Well known boutique players

[deacon Mark]

Can anyone here speak to how they decided to pull the trigger on a custom guitar? I have a Wesmo, Sadowsky JH, GB10 and 175 VOS in my collection, love them all, play them all and feel fortunate at this point in my life to have a bunch of great guitars to play, but I live in the sticks and have very rare opportunity to get close enough to a used model from any of the luthier brands listed to play, let alone spend time with to explore whether or not I would really value the extra cost, or truly connect with the guitar.

Mine all have their unique and “known”classic voice, with the right amp, strings and playing approach, which keeps me happy, but I would be interested in how anyone here came to feel compelled to pull the trigger on a more expensive and custom model…..playing experience with a friend’s guitar? A visit to a luthier’s shop or high end dealer? Listening to a top player live and investigating? Motivated by a particular sound on a recording? Sought out by a builder for an endorsement? An idea about a particular tone wood combination, neck scale or size, pickup or style of playing?

There must be some stories here. And yes, I know that most great tone and playing is limited by time and commitment, rather than the guitar itself (which is why I have been trying to limit my time here the past few months.)

Stories, anyone, about finding YOUR dream guitar?

The problem with myself and I assume many like me is that I am not a well-known player. I play jazz decent enough but in comparison to well-known players I am hack working with my limitations of talent. In place of talent I get a kick out of playing different guitars it keeps things interesting. My dad played a Bill Barker guitar he bought new is 1965 from Barker. He loved the guitar said it was the best one he played really. Well I have that guitar and decide also to buy a Barker guitar myself at 17 years old. That started the whole process. So now these 44 years later I still get the thrill. However my focused has change from handmade guitars to basically Gibson's. Not that one is better or not but frankly the ones I want from boutique makers are too expensive and you have to wait. I much prefer just finding the guitar and buying it right then. I learned a long time ago that this point I am not going to find better guitars than I have but just ones that are different.

I had Bill Barker make me an 18 inch 7 string I got in 1985. It was acoustic with floating pickup and blond with woods I pick out right at the shop. In the end the guitar was never what I expected and in the end I sold it to Scot Chinnery or rather traded him for another guitar. I learned that in the end I don't like 7 string guitars the low A never has been one that pops out and this goes for all 7 string players I ever listened to so it was just not my own guitar. I wish I had simply ordered same guitar as a 6 string. Moral is be careful of what you want it may never add up.

If someone wants to order a guitar of their dreams then go for it. From my perspective now I am looking at guitars already made and if I like them or not. Waiting for a guitar I order to be built just does not figure in the plans these days, but for some that is a lifelong goal. The last guitar I bought maybe 2 months ago was a Heritage Johnny Smith. I went and played it and it hit every mark I could ask for and I am still thrilled with the guitar. To me that is the way to go from now on.

Just on that note if I was one of those well know gifted players, I am guessing my focus would be different.

[Gitterbug]

To strive for the best, if you can afford it, is in the human nature. A friend of mine used to be a Triathlon champion in his age group. Not anymore, as he has had his hip and knee joints replaced. Yet, he can spend a seriously three-digit sum on a new bike rim without blinking an eye. A few seconds off from a 50-mile course.

I believe most luthier-made archtops go to well-heeled amateurs and collectors. I've listened to absolutely unknown guitar players using e.g. low-end Ibanezes, to absolute enjoyment.

[iim7V7IM7]

Steve Herberman has played a Comins and Gene Bertoncini a Buscarino for years.

[yebdox]

The problem with myself and I assume many like me is that I am not a well-known player. I play jazz decent enough but in comparison to well-known players I am hack working with my limitations of talent. In place of talent I get a kick out of playing different guitars it keeps things interesting. My dad played a Bill Barker guitar he bought new is 1965 from Barker. He loved the guitar said it was the best one he played really. Well I have that guitar and decide also to buy a Barker guitar myself at 17 years old. That started the whole process. So now these 44 years later I still get the thrill. However my focused has change from handmade guitars to basically Gibson's. Not that one is better or not but frankly the ones I want from boutique makers are too expensive and you have to wait. I much prefer just finding the guitar and buying it right then. I learned a long time ago that this point I am not going to find better guitars than I have but just ones that are different.

I had Bill Barker make me an 18 inch 7 string I got in 1985. It was acoustic with floating pickup and blond with woods I pick out right at the shop. In the end the guitar was never what I expected and in the end I sold it to Scot Chinnery or rather traded him for another guitar. I learned that in the end I don't like 7 string guitars the low A never has been one that pops out and this goes for all 7 string players I ever listened to so it was just not my own guitar. I wish I had simply ordered same guitar as a 6 string. Moral is be careful of what you want it may never add up.

If someone wants to order a guitar of their dreams then go for it. From my perspective now I am looking at guitars already made and if I like them or not. Waiting for a guitar I order to be built just does not figure in the plans these days, but for some that is a lifelong goal. The last guitar I bought maybe 2 months ago was a Heritage Johnny Smith. I went and played it and it hit every mark I could ask for and I am still thrilled with the guitar. To me that is the way to go from now on.

Just on that note if I was one of those well know gifted players, I am guessing my focus would be different.

