phantasmagorovich wrote:Same here, we have a pretty restrictive taxing. At least there are some national companies like Höfner, Framus, Warwick etc. There are also some smaller builders that either work custom or build replicas of the great beasts of yore. That means they build strats and teles mostly. That is kinda boring to me, but the worst thing is how these things are priced. The big companies produce in China and prices are a close match to Fender, Gibson and big American companies. I wonder why they would not beat those prices? At least in a higher quality segment, when it comes to domestic built instruments that should be possible. On the other hand the small builders either price according to prices American boutique stuff will fetch here, or, even worse, price according to the vintage market over here. A sought after vintage model will be much more over here than in the us. Back then pricing was much more prohibitive than it is now and stuff is lots rarer. A good vintage tele (as an example) will be harder to come by and much more expensive. Thus replicas will also be expensive.
In the end you can either buy new American stuff, which will be more than in the states but that kinda feels right. Or you can go vintage European (German mostly) instruments and find a bargain there.
I've found a few really unique builders in Germany and a few of the surrounding countries, but they're all really expensive. My favourite EU builder is Wild Custom Guitars. They have Korean-made and French-made gear, so it caters for all budgets. And the great thing about the cheaper stuff is that you can still use high quality hardware and electronics. They produce the core bodies in Korea but finish and set-up the instrument in Vichy, France by hand. That means you're getting a high quality guitar at around €1000. They function in the same way Duesenberg do, I think. Check them out if you haven't already. It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I adore their style.
There's also Diemel Guitar Works, Nick Page Guitars, and Helliver Guitars, etc. But you're absolutely right on all points. I was interested in having someone in the EU build me a Telecaster-style guitar, but it became much more cost-effective to wait for an imported MIJ Fender to crop up and snag one, which I did. The guitar is good, despite problems, but the great thing is how it will hold its value. These German, French, Swedish boutique builders don't hold their value in this part of the world. It's all right if you lived in America as selling boutique guitars and amps there is easy, but I could wait a year before someone comes across my adverts and buys my Diemel, for instance. That's why I don't invest in them. It makes me unsure about what to do and forces me to buy second-hand Japanese clones, which ultimately need work to be right. It's debilitating.
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I actually usually read ILF first, but keep both tabs open concurrently.
