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What's "boutique" mean to you as it relates to guitars?


polara

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I made the mistake of visiting TGP and there was some kind of pissing match over small-company builders. And people dissing and defending what's called "boutique."

It's a tricky term. Wikipedia says:

A boutique is "a small store that sells stylish clothing, jewelry, or other usually luxury goods".[1] The word is French for "shop", which derives ultimately from the Greek ἀποθήκη (apothēkē) or "storehouse".[2][3]

The term "boutique" and also "designer" refer (with some differences) to both goods and services which are containing some element that is claimed to justify an extremely high price, itself called boutique pricing. As with the fine art market, and the use of art in money laundering schemes, national governments have to be concerned with boutique shops and the high pricing of boutique goods as instruments in fraud and other financial schemes.

In the 'lectrick guitar world it gets used on stuff that's expensive, and sometimes limited-production. You'll hear people say PRS is "boutique" or that no, Collings is, and then no you have to be even smaller, and it's just when it's a guy in the woods selling one instrument a year. Then amps and pedals. Probably picks and straps if you want to really get yer panties in a wad. And was Hamer a "boutique" builder in the beginning?

I kinda like stuff that could be called boutique. Partly I just like stuff that's unusual. Partly I like supporting small companies that are driven by enthusiasm. Finally, the quality is often (but not always) a bit better than the usual.

My Tencount amp was handmade by a guy. But he was a guy who worked in a Guitar Center. But it's made of really nice parts. But it's not expensive... less than a Princeton or Line 6, in fact. Is that boutique?

My Mad Professor pedals are boutique, right? They aren't Boss or MXR. But... they're made in a factory. But by Swedes or Finns! But on PCBs. But they have weird names! Is that boutique?

My Tom Anderson guitar was custom-made. And high-quality. and only a few guys work in the shop. But they make 700 or 800 guitars a year. And are well-known. And it was custom-ordered to be shop stock. And it was cheaper than lots of Gibsons and Fenders and Gretsches. Is that boutique?

Where do ya'll fall in boo-teek-land? Kinda like it? Kinda dislike it? Hate the while idea? Don't give a rat's ass?

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On the guitar side I don't honestly care. My main guitar was $900 with another $200 for a pair of Bartolinis, and much more expensive stuff sits and collects dust. And it's basswood (the horror! lol) :) I don't look down on the super fancy stuff (I've had a few, not tons though) or the players of super fancy stuff, I'm just (really) happy my playing ability suits my Ibanez Jem perfectly, and vice versa. 

I don't get into boutique amps at all. I have a Mark series Boogie, and I'm set for life. Pedals I don't know much about honestly, I have an AX8 and though a massive PITA for me to program I can get it to do what I need and the quality of the effects is very high.

Now basses are another story :)  I think there is a LOT to be said for the boutique bass companies, and I went through nearly every bass company until I stumbled on STR. I've owned Foderas, Smiths, Elricks, Moduluses (Modulii?) Zons, and basically everyone else as well except for Alembic. The only way to get one of my STRs from me is in my will :)

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Well, I am sure you will be SHOCKED to find out I kinda like it!

There is something nice about finding a small builder that builds at a high level, often doing everything him/herself. Generally something(s) you will not find "off the shelf". And even if they make a line of guitars, they are generally made one at a time, often to specific custom orders.

Closest example, IMO......Mike Shishkov. Well under 100 made thus far. Does have specific models he tends to work from, but certainly personalizes each one. And stretches the builds beyond the basic. No, I have not yet played one. But I do hope to do so VERY soon. And compared to other small, specialized builders, i would argue his (direct sale) prices are bargains.

Another favorite is Frank Hartung. Well under 300 instruments built in his entire history. Another one man shop. His guitars are at the highest level, IMO. And they have some peculiarities that I find a refreshing take on the "same ol', same ol.'"

Scott Walker in California does great work. Very expensive, sometimes somewhat eccentric builds......Seems to have a THREE YEAR waiting list. I backed away from that long a commitment, but have stumbled onto some great ones used.......For way less than the apparent $7k entry level price.

