Ordering a Custom Guitar 

Ideally you need to have a pretty good idea of what you want in a custom instrument. 6 string, 7 string, this body shape, those pickups, that bridge - etc. Assuming you have at least a basic idea, you have some options in obtaining a price for a Waghorn custom guitar with your chosen specification:

• Visit our workshop
  Arrange to come and visit our workshop, chat to us about your ideas and what sound and aspects of a guitar are important to you, see some work-in-progress builds, try some of our guitars and discuss shapes, woods, pickups, hardware, design options and how different things will affect the tone, weight, aesthetics, and price of your instrument. You can also look at our wood stock, and choose specific pieces for your build, subject to availability. Once you are happy with your specification and the price, you can put down a deposit to reserve your place in our waiting list.
  » Location
• Submit a Custom Quote Form
  Submit a form for the relevant style of guitar you want with as much detail as possible and you will be emailed a quote for that specification. You can then reply to the email with questions or modifications to the spec and engage in discussion regarding the options you have chosen and how any changes may affect the price. You can also do this by phone or in person. Once you are happy with the specification and the price, you can then pay your deposit to reserve your place in the waiting list.
  » Acoustic Quote Form   » Electric Quote Form   » Bass Quote Form
• Contact Us
  For a more general idea of cost you can phone or email us with a brief outline of the specification you have in mind. We will need certain details such as construction and bridge type, as well as if you want figured top woods, specific hardware and a gloss or satin finish. The more detail you provide the more accurate your quote will be!
  » Contact Us

After placing your deposit, you will receive a receipt stating your deposit amount and the remaining balance. This document gets updated each time you pay an instalment or if you change your instrument specification.

As you move towards the top of the waiting list we will contact you to confirm the details of your specification to confirm any design changes and details such as custom control placements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: I have a budget, can you help me spec out a guitar within it?
A. Our start prices include certain woods and features but do not include hardware, pickups or electronics. With our Acoustic guitars you don't pay extra to get our signature sound, you pay extra for exotic woods, more detailed decoration and pickup systems. The same applies to electric guitars, but certain types of hardware are always going to cost more (e.g. tremolos v fixed bridges, locking tuners v non-locking tuners). Assuming that your budget covers the starting prices plus basic hardware and pickups we can help you get the best guitar you can to fit both your requirements and budget. For more information on the starting prices, see the relevant (Acoustic, Electric or Bass) custom quote form.

Q: Once I've decided on a specification and I have paid my deposit, can I change my specification?
A. We will endeavour to accomodate a request to change the specification where possible before the build has started, but this is not always possible if materials or hardware have already been ordered. Some superficial changes may also be possible after the build has started, but in both cases this may generate a delay in your guitar being completed. You will be advised at the time if there will be a significant change in the final price.

Q: Can I provide boutique pickups, electronics, hardware or timber that I have purchased/sourced myself?
A. Yes, but please provide as much detail as possible during your initial enquiries. Please note that in most cases we will need all parts to arrive at the workshop before the build starts. Please note we do not send out incomplete instruments without hardware/pickups/electronics for you to install yourself.

Q: Can you send me a graphical mockup of the guitar specification I have submitted in a custom quote form before I place my order?
A. We regret that we no longer offer digital mockups.

See also:

» Waiting List   » Payment Methods   » Shipping, Insurance & Import Duty  

Ordering an AH6/8 

The Alex Hutchings AH6 and AH8 guitars are available with a limited set of customization options and are hand-made to order. To order one, you need to contact us with the model and specification options you would like, and we will confirm the specification, price and current waiting time. You will then need to pay a 25% deposit to secure your place in our waiting list. The balance (plus any shipping and insurance costs) are due when the guitar is completed.

See also:

» AH Series   » Contact Us   » Payment Methods   » Waiting List   » Shipping, Insurance & Import Duty

Buying a Stock Guitar 

From time to time we make guitars to for the purposes of showing off our build quality and playability and occassionally to demo new models that we introduce. These guitars hang in our workshop and are available to try and buy.

