Looking for a 7 String Dream Guitar

[terron]

I would prefer the Evil Morpheus, but I am kind of sure it is bolt on neck (south korea ?) The pickups looks very nice...kammerstein...no idea how they sound... anyway I like the finish of that guitar.

I think It's set neck, and Custom Shop is made in Germany.



for more pics you can see this link Evil Morpheus

for sound samples Zerberus-Guitars Soundsamples

Contact http://www.zerberusguitars.com/html/contact

I don't know more, I don't play any zerberus guitars. But the pictures of these guitars look great.

[MindDusk]

Originally Posted by terron

I think It's set neck, and Custom Shop is made in Germany.



for more pics you can see this link Evil Morpheus

for sound samples Zerberus-Guitars Soundsamples

Contact http://www.zerberusguitars.com/html/contact

I don't know more, I don't play any zerberus guitars. But the pictures of these guitars look great.

While looks are important, the sound is first priority for me, most people I think buy a guitar juding with the eye and not the ears. would be intresting to hear those Kammerstein pickups, which I think are kind of rare..they look very cool...but I am not a poser I will not buy something just because it looks good though.. I think the body is kind of small...buy the looks at it I can't imagine it is "big sounding" ..but I might be wrong.. The bodyshape might remind me too much of usual 7 string ESP guitars but with wooden finish..I want a fixed bridge..cause I also want a guitar that easily maintained, floating bridge usually means a lot of problems especially when changing strings.

[Stealthdjentstic]

If you're after that modern yet traditional look I would suggest Vik. His communication has been nothing short of great, he's ALWAYS on FB chat so I rarely even have to email him with questions



Anyways here's some pictures of his previous work:

[MindDusk]

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

If you're after that modern yet traditional look I would suggest Vik. His communication has been nothing short of great, he's ALWAYS on FB chat so I rarely even have to email him with questions



Anyways here's some pictures of his previous work:

Yes the VIK guitars is one of those I consider more seriously... they give an impression of quality. I like the Duality Guitar. But still looking for more builders...I did read today that you will not be able to buy Blackmachine guitars anymore... too bad..seem to be a good builder for more extreme guitars...

[Stealthdjentstic]

I would really really recommend Vik. He is also one of the few builders listed on here with:

A) Long term build experience
B) No stories about a lapse in communication
C) No stories about going wayyy over promised build times
D) No stories about other random bullshit


I know some people might not value communication very much but I'll say this much, I nearly wired him 10k instead of 1k for a payment and when I told him it might need to be transferred back immediately he responded in an hour. Can you imagine how I would feel if I had no idea what was happening with 10k that had been wired overseas and he had responded in a manner that most luthiers take? (2 weeks+!)

Needless to say it was nice knowing if the wire did go through then he would be able to transfer it back immediately

[littledoc]

Originally Posted by MindDusk

Well everyone does not live in America with big music shops and with a lot of guitars, Almost all guitars I have bought online, so it is the best choice for me. As long as it is good instrument I am sure I will get used to it.. but I am tired of play cheap budget plastic crap, I want a guitar with real good sound.

Despite what Max said, it doesn't really sound to me like you know what you want. You said you wanted a premium guitar with good pickups. Well, who doesn't? And a neck-through, which narrows your options considerably in the 7-string market.

Before you spend thousands on a custom, you should know several things, like:

- What scale length?
- Tremolo or fixed bridge? What kind?
- What size frets? Stainless steel or nickel?
- What kind of pots? Just a volume? Volume + tone? 2 volumes + tone?
- What kind of neck profile? Thinner, thicker, d-shaped, c-shaped?

Another thing: don't get too sucked in by all the fancy burl-maple tops and zebrawood you see around here. Virtually all of the upcharge in that is aesthetic, and to give a custom guitar a sense of uniqueness. Tone wise, a premium slice of basswood (like on an Ibanez Prestige) is going to produce just as rich a tone as some obscure, expensive wood. I'm not saying don't get that stuff, just that the other stuff – the feel and playability – should always take precedence over aesthetics.

I totally get that you're lusting after that perfect guitar, but in my experience, guitar purchasing is an evolving process. I've owned many guitars and over the years have found various features I like, and others I dislike. I've found pickups I like, and others I don't. And honestly, while my current custom axe is sort of the apex of my experience and personal taste, it's still not perfect. All guitar buying involves compromise.