David Myka in Seattle. VERY small production. Unfortunately not currently producing. Damn shame!

The interesting thing is when a boo-teak builder expands. Are they still as unique when they have several employees all building? Case in point....Nik Huber----He now has many employees, a bigger shop and may be nearing the point of making as many guitars a year as Frank Hartung has in his lifetime. I consider them similar in terms of quality, but feel Frank's builds have a bit more "personality". Others might say "quirkiness".

Ron Thorn....Another I consider way up there. Now moved on to FCS. He built a lot of guitars over many years, using a small group of employees. Wish I had discovered him earlier, like when I lived a few miles down the road from him. A real missed opportunity!

Hamer, PRS, others.....A bit harder to say boutique when you have made well over 50,000 guitars. Or 250,000. And when you have (had) stock models built in relatively large numbers.

Not to denigrate the big makers. Hell, such a Henry at Gibson can do  that well enough all by his lonesome. All those big established outfits made great, highly revered instruments over many years. If they had not, they would not be the benchmark we use to evaluate others. But in going for quantity (often) over quality, and by expanding into all price ranges (Strats from $200 to over $10,000) they have a hazier image. PRS also has lines running from hundreds of dollars to well OVER $10,000.

My typical long winded way of saying that you can get good to great instruments at a decent price----Sometimes you have to "run the racks". God knows that millions have been built.----But if a person is able and willing to spend stupid money on a boutique builder (AND figure out what they really want) there are rewards to following the path less taken.

Number 88! Number 88! Number 88!

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I think of it via this stratification:

Boutique: Totally made-to-order, usually a single builder or very small team, wood components mostly/exclusively made in-house, and often sold directly to the customer. Think: Shishkov

High-end, low production: Combination of COs and some stock builds, more division of labor amongst an an emoloyee group, might include some outsourced fabrication/woodwork, more often distributed via dealers. Think: Hamer in the late '70s, early '80s. 

Assemblers: Conversion outfits that finish and assemble outsourced parts. Think: Crook, the original Zion. 

Mass production: Large scale manufacturing, with multiple employees working in narrowly focused departments, well defined division of labor, emphasis on automated wood component production, established product line with standard features, a relatively vast dealer network and online presence. Think: duh...

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Merriam Webster online dictionary, def'n #2 - : a small company that offers highly specialized services or products

  • boutique wineries
  • an independent investment boutique

Seems like a reasonable place to start. Note that prices don't seem to be a factor.  

Gibson - not small, nor specialized (thank you Henry for the life style branding effort)  

PRS - not small. 

Shishkov  - yes.  Small company - handful of people. Specializing in electric guitar building.  No amps.  Not very many production models currently available (3  - single cut, double cut and 1 arrow shaped guitar; Ultimates are not being made for the foreseeable future) 

Even my old paralegal (he was only posing as a paralegal  - he actually was  a professor of medieval music at the University of Chicago) is a boutique builder:http://masonguitars.net/guitars/grand-auditorium/

Hamer - At the very beginning and at the very end.

 

The M-W definition works for me. Although it sure wouldn't work for TGP.

 

 

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Boutique to me would be a brand of guitar that impresses two kinds of people - 

The smaller group would be people that genuinely appreciate the artistry and subtle little touches that specific luthiers impart into their creations.  This group could actually care less what it cost, be it one of several sub $1000 partscasters that some local wizard with a magic touch seems to just be able to do better than logic dictates or some $10k statement of perfection in your art.  It's all about an appreciation of a rare level of craftsmanship for its own sake. 

The larger group I would say are people that never play guitar for money, much less a living, and are essentially guitar nerds that chase exclusivity for its own sake . Because of the money they spend on the chase, must believe that that $10k custom build is superior in every way to anything mere mortals could ever posses.

