Whether you play rock, the blues, country or another style of music, the right guitar makes all the difference. Custom guitars are ideal for beginners, expert players and even people who simply collect musical instruments.
Having a custom guitar means that it is made exactly to your specifications. The shape, hardware, colors and other components are chosen by you so that it fits into your hands like a glove. There are several companies who have an excellent reputation for making guitars.
The Best Places To Buy Custom Guitars Online
We chose these award winners based on the following criteria:
- Craftsmanship of guitars
- Uniqueness and variety of guitars
- Website layout and use
- Uniqueness and story behind brand
- Response times of customer support
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]THERE ARE HUNDREDS of places to buy custom guitars online. As a result, this made it difficult for us to pick our top choices. However, after extensive analyses and looking at hundreds of places to buy custom guitars, YOU WILL FIND BELOW THE TOP 25 PLACES TO BUY CUSTOM GUITARS ONLINE:[/su_note]
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1) Taylor Guitars
Kurt Listug and Bob Taylor founded Taylor Guitars in 1974. They sell their guitars all over the globe. The company uses innovative and modern manufacturer’s techniques, but also use a strong attention to detail for superior craftsmanship. Taylor Guitars was a pioneer when it came to using lasers, computer mills and other high-tech tools to create their products.
You can get a custom acoustic or electric guitar from this company. They have several wood types to choose from, such as maple, spruce and walnut, all of which are strong and shaped with precision. The electrical components of the electric guitars use the latest technology to ensure optimal quality.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Taylorguitars.com[/su_note]
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2) Jackson Guitars
Since 1980, Jackson Guitars has been creating a range of eclectic and fine guitars. Since the beginning, every guitar that they produce is high-performing, original and custom-made. Jackson is able to bring any customer’s idea to life in the form of a guitar. This company puts emphasis on guitars that are built to last.
All of the guitars created by Jackson Guitars are made using strong craftsmanship and US materials. You can choose between standard guitars and base guitars. They offer different series options, as well as different accessories to make playing your guitar comfortable and fun. Jackson Guitars also works with different artists and dealers.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Jacksonguitars.com[/su_note]
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3) ESP Guitars
ESP Guitars ensures handmade quality with every guitar that they create. They ensure a high level of detail and personalization for all of their instruments. When you get your guitar created here, they add every detail that you request. The team at ESP Guitars can also help you to design a guitar that meets all of your needs.
The ESP Guitars’ website has a custom order form that you fill out to bring your dream guitar to life. You will get to choose every element. One of their latest creations is the Shinobi guitar. This instrument features jewels, a skull and immense detail. Their custom gallery gives you a glimpse into what they are capable of creating.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Espguitars.com[/su_note]
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4) Dean Guitars
At Dean Guitars, you can choose from their active inventory or submit your specifications to have a guitar custom-made for you. When they make a guitar, their goal is to produce an instrument with a level of quality that surpasses all other manufacturers. This company also offers factory tours so that you can see how the work is done.
Dean Guitars can help you can find guitars and guitar components for all levels and types of play. For example, they can customize a guitar for a beginner or for someone who plays the blues. They offer an array of material options so that you can get the feel and sound that you need from your guitar.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Deanguitars.com[/su_note]
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5) Schecter Guitars
Schecter Guitar Research has created custom instruments for people in over 150 countries. They are known as an elite company that has a growing roster of famous customers. Some examples include Stone Temple Pilots, Avenged Sevenfold, Prince, Seether and The Cure. In addition to custom pieces, they also have their own line of bass and traditional guitars to choose from.
This company began in 1976. When David Schecter started the company, he mostly manufactured replacement guitar bodies, necks and other components. He eventually expanded to mass production guitars and then to making custom instruments for his famous and everyday people clientele.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Schecterguitars.com[/su_note]
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6) Warmoth Custom Guitars
Warmoth Custom Guitars has been in business since 1980. This company has been the standard for American-made bass and electric guitar necks and bodies. They specialize in helping guitarists customize, improve and personalize their instruments. Warmoth Guitars played a role in pioneering various advancements, such as the conversion neck, the compound radius fretboard and other guitar technology.
