At some point, you may have thought about ordering a custom acoustic guitar. Perhaps you’re on the hunt for a certain look or tone, a specific body size or shape, or a neck of a specific length, shape or width. Your requirements could be due to personal preference or specific physical requirements. Whatever the reason, conjuring up your very own custom dream guitar should be a joyful experience. Unfortunately, it can end up being something of a nightmare if you are bombarded with an overwhelming array of options or kept in the dark about your choices. Before you drop big bucks on an instrument you won’t be able to play until it’s built, you need to know as much as possible about how all these factors work together with respect to a guitar’s tone and performance.
Over the next two issues, Frets will explore the ins and outs of designing a custom guitar to demystify the process and help you make informed choices when the time comes to design the instrument of your dreams.
“The process of ordering a custom instrument can be as simple or as complicated as you would like to make it,” explains Richard Hoover, the founder of Santa Cruz Guitar Company. “One of the worst mistakes people make is buying into the expectations of others, such as a music teacher, or somebody on the Internet using complex sonic descriptions telling you what you should have. You’ll know what’s right.”
A pioneer of the boutique acoustic scene, Hoover has more than 40 years of experience making dream guitars a reality for players ranging from hobbyists to world-famous pros like Brad Paisley, Eric Clapton and Tony Rice. “We’re a custom shop and always have been,” he explains. “From the very beginning, we’ve been handling not only obvious customizations,