Core Guitars are live

johnl

On the plus side the headstock design is not a James Tyleresque monstrosity but the above is not likely to set the heart racing. Honestly wish them well but think they might want to rethink both their offerings and pricing. 

TeleMaster

A bit Warmothy. Nothing that new here is there? 

Tat2dstesh

The more I look at the Instagram pictures the more I get the feeling these are Kit guitars, granted they could be kit parts made in the UK but None of the pictures show workshop shots etc. The guys do seem to be doing the CNC work and possibly handing it off to a machiniest company to do the work and then they finish off the process, I don't know for sure but the more I look the less I have an urge to buy one even if they were sub £1000 
They give me the same feel as https://kononykheen.com who are a Russian brand of guitars. I even got an endorsement offered from these but decided not to as I'm very much a Gibson type guy and none of these guitars were doing it for me at the time. 
They at least say the parts are made in Asian areas and assembled in Russia 

prlgmnr

It's probably worth comparing with the aesthetic masterpieces/abominations you can come up with with on the Balaguer website:

https://www.balaguerguitars.com/product/guitaronlinebuilder/

grungebob

Those Russian models look interesting (well some), more than can be said for the Core ones. 

I do wish them well but they are not doing themselves any favours with pricing and web design. 

idiotwindow

Yes, agree with the consensus. The website is terrible and has the vibe of something like a spec your own garden shed website from 1999 – there's nothing inspirational or aspirational about it (either photographically or in the copy) and it just comes across as "we haven't anything to show yet" desperate. I also think the logo is pretty awful and looks like something somebody with a computer (as opposed to an experienced graphic designer) put together in an hour. I hate to knock a start-up, especially a UK one, but I can't imagine anyone outside of the builders' families and friends would buy one of these guitars. In a world where there are countless desirable and very playable guitars available for £2k, there's absolutely no reason for anyone to consider one of these.

allen

I played one of these at the guitar show last year. Honestly, it was a very nice guitar.

I think what they are going for is selling a Tom Anderson for half (ish) of the full retail.

I also think that they have a lot of the problems that all of you have said above. Shame as they seemed genuine and the guitar I played was actually good.

Like a lot of other people here I might be tempted to take a punt at £1k, but £2.5k is not realistic when I can get a used TA for that.

VJIves

I'd been following them for a while as they were really pushing their sponsored posts on social media a year or so back. Certainly wasn't expecting this kind of pricing or the limited choices available.

CeeJay

I know very little about the value of custom made guitars, so will leave that subject for others, but from a potential customers point of view, that website is truly awful. I closed it down without perusing. It just didn't pull me in.
I wish them the best of luck though.

Sassafras

Do you have to pay up-front for these?
That'd put me off. I've heard of too many firms going bankrupt before you get your guitar.

Whitecat

Reminds me a little of the now-defunct Moniker Guitars, although their stuff was a little more original in design, they had a fairly interactive online configurator that you could mess around with (and tbh, customise even deeper in that you could add custom decals and such to the headstock, for example) - but they went bust, obviously that level of custom work was not profitable at the prices they were charging (around $1500 USD iirc give or take depending on what you wanted).

DefaultM

I'd buy one if it was like the old Carvin website. I used to spend hours on there putting the different parts together. I'd have bought one in an instant at the time if they were in the UK.

Moloch

DefaultM said:

I'd buy one if it was like the old Carvin website. I used to spend hours on there putting the different parts together. I'd have bought one in an instant at the time if they were in the UK.

I have a second hand Carvin coming in the next couple of days. I've wanted one since the mid-'90s.

Strat54

For £1500ish Mike Smith will MAKE you a F type guitar...and I mean MAKE. He doesn't buy his necks in from the US like the so called british bolt-on boutique builders. His relic work is up there with the best too....a whole lot more realistic than the ones seen so often on here from the smaller companies. Even has his own logo decal on the headstock.
This is a typical example. No affiliation btw, he's about 40 miles from me but never met him. Builds for Quo guitarist too.




https://www.facebook.com/mikesmithguitars/photos/a.1221324684563308/3294702087225547/?type=3&theater 

johnl

Yeah but for just £500 more you could have er....this:

GoldenEraGuitars

Strat54 said:

For £1500ish Mike Smith will MAKE you a F type guitar...and I mean MAKE. He doesn't buy his necks in from the US like the so called british bolt-on boutique builders. His relic work is up there with the best too....a whole lot more realistic than the ones seen so often on here from the smaller companies. Even has his own logo decal on the headstock.
This is a typical example. No affiliation btw, he's about 40 miles from me but never met him. Builds for Quo guitarist too.




https://www.facebook.com/mikesmithguitars/photos/a.1221324684563308/3294702087225547/?type=3&theater 

So, you’re saying openly on the UKs biggest guitar forum that he cuts a copyrighted headstock shape himself then adds his own logo to it?  

