Is your Boutique Guitar really just a Partscaster?
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- Опубликовано: 23 июл 2024
- Baxter and Jonathan dive into the topic of boutique guitars, and if it is important to you that they shape the body and neck them selves or outsource it from places like USAGC or Warmoth and assemble them? We discuss, Nash , MJT , Bill Crook , Hahn , Senn And Kirn Guitars.
Next video: Is your hairstyle boutique, or did you really just wake up.
It's a relic-ed 'piece...
It's the exciting all-new Fender Same As Last Year line of professional haircuts.
In my dream i walked into a boutique guitar shop, weird boutique lighting, strange boutique smell and standing at their boutique salon chairs were Don King, Bob Dylan, Cosmo Kramer and Jack White......
hahahaha!!
hahahaha.....that was great.
I went with a partcaster, because it allowed me to get exactly what I wanted in body, neck shape, pickups, colors, etc without the $3k price tag. I did everything myself and paid for a pro set up. It's the best decision I've made for me. However, no matter how good it sounds or plays, I'll never be able to sell it for what I paid. That's just the way it is.
How much did you pay? Also did you get a nitro finish body?
I also went with a partscaster, and ended up finding a guy not too far away who makes roasted maple, compound radius, stainless steel necks for a steal of a price. Didn't do it myself, but still all together I've paid probably $1500 Canadian for a Jazzmaster with that neck, Mastery bridge, Descendant trem, PRS and TV Jones pickups (HSH), 10-way Freeway switch.
This guy I talked to recently was so proud of his $2600 (also Canadian dollars) offset Tele he got from a boutique maker. It was a Tele: bridge pickup, neck pickup, 3-way switch. $2600.
That's why I have a partscaster 🙂
@@destroso In all around $1200-1300 I think and yes to Nitro
@@rockstarguitareffects where did you get you nitro body?
@@destroso try MJT guitar body's
I’ve got an Olympic White Nash JM-63 and a Shell Pink Nash T-63 and feel that they are some of the best playing instruments. Like you guys said, it’s more about just liking the feel of the instrument!
Just got my Olympic White S-63 and I love it.
Kinda strange premise in that the Stratocaster/ Telecaster was designed very deliberately to be a “partscaster “
Great point!
@@davidkellymitchell4747 That's wrong. It was for ease and cost of manufacture, like Ford's Model T. Get so sick of revisionistic BS.
@@davidkellymitchell4747 OK, you're old. Doesn't magically change the incorrectness of your statement.
@@richsackett3423 Not trying to argue, so I hope this question conveys my tone here. Wasn’t the ability to change out a neck easily, manufacturing etc. all part of the cost analysis that Leo did when designing the guitars?
@@hogie1259 Yes, along with George Fullerton. That’s all part of the recipe for their enduring products. It’s one of the reasons their guitars were as good as Gibson’s for a fraction of the price. Can’t remember what the other guy was saying but I’m sure it was silly.
Dude's brushing his hair with a balloon!
Jack ~'()'~
Canada
:-)))))
😂😂😂
Are you sure it’s not cum like in the something about Mary movie lol
I was thinking he brushed his hair with a firecracker.
@@AdventurePunk :-)
That is the most elaborate comb over I have ever seen.
I hope he shaves his head.
Bob Ross regularly used a pick to make his hair look good
@@scottklandl488 what has Bob Ross’ ways of styling his Afro/perm got to do with this guys comb over?
He should shave his head and glue it to his chin.
Some guys have a hard time letting go. I shaved my head a long time ago and made me a lot happier. It was liberating as hell.
When you think about how much an average Warmoth build costs vs what a Nash costs, I think it's a fair markup...about $1000 for a nitro finish, +relic time, +wood selection time, +assembly time, +fixing-little-issues time and +setup time (and you get a case and better resale than a pure DIY Warmoth build). I will still 100% do a Warmoth build in my life, but this video did help legitimize Nash pricing in my eyes. Keep up the great content guys!
Totally agree! Thanks for watching.
I agree there!
if you want nitro, go with MJT.
Agreed.
and the toooone of my Nash man!
I'm that guy with ten more in the trunk. I appreciated the shop's viewpoint. I've built seven this year, put two Strat-styles up for sale. The one with the wooden pickguard generated lots of interest and sold in a week, the one with a plastic pickguard no movement after four weeks. Pausing to reconsider next moves. I know some folks think this vid is clickbait, but I found it informative, and would love more on the subject of hobby builders. Thanks
I’m making my first wood pick guard for a late 60’s Matsumoku SG and I gotta say the custom pick guard is a classy touch that really does make the instrument stand out.
