Factory made guitars VS High-end Luthier made guitars !!!!!

[fpuhan]

Originally Posted by b1j

Why do we play guitar? Only a couple of comments here hint at that. It seems to me that it is the starting point for this discussion. Coming hard on its heels is the next question: what is our talent level?

Answer those first, and the answer to Dennis’s question clears up considerably.

Maybe. But even those of us with moderate skill/talent might seek a better experience. As long as we can afford to have a custom-made or high-end factory guitar, why not?

[KevWind]

Read the thread.
As usual It runs the gamut

While there is arguably merit to the notion until you have spent time with custom luthier builds you don't really know (sounds reasonable but)
Unfortunately there is no amount of skill or experience level, that magically erases the possibility of "Expectation Bias"

As much as we with years and years of experience would love to believe we are "the ones" who have the discerning ears.... The reality is until one actually participates in blind A/B tests and can consistently pick out the luthier builds over the better factory builds ..
We are all in fact just speculating and all subject to possible bias ...... and that is all I will say .............................

[Glob]

Originally Posted by Pickcity

This is an interesting thread. Everyone is different and will have their own approach, according to what it is they are trying to accomplish with an instrument. For me it is writing songs (with lyrics and vocals), performing those songs, recording those songs, and having fun wherever I play. I can accomplish these things with pretty much any decent guitar. The next guy may be strictly a composer of guitar tunes, or a professional classical guitarist. This means that all of us have very different needs. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer to factory vs boutique luthiers. Only individual answers according to our own personal needs.

I still stick by my previous response that the higher the price goes, the greater the diminishing return. For example, most would expect a $5,000 instrument to be a really great performer, so we would expect a $10,000 instrument to be exceptional...Definitely better than the great $5,000 guitar, but is it really double the price better? Again, JMO, and it is completely subjective....I can appreciate the guys who have such fine tastes. I'm not one of them, but I can appreciate them.

Amen to this post - on MANY levels.

I have a few expensive guitars. They're better than the $500 type. But I could do what I do today - and get the same beautiful emotion with a cheapo. And indeed I did when I was younger and really poor, and I had the best of time.

But I'm older and wealthier now. Whatever my skill level, I offered myself something that is more than just an instrument: a sign of my progress (in life), a reward to my young self who would have killed for the guitar I play today, and something by which I can appreciate craftsmanship, passion and dedication. Perhaps because if I was a builder, I would put that level of pride in what I do. Perhaps because I'd love to be a builder.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by wisedennis

Have you ever played any “Factory-made guitar”, which can beat or get very close to “High-end Luthier-made” guitars in terms of playability, tone and volume?

If yes, what are they?

A lot of them, thank you.

[Guitarplayer_PR]

Originally Posted by wisedennis

Have you ever played any “Factory-made guitar”, which can beat or get very close to “High-end Luthier-made” guitars in terms of playability, tone and volume?

If yes, what are they?

The premise is totally sketchy.

1) Factory-made guitars can cost from $50 to $100K. I've never seen any "high-end luthier made" guitar come even close to a half of the more expensive ones.

2) There is absolutely no price or cost for any of the factors you mentioned. Playability, tone and volume don't have any value or cost by themselves. Besides, how can anyone put a price tag on how a guitar sounds? Is the Gibson sound more valuable than a Taylor sound? Is the low action more expensive or better than the high action (when for just a few bucks anyone can set the action to that person's preference)? Is a bright guitar better than a warm one just because?

3) Is a luthier-made guitar, by definition, regardless of the price, better than a mass produced guitar?

Think about it.

[Aspiring]

From my personal experience I chose a luthier built guitar that came home with me from B.I.G last year from amongst a selection of amazing instruments from my play testing and hearing Tony McManus and other players give it a go. To me it is subtly nicer as a combination of everything than anything else I have come across in my journey to date.

I have a couple other Luthier built guitars such as my Ted Thompson T2 and my Kronbauer TDK that to my ears and hands out played the big factory guitars I tried at anywhere near a similar price point.

But, I also have an Avalon that I picked up last year for less than several of my Luthier guitars that easily holds its own in terms of tone finish and playability (although not ergonomics) with my Luthier built ones and has had very favorable reactions from many of my guitar playing friends that have tried it.

As others are stating I think at this end of the range it is all about the individual instrument and that there are very few "bad" options it is all a matter of what suits your own tastes and my experience is I'm more likely to find a luthier built guitar at the same price point that suits my taste.

I also tried a Bourgeois Coupe that another forum member owns and I will say it is an instrument that certainly plays in the same space as my Luthier built ones as well. Different for sure but one I could see myself reaching for just as often in their company.

[b1j]

Bear in mind that my first and only guitar for nearly forty years could be considered a luthier-made guitar. Michael Gurian used hand production techniques the big companies had long since automated. His wood selection and herringbone were unmatched. His staff went on to found some of the high-end small shops we revere today, Froggy Bottom among them, and I know there are others.

I still remember the day in Terminal Music in NYC when I sat for hours going back and forth between it and my other finalist. I know it was a new Martin, but I can no longer remember which model. The store guy put it in my hands as a comparator, so maybe it was a 000-28? Anyway, on that day I had MARTIN stars in my eyes: the holy Grail! How can I not take home the Martin? I just ended up preferring the unknown brand. I liked the mighty tone, the volume and projection, and if I’m honest, the beauty of the materials and appointments.

Maybe not exactly the point of this thread, because the Gurian was like fifty bucks more that the Martin. But I know that I was taken in by the obvious superiority of the Gurian’s fit and finish on that day.

I was 22 and still eking out my last year in college, but I stretched to get the more lovely and sonorous instrument. More than anything, my guitar felt unique: no on else played a Gurian in my circle, or even in the decades since. So I think I get the point of this thread after all.

[Koda]

I own and/or have owned Ryan, Charis, Goodall, R. Taylor, Taylor, and Avalon.

After deciding it was time for an OM I acquired a very nice, used Collings OM1 and to my surprise, it's one of my favorite guitars that I've owned.

Build quality is impeccable of course, playability and neck is excellent, and the tone is superb. It's a really great guitar for finger style and flat picking.

Having had the blessing of all of these fine instruments I think I'm qualified, if that's really the right word to use, to say that Collings definitely competes!!

Just my opinion of course!