[Stealthdjentstic]

The upcharge on woods for burl tops and what not is totally aesthetic, if you ask any luthier what it does for the tone they'll tell you it ....s it up

[MindDusk]

Originally Posted by littledoc

Despite what Max said, it doesn't really sound to me like you know what you want. You said you wanted a premium guitar with good pickups. Well, who doesn't? And a neck-through, which narrows your options considerably in the 7-string market.

Before you spend thousands on a custom, you should know several things, like:

- What scale length?
- Tremolo or fixed bridge? What kind?
- What size frets? Stainless steel or nickel?
- What kind of pots? Just a volume? Volume + tone? 2 volumes + tone?
- What kind of neck profile? Thinner, thicker, d-shaped, c-shaped?

Another thing: don't get too sucked in by all the fancy burl-maple tops and zebrawood you see around here. Virtually all of the upcharge in that is aesthetic, and to give a custom guitar a sense of uniqueness. Tone wise, a premium slice of basswood (like on an Ibanez Prestige) is going to produce just as rich a tone as some obscure, expensive wood. I'm not saying don't get that stuff, just that the other stuff – the feel and playability – should always take precedence over aesthetics.

I totally get that you're lusting after that perfect guitar, but in my experience, guitar purchasing is an evolving process. I've owned many guitars and over the years have found various features I like, and others I dislike. I've found pickups I like, and others I don't. And honestly, while my current custom axe is sort of the apex of my experience and personal taste, it's still not perfect. All guitar buying involves compromise.

It is true I am not that sure what guitar I want, I am quite open to suggestions right now.. But yeah I am aware it is important to think through before spending that much money. But right now I want to look around at different smaller builders and see what the market has to offer.
I probably do not want a 100% custom guitar, simply cause I do not have a picture in my head of what that guitar would be like, and it would be more expensive then it would have to be... I think I rather find a guitar from some smaller builder, then make certain modifications to it, like make different pickups, and what kind of finish and color pattern etc...

I was quite happy with the scale length with the rg2228 which was 27 inches. so I would like to have that and from what I have heard it is a good balance..if you go beyond 27 you meet new problems etc...

I want a fixed bridge, mainly cause I am tired to death of bridges that does not keep tune or that is a nightmare to maintain and change strings... I want as few as possible obstacles to get in the way of my playing, so it is important for that it is easy to change strings...I am tired of floyd rose.

The size of frets, I guess I have not decided yet. Not sure if there should be a difference between stainless steel or nickle frets, I assume you mean it affect the sound ? in that case I am not sure n what way, I always been using stainless steel frets, so I guess that is the most common type.

What kind of pots, that is things I would decide the last. The find the right guitar body and finish would be no 1. Then the small details, but I would probably want two, but a third one could be interesting to use maybe in some creative way..not sure what yet though.

Neck profile hmm, All I can say is that I am used to wizard II and Ibanez necks, so in all honesty I have not much to compare too, but I have tried les paul a few times and it did felt kind of unflexible , but it was probably cause I was not used to it... and considering I did adapt well to an 8 string guitar for 1 year I am sure I can adapt to different kinds of necks...But I guess the choice of neck size also will affect the sound, if I want a bigger sound I assume you want a bigger neck ? I Guess I will need to find some kind of compromise between sound and play-ability.

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

The upcharge on woods for burl tops and what not is totally aesthetic, if you ask any luthier what it does for the tone they'll tell you it ....s it up

"The upcharge on woods for burl tops " maybe it is the language barrier, but what is exactly do you mean ?

in my case I am very important if I buy a guitar that sound goes before aesthetic, I want a guitar that sounds good, and since I play very slow music sustain is really of big importance.

[Stealthdjentstic]

It seems like you still aren't aware of a lot of little things and how they affect the sound, I would stay away from a custom for now unless you have money to burn. I think you would easily be satisfied with a high quality production guitar, which is a good thing!

[MindDusk]

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

I would really really recommend Vik. He is also one of the few builders listed on here with:

A) Long term build experience
B) No stories about a lapse in communication
C) No stories about going wayyy over promised build times
D) No stories about other random bullshit


I know some people might not value communication very much but I'll say this much, I nearly wired him 10k instead of 1k for a payment and when I told him it might need to be transferred back immediately he responded in an hour. Can you imagine how I would feel if I had no idea what was happening with 10k that had been wired overseas and he had responded in a manner that most luthiers take? (2 weeks+!)