The main difference between the two is that the smaller group, while they love the artistry of a well built guitar and will even pay good money to own one, also understands that there are a lot of, for instance, ridiculously badass $500 strats around from totally banal years like 1994 or 2003 and have no problem unironically playing the shit out of one as their No. 1. 

I guess what both groups have in common, and how I define boutique brands, is that they tend to be made by only a small group, if not one, person.  I don't even think the custom order thing is a huge deal as I feel like some builders want to make a very specific thing for a very specific crowd.   But the low production numbers and having the same people involved from the carving of the pieces all the way through painting and wiring to me is a big part of it. 

I'd be curious how you define the custom shop efforts of brands like Charvel.  On the one hand, import production is the antithesis of boutique.  But on the other, you'd be hard pressed to find many other brands that get produced as slowly and spend as much time in the same hands as a Jackson or Charvel CS order it would seem.  The one CS I have from Charvel was done stem to stern by the same guy, according to the inspection card.  And they are on a two year wait I believe and produce very, very few guitars a week.  That's all the trappings of boutique despite being smack dab in the heart of the Fender facility. 

Does it have to be all boutique or none at all?  

Then again, having wasted 10 minutes typing all of this, I guess I could really give a shit about boutique anything. I either think it is cool or I don't.  I bought one of Mike's guitars because I love Hamers, I was excited to see where his ideas on where to go next may take him, and it was an opportunity to support a small business just getting started while getting a fantastic deal on something that will get a lot of use from me.   I don't think the idea of it being "boutique" really ever crossed my mind as a factor.  

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3 hours ago, RobB said:

Boutique: Anything I can't (or will not) afford to purchase.

This is one of the main reasons I buy used over new, and this goes for assembled parts guitars, too.  I recently snagged a used Cabronita/Tele style guitar from DGS with a double-bound, relic'd MJT ash body, big Musikraft roasted figured maple neck (.99" at the 1st fret, 1.01" at the 12th) with what looks like stainless steel frets, a TysonTone P-90 in the neck and a Lollar P-90 in the bridge, and Glendale hardware.  The used price was roughly equivalent to a new Fender Mexico-made Tele, but I can only guess at how much it cost the original owner to assemble it...and it's kinda scary when I start crunching the numbers on new parts in comparison.  I like it a lot, but would I have had one built for me like this?  No way...too pricey.  I've given it the affectionate nickname of 'The Money Pit', though it hasn't cost me any more than the used purchase price.

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I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that it's all marketing to me; If a company presents itself as small-batch and "detail-oriented", I'd call that boutique.  This is often accompanied by either legit or optical wait lists, hip and modern web sites, etc. that come along with the impression of detail-oriented.  (Edit)  This is all done to increase the desirability of the product.

In other industries I think they have other terms for it...  it's "farm to table" for food, for example.  I think it's best typified by this video:

There are lots of other really useful semantic distinctions to be made (wide open custom options, single builder, years of experience) but in terms of the term "boutique", it reads as marketing to me.

 

 

* Perhaps ironically, "artisanal firewood" is one way you could describe boutique guitars.  ;)

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"Boutique" to me means a choice of extras, like a massive figured maple body, as that seems hard to get, especially as one piece. Also if they do special things, as your body and/or headstock designs, your choice of electronics and hardware, that is how I would define "boutique". Boutique amps? I don't know, I use Mesa Boogie. I wouldn't call them boutique (except for those that have a figured maple cabinets), but amp with nice features. A Jazz box with a handcarved top I'd call boutique. A Charvel San Dimas type guitar? I don't know...  I don't think a boutique guitar is an overall better guitar. I once played a MIM Fender Tele, all original, that was nice to play and had a nice sound, and I am not a Tele guy.

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                                                            HAMER GUITARS! The original USA models made in 1973. HAMER  were one of the first "BOUTIQUE" guitar maufactuers.BOUTIQUE to me means something special, out of the ordinary, made with great attention to detail, and of very high quality using the best materials available. Also................

  • Hamer was the 1st company to use exposed coils on a guitar.

  • Hamer was the 1st company to use black hardware on a guitar.

