Will the Custom Shop Ever Take Custom Orders in the Near Future?

[SGplayer1994]

I'm a sophomore in high school, and I'd really like a customized guitar as a graduation present. Gibson makes my favorite guitars (SG's and Firebirds), but from what I hear, it's impossible to have one made unless you are a famous artist. All I'm looking for to be honest is a custom paint job and maybe upgraded pick ups and a chrome/engraved truss rod cover. Not really super customized, and if I am right that custom orders aren't being taken from usual customers, just wondering, why not? Many people (myself included) would be willing to pay a pretty penny to get a custom guitar, and let's face it, if they mark up a guitar $1,000 for a custom paint color, seems like they'd be making some easy cash and I'd be getting my dream guitar.

 

So....back to my question (if anybody has any insight to the answer):

Will Gibson's Custom Shop begin to make custom guitars for your "average joe" musician in the near future?

 

Thanks in advance.

[Blackie]

................Money my man............no less than $6500 for them to give you the time of day.

[NeoConMan]

Wait until production slows a bit more, they'll be soliciting high-end orders again.

 

Doesn't hurt to try now though, give 'em a call and let 'em know what you're thinking.

See what they say.

 

Blackie's probably right on the money from what my limited Custom Shop experience tells me....

[GIANTRobOT420]

Customize it yourself. Itll be fun

[jamman]

I just spoke to the manager of the local Sam Ash (yesterday) , where i get most of my gear , and he told me , that because of the flooding and water problems they have, Gibson will not be putting out anything for 3 months. If this is true i'm not sure, but that's what i've been told. the value of your Gibson may have just gone up. If you go to the Gibson web site the store is closed. I guess they got flooded out too.

The wait for a real custom will most likely be longer now.

[el_negro]

Customize it yourself. Itll be fun

i agree with this guy. start it all from scratch, then when your done it'll have its own value just to you.

[NeoConMan]

It'll be fun to try to sell it on Ebay too.

See those "projects" all the time - I don't even bother to read the stories.

[freak show]

All I'm looking for to be honest is a custom paint job and maybe upgraded pick ups and a chrome/engraved truss rod cover.

 

You don't need the Custom Shop for this.

 

A good tech can do all of that for much less than Gibson.

 

Start with a guitar you know you like as far as playability and have it customized by someone locally. If you were to order one from Gibson' date=' you'd get the color and pickups you wanted, but that doesn't mean you're going to like the feel.

 

Gibson would charge a fortune, and you wouldn't know whether you liked the guitar until it was too late.

 

If you insist on having a custom guitar from the factory, think about a Martin!

 

Martin knows how to treat its customers.

 

[cookieman15061]

It'll be fun to try to sell it on Ebay too.

See those "projects" all the time - I don't even bother to read the stories.

 

Yeah I never understand people that mod and customize guitars, making them their own and then up and sell it.

[daveinspain]

Yeah I never understand people that mod and customize guitars' date=' making them their own and then up and sell it.

 

[/quote']

 

 

Hey a project guitar is a fun undertaking... Depends how you go about doing it though. I wouldn't buy a new Gibson and then start taking it apart, refinishing and modding... If you buy something that needs some TLC and you can turn it into your dream guitar why not?

 

I have been working on a Les Paul project for about a year and a half... I bought most of the parts on ebay including the stripped down Worn Brown Les Paul Studio body as my base. So I'm taking a stripped down guitar and bringing it to life with everything I want to have in a Les Paul... I.E. special electronics, pick ups, hardware....etc.

 

I am making this guitar for me, not to sell... I could care less about trying to sell it on ebay. A non issue. Hopefully when I'm done I will have a *****in hot rod Les Paul.... I had a ball looking for and finding all my parts. each and every one was a score and brought me closer to my dream Les Paul...

[Silenced Fred]

Depending on what model you want, take it to a luthier. For example: say you want an SG. Buy a used, or even new, faded SG. New is 700, you can probably find them used for 4-500. Take it to a luthier with pickups and say you want a different finish. I guarantee everything out the door, will be less than 2 grand for almost everything you want done.

