Boo-Teek Geetars

[OffYourFace]

I’ve found myself desiring a boutique guitar. Maybe it’ll pass, who knows. But I recently played a Grosh Electrojet and a Tom Anderson Strat and both necks felt amazing. I especially liked the Grosh.

The Grosh had medium jumbo stainless steel frets. I did not know they were stainless until later. They felt, played and looked amazing. I never bothered to try SS frets but now I’m a fan. The guitar is at least 10 years old, gets played daily and there’s no divots. I couldn’t believe it. Since I didn’t know it had SS frets, there was no prejudice and I didn’t hear anything weird. It also had a Madagascar Rosewood board that felt and looked amazing.

Does anyone here have an Electrojet? Or what other boutique guitars do you all like?

[marqueemoon]

A local shop had an Electrojet for a while. Nice playing guitar for sure.

I have my Rhoneys and my Philip Kubicki koa Strat. The Strat is REALLY 90’s looking, but as the years have gone on it has aged ok. It’s a traditional SSS setup.

I think with boutique stuff you have to accept the possibility that you will be taking a loss if you sell down the road, but the upside is getting something unique that’s better suited to what you do. I sold vintage guitars to buy my Rhoneys and have zero regrets.

[OffYourFace]

That’s true. I’ve noticed that some used Electrojets sell for under $2k on Reverb but you’re probably going to have to compromise with specs.

[Stereordinary]

I sold vintage guitars to buy my Rhoneys and have zero regrets.

[stevejamsecono]

Does anyone here have an Electrojet? Or what other boutique guitars do you all like?

One of my best friends in the Brooklyn music scene has a dual P90 Electrojet and I can confirm that it's a fantastic guitar. Plays and sounds great and it's always a pleasure when he lets me give it a spin. Definitely feels a cut above the standard Fender from my experience.

I'm scheming to order a custom Gordon Smith when my Christmas bonus shows up. Looking to combine favorite aspects of a few of my guitars into one thing and should be a fun, not TOO spendy experiment.

[fuzzjunkie]

I have wanted a Koll build for a while. Some friends have had a few and all were excellent. They’ve always been out of my price range. This Duo Glide he built for Mary Timony is almost perfect.



The Novo Serus J models seem like they are high quality, but the body looks so large and the headstock’s distracting.

[Maggieo]

Collings makes the most perfect guitars in the world, at least all of them I've played at Lidgett's. Just amazing.

That said, I love my Rick Kelly Bowery Pine Tele and my Hahn Model C, both Tele types. I had a Creston that was amazeballs, and my new Powers Electric is absolute a work of art and amazing to play. Oh, and my Rhoney Oceana Jr. is some seriously fine luthier art.

I am of no help am I?


Paul Rhoney Guitars Oceana Jr., March 20, 2020 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr


Rick Kelly Bowery Pine Snakehead Tele, January 04, 2018 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr


Hahn Jim Campilongo Model C, May 08, 2018 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr


The Flying Dutchman, March 30, 2011 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr


Powers Electric A-Type, November 22, 2023 by Maggie Osterberg, on Flickr

[Chippertheripper]

There aren’t a ton within my regular geographical meanderings to have a strong opinion about them, and I generally prefer a gussied up cheap or mid priced guitar over something expensive out the box, but I’ll say this: what you’ve read is true…suhr has some of, if not the best fretwork in the business.

I do have a millimetric in the que, but that’s as fancy as I’ll ever get.

[windmill]

Well I had this built to my specifications, and have played it almost everyday since.

One of the best decisions I have ever made





HTH

[Dok]

I already have one custom-made Charters/Kal-Tone fashioned exactly to my specifications...



And I'm damn near ready to pull the trigger on another one...

[Stereordinary]

I have wanted a Koll build for a while. Some friends have had a few and all were excellent.

I've always wanted a Koll.

[OffYourFace]

I generally prefer a gussied up cheap or mid priced guitar over something expensive out the box

Same here but at the end of the day I realize i'm just buying mass produced assembly-line products from a corporation and not a luthier/artist. I don't know exactly how Grosh guitars are produced but the neck and fret detail really impressed me. OTOH, they are based on Fender type guitars and use Gotoh hardware but they also seem to make their own pickups.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Not trying to put anyone's nose out of joint, and I get that not all the guitars shown here are copies, but my typical reaction to boutique guitars is "What is Fender (or whoever) doing so wrong that somebody wants to pay several times the price for a copy?".

But I guess OYF sums it up perfectly:

at the end of the day I realize i'm just buying mass produced assembly-line products from a corporation and not a luthier/artist.

Our local boo-teek guy, Jimmy Moon, has retired now, but my friend who bought one of his guitars in the mid-'80s still uses it regularly enough to suggest it's a good one.

[Chippertheripper]

I generally prefer a gussied up cheap or mid priced guitar over something expensive out the box

Same here but at the end of the day I realize i'm just buying mass produced assembly-line products from a corporation and not a luthier/artist. I don't know exactly how Grosh guitars are produced but the neck and fret detail really impressed me. OTOH, they are based on Fender type guitars and use Gotoh hardware but they also seem to make their own pickups.

You’re absolutely not gonna get any shade from me on this one. Get the guitar that you can’t put down.

[X-Ray Spex]

I am also in the camp of why would you pay so much for a boutique guitar that is just a copy of an already mass produced Fender / Gibson etc?

If you're going boutique go all out with new designs or materials, companies like Aristides , Motor Ave ,TTTides , Baguley ,Electrical Guitar Company.

The only ''boutique'' guitar I own is an Electrical Guitar Company Custom 500. It's worth it to me for an entirely original design, pickups, and heavy use of alternative materials rather than a copy of at least 50 year old designs.