Have you been to anyone's shop local to you? I stop at now & then are Del Langejans in Holland, MI, and Galloup Guitars in Big Rapids, MI. They both craft guitars starting around $3,000.00, way out of my price range :shock: but great guitars nonetheless. They both have websites, check 'em out. Bryan Galloup told me he only builds about 15 guitars a year.
I bought a couple instruments several years ago from an old guy who I met at a festivel we were playing, he built mandolins mainly, but also banjos, guitars, dobros, etc. He invited me over, and I was pretty impressed, he had a real manufacturing facility set up in the pole barn behind his house. He sez " I got 50 mandolins going right now", and he showed me all the backs he'd carved, "this one's rock maple, this one's michigan maple, this one's black walnut, this one's birdseye maple...". He also had little cubbyholes with old, select pieces of spruce he was using for the tops, real tight grain with no imperfections.
I came back when he was finished with some and bought the birdseye maple one, it's a thing of beauty. Now, he ain't no Del or Bryan, but his stuff was pretty nice. I played a few, and not only was the birdseye one the nicest looking, it screamed "Whaddya gotta have for this one, Martin?" He sez, well for you, $250.00. :shock: I laid 250 clams on him, real quick.
I also bought a nice 5-string banjo from him later. He's retired now, but what fun that was
I bought a couple instruments several years ago from an old guy who I met at a festivel we were playing, he built mandolins mainly, but also banjos, guitars, dobros, etc. He invited me over, and I was pretty impressed, he had a real manufacturing facility set up in the pole barn behind his house. He sez " I got 50 mandolins going right now", and he showed me all the backs he'd carved, "this one's rock maple, this one's michigan maple, this one's black walnut, this one's birdseye maple...". He also had little cubbyholes with old, select pieces of spruce he was using for the tops, real tight grain with no imperfections.
I came back when he was finished with some and bought the birdseye maple one, it's a thing of beauty. Now, he ain't no Del or Bryan, but his stuff was pretty nice. I played a few, and not only was the birdseye one the nicest looking, it screamed "Whaddya gotta have for this one, Martin?" He sez, well for you, $250.00. :shock: I laid 250 clams on him, real quick.
I also bought a nice 5-string banjo from him later. He's retired now, but what fun that was