Buddy of mine just orderd a few wood pick guards and i have to agree 100% they add a certain flavor
SRV’s number 1 was also a partscaster. That’s the most famous one that comes to my mind.
Thank you for adding the most important part at the end. It’s what you do with your fingers. Partscaster is not a bad word. As you stated, Clapton’s Blackie, Brownie, and Gilmour’s Black Strat were all partscasters. EVH played many parts guitars. Prince played a fake tele bought at a gas station. Eric Johnson’s strats were partscasters. It’s all in the hands.
Nothing wrong with a partscaster. The issue is passing off a guitar you assembled from pre made parts and selling it as if it were made buy you, a "boutique hand built" instrument.
My favorite guitar is a partscaster. I decided to stop trying to find my dream guitar, and just ordered the parts and built it myself. The color I want, pickups I want, neck profile..,etc...
That's exactly like I'm doing for my next guitar. To buy my perfect guitar I'd have to spend thousands, so I'm doing a warmoth build and painting it myself as I'm not into fancy finishes at all
I did this too. I played several American Original 50s Teles, new and used, as that's what I wanted. But I just don't care for the gloss neck. The best price I could find on a used one was about $1,400. So I took a blonde Classic Vibe body, sanded the gloss off, put on an AllParts satin finish U neck, sanded it back a little, rolled the frets, added Gotoh vintage tuners, a Gotoh bridge, CTS pots, cloth wiring, and Fender Vintage Original pickups. All in about $1,150. And it sounds and plays as good as one of those AO 50s. Without the nitro finish body, of course.
Of course, I know I couldn't sell it for half of what it cost, but so what? It's an absolute beast, I'm keeping it. It's getting buried with me.
I’m a guitar builder, I build the everything from lumber and shape the necks by hand. This allows me to build guitars using a verity of woods for laminated necks and create something unique and beautiful.
I personally love the craftsmanship behind boutique guitars, but I encourage more people to build their own parts caster for the experience and pleasure.
It's cost me thousands of dollars ultimately but what I've learned in the last 6 years trying different things is invaluable to me. I can now confidently build truly nice guitars. Maybe I should try to sell some...
i tell people who want to start building guitars, they better get ready to build more jigs than guitars and get used to breathing saw dust. but once you button up a build youve spent 80 hours + on it is very rewarding
I've heard my Nash T63 is a partscaster. Best tele I ever played!!
exactly - assembly and setup are EVERYTHING.
They were using off the shelf parts for years, but I do believe they shifted gears a year ago or so. They've gone back n' forth a couple times, so the truth is somewhere in between. Same thing was true for Kelton Swade, and he makes one of the best Fender style relic out there. I've never played a Nash that didn't play, feel and sound like a Fender Custom Shop. He knows the formula of what makes a guitar great.
I don’t care if the builder made the neck and body. I care that the neck and body are of high quality and the finished guitar plays and sounds good.
@@reverb508 exactly!
This is the most interesting guitar video I've seen from any guitar channel. Bravo!
No mention of LSL? They make all of their parts in house and sell new, reliced, Fender style, original designs. And their quality is excellent.
LSL is superb, too many excellent choices out there.
Another shout out for LSL, they make outstanding instruments
Also surprised no mention of Whitfil.
+1
I like building my own partscaster. I pick the finish, pots, pickups, neck profile and fret size. I also love the process of choosing all those items as I build the guitar.
It's like the Masterbuilt process without the Masterbuilt. :-)
👍🏼
In Key West we had hurricane Wilma a few years ago. Lots of our Honduran mahogany trees were blown down. We cut them into giant logs and stumps and put them out for the trash... I started thinking, grabbed the latest issue of Vintage Guitar and started making phone calls. I wasn't even trying to make money, but Not One shop was interested. So, they went in a landfill in Hialeah. (Kelly included).
Frankenstrat my Dudes, Frankenstrat. RIP King EVH
Amen.
Amen. Preach! A well thought out parts caster beats many, many manufactured “boutique” bolt ons.
Damned straight. I don't think Fender would even paint a guitar as ugly as my faux wood grain tobacco sunburst Frankenstrat.