Warmoth guitars are created using traditional and modern building techniques. Real people build the different elements personally using their hands and different types of machinery, such as CNC machines, for optimal craftsmanship. They use a variety of exotic tonewoods and traditional woods as the base for their creations.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Warmoth.com[/su_note]
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7) Kiesel Custom Guitars
Kiesel Custom Guitars offers hundreds of options for building your own guitar from scratch. You can use a traditional maple wood or an exotic wood as the base for your net instrument. Everything from strings to hardware is chosen by you. They can build both bass and traditional guitars. Expert painters, woodworkers and technicians are employed by Kiesel Guitars to ensure superior attention to detail and craftsmanship.
This company puts a lot of emphasize on the moisture content of the wood that they use. This ensures longevity for the instrument and flexibility during the building process. You can also check out their own creations to get some ideas about the custom instrument you want them to build for you.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Kieselguitars.com[/su_note]
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8) Halo Custom Guitars
Halo Guitars helps you every step of the way as you design your next guitar. They offer dozens of options for the various components of the instrument. Their website has a customization tool that you use during the design process. There are numerous settings such as shape design, colors, hardware, woods, finish and construction methods. You also have the option of using your own artwork.
This company uses different artists to help to bring your dream guitar to life. This ensures expert-level attention to detail so that your guitar is exactly how you envision it. Once you complete the customization tool process, they personally look at your specifications, provide expert advice and then show you the final design so that you can approve it in writing before the custom build begins.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Haloguitars.com[/su_note]
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9) James Trussart
James Trussart of James Trussart Custom Guitars is proud of breaking the mold when it comes to his custom creations. He ensures that every instrument that he makes has a unique tone and appearance. He is one of the few guitar builders who uses steel as his primary material. He started out as a fiddler in the late 1970s before getting into the guitar building business.
Now, James creates custom pieces with steel bodies for an array of famous guitarists, such as Joe Walsh, Joe Perry, Billy Corgan, Eric Clapton and other legendary artists. Every bass, traditional guitar and violin that he creates is made exactly to his customer’s specifications using his unique “Rust-O-Matic technique to protect the instrument once it is complete.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Jamestrussart.com[/su_note]
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10) Heritage Guitars Inc.
Orville Gibson started designing mandolins in the late 1800s. His company evolved over time to include other instruments, including guitars. This company specializes in high-quality, handcrafted electric guitars. The founders of the company, including Marv Lamb, Jim Deurloo and JP moats, have a combined 84 years of experience with building guitars.
This company offers their own range of guitars and custom options. On the website, there is a form that you fill out with your specifications. They will work with you to help to bring your dream guitar to life. Once you complete the form, you will work as a team to make sure that every detail meets your specifications.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Heritageguitars.com[/su_note]
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11) USA Custom Guitars
USA Custom Guitars has been in business since 2000. They are among the most respected guitar builders in the industry. They use a variety of tonewoods, time-tested techniques and high-quality components to ensure that your instrument is built to last. Their clientele spans 58 countries throughout the world.
This company puts an emphasis on ensuring the right tone formula so that your guitar has the exact sound that you’re looking for. They combine modern technology and old-world craftsmanship to build their instruments. While they are not as big as other companies in this industry, their unique approach to the design and building process sets them apart from the rest.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Usacustomguitars.com[/su_note]
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12) Gallagher Guitar Co.
Gallagher Guitar Co. started in 1965. JW Gallagher was a skilled woodworker who took his talents and used them to create guitars after losing his job building rocket and airplane scale models. Since he built his first guitar, his focus has been on superior quality. Even the smallest imperfection will cause him to stop and start the building process from scratch again.
