Well-known maker of high-quality acoustics and electrics, balancing tradition and affordability.
eastmanguitars.com Guitars
181 products →Custom & Boutique Guitars
Electric, acoustic and bass guitars from independent makers and one-person shops. Compare their models and the prices they publish in one place.
41 makers 1,001 models 581 with published prices Maker links checked Oct 26, 2026
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Makers with the most models
All 41 makers →Eastwood Guitars reissues rare and overlooked electric guitars from the 1960s and 70s, the oddball designs bigger manufacturers abandoned. Founder Mike Robinson started by chronicling these instruments on his own site, MyRareGuitars, before building Eastwood to bring the originals back into production for working musicians. The catalog spans tributes to cult classics alongside original designs built through the Guitstarter crowdfunding program, plus the related Sidejack and Hi-Flier lines sold under the same storefront.
eastwoodguitars.com Guitars
177 products →Larrivée Guitars — hand-built in North America with all-solid woods, legacy Jean Larrivée craftsmanship and affordable luxury tone.
larrivee.com Guitars
104 products →Texas-based fine acoustic and electric guitar manufacturer acclaimed for craft and sound excellence.
collingsguitars.com Guitars
93 products →California custom shop building versatile guitars with modern electronics and playable necks.
kieselguitars.com Guitars
68 products →Legendary acoustic guitar shop in California, known for custom builds, vintage tone, and meticulous luthiery.
santacruzguitar.com Guitars
41 products →Lewiston, Maine acoustic guitar workshop led by master luthier Dana Bourgeois, who built his first guitar in a Bowdoin College dorm room in the early 1970s. In the 1980s he worked with Eric Schoenberg to revive the Orchestra Model guitar with the Schoenberg Soloist, built with C.F. Martin. Every Bourgeois top is hand-voiced by tap tuning, and Dana still oversees the voicing of each guitar.
bourgeoisguitars.com Guitars
39 products →Staunton, Virginia builder of handcrafted steel-string acoustic and electric guitars, founded in 1995 by Jeff Huss and Mark Dalton in the Shenandoah Valley. Long-time team member Brian Dickel took over ownership in 2021 and continues the shop's focus on precise workmanship, playability and balanced tone.
hussanddalton.com Guitars
39 products →Electric guitars and basses designed by Dennis Fano, built overseas and set up in Nashville to his standards. Rivolta reworks classic shapes with offset and retro-futurist designs like the Combinata, Mondata and Regata, alongside baritone, twelve-string and tenor models.
rivoltaguitars.com Guitars
38 products →Before you buy
You’ve played a good factory guitar for years and keep hitting the same wall. Maybe the neck is a little too thin, the body is too heavy or the pickups never quite get there. That’s usually when players start looking at small-batch makers: independent shops, sometimes one person, who design their own guitars and will talk to you directly about what you want changed.
What counts as boutique
The word gets stretched a lot. We use it to describe how a guitar is built and who builds it. Price doesn’t come into it.
| Who builds it | What you get | |
|---|---|---|
| Factory standard | A production line | Consistent specs, easy to find, easy to return |
| Custom shop | A premium department inside a big brand like Fender or Gibson | Upgraded versions of that brand’s own models |
| Small-batch maker | An independent shop | The maker’s own designs, often with options you can pick |
| Full custom | One maker, for one player | Wood, neck, scale, electronics and finish chosen with you |
The lines blur at the edges. Some independent makers have grown into real companies, and plenty of one-person shops build mostly to order. Most of the makers listed here fall somewhere in the middle two rows.
What they cost
Every price on our product pages comes from the maker’s own site, and the spread is wide. As of Oct 2026, Eastwood lists its whole line between $599 and $1,899, and Kiesel’s models start at $1,599. Among the smaller shops, the middle half of listed electrics runs from about $2,000 to $4,500, and acoustics from about $4,400 to $8,600.
Buying used brings those numbers down, and it’s a good way to find out whether a maker’s neck carve suits your hand before you order one built.
Waiting for one
A guitar a dealer already has on the wall can ship this week. A commissioned build means a waiting list, and most makers ask for a deposit to hold your slot. Before you pay, ask the maker for their current lead time, how big the deposit is, whether it’s refundable and how they handle spec changes partway through. Good builders answer all of that plainly.
Three ways to buy one
- Used: the fastest and usually the cheapest. You get a finished guitar and whatever wear comes with it.
- Through a dealer: some makers sell through a handful of shops, so you can play the exact guitar and get a normal return policy.
- Direct from the maker: a deposit, a wait and a real conversation with the person building it.
If you want a guitar this month, need an easy return or are still working out what you like, a good factory guitar and a proper setup will do more for you right now. Our guitar repair listings are a good place to find someone for the setup.
Common questions
What's the difference between a boutique guitar and a custom shop guitar?
Company size. A custom shop is a premium department inside a big brand like Fender or Gibson, building upgraded versions of that brand's models. A small-batch maker is an independent shop, usually building its own designs. Both can offer made-to-order specs.
How much do handmade guitars cost?
As of Oct 2026, the middle half of electrics listed by smaller makers in our directory runs from about $2,000 to $4,500, and acoustics from about $4,400 to $8,600. Larger small-batch brands list lower: Eastwood's line runs $599 to $1,899. Every price comes from the maker's own site.
How long does a custom build take?
It depends on the maker's waiting list. Before you pay, ask for the current lead time, the deposit amount and whether the deposit is refundable.
Should I buy used or commission a build?
Buy used if you want a guitar now or want to try a maker's neck carve before ordering. Commission one if you already know exactly what you'd change about the guitars you own.