@@mattburch9873 I wish I could hit the thumbs up button more than once......
Eddie's definitely carried the torch from his friend Les Paul!
I've got one of Rick Kelly's "Bowery Pine" Teles, made out of the joists of Jim Jarmusch's Bowery loft, which was originally a warehouse, built around 1800-1810. That old growth pine, from trees that were hundreds of years old when they were felled in the 18th century and then compressed and dried in that building for over 100 years makes for one amazingly resonant and alive body. Rick does everything, and he does it mostly with hand tools. if you see the documentary, you can see him using his grandpa's draw knife to shape necks. His guitars are works of art. Mine has a reclaimed Padauk neck (IIRC it was originally going to be turned into marimba bars) that has a shape that can't really be described beyond, "every position is perfect." Only a hand-shaped neck is going to be that way. Mine's got some grain filler and whitewash on it; a bunch (like my old one) just have shellac finishes. Utterly amazing stuff.
Additional shoutout to Chihoe Hahn- he and Jim Campilongo collaborated on a T-style sig model that's fantastic. The "Model C" is pine, all handmade (including Chihoe's own rolled steel and lacquered hardware), plays like a Custon Shop Tele, and sell for $1500.00. Bargain of the century, if you're patient.
Oh! And Charles Whitfil is making Tele-type guitars that are lightweight, resonant, and have these amazing "Usual Suspects" pickups in them. He's also great a doing a relic that doesn't feel overcooked- you pick one up and you think, "where the hell did I leave this guitar for all these years?" They just feel *right*, you know? The guy just knows wood, too. Like Paul Reed Smith, he's got "the touch" for finding wood that has its own musicality. Oh, and his hardware is amazeballs.
I really like Lucky Dog out of Cleveland, TN. Anthony creates all his bodies, necks and even mill his hardware and has a nearby pickup guy make his pickups. For the price of $2500-$3500 I feel it is a real deal. Totally one of a kind guitar for the money
TheGtrjim I’ve followed Lucky Dog for a couple years now, always a little surprised at his guitars’ cost being less than most Fender CS, and he uses insane flame maple and relic hardware
He’s awesome! I’m on the list!
I just want to know about that 2020 shirt! I need that! Also R.I.P. EVH king of the partscaster. Even SRV ‘s #1 was technically a partscaster.
I just ordered a custom barnbuster from Ron Kirn this week.
I just found this channel I love listening to you guys talk about gear and music!
i saw this video post and immediately thought - I can’t wait to hear about Tom Anderson. :)
I've always wanted a pink paisley Crook guitar. I never got to buy one, but I contacted Bill Crook back many years ago a couple times and he was very friendly and was a pleasure to contact. Maybe Ill get to order one some day.
Do it! Bill’s work is top notch.
You’ll never regret it. Bill is the man!
Great discussion as always lads, cheers!
I’m a name snob for resale reasons. I just learned over the years that if I want to unload a piece of gear, it has to have a mainstream name on it that people will buy in a heartbeat. I could easily love a small builder guitar or amp, but, if I cross that line and buy from an independent builder, I have enough experience to know I may be stuck with it or take a huge financial hit because the masses aren’t educated or willing to pay for the quality I might have been.
dibuccio 100% correct my friend! Same here! I also use that philosophy for car purchases. Resale value should matter to guitarists seeing how many times we trade em in.
I get the same way as not losing money when reselling is a priority so I go name brand. My exception is Warmoth parts. They hold their value when I go to resale, either as a whole guitar or just taking it apart and reselling the neck and body. For people who end up with my old Warmoth guitars they get a good deal. I spend a good 6 hours on reshaping the neck, rolling the edges, leveling the frets with proper falloff, and setup.
Yes, but conversely, buying used non-mainstream guitars is a great way to go if you know exactly what you'd like.
Love my nash s67. Great sound, plays SO well.
I agree with your t-shirt, Baxter. But great video - just the job over in lockdown NE UK. More, please.
I really don't care who made it or how they got the parts. If it plays good and sounds good....it is good.
Kinda the bottom line, I agree. Thanks for watching!
@@joebryant8500 because you are happy with it. Who cares what it costs if it sounds good and plays good and you are okay with the price tag?
@@joebryant8500 I guess the value of not doing the reasearch, curration, assembly, and set-up is worth it for those folks.
