Buying a custom order electric guitar

jamezboy8 · #1 March 24th, 2008

i've been playing for a few years, i want to get a custom order guitar to fit my needs, one that will last and can be repaired without a ton of hassle. I have a Schecter dealer near me, should i go with that brand? I must be able to play any style well on the guitar, but specifically alternative rock and metal. Any specific brand or part suggestions? My budget is maximum about $750, give or take 25. I need something that will last a good while, with occasional repairs of course. Any brand suggestions? locking tremolo is a must

P.S. What parts do you recommend? For example, specific pickups, Bolt-on vs. Set, Active pickup vs. passive, for my situation?

Thanks in advance!

eXperiment63 · #2 March 25th, 2008

You're not getting a custom ordered guitar for $750, sorry. It just isn't happening.

Even with Schecter, you're looking at 2x that for a custom shop guitar. Just find a guitar that suits your needs that you find comfortable.

allthumbs · #3 March 25th, 2008

A Schechter would fit your needs if you don't mind the weight of them. A good quality brand. As eX said, customs are expensive. The cheapest way to go if you have to have a custom would be to look at the Carvin site though your budget would probably not cover half of what you would want.

Stratrat · #4 March 25th, 2008

+1 on the Carvins - they make some real nice custom guitars. A guy on another board just posted some pics of a quilt-top strat-type guitar they built for him and it's absolutely breathtaking.

AT and eX are right, though - you're going to have a tough time finding a custom-built electric for $750. I built my custom Telecaster myself and still paid substantially more than that.

Rockerbob · #5 March 25th, 2008

I have bought 2 "Custom Made" guitars, but I bought them both off-the-rack. The local shops had special ordered them the way they thought folks might like them. I found them and I did like them, so I bought them. They were closer to the 4K range in price.

Stratrat · #6 April 5th, 2008

Carvins start around the $1500 mark. I've been looking at some customs by Bill Crook, and his go for $2K and up. Rice Custom Guitars has one model that lists for $1100, but the rest of them are $1700 and up.

Jamezboy - if you're at all handy with tools, your best bet would be to build your own. Warmoth, USACG and several others sell custom necks and bodies (both finished and unfinished), and if you keep an eye on their "web specials" you can get pretty decent prices on them. Pots, switches and tuners are relatively inexpensive, and you can spend just about whatever you want on pickups - from bargain to ouch! You can build a nice guitar for significantly less than buying a custom if you shop around a bit - then take it to a shop and have a good setup done and you've got yourself a very good-playing custom guitar without the "custom" price tag.

JessThrasher · #7 April 5th, 2008

$750? Custom? Nuh-uh. You could always buy an off the shelf guitar and "hot rod" it like many people do. You could do stuff like switch pickups (most common), switch bridges, etc etc. I even have a friend who stripped the paint off his LTD M (forgot model no, it has EMGs) and says it looks "sexy". I thought it was silly at first, but it acually looks quite cool.

Custom guitars I hear can start at around 4k and up. If you're really keen on it, practice hard, start a band, get well known and apply for endorsement!

Should give this a watch:
YouTube - Good & Bad Heavy Metal Guitars EXPANDED

allthumbs · #8 April 5th, 2008

Excellent vid herm. I stickied the vid link in the Buying a guitar forum. Thanks. Good find.

jamezboy8 · #9 April 5th, 2008

thanks a ton guys, and i think i'll take stratrat's idea and keep tabs (no pun intended) on the custom parts sites.
If i don't find anything i might go with a schecter hellraiser sunset.

Stratrat · #10 April 26th, 2008

Schecters are nice guitars. They build a very good axe for the price point, IMO.

I think set neck vs. bolt-on is personal preference, and debating meaningfully between the two delves into corksniffery. There has been a lot of great music made on both types over the years. I've never owned a guitar with active pickups, so can't speak to that one.....all I know is that if that little 9V battery for your active pickups goes dead, you're toast until you can replace it! As far as the locking trem goes, I'll let the shredders reply to that one - they're not my cup o' tea.....too much hassle adjusting, tuning and changing strings for me to deal with.