The custom guitar design and building process is a big part of what we do at A.Davis Guitars. Even when it is not a commissioned instrument, Art will continue to build according to criteria that we have developed as result of our work with many musicians and technicians.
We believe that a custom guitar is a guitar that the future owner plays a key role in it's design. Any of our models can be customized with different tonewoods, binding or custom inlays but that is not what we are offering here. For a truly custom guitar, every piece of the instrument has to be chosen, shaped, and assembled according to criteria that has been extracted during direct conversation between the player and the builder. For us, there is no other way.
If you consider our four body styles and the different wood choices, we can build about 100 uniquely special guitars. For a custom instrument that starts with a blank slate and a notion, there are as many options as stars in the universe.
Custom guitar inlaid
in nautical theme
A katalya orchid graces the peghead of this custom guitar
half moon cutaway on custom SD1 guitar
Hybrid classic - this one was built on Spanish style molds from Brazilian Rosewood and cedar. The bracing is a variety of spruces and the broken fan design is a mixture of styles. The finish is French polish with an epoxy base coat. The 1 7/8" neck with side dots and blended cutaway is in response to the needs of steel string players.
When we first met Mark Mothersbaugh at Mutato Muzika and delivered a handful of guitars, he mentioned something about a square guitar. This is our response; It includes a National style resonator, LR Baggs M1 pickup, Sperzel locking tuners, a vibrato designed and hand fabricated in the A.Davis shop and a volume knob from a 1970's stereo tuner.
Guitar based on the work done by Dr. Michael Kasha and Richard Schneider. One of the three most popular ways to brace a guitar, it produces a wealth of power and design tunability. So far, the bizaar apearance has only been accepted by eccentric guitarists and Hawaiians.
An M1 dressed with hand cut inlays of abalone, pink awabi and mother of pearl. It's the University of Miami logo and their terrifying mascot,
Sebastian the Fighting Ibis.
This J12 was built for a client that asked for a number of details designed to make the guitar look more plain. Soundwise, it's basically the same as guitars we've sold to George Kahumoku and David Crosby. Our client didn't like the way the amber shader masked the stark whiteness of the Carpathian Spruce top. This one's for sale $7200