For example if I tallied up the hours of research I did for my partscaster it would probably total of 5 hours between deciding on the exact pickups, bridge, neck and body I wanted. Then add in the 5 or so hours it took to carefully drill holes, soldering, and setting up and you've got a total of 10 hours of labor. At $50 an hour it makes sense to add $500 to the parts of the guitar that already cost me about $1900. So a couple thousand bucks isn't exactly crazy if we are talking premium parts, not just standard Taiwanese Fender parts.
exactly
Great video. Thanks for posting. Proud owner of a Nash or two and have made 4 or 5 parts-casters as well. None made for profit...all made to rock.
Currently having a guitar made by Frank Grubisa out of Sydney, Australia. Too many crappy fender custom shops out there for my liking, and not enough easy access to try a lot of them. So, decided to have one made, 60s style. It's the best guitar I have ever played in my life, including real 63, 58, and a 62. Cheaper than a custom shop and better than any custom shops that I have ever played. It is absolutely incredible.
I started out planning a partscaster but had a o learn from scratch to get the guitars I want with the woods I want. It is incredibly fun.
There’s a lot of famous partscasters out there. But Nash makes easily just as good as fender custom shop
Oh man I love nash. I’d argue they’re better than fender custom shop most times. Just in my experience. Suhr Guitars are also incredible!
Didn’t know about it. Good to know!
@@kalkidasofficial Try a Tom Anderson. I've owned three and still have two. They are without a doubt the best boutique or custom guitars I've ever played. I collect vintage guitars and build my own "partscasters". I've been playing professionally over fifty years and currently play 65 to 100 shows per year. Try a Tom Anderson.
Disagree. I’ve owned 2 Nash guitars, S63 and S57. Nice guitars at a decent price point especially used. Fender Custom Shop are on a different level IMO. Sold the Nashes and still have my 60 NOS Relic.
Greg S I own a fender custom shop stratocaster that I love but for teles I couldn’t find a single fender that worked for me I wanted less tension which Nash provided me. Plus I wanted a humbucker in the neck which Seymour Duncan that’s in fender i definitely didn’t want the lollar on the other hand sounds amazing also the back of the neck is really nice on relic . So for me nash worked better fir the tele in my experience but not with a strat.
I always enjoy your videos. Great guitar nerd content!
I love these convos so much
Kishan Patel thanks a bunch! Sincerely appreciate your kind words and thanks for watching!
I own a Nash strat with ash body and two lollartron pickups, bridge and neck and a lollar single coil in the middle. It sounds and feels amazing! The neck shape is fantastic. It’s heavily relic’d which I wish wasn’t so pronounced on the maple neck. But when I’m playing it it sounds great and feels great! Also a unique combo of pickup configurations.
A lot of awesome guitars out there...love the Asher and Tuttle stuff!
I'm okay with both. I've done 100% parts caster, but I also do hybrid where I make the body from scratch per my own requirements and then source select hardware and neck to fit. As a hobbyist and enthusiast I personally dont have the time to make my own necks and pups however the final products are truly unique and at the custom shop level. Branding is not important to me, only quality, sound, playability and obviously looks.
I know this videos are but i really appreciate the conversation about them. I recently ordered a hand built boutique and while im waiting on it ive been watching these videos a ton. For me it was a spec thing that made me end up going with a hand built there is no guitar on the market that has the specs I wanted so I had to go hand built. Anyways i really appreciate you guys giving me something to watch during my long wait.
Love my partscaster! Warmoth neck and body, Callaham bridge, Seymour Duncan pups, Emerson elecrronics, Grover tuners. Boutique Fender style instruments is a hilarious concept to me.
Great shirt Baxter.
Ron Kirn makes an incredible guitar.
For the first time, I'm beginning to look at my '67 Telecaster, and my "91 Telecaster, were Parts casters, I changed the pickups, and tuners, even drilled strings through the body.= Parts casters?
You made a huge omission by not mentioning Novo. My opinion of course but I'm a huge fanboy.
I bought a Nash t63 knowing it’s a partscaster. It’s the best tele I’ve ever played and the nitro fiesta red is perfect. I’ll probably never part with it 10/10
GREAT GUITAR
If they're assembling pre-made parts, yes, it's a partscaster. But I'm a fit/finish and set-up guy, so it doesn't matter where the parts come from as long as they work and the builder is honest about the provenance of said parts.