Needless to say it was nice knowing if the wire did go through then he would be able to transfer it back immediately

Yes VIK has been giving me a very serious impression so far.
But I need to look at more builders before I make a choice, I have a few to choose from right now, but i need to find more before I decide what builder is the right one for me.

Originally Posted by littledoc

Another thing: don't get too sucked in by all the fancy burl-maple tops and zebrawood you see around here. Virtually all of the upcharge in that is aesthetic, and to give a custom guitar a sense of uniqueness. Tone wise, a premium slice of basswood (like on an Ibanez Prestige) is going to produce just as rich a tone as some obscure, expensive wood. I'm not saying don't get that stuff, just that the other stuff – the feel and playability – should always take precedence over aesthetics.

I totally get that you're lusting after that perfect guitar, but in my experience, guitar purchasing is an evolving process. I've owned many guitars and over the years have found various features I like, and others I dislike. I've found pickups I like, and others I don't. And honestly, while my current custom axe is sort of the apex of my experience and personal taste, it's still not perfect. All guitar buying involves compromise.

Yes you are right the aesthetic might fool the eye..but yeah but what appeals to me with the fanzy burl maple tops and zebrawood, is that they literally smell quality wood, and I guess the eye might fool one to believe that it produce superior sound also.. Yeah...but how to know.. the difference.. I guess there is a supreme difference between different builders in this regard. A lot of people buy because of the aesthetic in first hand, sure many of these guitars sound probably very good, but it is all relative to what you compare too, that is why I want to be sure that I choose a good builder, who prirotize the sound and sustain/tone beyond anything else.

I wonder, is there some kind of list on this forum of guitar builders, that I can goo through, the builders recommended in this thread is just a fraction I can imagine.

[mountainjam]

Whats your price limit?

[Danukenator]

My suggestion would be to compile a list of exact specs you want. Every detail from the straplocks to the tuners needs to be noted.

Next start shopping around different brands for the shape you want. If you want a super-strat then you have more options then an ergonomic shaped fanned fret monster with 13 strings. If you can't find a shape, some companies can make the one in your head for a rather reasonable fee.

You want the bang for you buck. Don't compromise a detail (small ones aside ie. AAAA maple vs AAAAA maple) to get a better price, if it's not the way you wanted it, it ain't a dream guitar.

Some places to start. (Good bang for buck)

Oakland Axe Factory
Ran Guitars
Martian Siggery (Contact him, don't be put off by the bad website design)

And a bazillion others. I like those above because they have models with a very reasonable base price and good customer support. I too am shopping for a custom right now.


EDIT: Be careful with optional top woods. I've seen stupidly overpriced top woods that really aren't of the rarity or quality to justify their enormous price tag.

[MindDusk]

Originally Posted by mountainjam

Whats your price limit?

My absolute limit would be 4300...but I am quite sure the guitar I will end up with will be quite cheaper then that... but if the price is justified and I really want the guitar I Do not mind to pay my full budget. Guitars is my interests, it is not like I have much better things to spend the money on so to speak.

Originally Posted by Danukenator

My suggestion would be to compile a list of exact specs you want. Every detail from the straplocks to the tuners needs to be noted.

Next start shopping around different brands for the shape you want. If you want a super-strat then you have more options then an ergonomic shaped fanned fret monster with 13 strings. If you can't find a shape, some companies can make the one in your head for a rather reasonable fee.

You want the bang for you buck. Don't compromise a detail (small ones aside ie. AAAA maple vs AAAAA maple) to get a better price, if it's not the way you wanted it, it ain't a dream guitar.

Some places to start. (Good bang for buck)

Oakland Axe Factory
Ran Guitars
Martian Siggery (Contact him, don't be put off by the bad website design)

And a bazillion others. I like those above because they have models with a very reasonable base price and good customer support. I too am shopping for a custom right now.


EDIT: Be careful with optional top woods. I've seen stupidly overpriced top woods that really aren't of the rarity or quality to justify their enormous price tag.

