Custom Built Acoustic and Electric Guitars

Custom “Star Man” Acoustic Hand-Made by Richard Beck.

Custom Acoustic, Too Many Inlays, Made Completely from Logs by Richard Beck.

Maple Dreadnought

At this time I have chosen to direct my attention to two styles of body shapes, one being the popular Dreadnought (which needs little introduction and has been a standard for over seventy years), the second is the J-M-1, or mini-jumbo, loosely patterned after the J-185 of the late 1950’s. I believe these two body shapes can be carefully manipulated to achieve distinctive and directed sounds.

First and most important to me are the requirements of my customers. When the “one size fits all ” kind of thinking won’t work for your particular needs, both feel and sound wise, its definitely the time to investigate a custom hand-crafted guitar. Hand crafting guitars allows me to make sure every component is of the finest materials possible.

Even when using the finest materials, I take the time to “listen” to each piece of wood to develop its full potential. The top wood of my guitars, whether it’s Sitka from Alaska, Engleman from Northern Canada, of European Spruce from Germany or Redwood from the Pacific-Northwest, has been hand split from billets and air-dried for at least five years. Kiln dried woods are fine for “production models” but have no place in my shop. In fact, I have been collecting fine tone woods for almost 20 years! Building with air-dried woods assures me that your instrument will never need to be tethered to a humidifier! (under normal conditions)

Rare highly figured flame-maple … beautiful curly Koa … figured walnut … These are just some of the choices for back and side materials. Other materials are available upon request.

My highly flamed maple guitars have a punchy, ringing sustain with sweet overtones. Traditionally, some of the most expensive guitars have been made with this beautiful and rare tonewood and the flame maple look makes it an instant classic! Walnut is fast becoming an American standard for guitars, not as a substitute for the dwindling supply of good rosewood, but as a plentiful American domestic hardwood of exceptional beauty and utility. My walnut guitars have a sweet and loud sound, excellent for finger-picking or just strummin’ away!

Curly Koa from the Hawaiian islands is one of my personal favorite woods. It is also one of the most striking and different sounding woods, especialy when used for backsides and TOP! Koa’s ringing balanced sound is like no other. Great for live playing or recording, Koa guitars are an eye catcher as well as having a sound that really develops over time. Koa is getting harder to obtain and subsequently, one of THE most expensive tonewoods today but well worth the extra money!

Since each guitar is built specifically per your individual order, the available variations of woods, bridge, neck dimensions and feel, fret size, inlay styles and material, binding styles, tuning keys, colors, cutaway, etc., are all up to your individual choice. From simple and elegant to the fanciest ideas you have in mind! If you wish to discuss options, please send me a fax detailing all the basic requests and requirements.

Koa

Beck’s Custom Guitar Gallery

TO PLACE AN ORDER FOR ONE OR MORE OF MY GUITAR CREATIONS
Text 623-202-3621 for a call back to discuss.

After estimating a price for your custom guitar, I will contact you with the details we have discussed and quote you a final price. After confirmation, a check or money order for 25% of the total must be sent to reserve the order.