Great discussion. I have owned 4 Nash guitars, I still own 2 but I miss the other 2 that I sold. All of mine have great fret dressing, set up perfectly and are resonant. I love the way they vibrate and feel part of you when you play them. I did not realize until last week that none of my necks had a head stock truss rod adjustment because I have never had to make an adjustment on any of them. My latest tele which I bought in 2012 arrived in tune and always stays in tune. That says a lot. The fact you get Lollars or Fralin pickups puts them over the top. Their resale values are great as the prices keep going up on the used market. The great thing about a relic is if you ding it at a gig you don't care because they are already beat up. MJT seem cool as well. You can order the guitar custom the way you want it though you really need to spend time studying your favorite necks. Their are so many choices and you need to understand all the options and what they mean before pulling the trigger. If you are an experienced player and know what you like you can pretty much order the perfect guitar.
I bought a “partscaster” from a “boutique” builder, for my son. It was cheaper than an actual hand-built “boutique” guitar. My guy does both. This strat is an absolute beast. Best playing strat I’ve ever played. Best sounding strat I’ve ever played. I did get to pick the neck from a handful he had, selected a US body, out of several on hand. Also picked electronics and plastics. Actually used a MIM neck, over a US neck because it really was a better neck (out of the lot on hand). I think the answer to this question is just that. Make sure you know what you’re getting, and more importantly, paying for.
It's a great point that USA Fender wood parts don't come from special trees that are magically superior to Mexican Fenders.
And those small builder guitars can be total deals!
Fender MIM is making some of the best necks Fender has made in its entire history right now.
Please do not forget the craftmanship and the mojo that Mr Nash adds to the assembly of these guitars. I have an S 57 and I am looking for a T 52 or T 57 now.
Disappointed to discover my Harley Benton isn’t boutique.
Harley Benton and disappointed in the same sentence? It can't be! I love HBs. I would put my SC450 up against a Gibson Les Paul any day.
@@simontemplar3359 Lol. I actually don’t own any today. But I have two coming across the pond for me to try.
@@simontemplar3359 I bet you haven’t played a les Paul before to make that comment!!
@@joebryant8500 Don't know, did the 8 year old that put together the electronic you are typing sign the inside of it?
@@joebryant8500 You really should find out where they are made. Hint, it's not China.
I have been fortunate to visit Ron Kirn's shop. I can attest that he works alone and creates a magnificent product.
I recently sold my favorite parts caster that had an MJT body and a Warmoth neck. I miss it so much. I had gotten a bad case of GAS for a partscater Blacktop Strat, I am mid build on it currently but man I miss that MJT/Warmoth Strat, she was gorgeous had great tone and sustain. I know her new owner is taking good care of her but I’ll always regret selling. That being said I have a highly modded Fender Highway One that is my current #1. It’s so resonant the whole guitar vibrates with every strum. So I would have to say I like both Factory and partscasters. Although I will say be very hesitant and thorough when buying a used partscaster that someone has built themselves. Do you due diligence and everything should be fine.
I have put together 2 MJT partscasters, 1 strat, 1 tele. It's super fun to spec out all the parts and choose the look to the finest detail and both guitars are great. I also have a hand crafted Strat from a boutique maker which is great too but not better than the MJT's. One boutique guitar I have though that is better is my Hahn 228 model C. That guitar is flawless.
I've pretty much decided I want my next (2nd) electric guitar to be a Telecaster style guitar. The only other guitar I'm considering would be an electric with a piezo, PRS and Schecter are the only ones I know of that make them. Problem is finding a shop which has one.
What Telecaster-style guitar would you recommend for less than $2k, and what would you recommend for less than $1k?
I'd love to have semi hollow but not required.
I'd also love a birds eye maple fretboard.
If I'm getting that specific... perhaps I should order the parts from warmoth and have someone assemble it?
Some of my favorite guitars are parts casters, the trick is the enjoyment of playing it and the process of the build.
I've been building partscasters for mostly my own use for a few years now (learning a lot from Ron Kirn on forums). It's fun to experiment with odd stuff like an Epiphone neck on a Tele body or a Danelectro neck on a Strat body.
A couple of my favorite guitars are parts casters that I put together from pawnshop buys, and other cheap buys to use for parts.
