In the world of Gibson, Ibanez, and Fender, is there a place for boutique guitar manufacturers? Given how much a really good guitar from one of the more renowned guitar boutiques may cost, are they really worth it? The answer is yes, for both simple and practice reasons. Read on to understand why boutique guitars are actually more than worth their price.
Uniquely Better
The main difference between boutique guitars and big brand guitars is the fact that the former is created while the latter is manufactured. The terms might seem synonymous, but that’s not quite true in this context. Every big brand manufactures their models by the hundreds of thousands using machines. Each piece in the designated model line is a copy of the other, built on the same specifics of the same factory template.
In a guitar boutique, the luthiers handcraft every guitar they build with the precision and attention that only master luthiers can bring to the creation process. Each guitar is a unique piece of fabulous musical instrument like no other, created using the experience and skills of one or more master guitar makers. Therefore, no decent musician would even compare the sound quality of handmade Goodall guitars or Bourgeoise guitars with that of the mass manufactured copies from the big brands.
Built to Last
As long as you take good care of your guitar, it will last a long time. While that’s true for both high-end mass manufactured guitars and boutique guitars, there is still a big difference. If you own a good, high-end model from one of the big name musical instrument manufacturers, it will last for a long time with proper care.
However, if you bought a boutique guitar that was handcrafted from seasoned Sinker redwood and Honduran Mahogany, and finished by a master luthier personally, that’s a guitar which may last you a lifetime or more. Note that just like any other guitar, you will need to take good care of boutique guitars too. If you do make that effort towards preserving it, there is no telling how many decades the instrument ma last.
Better Music
The extra money you will be paying is not just for hardier materials, better craftsmanship, and unique designs, impressive as the list already is. You are paying more for a superior instrument that can produce superior music as well. Even if you are a novice at this point, you will be able to clearly recognize the superiority of full-bodied, rich notes that only handcrafted guitars by master luthiers can produce.
As you gain more experience down the line, the difference between music generated by a boutique guitar and a mass manufactured guitar will become painfully more obvious. In fact, several famous musicians have their own collection of handmade, customized guitars at home. They may advertise for the big brands, but they are well aware of the differences between musical instruments created by master luthiers and those made at mass manufacturing plants.
