Take care of your finances first

First of all, (almost) no one NEEDS a new guitar. Before you let your GAS drive you, make sure you earn enough, your savings are fine, and your family is not suffering from your “hobby”. People can get addicted to buying gear, just like alcohol or poker. I’m not saying this lightly - guitars, especially more expensive ones, are luxury items for most of us, and nothing justifies sacrificing your or your family's needs to get a new piece of equipment. That being said… let’s dive in.

Boutique guitars are expensive for a reason

I guarantee that most boutique guitar brands would love to lower their prices. If Tyler, Anderson, PRS, or Music Man could sell their guitars at half price, they would. They would be more accessible for a regular buyer and thus available for a much broader market. They can’t, for multiple reasons:

• Boutique brands are often small companies, with high costs: skilled employees, expensive specialistic tools, high-quality parts, and wood. For example: cost of pickups. Ordering 100 pickups from a renowned, high-quality winder (Fralin, Bare Knuckle) is an order of magnitude more costly than making the same amount in-house, with a disputable consistency.

• The percentage of revenue these companies have to spend on marketing is much higher than in the case of mass-market, corporate brands, just to be seen, not to mention brand awareness to a wider audience

• R&D (Intellectual Property). Tyler’s Demeter preamp, Anderson’s trapezoid bolt-on neck mount, Knaggs’ tremolos, Novo’s wood tempering (roasting), PRS’ finishes, Valiant’s regulated nut… R&D teams spend years of research to deliver a small upgrade to an already well-optimized high-end guitar. That is a cost, too.

• Very often, the amount of possible customizations in a build is overwhelming. The custom shop offering you various modifications has to make sure it has the necessary parts, tools, and employees who are skilled for the job. A pickup winder, who knows how to make tiny adjustments to their creation so it matches your needs, is like a heart surgeon.

• Small brands don’t have the perks of corporations: tax optimization, cheap labor (exploited workers), and a big chain of dealers selling hundreds, if not thousands, of guitars yearly. A brand like Fender doesn’t need to try to win a customer - they will introduce a “new” model, put a bit of sugar-coated marketing, and it sells. Actually, in the case of mass-market brands, the more they try to innovate, the louder the complaints are. The status quo is a safe space for an average customer.

Trying to lower the costs against all odds often leads to lower quality, a rushed manufacturing process, and a lack of innovation. These are the pillars of the art of boutique guitar making, so as sad as it sounds, high-end guitars are and will be progressively more expensive.

So who needs an expensive guitar?

On the other hand, if you find something that you really love in the boutique guitar world, it will be unique and very often tailor-made for you. Many of these brands are custom shops: you can specify some or almost all the features of your new guitar. There will be no better guitar in the world for you.

And here lies the answer to the question: Who needs expensive guitars? And the keyword is: needs. Your needs. Do you like superstrats? Single-cuts? Do you like twang or fat midrange? What kind of music do you play? Do you use the guitar on stage, in the studio, or maybe you enjoy it at home?

There’s nothing wrong in any case. You have to explore, try as many different options as you can to confidently say - this guitar is for me, and the price is right. You should not force yourself into loving anything just because others praise it. I never really got along with Suhr guitars. I also admire the craft in Paul Reed Smith creations, but very few of them ring my bell (but when they do, like DGT or Tremonti… man!)

In my opinion, the person who benefits the most from an “expensive guitar” (except for collectors, maybe. I have no experience in that matter) is a seasoned player with a need. You want a telecaster-style guitar in your arsenal, you like fat necks, and a lot of twang. It’s time to get belly-cut, too. You hate it when bridge screws hurt your palm. Stainless steel frets are a must, as are locking tuners. You have a preference for oiled necks and satin body finishes with a wood grain visible. And so it goes.

Buying your dream guitar

Getting an expensive guitar should be a project. It starts with learning and trying different brands, listening to what your gut tells you. Don’t let anyone fool you; just go with what you feel. When you try a new guitar, take notice of how your playing benefits from it. Are you intimidated? Happy? Do you have to work harder? Are you able to notice something you’ve never heard before? Do you immediately get some musical ideas, or do you play songs you thought you already forgot? Trust yourself, it will be your guitar.

When you find a brand that you exceptionally like, learn about their models, customizations, and talk to the brand or a dealer. Don’t be afraid to express yourself, they should help you transform your dreams into a build. I’m also sure that if they realize that what you’re looking for is not what they can offer, they will tell you about it and maybe even suggest a better place.

We lose some of this aid (dealer’s or manufacturer’s) when buying used, so I recommend the second-hand market to those of you who really know what they’re looking for. Buying a used custom shop guitar can be hit or miss if you are not 100% sure about the specifications.

Explore, learn about the new stuff. Listen to yourself. Reach out to the maker and community. Be open, but don’t let others influence you. After all, it’s your money and your dreams at stake.