It’s in the eye or in the hands of the beholder for sure, people who judge a guitar player on a parts caster just don’t understand the joy that comes from assembling a bunch of misfit parts together to become everything you wanted in a guitar that you can’t get any other way… it’s also derived from the outrageous price tags some of the guitars are demanding these days… that said, it’s a love and passion for me, and that’s a big part of it other than necessity…
I got all my parts for my tele a little at a time and I couldn't be happier...other than the body wood it's all fender ..62 reissue bridge...tex Mex neck.,and I it's absolutely perfect to me.....I would not trade it for a factory because I built it to my taste....great video guys...rock on
Built a few partscasters. They Play great and are far cheaper than something of similar build coming with a brand name.
Great video guys! Keep up the amazing content. \m/
I have built two MJT guitars. Amazing reliced nitro bodies, necks that I have installed high end components into at a third of custom shop prices. But I also know that I might be lucky to get half my money back if I sold them.
MJT is making my 3rd body now. Solid stuff.
Great builders.
I do have a question about the overall length of a Guitar.
Where did the 41 inch length come from or how did it come into being?
As an example, when you look at images of a telecaster in the hands of a guitarist, it looks like it's too long.
With this in mind, are there shorter alternative necks for a telecaster?
I own two Tele style parts-casters, I love them!
One is modeled after Rory Gallaghers 66 tele crossed with Chrissy Hynde’s 65 telecaster. My other is modeled after a 52 but it’s what I call an antique honey burst finish and the neck on it is incredible. I do like Brand made guitars primarily Fender but boutique or partscaster, it does not matter to me as long as I get along with it. I buy to keep not to resell.
Partscaster version of a "Boutique" amp? I have two Brian Cox tweed amps and these things are incredible. The components are streight out of the catalog and he'd tweak it for you with upgrades. But, what makes these amps is the immaculate workmanship. The wire dressing is a work of art. The amps sound incredible. He passed away several years ago and I count myself lucky to be able to have him build a Deluxe and a Champ for me.
I have a core PRS and I have built a few partscasters with Warmoth and Eden parts. My newest partscaster sounds just as good as my PRS and it is actually more comfortable also. The Wolfgang neck profile you can get from Warmoth is the best neck I have played out of any guitar I have ever owned.
I have both. Have a fully custom built Jazzmaster from MJT and a bunch of production line guitars from other major manufacturers as well. They all serve their purpose for me and play well, regardless of build and where they came from.
You should ask your John to give you one of his masterbuilds..!
Partscasters are awesome as long as they are set up properly. That goes for all guitars. Every part you get is gonna need some tweaking and adjusting and shaping. Its fun as hell and its very satisfying playing and enjoying a guitar you put your ideas and work into.
I don't always boutique, but when I do I go to CHC guitars/Chris Cordova in Austin, Texas. Get in touch with him. You'll thank me.🤙🏼
100% AGREE! I will second that on CHC Guitars. They are handmade, custom, boutique. I own several. 👊🤠🍀🎶
I bought a Barnbuster from Ron a few months ago. Best telecaster style guitar I've ever played! You lads should consider getting some in.
I have a partscaster, and I absolutely love it. I also don’t think of it as “less than” swamp ash body, warmoth roasted maple neck with reverse headstock, gotoh locking tuners, graphtech nut, string tree, and saddles. HSH with coil splitters. You’d need a thick wallet to get that from fender.
I ordered an MJT, because they make them 10 miles from my house, in Missouri…..Excited to get it.
I just bought a Nash JM-63 from a guitar store in CT. It was the best guitar I played in the shop that day, including guitars from Gibson, Fender, PRS, and Suhr. I couldn’t let it walk away, so I picked it up. Maybe one day I’ll make my own partscaster, but I’ve never gone beyond extremely basic guitar maintenance, so there’s value to me in having a guitar that plays and sounds incredible, regardless of where the parts come from.
This video was super fun. Too many guitar players have this gatekeeper thing going on- if you love it and it sounds and plays well, then right on! I love the other direction and making Trash-Casters and Rat-o-Casters. The point is to take old crappy beater parts and see if I can make them better. Sometimes you can, sometimes not, but the one of a kind thing is priceless. I agree on selling them- unless you have a super niche angle (the reclaimed footbridge was rad), or massive skills, build them for yourself and for fun and just for practice.
Not sure how I'm just seeing you guys for the 1st time, but new subscriber here for sure. This was such a fun video! BTW around 4:07 ish... My buddy who I sometimes jam with also says "I've got problems." YOu'd be amazed the effed up stuff you can get away with saying if you end the sentence with that phrase. Cheers!