The truth is I do not have enough knowledge to know exactly what parts to choose from, that is why I prefer to have some kind of template to work from, i.e not a custom guitar from scratch, I rather find some template/prototype then add or draw things from that specific guitar, I would put a lot of trust in the builder that it is premium stuff on the guitar.

I know nothing about different kind of woods and how they sound, it is a whole art in it self.

The most important for me for my custom guitar is the scale length and the pickups. Then I would probably leave a lot up to the builder to come with suggestion which would fit the guitar, and he would give me different alternatives of different wood finishes design etc.

It would be just stupid of me to make an 100% custom guitar when I do not know all the science and knowledge about guitar building. I am mostly a player not a guitar builder, I Am no expert in woods..different kind of pickups..that is why I am here on this forum to get help and suggestion of what I should buy.

I want a baritone 27 inch neck, kind of big body with wood finish, and divine sustain and great tone.

As far as the pick ups I want the bridge pick up to sounds very good with high distortion a good warm sound, with nice analog harmonics. Somewhere in between the cleanness of EMG but more analog sounding with subtle tube like/shimming harmonics ( not single coil harmonics ala Stratocaster).., a very broad deep modern sound but with analog flavor.
The large scale and body I hope will produce the broad and deep sound naturally...

I probably want three pick ups, neck, middle and bridge. the middle pickup and neck pickup I will mostly use for liquid clean sounds.

I will check out Oakland Axe Factory and Martian Siggery.

[Pablo]

Seing as you live in Denmark, you really ought to consider local builders before looking for solutions in e.g. the US. In my book, the term "local" pertains to anywhere you would go in person to meet with a builder and subsequently pick up an instrument... to me that makes parts of Sweden and Germany "local".
Moreover, I wouldn't want to have a custom guitar built without meeting the builder personally and sampling previous builds... but that's probably just me...

For a couple of local custom options check out:

Mørch Guitars
Hansen Guitars
Rahbek Guitars

These three Danish builders all make excellent guitars and will make you pretty much whatever you want... even if their webpages mainly deal with variations over classic themes.

Personally, I'd probably take a trip to Sweden to check out Strandberg Guitars and brace myself for a bit of a wait... but I like oddball solutions and love headless guitars so that's probably just me.

Cheers

Eske

[Animus]

Originally Posted by MindDusk

It is true I am not that sure what guitar I want, I am quite open to suggestions right now.. But yeah I am aware it is important to think through before spending that much money. But right now I want to look around at different smaller builders and see what the market has to offer.
I probably do not want a 100% custom guitar, simply cause I do not have a picture in my head of what that guitar would be like, and it would be more expensive then it would have to be... I think I rather find a guitar from some smaller builder, then make certain modifications to it, like make different pickups, and what kind of finish and color pattern etc...

I was quite happy with the scale length with the rg2228 which was 27 inches. so I would like to have that and from what I have heard it is a good balance..if you go beyond 27 you meet new problems etc...

I want a fixed bridge, mainly cause I am tired to death of bridges that does not keep tune or that is a nightmare to maintain and change strings... I want as few as possible obstacles to get in the way of my playing, so it is important for that it is easy to change strings...I am tired of floyd rose.

The size of frets, I guess I have not decided yet. Not sure if there should be a difference between stainless steel or nickle frets, I assume you mean it affect the sound ? in that case I am not sure n what way, I always been using stainless steel frets, so I guess that is the most common type.

What kind of pots, that is things I would decide the last. The find the right guitar body and finish would be no 1. Then the small details, but I would probably want two, but a third one could be interesting to use maybe in some creative way..not sure what yet though.

Neck profile hmm, All I can say is that I am used to wizard II and Ibanez necks, so in all honesty I have not much to compare too, but I have tried les paul a few times and it did felt kind of unflexible , but it was probably cause I was not used to it... and considering I did adapt well to an 8 string guitar for 1 year I am sure I can adapt to different kinds of necks...But I guess the choice of neck size also will affect the sound, if I want a bigger sound I assume you want a bigger neck ? I Guess I will need to find some kind of compromise between sound and play-ability.

You shouldn't equate "bigger" with bigger sound. My best sounding guitar as far as full range tone, is my Jackson SLATQH. THe guitar is tiny compared to others but it very resonant with awesome lows and lot's of sustain. I was actually surprised the way it sounded when I first plugged it in. Bigger guitars can also equate to muddy sounding guitars.