I'm not too upset by not being able to try out an exotic instrument very often... I have a good friend who is trading all the time, so I occasionally get my hands on a vintage Gibson or Fender (and usually don't find them to sound much different from a newer model from my "harem".)

I think Jonathan Kreisberg, Peter Bernstein, George Benson, Jesse Van Ruller, Martijn Van Iterson, Gilad Hekselman, Dave Stryker, Metheny (of course) and others from my generation and younger have sounded just fine on a well set up Gibson or Ibanez, even if they are playing something else this month. I have a weakness for being distracted by gear, so it's likely a good thing that I DON'T have easy access to the top shelf gear, or I would have an unhappy marriage, less practice time and fewer notes under my fingers at the end of all things.... none of that would be good. Time to go practice! Cheers.

[Gregc57]

I live in NY and have been able to meet many custom makers and play their guitars at local shows. That fed my desire and also gave me a “feel good” for who I might be willing to deal with. These days, (and at my advanced age), it’s not likely I would order anything that could not be delivered within a year. I’m beyond ordering stuff that’s 2,3,4 years off in the making. I’d rather find a resale at this point, or deal with a luthier who doesn’t have such a big backlog. I’ve had very good luck with small scale, luthier built instruments. Most these guys are good folk.

[Cunamara]

Can anyone here speak to how they decided to pull the trigger on a custom guitar?

I have not been able to do that. I have a boutique guitar, a 2006 Matt Cushman 17 inch carvetop, but I bought it from Matt on eBay rather than custom ordering it. I don’t know if I could custom order a guitar and wait months to years to get it; that in itself is a barrier but also the risk of not liking it when you get it. Then what?

What I have always really wanted is a Gibson Johnny Smith. The Cushman was a fraction of the cost. The GJS was out of reach pricewise when I was a young man, and now that I am an old man the price has just kept going up commensurate with my increased income over the decades, remaining out of reach so I’ve still never been able to afford it. Probably never will.

C’est la vie. The Cushman is wonderful to play and I have been very happy with it for 16 years (other than going through about five pickups to get the electric sound I wanted). It is good enough that it has stopped me from seriously looking for a “better“ guitar. I suppose that is the goal, at least for some folks, in buying a boutique instrument: that the guitar of your dreams makes it unnecessary to keep buying more. I’m not sure it
really works out that way for many people, judging by the lovely collections of absolutely fabulous instruments that some of our members here have.

[Mark Kleinhaut]

Howard Alden - Benedetto
David Allen - Victor Baker
Sheryl Bailey - McCurdy
Peter Bernstein - Zeidler
Steve Cardenas - Valle
Nick Costley-White - Trenier
Bruce Forman - Sonntag
Pasquale Grasso - Trenier
Gilad Hekselman - Moffa
Toninho Horta - Westville
Sid Jacobs - Ribbecke
Hilmar Jensson - Moffa
Daan Kleijn - Campellone, Westville
Mark Kleinhaut - Ribbecke
Larry Koonse - Borys
Julian Lage - Manzer, Collings
Lage Lund - Schottmueller, Westville
John Merrill - Zeidler
Pat Metheny - Manzer, Slaman
Mike Moreno - Marchione
Jim Mullen - Case/Crockett
Wolfgang Muthspiel - Moffa
Miles Okazaki - Slaman
Tom Ollendorff - Moffa
Nigel Price - Fibonacci
Phil Robson - Case
Will Sellenraad - Trenier
Yotam Silberstein - Benedetto, Westville, Valle
John Storie - Marchione
Jesse van Ruller - Westville
Mark Whitfield - Marchione
Anthony Wilson - Monteleone

“Well known Players!!

[Christian Miller]

Tbh it would probably quicker to make a list of non-boutique jazz players. The days of the Gibson hegemony are long gone.

[voyage]

Well, as a professor at a small State University in liberal arts, $10,000 guitars are not part of my reality. Problem solved. I'm happy to have an Eastman carved top that I found on eBay for $1500 10 years ago. And a job I love.

I'm retiring in a year and thinking of buying a Benedetto Bambino as a retirement present. Or a Miata. :-)

[jads57]

Remember it’s great having so many wonderful choices nowadays!
And especially now in the used market!

[palindrome]

I'm retiring in a year and thinking of buying a Benedetto Bambino as a retirement present

There was a time when a Google search for Benedetto Bambino seemed to return myriads of hits nothing to do with the guitar.

Explanation: Benedetto + Bambino =




I remember thinking, what an unfortunate name for a guitar.

Today this dosn't seem to be true any longer, or perhaps Google has come to know me better.

[Boss Man Zwiebelsohn]

There was a time when a Google search for Benedetto Bambino seemed to return myriads of hits nothing to do with the guitar.

Explanation: Benedetto + Bambino =




I remember thinking, what an unfortunate name for a guitar.

Today this dosn't seem to be true any longer, or perhaps Google has come to know me better.

Haha, this reminds me of the German yellow press toilet paper BILD-Zeitung headline "Wir sind Papst!" ("We are pope!")

[docsteve]

Haha, this reminds me of the German yellow press toilet paper BILD-Zeitung headline "Wir sind Papst!" ("We are pope!")

I liked a British headline:
From Hitler Youth to Papa Razzi.


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[GuyBoden]

We're really only custodians of high quality guitars, until we pass them on to the next custodian.