 

Ask around

[daveinspain]

Depending on what model you want' date=' take it to a luthier. For example: say you want an SG. Buy a used, or even new, faded SG. New is 700, you can probably find them used for 4-500. Take it to a luthier with pickups and say you want a different finish. I guarantee everything out the door, will be less than 2 grand for almost everything you want done.

 

Ask around[/quote']

 

 

Good point! I forgot to mention I have a Luthier doing all the finishing and assembly.... I just got all the parts together, it will take a real pro to make it a good player and looker...

[DAS44]

I can tell you right now that it probably won't happen.

 

A: Blackie's right, you need a arse load of $

B: You'd probably do better going to a small-time luthier IMO

 

Never hurts to try, call them see how they react.

[Riffster]

Yeah I never understand people that mod and customize guitars' date=' making them their own and then up and sell it.[/quote']

 

Yea, the mod part is great but then put them up for sale? especially with non-widely acceptable mods?

 

Going back to the initial question, there are professional companies that can refinish a guitar even better than Gibson would and at a lower price, this is one of the reasons Gibson does not offer those services.

 

Look at places like HistoricMakovers.com or RSGuitarWorks.com they go all out with the stuff they do. There are a bunch os reputable refinishers and costumizers around the U.S. if you are willing to pay the price.

[Andre S]

You don't need the Custom Shop for this.

 

A good tech can do all of that for much less than Gibson.

 

Start with a guitar you know you like as far as playability and have it customized by someone locally. If you were to order one from Gibson' date=' you'd get the color and pickups you wanted, but that doesn't mean you're going to like the feel.

 

Gibson would charge a fortune, and you wouldn't know whether you liked the guitar until it was too late.

 

If you insist on having a custom guitar from the factory, think about a Martin!

 

Martin knows how to treat its customers.

 

 

 

 

Heck yea they do

 

Different Stain, gloss finish instead of satin, different binding, black to white and shorter scale length for 400 more!

 

I didn't do it, because at the time I didn't want to wait the extra 6 months....Now, I might have waited.

[Andre S]

Hey a project guitar is a fun undertaking... Depends how you go about doing it though. I wouldn't buy a new Gibson and then start taking it apart' date=' refinishing and modding... If you buy something that needs some TLC and you can turn it into your dream guitar why not?

 

I have been working on a Les Paul project for about a year and a half... I bought most of the parts on ebay including the stripped down Worn Brown Les Paul Studio body as my base. So I'm taking a stripped down guitar and bringing it to life with everything I want to have in a Les Paul... I.E. special electronics, pick ups, hardware....etc.

 

I am making this guitar for me, not to sell... I could care less about trying to sell it on ebay. A non issue. Hopefully when I'm done I will have a *****in hot rod Les Paul.... I had a ball looking for and finding all my parts. each and every one was a score and brought me closer to my dream Les Paul... [/quote']

 

Is it done yet?

 

I remember you mentioned it a long time ago

[daveinspain]

Is it done yet?

 

I remember you mentioned it a long time ago

 

Not yet, have had a few set backs with the finish... If all goes well this time (4th finish attempt) I may have the guitar in a month or two...

[Riffster]

If I ever wanted a one of a kind finish on a guitar I would buy a used closest to the specs I want and have it refinished.

 

Here is an example of what RSGuitarWorks can do, and this is just one option, there are many other shops out there.

 

http://www.rsguitarworks.net/cms2/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=37&Itemid=70

[SGplayer1994]

Thanks to everybody who posted. I never really thought of going to a luthier before. If you can kinda picture it, here is my dream guitar-- I want an SG standard, black binding with white dot markers, black chrome hardware, some Seymour Duncan uncovered PU's, a floyd rose, and a flame maple top, with a 2 tone burst, blood red in the center and fading to black around the shape of the body.

 

Maybe not for everybody, but i think it would be great for the heavier sounding side of me.

[guitarmandp]

They absolutely take custom orders. They stopped taking them a few years ago but when the recession hit they started taking them again.

 

They are not cheap though. If you are in high school, I can't imagine you'd be able to afford a custom order unless your parents have lots of $$$

[mcmurray]

Recently I read about a guy that ordered a 24 fret LP. The custom shop completely stuffed up by not moving the neck pickup, as a result, the extra frets were unusable.