[Blind Theory]

I have to agree with what I've read in here from some people. It doesn't look like you know what you want. A production guitar can be just as good, if not better than a custom shop guitar, so that can open doors. I own a USA Dean RC7 that is custom shop but only color wise. Specs and everything else is exactly what you'd get on any other USA RC7. The guitar is ....ing unbelievably amazing. It is like sex in your hand man...maybe I could use a better analogy

Either way, my point is, you can get a USA or an Ibanez Prestige or one of the higher dollar ESP 7's or a plethora of others that are just as good as any custom shop. And the biggest selling point there is you don't have to wait half a year for one. Of course, if your heart is set on a custom shop guitar from a company that hand builds everything then there is no persuading or whatever. All I can say if that is the case is look up as many custom shop guitars (whether it is on this board or others) and find exactly what kind of finishes, woods, pickups, tuners, bridge, nut, fretboard wood, bindings/inlays, etc, etc, etc that you want before you commit to anything. Because nothing is worse than putting up a ton of cash for something and then not liking it because you didn't do your homework.

[Explorer]

Wait a minute... you're relatively close to Strandberg?

/thread.

If you can't articulate why you don't want a Strandberg, then you shouldn't reject them.

And, if you can, then you should start figuring out how to use a search engine like Google, rather than waiting for others to bring search results to you. You found SevenString.org, didn't you? Same thing.

[MindDusk]

Originally Posted by Pablo

Seing as you live in Denmark, you really ought to consider local builders before looking for solutions in e.g. the US. In my book, the term "local" pertains to anywhere you would go in person to meet with a builder and subsequently pick up an instrument... to me that makes parts of Sweden and Germany "local".
Moreover, I wouldn't want to have a custom guitar built without meeting the builder personally and sampling previous builds... but that's probably just me...

For a couple of local custom options check out:

Mørch Guitars
Hansen Guitars
Rahbek Guitars

These three Danish builders all make excellent guitars and will make you pretty much whatever you want... even if their webpages mainly deal with variations over classic themes.

Personally, I'd probably take a trip to Sweden to check out Strandberg Guitars and brace myself for a bit of a wait... but I like oddball solutions and love headless guitars so that's probably just me.

Cheers

Eske

Yes I strongly prefer within EU, cause there will be no custom tax...and it feel in general more safer. I usually buy guitars from Germany or belgium, have had no problems so far. Thanks for those recommendations.

Originally Posted by Animus

You shouldn't equate "bigger" with bigger sound. My best sounding guitar as far as full range tone, is my Jackson SLATQH. THe guitar is tiny compared to others but it very resonant with awesome lows and lot's of sustain. I was actually surprised the way it sounded when I first plugged it in. Bigger guitars can also equate to muddy sounding guitars.

Yes, it might be a mistake to equate "bigger" with bigger sound... but the body size should be one of many factors ? of course...all elements play their part in creating the sound. With Acoustic guitars it is however true... bigger sound bigger..

I am still not sure what kind of wood that produce best sustain etc..

Originally Posted by Blind Theory

I have to agree with what I've read in here from some people. It doesn't look like you know what you want. A production guitar can be just as good, if not better than a custom shop guitar, so that can open doors. I own a USA Dean RC7 that is custom shop but only color wise. Specs and everything else is exactly what you'd get on any other USA RC7. The guitar is ....ing unbelievably amazing. It is like sex in your hand man...maybe I could use a better analogy

Either way, my point is, you can get a USA or an Ibanez Prestige or one of the higher dollar ESP 7's or a plethora of others that are just as good as any custom shop. And the biggest selling point there is you don't have to wait half a year for one. Of course, if your heart is set on a custom shop guitar from a company that hand builds everything then there is no persuading or whatever. All I can say if that is the case is look up as many custom shop guitars (whether it is on this board or others) and find exactly what kind of finishes, woods, pickups, tuners, bridge, nut, fretboard wood, bindings/inlays, etc, etc, etc that you want before you commit to anything. Because nothing is worse than putting up a ton of cash for something and then not liking it because you didn't do your homework.

Of course production guitars are very good guitars usually, but to find a baritone necktrough production guitar is a very small market... Also I think most of production guitars look to conventional for my taste.