Strat54

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Strat54 said:

For £1500ish Mike Smith will MAKE you a F type guitar...and I mean MAKE. He doesn't buy his necks in from the US like the so called british bolt-on boutique builders. His relic work is up there with the best too....a whole lot more realistic than the ones seen so often on here from the smaller companies. Even has his own logo decal on the headstock.
This is a typical example. No affiliation btw, he's about 40 miles from me but never met him. Builds for Quo guitarist too.




https://www.facebook.com/mikesmithguitars/photos/a.1221324684563308/3294702087225547/?type=3&theater 

So, you’re saying openly on the UKs biggest guitar forum that he cuts a copyrighted headstock shape himself then adds his own logo to it?  

Oh, I always thought the headstock patent couldn't be enforced in the UK, hence guys like SVL etc use it? 

Likewise the term RELIC is also trade marked here in the UK but some guys still persist with using it lol   

https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/23/WE00001224132

lysander

I just don't get it honestly. More generic fender compatible guitars, when the market is already flooded with these ?
If you could build a modern Ibanez style bolt on guitar that'd be a bit more unique and I'd be interested.
As it is it's doomed to failure.

GoldenEraGuitars

Strat54 said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Strat54 said:

For £1500ish Mike Smith will MAKE you a F type guitar...and I mean MAKE. He doesn't buy his necks in from the US like the so called british bolt-on boutique builders. His relic work is up there with the best too....a whole lot more realistic than the ones seen so often on here from the smaller companies. Even has his own logo decal on the headstock.
This is a typical example. No affiliation btw, he's about 40 miles from me but never met him. Builds for Quo guitarist too.




https://www.facebook.com/mikesmithguitars/photos/a.1221324684563308/3294702087225547/?type=3&theater 

So, you’re saying openly on the UKs biggest guitar forum that he cuts a copyrighted headstock shape himself then adds his own logo to it?  

Oh, I always thought the headstock patent couldn't be enforced in the UK, hence guys like SVL etc use it? 

Likewise the term RELIC is also trade marked here in the UK but some guys still persist with using it lol   

https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/23/WE00001224132

Ok. 

kurtrowe2000

Strat54 said:

GoldenEraGuitars said:

Strat54 said:

For £1500ish Mike Smith will MAKE you a F type guitar...and I mean MAKE. He doesn't buy his necks in from the US like the so called british bolt-on boutique builders. His relic work is up there with the best too....a whole lot more realistic than the ones seen so often on here from the smaller companies. Even has his own logo decal on the headstock.
This is a typical example. No affiliation btw, he's about 40 miles from me but never met him. Builds for Quo guitarist too.




https://www.facebook.com/mikesmithguitars/photos/a.1221324684563308/3294702087225547/?type=3&theater 

So, you’re saying openly on the UKs biggest guitar forum that he cuts a copyrighted headstock shape himself then adds his own logo to it?  

Oh, I always thought the headstock patent couldn't be enforced in the UK, hence guys like SVL etc use it? 

Likewise the term RELIC is also trade marked here in the UK but some guys still persist with using it lol   

https://trademarks.ipo.gov.uk/ipo-tmcase/page/Results/23/WE00001224132

Actually. The headstock can be enforced in the uk as it is shape which is capable of protection under English law. 

The word “Relic” is somewhat more tricky. It’s a word, whilst it can be trademarked it has to actually apply to a particular product, so a product name or a business name. 

The word “Relic” is used widely throughout the guitar industry to represent a guitar that has been artificially aged and is a common term. The trademark may not therefore be safe. I also note, however, that GoldenEraGuitars doesn’t use the word “relic” they use the word “relics” which is not trademarked. 

Additionally, as they are not passing themselves off as the brand in question, nor are they copying a registered design, being the headstock, they are not flouting someone else’s trade mark.