Each guitar made has limited numbers which makes each piece something few people will have. Every guitar is built by hand. It takes an average of 70 to 80 hours over the course of three months to build a single guitar. This ensures that every detail is attended to so that each instrument is unique and without flaws.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Gallagherguitar.com[/su_note]
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13) Mike Lull
Mike Lull Guitars is focused on providing personalized service to every customer. Mike has a renowned reputation all throughout the world regarding his expert craftsmanship and knowledge of creating guitars exactly to his client’s specifications. He builds both electric guitars and bass guitars by hand to ensure that every detail is met.
In 1970 when Mike was only 16, he started his journey by working to repair guitars for a local shop. This is where he learned the process. In 1976 he opened his own shop when he was just 21. He has worked with some of the best in the music business to build guitars exactly to their specifications. Some clients include Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Pearl Jam and Nirvana.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Mikelull.com[/su_note]
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14) Froggy Bottom Guitars
At Froggy Bottom Guitars, when you’re ready to customize your own guitar, you will work with a staff member to lay out the details so that your guitar meets your exact specifications. You can also get advice directly from the Froggy Bottom staff. This helps to ensure that both you and the the company are on the same page about what you want with your custom instrument.
Part of the building process includes a consultation so that customers are involved with every detail. This company does not have a recipe regarding their building process either. They use the technique that best accommodates the specific guitar that they are working on at the time. This ensures that all parameters and elements are unique.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Froggybottomguitars.com[/su_note]
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15) Galloup Guitars
Gallop Guitars is a full-service company that not only creates custom instruments, but they also train aspiring guitar builders. Bryan Gallop founded this company. He uses strong craftsmanship and personalized touches with every guitar that he builds. His decades in the business have allowed him to hone his skills and determine which techniques produce the highest quality instruments.
Bryan builds every instrument one at a time. This allows him to focus on the instrument so that every specification is met. He ensures that the client’s preferences are all incorporated into the designing and building processes. He also has one of the world’s most prestigious tonewood collections.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Galloupguitars.com[/su_note]
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16) Crook Custom Guitars
The ultimate goal of Crook Custom Guitars is to create instruments that are easy to play. When you’re holding your guitar, it should be comfortable, and you should not have to fight to achieve the sound that you desire. Bill Crook started this company so that he could help musicians to find and execute their unique sound with their guitar.
Each of the guitars built by Crook Custom Guitars are created from scratch. Bill has more than 20 years of experience building guitars, so he knows which techniques will provide exactly what a customer is asking for. When you’re ready for a custom instrument, you will work with Bill directly. Once you finalize your design, you can follow the process so that you know what is happening every step of the way.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Crookcustomguitars.com[/su_note]
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17) Pensa Guitars
Pensa Custom creates guitars with a strong attention to detail. Rudy Pensa started building guitars as an experiment when he was just 13. In 1978, he opened his first shop in New York City. It was not long before people recognized his shop as highly respected and the place to go when you wanted a custom instrument.
Rudy focuses on craftsmanship and using a variety of techniques to ensure that every guitar has the highest level of detail. The materials that he uses are all from the USA, satisfying his promise that his instruments are all made in the USA.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Pensaguitars.com[/su_note]
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18) Neely Guitars
David Neely of David Neely Guitars started working on custom instruments in 1974. Before he started this journey, he was a musician himself, so he understood the importance of a guitar that is built for the musician. In 1976, he started his own shop because he was not happy about mass-produced instruments.
David is responsible for the NepTune interval correction that musicians benefit from today. He uses it with all of his custom electric and acoustic guitars to ensure that they deliver the exact sound that the musician desires. He has worked with dozens of famous musicians who come to him because of the techniques and materials that he uses.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Neelyguitars.com[/su_note]
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19) Zager Guitar
Zager Guitar International Inc. caters to both expert and novice guitar players. They focus on each custom instrument individually to ensure that all details are perfect before finalizing the process. Zager Guitar uses components with the highest ratings in the industry to ensure that the guitars are built to last, even when they are played every day.
