R.G. LEIGHTON CUSTOM INSTRUMENTS
I built my first guitar at the ripe old age of fifteen, and over the last 18 years have had a lot of fun building people's dreams. When you decide on a guitar that you have always wanted, something changes inside of you and the normal factory job just won't do. Also, the feeling that you are the only one with that guitar on the planet gives you some inspiration to become one with your instrument. And then there's some people who just want options they just can't get any other way.

I usually build electric guitars and basses because the quality of the acoustics you can get now for $2-4000 dollar range are amazing. For me, to compete in price with Taylor, Collings, Santa Cruz, or the new Martin guitars would render me strung out on antidepressants, quivering in some quiet room in the local sanitarium.

The Custom Shop will take on just about any project, from just routing out your '54 Strat for a Kahler (NOT!), doing a custom laquer finish, right up to building you that guitar out of your mom's old hardwood floor. I can also help you assemble a guitar from parts if you are on a budget. I like the Warmoth products, they are very well built and their wood selection is very good. If you want to get more creative and your budget allows, we can start making you something unique using or own shop. I also have some templates of some other unique body shapes I have designed over the years for other projects.

Let me know what your dream (sometimes my nightmare) entails and I will try to make it a reality.

Richard sales@arbutusmusic.com