I've wanted a custom tele from Gray Guitars london ever since I saw Tom Gray's work. However, the idea of building something myself through warmouth is very tempting too.
yes, my Nash tele is a poartcaster, and it can not be better, i am so in love with that guitar
Where did you get the 2020 review t-shirt? I need one.
USACG went belly up. Was bought by MJT. I heard the guy who used to program the CNC machines for USACG is now at Sound Guitar Works in Tacoma, WA. There are a lot guitar manufactures in the Greater Seattle area, like Warmoth, TV Jones, Jason Lollar, Bill Nash. We have a lot of trees.
How do you feel about Gordon Smith guitars- they fit the small shop in-house build body & necks in-house wound pickups etc? Not crazy priced?
The RUclips auto play popped this on after the latest Trogly's episode, just as the UPS guy delivered my Partscaster body! And I walked back in here with the box and you guys are talking about Partscasters. I have a nice neck that I put a spaghetti Fender logo on, and I already have the Texas Specials to put in it! Nice video guys!
Lou's House freakyhow google algorithms know everything about you and guides your experiences to fit...seriously..
@@EdwardT9 Scary shit.
I agree with Jonathan, if I connect with the guitar, that's what's important to me. Doesn't matter if it's Fender Squier Gibson whatever.
There's apparently a great builder here in Europe that a RUclipsr called Dave Simpson uses called Oswald. Dave absolutely loves those things and I have to say, I've almost been tempted a couple of times. But it's difficult to order a guitar without actually geting your hands on one first, especially if you are spending boutique prices.
I have a Melancon (stunning boutique) and a Crook (parts but great tone and finish). Love both. Dont care how they are made.
I've never played a Nash I didnt love....but the fender MOD Shop might be my next adventure...( strums his amazing 179.00 Grote from Amazon)... love you guys.
My FrankenTele is a 2007 MIM Fender 50’s Classic Esquire body; a MIM Fender RI rosewood ‘62 neck with clay dots. A 3-compensated brass saddle bridge. A ‘repro ‘53 wiring harness, Gotoh top load gold tuners; a 3- ply tortoiseshell pick guard; a Seymour Duncan Antiquity P-90 in the neck, and a Fralin Broadcaster flat pole 2% overwound p/u in the bridge. It is a great guitar as good as any ever made...
I like well built partscasters, that really have a sound, play nice, and just work.
No problem.
So did Ry Cooder have a partscaster built the way he wanted?
Just sayin'
I can't justify building my own bodies and necks. So many great parts are available cheaper than I can build my own. It's putting the right stuff together the right way that counts.
Where does Anderson and Suhr fit into the boutique landscape. Figured you would mention them before Kirn and Senn.
Concerned Citizen they have their own video coming down the pipeline:) thanks for sharing!
I have a PRS Silver Sky, I have a partscaster that everything is Fender except the neck and body. I have played Suhr's and Fenders. You just gotta find what you love and damn it all.
I also put some of the boutique builders on par with Fender with regards to how I feel looking down at the name on the headstock.
A Schecter/Mighty Mite parts tele was my main gigging axe for several years. After owning it for 25 years I gave it to a nephew who plays.
I’ve never owned a Nash, but have played several, and all were excellent.
Through 45 years of weekend warrior gigging and occasional session work, I’ve come to depend on boutiques, because I know I can rely on the quality, and the search for a superb one is not the exhaustive process searching for a great G or F can be.
I have a bunch of both humbucker and single coil guitars, and not a single one is a Fender or Gibson. The closest thing I have is a Heritage 535; Gibson custom shop quality at half the price. Kudos to the crew on Parsons St in Kalamazoo.
My Kiesel is not boutique in the strictest sense, but I spec’d it out myself, and it’s a wonderful guitar.
👍🏼 to several of the outstanding builders that I feel privileged to patronize: Suhr, Tom Anderson, Don Grosh, James Tyler, Hahn, LSL, PRS.
happy to see LSL on your list....as a lefty...options are limited....picked up a used LSL TBoneOne last week...first custom shoppish guitar in my arsenal....nice guitar for sure.
As long as it plays and sounds great. So many great guitars and builders. I happen to like the Danocaster's.
I guess it would depend upon whether the luthier putting the parts caster together can make it really come to life with all the touches of fret work, rounded fingerboard,pickups, bridge etc. etc. etc.
