Custom guitars, carved by robots, finished by hand
I’m Ryan T. Higgins. I design and build custom electric guitars and basses in Maltby, WA. I use CNC for precision and finish by hand, because that’s the best way to get every detail right. It’s about using the best tool for each job.
I also take a limited number of repairs by appointment. See repair pricing
Featured build
The Winthrop Stage guitar
Pat Ailles commissioned this guitar, built from a beam salvaged from the old stage at the Winthrop Rhythm & Blues Festival. It was originally made to be raffled off to benefit the festival and the Washington Blues Society.
- Body: Douglas fir from the stage beam, splits filled with black epoxy
- Top: maple burl cap, cherry sunburst with faux binding
- Neck: set flamed birdseye maple, carbon fiber rods, two-way truss rod
- Fretboard: Indian rosewood, compound radius, capsule mother-of-pearl inlays
- Pickups: two PAF-inspired humbuckers, custom wound by me
- Hardware: Gotoh tuners and bridge
- Headstock: RTH logo in black-lip mother-of-pearl
Recent work
More from the bench
Tyler Boley’s custom
Designed with Tyler from his own sketch: African mahogany in transparent black pearl, a wenge neck, and noiseless P-90s.
Model 72
Finished for Rob Bramblett after his friend’s passing, with spade inlays, an inset coin, and Rob’s signature.
RTH Custom Offset
A shop build I played out and recorded with, then gave to a talented young player who needed a good guitar.
The Ashley V
A custom flying V for Jake Rattet, with his wife Ashley’s name inlaid in abalone on the headstock.
How a custom build works
From conversation to setup
01 / Talk
Conversation
We talk about what you play, what you love about your current instruments, and what’s missing.
02 / Draw
Design
We work out the body shape, woods, neck, pickups, and inlays together, and you get a quote before work starts.
03 / Build
Build
Parts are CNC-carved for precision, then fitted, shaped, and finished by hand. I can also wind custom pickups for your build, by hand or on an automated winder.
04 / Play
Setup
I give it a full setup to suit your playing style, and then it’s yours.
Ready to start your build?
Tell me what you have in mind, and we’ll work out the design together.