In order to purchase a guitar that we have in stock, you can either visit our workshop to try the instrument first (always recommended if possible), or you can contact us by telephone or email to express an interest and pay for the instrument in full by bank transfer or debit/credit card over the phone. We then offer to restring and set-up the instrument to your liking. You will have the option of ordering a case for the guitar if one is not included.

Note: Ordering (or providing) a suitable hard case is mandatory for customers wishing the instrument to be delivered. Hard cases are required by shipping companies to validate insurance - and also to provide piece of mind! We may need to order a case in if we do not have one in stock.

See also:

» Stock Guitars   » Our Location   » Contact Us   » Payment Methods   » Shipping, Insurance & Import Duty

Deposits & Instalments 

All Waghorn custom guitar builds require a deposit to secure your place on our waiting list. The guideline amount for a deposit is usually around 25%, but you are welcome to pay more if you wish. Deposits for custom made guitars are non-refundable. The remaining balance of the instrument is due upon the completion of the guitar, and you are welcome to pay additional instalments during the waiting and construction period at your own discretion.

See also:

» Contact Us

Payment Methods 

We accept deposits, instalments and final payments in the following methods:

• Payment in person
  Cash, Personal Cheque, Debit/Credit Card, Online Bank Transfer.
• Payment by overseas customers
  Debit/Credit Card, Bank Transfer.

Please note that all funds must have cleared before your instrument is collected or shipped. We regret that due to the huge costs involved to the 'seller' (particularly for overseas transactions and currency conversion) we do not accept payments via PayPal.

See also:

» Contact Us

Waiting List 

When applying for a quote by any of the methods above you will be given an indication of the timescale (in months) between a deposit being paid and your guitar being completed based on the number of orders on our books at the current time. As some guitars are more complex than others, different builds may take different amounts of time to complete, and so the timescale provided is an approximate indication only. While we make every effort to keep to this timescale we can make no guarantees concerning delivery date. Many factors affect build completion, including custom hardware lead times and simply the fact that we are very busy making guitars! We are very proud of what we do, and would rather take a little longer on your build than rush it to meet a deadline.

Due to events in their personal lives, some customers find it necessary to postpone their build in order to pay for more important things that may crop up. If your build is due to be started soon or is nearing completion and you wish to postpone it, please contact us as soon as possible to advise us of the situation so that we can concentrate our efforts on the next guitar in the list.

See also:

» Contact Us

Shipping, Insurance & Import Duty 

We ship worldwide (subject to carrier's restrictions).

All instruments that are to be delivered must be shipped in a hard case.

All delivery/shipping costs are the responsibility of the customer. Customers are provided with an approximate shipping cost quote along with their custom quote request unless they are so local to us that picking up the guitar in person is considered cheaper and/or safer than shipping it. Quotes are based on current prices using average packed guitar size and weight details, and as a result prices quoted are approximate. Please note that carriers prices can increase over the 10/12/14/24 months it might take for your guitar to be built. You are welcome to arrange collection of the instrument yourself if you have an account with a preferred carrier.

Insurance

Insuring high end custom musical instruments is a tricky business, as many carriers have a maximum value limit of £1000 or specifically exclude musical instruments. We prefer to make insurance a moot point by packing our guitars very well, however increased insurance can be obtained but is often considerably more expensive.

Please note that we prefer to pack our guitars ourselves, and we like to pack them well. We would rather not risk sending a guitar out with slightly less packaging to provide slightly cheaper shipping!

Import Duty

All customs and import duties/taxes are the responsibility of the customer. Please be aware that customers who live outside the United Kingdom are likely to face some sort of customs duty/tax bill and a handling charge levied by the carrier when purchasing an instrument from the United Kingdom. Please check your government/territory website for more information.

See also:

» Contact Us

Warranty 

Every Waghorn guitar comes with a Lifetime Guarantee against faulty materials and workmanship. If you have a problem concerning guitar parts, pickups or hardware we may be able to assist you in replacing it, as manufacturers warranties vary. Contact us for details.

See also:

» Contact Us