The waiting time is indeed...a good point..I see VIK guitars have 3-6 months.. but I think that is for the standard model, if you want a custom it can take up two 12 months... It would seirously suck to have to wait more then 6 months for a guitar... soo much creative time that goes to waste...

Ibanez is the only kind of guitar I have owned in my whole life, I hope you understand that I am done with Ibanez guitars...

I want a guitar which feel and look more unique...

Originally Posted by Explorer

Wait a minute... you're relatively close to Strandberg?

/thread.

If you can't articulate why you don't want a Strandberg, then you shouldn't reject them.

And, if you can, then you should start figuring out how to use a search engine like Google, rather than waiting for others to bring search results to you. You found SevenString.org, didn't you? Same thing.

I would not mind a Strandberg, but not as my primary guitar, I am not so sure I like the shape of the guitar soo much. And from the clean sound demos I have heard, it does not have the sound I am looking for..maybe cause those I heard was not baritone guitars...which have a distinctive sound.

[cardinal]

One of the real benefits of going custom with a reliable luither is that you can talk to them about the tone and sustain/attack that you want. Guys like Suhr and Anderson have a good sense of how their wood stash interacts with their construction methods and pickups and can point you in the right direction. I assume the well regarded shops in the EU are no different and would be happy to provide their input while you're deciding on specs.

[MindDusk]

I need to order a guitar as soon as possible, but right now I am not getting any closer to actually buying a guitar, this process is doomed to take very long time. I would not thought it would take so long to decide what guitar...

And at the same time I do not want to stress myself, I want to be sure I get the best guitar possible for the price. And since I am not able to try the instrument before i buy it, I need to know what I buy, that is has right wood and build quality. So I need all help from you guys to put me in the right direction. I am drowning in the ocean of choice..

And just choosing the right pickup will be a serious headache so many pickups to choose from...

Originally Posted by cardinal

One of the real benefits of going custom with a reliable luither is that you can talk to them about the tone and sustain/attack that you want. Guys like Suhr and Anderson have a good sense of how their wood stash interacts with their construction methods and pickups and can point you in the right direction. I assume the well regarded shops in the EU are no different and would be happy to provide their input while you're deciding on specs.

Yes it is important that the builder can be trusted also, I can imagine there is good and bad onces, some builders might prioritize profit before quality, for instance if I have no idea about wood etc..they might fool me to choose a wood that makes good profit for them...or wood that they want to get rid of...etc.. so I want to be sure that I choose a builder that really care about quality for each guitar.

Yes, I find it absolutely necessarily to be able to have some kind of dialog about the guitar with the builder, cause I will need some expert advice in different choices of wood...design and pickups.. I guess pickups I can find out maybe on my own if I google and use this forum for an intensive 1-2 weeks.

Right now I have heard especially good things about VIK guitars, andersson, and Suhr. I guess strandberg also, but strandberg seem to mostly have a certain kind of guitar... not the guitar I am looking for.

[littledoc]

Originally Posted by MindDusk

I am still not sure what kind of wood that produce best sustain etc..

It doesn't matter. It really doesn't. Various woods have subtle tonal characteristics, but what really matters on a guitar is the quality of the timber. Basswood is much maligned as a low-quality wood, but when I played an RGD2127Z I was stunned at how resonate it was.

Personally, I go for lighter woods like basswood, koa, alder or ash. Especially on a neck-through. Maple is really heavy and stable so it's awesome for bolt and set neck guitars, but I think its density makes it not quite so ideal for a neck-through. My current 7 is a koa neck-through, and the tone is perfect. Just my two cents.

[Whitestrat]

Originally Posted by MaxOfMetal

I feel without knowing what kind of instruments you like, I'd just be regurgitating the names of builders.

Heck, why not?

.strandberg* Guitars | Headless, multi-scale and extended range guitars crafted for your unique requirements
Lutherie - Rick Toone | Luthier
Alembic - Fine handcrafted basses and guitars
KXK Guitars - Custom Made in the USA
♪ Siggi Braun - Fine Young Guitars ♫
Jaden Rose Guitars | British Handcrafted Guitars
// Tom Anderson Guitar Works \\
Welcome to John Suhr Guitars, Basses, and Amps - Expanding the Experience of Tone!
Vigier Guitars
Thorn Custom Guitars & Inlay
Frank Hartung Guitars - the new choice of a handmade guitars - FORGEGUITARS - Home

Some on this list... ouch price tag! But really great builders!

