Wallace Detroit Guitars, a Detroit-based guitar manufacturer that creates instruments out of reclaimed wood from local landmarks, has extended its custom-made guitar service to a worldwide audience.
The company’s ‘Build Your Own Guitar’ configurator allows users to create their own unique instrument by choosing from options such as wood selections from a range of original Detroit landmarks, body style, hardware, and pickups. Each guitar ships with its own custom made unique case and information about the specific Detroit landmark from which the wood was sourced.
“We are proud of this powerful new feature, which takes our one-of-a-kind instruments and brings them to the ultimate personalized level,” founder, Mark Wallace, explained. “Now, our customers from anywhere in the world can tap into our little corner of the world and create beautiful, bespoke instruments that are meaningful to the city of Detroit, yet speak to each customer’s own creativity and vision.”
Using the new online custom guitar configurator, customers can select wood from Detroit’s Michigan Avenue, or salvaged old growth pine and maple from the floorboards of the former Detroit Fire Department Headquarters — the city’s original firehouse. Customers can also choose maple taken directly from the benches of the Brewster Wheeler Recreation Center — training home to boxing legend Joe Louis, and also frequented by some of Motown’s biggest stars such as Diana Ross and the Supremes.
“Owning a guitar should be an extremely personalised lifestyle choice,” Wallace added. “We want each of these guitars to inspire their owners and bring appreciation of their instrument to a new level. What they choose to create with these special guitars is entirely up to them!”
In addition to making custom wood selections, customers can also choose from several body styles and unique custom finishes, including hand-rubbed oil, sunburst nitrocellulose lacquer or high gloss nitrocellulose lacquer. Pickguards come in any colour, and standard, antique and Bigsby hardware options are also available. For fretboards, customers can select Rosewood, ebony or maple and choose among pickup options include P90s and humbuckers.
Every Wallace Detroit Guitars instrument sold features a certificate of authenticity and ships with a one-of-a-kind handmade guitar strap fashioned out of reclaimed car upholstery and a hard-shell leather case.
