When players hear the word "boutique," a single word always seems to come to mind -- expensive. And while it's true that boutique gear tends to retail at a higher price point than their mass-produced counterparts (though, not by much more these days), what is lost in the dollar amount is the unique, high-quality experiences they bring. If you've been ignoring these lesser known brands due to a few bucks, you're doing yourself and your sound a disservice, as boutique pickups tend to be meticulously designed and feature a unique take that most of the big guys just don't offer. With that said, we'd like to share a few of our favorite boutique guitar brands that show their gear is well worth the price.
Known for their slender, elegant yet aggressive designs, high-quality construction and trademark flair, Jackson Guitars and their instruments have become a staple of musicians everywhere who love great guitars with a bit of attitude. The brand began when Randy Rhoads approached custom guitar company, Charvel, to create a brand new guitar for the guitarist. The end product would be known as the Concorde and was such a departure from Charvel’s Stratocaster-type designs that the owner, Grover Jackson, decided to put his own name as the brand. Soon after, more and more players grew to love the unique designs and comparatively tougher look of the Jackson brand of guitars as well as the company’s reputation for high-quality custom craftsmanship. In their 30+ years in the business, Jackson Guitars has created a large number of models that have become especially popular with the heavy metal and hard rock community.
Yet another guitar brand from the mind of prolific luthier Grover Jackson, GJ2 Guitars came about as a collaborative effort between the man himself and longtime business partner, Jon Gold (a lifelong guitarist and enthusiast who most recently served as Sr. VP of International Sales and Marketing at Fender Musical Instruments Corporation). Unlike most manufacturers who buy parts and complete sub-assemblies from a small group of the same suppliers, GJ2 makes everything they can in-house. From the wood bodies, the pickups, pickup rings, back plates, ergonomically designed knobs and more, nearly every piece of the instrument is crafted specifically for GJ2 guitars. What this means for players is quality craftsmanship that few other brands can match.
The Company got its start in 1976 as purely a replacement parts producer for existing guitar manufacturers such as Gibson and Fender. By the early ‘80s, Schecter was manufacturing over 400 parts and their supply just couldn’t keep up with demand, causing the company to be sold to a group of Texan investors who relocated the company to Dallas and began producing high-quality guitars. Several of their early designs were based off popular Fender models such as the Schecter Saturn and Mercury, being off shots of the Telecaster and Stratocaster respectively. It was during this time in the mid-eighties that Schecter got its first huge endorsement by classical metal guitar virtuoso, Yngwie Malmsteen. Today, they are endorsed by several of the biggest names in not just metal such as Robert Smith of The Cure as well as Robin Zander of Cheap Trick and have gained a reputation for creating great quality guitars based off of popular models at comparatively affordable prices.
You may think that a flamenco player could not design guitars loved by hard rock and metal players, but the story of Bernardo Chavez Rico would prove otherwise. Known today as B.C.Rich, Bernie started building a few custom guitars and basses in the early ’70s after being inspired by Gibson guitars of the day. Previously a flamenco player and Flamenco guitar builder, Bernie eventually grew B.C Rich into a guitar company known for building guitars for metal guitarists. Today B.C. Rich guitars are played by top-metal artists around the world, as exhibited by the Kerry King Metal Master Signature models, crafted specifically for the lead guitarist of Slayer. Models like the Pro X Bich, Mockingbird, and Avenged SOB are designs that no other guitar company is making. If you’re looking for guitars that defy convention and break the mold of traditional shapes and construction, you have to give B.C. Rich a try.
Final Thoughts ...
There you have it, just a few of our favorite boutique guitar manufacturers, but there's a lot more where that came from. Something catch your eye? If you have any questions regarding any of the brands above or any other piece of gear we carry, feel free to chat with one of our friendly PAL pros by using the live chat feature below or by calling us toll-free at 1 877-671-2200!
