A Friendly, Clear Guide from Guitar Haus
Pictures courtesy of Lakewood Guitars. For more information, click here visit their website and check out our Lakewood selection.
If you are new to guitars, the price differences in the industry can feel extreme. Two instruments can look almost the same on the wall, yet one is 1200 dollars and another is 12000. As a boutique shop, we help beginners and long time players understand why this happens, and this guide breaks it down in a simple and conversational way.
From materials to craftsmanship to long term value, here is what actually changes as you move into premium and boutique instruments.
The Big Difference: The Wood Itself
In the 1200 range, factories use good, reliable tonewoods that work well but are chosen for availability and consistency.
Boutique instruments use materials that simply are not available at large scale, including:
• Wood that has been air dried for 20 to 50 years
• Honduran mahogany instead of African
• Old growth Sitka, Adirondack, or European spruce
• Hand selected, highly resonant tonewood sets
• Brazilian rosewood where legally sourced
• Master grade wood (only 2 to 3 percent of harvested material is this quality)
These woods provide more volume, quicker response, richer overtones, and better recording balance. Factories working in the lower ranges cannot source these materials consistently.
Time: Factories Work Fast, Luthiers Work Slow
A factory guitar in the 1200 to 3000 range can be built in about half a day.
A boutique acoustic in the 5000 to 12000 range can take 80 to 250 hours.
That time goes into things such as:
• Tap tuning the top by ear
• Matching brace stiffness
• Shaping braces by hand instead of machine
• Hand carving the neck
• Voicing the top and back to the specific set of wood
• Much tighter joinery and attention throughout
Factories focus on consistency. Luthiers focus on the best musical outcome that this specific wood can produce.
Fit and Finish: The Feel When You Pick It Up
Premium guitars separate themselves in the fine details:
• Correct neck angle every time
• Perfect fretwork
• Micro polished frets
• No filler or glue residue
• Hand rolled fretboard edges
• Premium nuts, saddles, and tuners
• No cosmetic shortcuts
This affects comfort, tuning stability, longevity, and the playing experience in a very real way.
What You Actually Feel When You Play
When you pick up a boutique guitar, you may immediately notice:
• Lower, cleaner action
• Wider dynamic range
• A more open sound
• Better separation between notes
• Bigger bass without muddiness
• Clearer mids and trebles
• Longer sustain
• A noticeable bloom on each note
• Faster response and richer harmonics
High end guitars sound more complex and alive because the attention goes into the parts that matter most: the top, the bracing, the wood selection, and the voicing.
Custom Fit and Easier Playing
Factories build one neck shape meant to work for as many players as possible.
Boutique makers can deliver:
• Custom profiles
• Asymmetrical shaping
• More ergonomic shoulder shaping
• More natural transitions
• Satin or oil finishes that feel broken in
The result is a guitar that feels like it belongs in your hands rather than something you have to adjust to.
Durability and Long Term Value
Boutique guitars hold up better over decades because:
• The wood is more stable
• The finish is thinner
• The joints are tighter
• The tolerances are higher
These guitars are designed to age beautifully rather than survive a short ownership cycle.
The Luxury Car Comparison
A 1200 dollar guitar and a 12000 dollar guitar can both play the same song. Just like a mid range Honda and a hand built Porsche can both drive down the same road.
The difference is in:
• Component quality
• Hand built precision
• Performance
• Lasting value
• The emotional experience of using it
Guitars are no different.
Resale and Brand Reputation
A boutique instrument from Santa Cruz, Lowden, Lakewood, Bourgeois, Huss & Danton, Collings, Dowina, Boucher and similar builders tends to:
• Hold value
• Depreciate less
• Sell more easily
• Carry brand prestige
• Be desirable to collectors
Cheaper factory guitars lose most of their value quickly. Boutique guitars are more likely to remain valuable over time.
The Emotional Side No One Talks About
A great guitar often changes your relationship with playing. It can:
• Make you want to practice more
• Make music feel special
• Inspire creativity
• Help you notice subtle details in your sound
• Reduce the urge to constantly upgrade
When a guitar truly connects with you, it stops being just a tool and becomes something you want to grow with.
The Bottom Line
A premium acoustic in the 5000 to 12000 range costs more because it:
• Uses rarer and better seasoned wood
• Takes many times more hours to build
• Receives deep voicing and tuning work
• Is crafted to tighter tolerances
• Sounds richer, fuller, and more expressive
• Holds value over time
Both a 1200 guitar and a 12000 guitar can be great. One simply offers more depth, refinement, craftsmanship, and a longer lasting ownership experience.
If you are considering adding a high quality instrument to your collection, we invite you to reach out by phone or email to arrange a visit.