I love the 2020 t-shirt! 😂
Thanks a bunch! My wife found that somewhere for me and I would say it sums up the year pretty well:)
Thanks a bunch for watching!
I have a golf background, and this practice is prevalent there, too. The "Anser" style is the golf version of the Strat-style. You could get one from a big name brand for $100-$150, or you can buy one from a different well-known name for $300, or you can get "no name" or "boutique" brands for $500+.
They use the same lines, too. "We source ourselves" "we do this", "we do that"... for one of the most basic putter styles known to golf.
There's a lot to be said about inexpensive guitars with upgrades and partscasters.
My T-style guitars are FGN by Fujigen. I'm putting a Bare Knuckle Flat 50 set in one of them. Eventually, I will put CTS pots in both of them.
I have 2, one Strat & one Telecaster...
The Strat in all Fender(except the bridge) with a Players Series neck, MIM body, and C.S. 69 "Abby" pickups.
The Telecaster has a "Nashville" neck, Wilkinson bridge with brass compensated saddles, and Seymour Duncan Antiquities pickups.
They are both amazing playing & sounding guitars, and set up with the preferences I wanted... the only way I could afford to have them!
I have never played a boutique build guitar. I have a PRS wood library CU24, Fender CS Tele I also have the least expensive Gretsch that you can buy, brand new it was just over $300 ( I did upgrade the p/u’s) I have a 40-year-old Yamaha acoustic that my parents bought me, it’s still fun to play. I love them all.
We have a guy in town who frequents all the pawn shops in town, to buy old worn and unloved chinese/indonesian guitars and rebuilds them with better parts and finishes, and puts his Phoenix waterslide decal on the headstock. They're fully disassembled, frets redressed or replaced and polished, and sometimes he makes new bodies with cool butcher block, chessboard or live edge woods. He also makes pickguards from old vinyl records. I'm sure he doesn't make much money at it, (he is retired with a pension though) but I did buy a strat from him and its a permanent part of my collection now, and a real workhorse. My point is, these builders are all subjective to your liking, but even the luthier's intent can be a catalyst for something new and different, not just the boutique nature of its new parts and assembly.
I have 2 MJT guitars (partscaster) and both are incredible!!!
I don't consider someone who can assemble parts - regardless of how well they can do that - to be a 'boutique' guitar - its a Partscaster assembled by someone who knows what they are doing. If anything, its a professionally assembled Partscaster - not a boutique built guitar!
Someone who builds the guitar from RAW materials - even if they don't make their own hardware - to be 'built' by the 'brand' name. I don't care if they use CNC to get the basic shape before finishing by hand OR uses nothing but hand tools (no power tools) - they can use a trained beaver for all I care, its the fact they built the guitar themselves.
As far as I am concerned, the only difference between Boutique or not is the 'scale' of the operation and does not mean a boutique build is 'better', just means they make 'fewer' guitars that are perhaps not as readily available. Boutique has come to mean 'better' when in reality its more about 'scale'. There is nothing stopping a larger scale builder putting in the same time and effort to ensure that each instrument is the best it can be, not worry about making their quota for a paycheck.
If someone is good at parting parts together, then I don't see any reason they shouldn't get paid for their time in doing so but they should really be classed as a 'professionally assembled partscaster' to separate them from some 'hobbyist' who put a partscaster together and then selling it on...
Its maybe a bit pedantic but at the end of the day, the final instrument is what matters but how someone just assembling parts without making any of them themselves can call themselves 'boutique builders' and charge the money they do is absolutely ridiculous!!
My thoughts exactly. I would feel cheated if i thought i was buying a ‘boutique’ instrument and it was just assembled parts!
Well said. To add though, it’s really the buyer’s responsibility to know what they are buying. There is enough information out there with anyone with half an interest to figure this all out. I’ve owned ‘expensive’ boutique strats, custom shop, and ‘brand partscasters’. At my age it has come down to - when the feel, tone (and for me the greatest of these is tone, and feel is close second) , look, and price work for you, buy it. Forget brand. Btw, not plugging brand, but I just got a Nash S-57 that has blown me away. And I have a tele from a guy who is not well liked on forums, but it is the best tele I’ve ever played, after about 5 teles or so, it was just head and shoulders above - for me. I know what my ears and hands tell me. I can look past the rest. Now if I could switch both for a FCS at the same price point, I’d do it in a heartbeat :-). I’m a child of the 60’s and Fender and Gibson brands are just formative for me.