  • Hamer was the 1st company to offer graphics as an option on a guitar.  Available to buy of the very first ones made signed by  members of Cheap Trick

  • Hamer was the 1st company to offer custom options on a guitar.

  • Hamer was the 1st company to offer a real Floyd Rose tremolo on a production guitar.

  • Hamer was the 1st company to offer a locking tuner on a production guitar.

  • Hamer was the 1st company to offer a production 12-string bass guitar.

  • Hamer was the 1st company to offer a workable production hybrid electric/acoustic guitar.

 

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It's going to be easier to have some agreement on what counts as "custom" because, well, such things are usually one-offs or, at the least, not production-shelf offerings.

However, I don't see any resolution to what counts as "boutique," because most any criteria given appears to be arbitrary and subjective. The only objective criteria I can see is that, for something to count as boutique, it has to be sold by a broad in a pink skirt.

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53 minutes ago, FGJ said:

It's going to be easier to have some agreement on what counts as "custom" because, well, such things are usually one-offs or, at the least, not production-shelf offerings.

However, I don't see any resolution to what counts as "boutique," because most any criteria given appears to be arbitrary and subjective. The only objective criteria I can see is that, for something to count as boutique, it has to be sold by a broad in a pink skirt.

Not if she works at Nordstrom.

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9 hours ago, scottcald said:

 

 

9 hours ago, scottcald said:
15 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

@sixesandsevens ^^^^^Winner Winner! Farm to table, fair trade, non GMO, certified organic, sustainably harvested, free range, hormone free chicken dinner!^^^^^

Fixed that. 

Fixed it even gooder.

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1 hour ago, gtrdaddy said:

Jimmy Buffett used their guitars through late ‘80s through late ‘90s when Paul Reed Smith began paying Jimmy to use his guitars on stage.

I didn't realize that Jimmy Buffett was a paid endorser of PRS. Weird that they would pay a cult leader of mostly non-musician followers to strum open chords that no one actually hears in concert. Isn't that kind of like Mizuno or Rawlings paying Tom Berenger and Kevin Costner to wear their pro-grade baseball gear in a movie? 

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1 hour ago, gtrdaddy said:

Not so. The first Electric / Acoustic hybrid guitars were from REAL BOUTIQUE builders The Guitar Factory in 1987 which consisted all of Doug Montgomery and Bill Fels. Jimmy Buffett used their guitars through late ‘80s through late ‘90s when Paul Reed Smith began paying Jimmy to use his guitars on stage. Bill and Doug couldn’t afford to give those guitars away, let alone give them away and pay him. Warren Hayneshad one built for him in ‘89, as well as Rick Derringer, Kirk Hammett and others. I have pics of some of these builds I’ll have to post later when I get to my computer. I built their website for them  in the early/mid nineties. I threw them the keys to the site 20+ years ago and it’s pretty much falling apart with broken links, and code. Rick Nielsen even had them build one for him in ‘90 if I recall the year correctly.....perhaps this is where Hamer got the idea, because their preamps are almost identical to Guitar Factory’s. I’m certain Rick strolled over with a Guitar Factory EA and said “Hey whatcha think guys?” Because it wasn’t long after they built that guitar for Mr Nielsen that Hamer released theirs... things that make you go hmmm. I bet that Dave @The Shark remembers Billy and Doug.

                                    Interesting..........................I look forward to seeing those.:)

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11 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

Almost forgot, here are a few shots of mine:

2B4DB174-AAEC-4041-927C-98CA41A2BB98.gif                           Well I must say those are pretty darn cool! And I'm sure I have seen one of those artists playing one but never knew what they were, I have owned 1 Ovation acoustic electric.LOL!....................which is not the same animal these are.Finish wise I like the Red/Sunburst and your green one.....................very nice! Off hand what is the $$$ on these and if you know and have owned or played one how do they compare to the Hamer Duo Tone? Well I guess its never too late to learn something new, thanks for sharing.:)

 

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