on most custom and high end production guitars - but rarely find on your standard production stuff

[JDC]

And Matt77, very interesting. I must get to try a Musicman at some point. Nick who used to post on here couldn't say enough good things about them.

Matt had his musicman at the Manc meetup, I thought it was really sweet, felt like a thin neck, but then I looked down at my hand it's medium neck, and my brain couldn't understand it

Asymmetrical neck profile I believe...?

no idea, only musicman I know for sure that has an asymmetric neck is the john petrucci sig

really wanna try one

[dave_mc]

i thought most of them had asymmetric necks... should be pretty noticeable when you try one and look at it. it'll be thicker on the bass side.

[ToneMonkey]

I've just spent far too much money on a watch (twice what I was intending to spend), because I fell in love with it.  There was nothing I could do, resistance was futile  :lol:

And it's already broken  :(

Anyway, back on topic  :D