This company has their own line of guitars in addition to their custom instruments. The custom options are unique. Once a customer puts in their order, the staff builds the instrument using handmade techniques and modern machinery to ensure the highest quality.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Zagerguitar.com[/su_note]
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20) SB MacDonald Custom Instruments
Scott MacDonald founded SB MacDonald Custom Instruments. For more than 25 years, Scott has been building one-of-a-kind electric and acoustic guitars. He also specializes in vintage guitar restoration and guitar repair. Each custom instrument has a look and sound as unique as the musician who will be playing it.
Every custom instrument is created via a special order. The company gets to know each customer so that they can ensure that the custom instrument will meet all of their needs. The building process considers the person’s style, voice, hands and personality to ensure that the instrument is truly unique.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Customguitars.com[/su_note]
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21) Haywire Custom Guitars
Haywire Guitar Shop operates on the premise that a person’s guitar is not just an instrument, it is an extension of them. Their guitar needs to represent exactly who they are as a person and a musician.
Rick Mariner founded this company. He developed the 8-Point Gig-Ready process. This process ensures that musicians can grab their instruments at any time and be ready for a gig.
At Haywire Guitar Shop, various professionals are responsible for developing each of the custom instruments. Every person who takes part in the building process has distinct expertise in the job that they do. For example, expert woodworkers cut and shape the guitar. This ensures that every instrument is unique and exactly to the client’s specifications.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Haywirecustomguitars.com[/su_note]
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22) Wild Custom Guitars
Wild Custom Guitars is not just a guitar builder, but an artisan workshop. They take pride in the fact that they are a small company. This makes it easier for them to focus on one instrument at a time so that every detail is perfect. Their goal is to create finely crafted instruments that perfectly match the needs of their clients.
This company focuses on time-tested techniques and materials. However, they also pay attention to the trends that are used to make instruments today. This allows for balance and it ensures that every instrument is durable and can withstand regular play.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Wildcustomguitars.com[/su_note]
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23) Myka Guitars
David Myka Guitars look at guitars as not just instruments, but also as pieces of art. They believe that guitars can provide an experience that goes beyond the instrument’s construction and materials. Every guitar that they create is focused on helping the musician to express themselves in the way that best represents their true self.
This company makes every custom instrument by hand. They combine various modern and classic techniques during the process. This ensures that every guitar is as unique as the person who ordered it. They work with the customer to ensure that every detail is brought to life with the finished product.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Mykaguitars.com[/su_note]
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24) K-Line Guitars
K-Line Guitars focuses on creating electric guitars that have a classic style. They use hand-selected woods, boutique pickups and top-notch hardware with every guitar that they create. Their goal is to ensure the highest quality sound while also making sure that the client gets the exact aesthetic that they are looking for.
This company works with their customers to lay out all of the details before they start the building process. This ensures that the final product meets the client’s specifications. Their materials and building techniques exceed the industry standards so that every guitar will last.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: K-lineguitars.com[/su_note]
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25) Grosh Guitars
Grosh Guitars builds instruments that represent a variety of time periods. You can get help designing an instrument with a vintage sound and feel, or one with a modern tone and aesthetic. They hand craft each instrument in their factory. Each guitar is checked to ensure the right look, tone and playability.
The custom-building process starts with designing the guitar. Clients work with staff to determine the specifications they need for their guitar. Once this is finalized, the instrument is built by professionals in the field. Every guitar is examined several times throughout every step of the process to ensure perfection.
[su_note note_color=”#D4DFF8″ text_color=”#111111″ radius=”1″]URL: Groshguitars.com[/su_note]
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1 Response
As someone who is fond of guitars and constantly looking for the best guitar parts, I found this article on the best places to buy custom guitars online quite informative. It’s great to see the emphasis on craftsmanship and uniqueness in these brands. My favorite is of course ours 🙂