[MindDusk]

Originally Posted by littledoc

It doesn't matter. It really doesn't. Various woods have subtle tonal characteristics, but what really matters on a guitar is the quality of the timber. Basswood is much maligned as a low-quality wood, but when I played an RGD2127Z I was stunned at how resonate it was.

Personally, I go for lighter woods like basswood, koa, alder or ash. Especially on a neck-through. Maple is really heavy and stable so it's awesome for bolt and set neck guitars, but I think its density makes it not quite so ideal for a neck-through. My current 7 is a koa neck-through, and the tone is perfect. Just my two cents.

There must be some kind of formula to make a guitar with sustain ?
Obviously size is not a factor which I thought... scale length is one factor... and the wood... and the bridge..but I will use a fixed bridge...

Anyway as it is now I am not really getting closer to buy any guitar...
I want to find some guitar similiar to Blackmachine B7. That is not a perfect guitar, but it is probably the closest to what guitar I have in mind so far... and the VIK Duality.

[Stealthdjentstic]

Originally Posted by MindDusk

Yes it is important that the builder can be trusted also, I can imagine there is good and bad onces, some builders might prioritize profit before quality, for instance if I have no idea about wood etc..they might fool me to choose a wood that makes good profit for them...or wood that they want to get rid of...etc.. so I want to be sure that I choose a builder that really care about quality for each guitar.

Yes, I find it absolutely necessarily to be able to have some kind of dialog about the guitar with the builder, cause I will need some expert advice in different choices of wood...design and pickups.. I guess pickups I can find out maybe on my own if I google and use this forum for an intensive 1-2 weeks.

Right now I have heard especially good things about VIK guitars, andersson, and Suhr. I guess strandberg also, but strandberg seem to mostly have a certain kind of guitar... not the guitar I am looking for.

Anderson and Suhr are great options, however be aware they aren't full blown customs, they won't do everything you ask for. Most luthiers make their own pickups that complement your guitar with KxK and Vik being the two that pop up to mind first.

Also if you're not sure on the type of wood you want then I think it might be best for you to take your time yet. Although I am a big advocate of spending money if you have it, I don't think it's good to spend it without thinking a purchase through, 3-5k is a nice chunk of money for a guitar.

Originally Posted by MindDusk

There must be some kind of formula to make a guitar with sustain ?
Obviously size is not a factor which I thought... scale length is one factor... and the wood... and the bridge..but I will use a fixed bridge...

Anyway as it is now I am not really getting closer to buy any guitar...
I want to find some guitar similiar to Blackmachine B7. That is not a perfect guitar, but it is probably the closest to what guitar I have in mind so far... and the VIK Duality.

Not really, if you pick a competent luthier sustain wont be an issue, it comes down to how well built the guitar is, IE say it was a bolt on and the neck to body joint was really poorly done, then you'd have huge sustain problems. Good luck finding a blackmachine for less than 4000 pounds btw, probably not happening

[MindDusk]

ViK Guitars - Media Hopefully this was just a bad recording or something, anyway, I was very unimpressed by the sound in the duality video. it sounded not rich and deep. But I guess...it would had sounded more what I had in mind if it has 27 inch scale and maybe different pickups.

Originally Posted by Stealthdjentstic

Anderson and Suhr are great options, however be aware they aren't full blown customs, they won't do everything you ask for. Most luthiers make their own pickups that complement your guitar with KxK and Vik being the two that pop up to mind first.

Also if you're not sure on the type of wood you want then I think it might be best for you to take your time yet. Although I am a big advocate of spending money if you have it, I don't think it's good to spend it without thinking a purchase through, 3-5k is a nice chunk of money for a guitar.




Not really, if you pick a competent luthier sustain wont be an issue, it comes down to how well built the guitar is, IE say it was a bolt on and the neck to body joint was really poorly done, then you'd have huge sustain problems. Good luck finding a blackmachine for less than 4000 pounds btw, probably not happening

I will assume that the most important luthiers has been mentioned in this thead, the same names come up all the time... The VIK duality does for me looks best so far that I have found.. but I really wish I had more alternatives... the Blackmachine B7 is not in production..