Order Process

Idea

Already know what you want? Great! If not, feel free to browse the completed builds or contact me and we will figure it out together.
Below there is a list of options available for customization.
Deposit

There is no need to pay the whole price upfront. A 30% deposit is all that is needed to get started with your build. The rest you can pay at your convenience while I'm building your guitar.
3D Model

After the order is placed, I will build a virtual model of your guitar. This allows you to see what you'll get before anything is set in stone (or wood in this case ;)
Building

Upon approval of the model I will start building and you'll get regular updates as I make progress on your guitar.
Play

Now it is your turn, what music will you create with your very own unique instrument?

Lead Time

Good things take time. Depending on the complexity of your build and the number of other guitars to be built, the build time is 4-6 Months. Please note that this is my best estimate, but not a guarantee.

Note: Due to a higher volume of orders, there is currently a 3-4 month wait for me to start new orders. You can still place your orders, and I’ll start on the 3D model, but the building won’t commence for a few months.

Available Models

An orange electric guitar with a quilted maple top, black pickups, and a tremolo bridge, resting on a stone surface next to small rocks and gravel.

Alchemist

A modern take on a classic double cut, this is by far the most popular model.
This shape is also available as a bass with 4 or 5 strings.
6-String: starting at 2500CHF
7-String: starting 2600CHF
8-String: starting at 2700CHF
for 9 or more strings please contact me directly
4-String Bass: starting at 2700CHF
5-String Bass: starting at 2800CHF
*1 CHF is roughly 1.06 Euro or 1.25 USD

An electric guitar with a unique, sharp-edged, yellowish-brown, marbled finish lying on a stone and gravel surface next to green plants.

Necromancer

Aggressive edges and points while still managing to stay comfortable to play. This model just screams metal.
6-String: starting at 2600CHF
7-String: starting at 2700CHF
8-String: starting at 2800CHF
for 9 or more strings please contact me directly
5-String bass: starting at 2900CHF
*1 CHF is roughly 1.06 Euro or 1.25 USD

An electric guitar with a purple, pink, and orange marble pattern paint job is resting on rocks and gravel, surrounded by purple flowers and green foliage.

Dreamweaver

A semi-hollow single-cut guitar with all the ergonomic features of my other headless models. From jazz to classic rock, the possibilities are endless.
6-String: starting at 2700CHF
7-String: starting at 2800CHF
*1 CHF is roughly 1.06 Euro or 1.25 USD

Red electric guitar with a black bridge and pickups, lying on a stone wall with small pebbles and plants surrounding it.

Vanquisher

V-Guitars don't just look awesome but also give you the best possible access to the high frets. This model is a rather compact version of a V making it very comfortable to play.
6-String: starting at 2500CHF
7-String: starting at 2600CHF
8-String: starting at 2700CHF
for 9 or more strings, please contact me directly
*1 CHF is roughly 1.06 Euro or 1.25 USD

An electric guitar with a wood grain finish resting on a mix of concrete and gravel surface, surrounded by green plants and pebbles.

Full Custom

If you’re looking for something you don’t see here, feel free to reach out. I also take (some) orders for full custom builds where you can freely choose absolutely everything.
Pricing is heavily dependent on the design, but expect to pay quite a bit more than my standard models.

*The base price includes a fixed bridge, single humbucker pickup, and natural wood or solid color in a matte open-pore finish.

Please note that the pictures shown are not base configurations but feature various upgrades.

High Quality Components

All Dark Art Guitars use premium-quality hardware and components. This includes Jesscar stainless steel frets, Switchcraft output jack, Schaller blade switch, Gotho knobs, Luminlay side-dots, a custom-machined headpiece, and more.

Necromancer and Vanquisher guitars come in custom hard-shell cases to protect the fragile corners.

Alchemist guitars come in premium soft cases with extra-thick foam and backpack straps for easy carrying.

All guitars come with a Certificate of Authenticity.

Hardware

We like to use headless hardware from Nova Guitarparts, but other hardware can be used on request. For a small extra charge, the color of the hardware can be customized.

Close-up of an electric guitar's bridge, strings, and body, featuring a black finish with green marbled patterns.

Close-up of a bass guitar bridge, strings, and part of the wooden body, with an electronic pickup and tuning knob visible.

Fixed Bridge

Included in the base price it is comfortable to play and easy to change tuning.

Nova Guitarparts: Included
Technology4Musicians (T4M): 150 CHF

Tremolo

For more expressive freedom all models can be equipped with a tremolo bridge.

Nova Guitarparts: 150 CHF
Sophia: from 350 CHF
Technology4Musicians (T4M): from 300 CHF

Electronics

Arguably the biggest contribution to tone, the pickup selection is a very personal one. For this reason, there are no default options, but you have free choice of anything that is available on the market as well as my own hand-wound Dark Art Pickups.

If you only ever use the bridge pickup, why pay for a neck pickup?
The base price includes models from EMG, DiMarzio, or Dark Art Guitars. For a quote with your personal favorite, please reach out directly.
The most versatile option, allowing you to get a wide range of different sounds with a flick of a switch. Depending on the model, 3 or 5-Way switch, or coil-tap functionality with a push-pull knob can be added.
The price for HH configurations starts at 100 CHF, but please reach out for a quote on your favorite set.
Naturally Dark Art Guitars can not just play metal but any genre. Upon request HSS or other pickup configurations are also available.
If you are looking for infinite sustain as well as rich harmonics a Sustainiac might be for you. Any Dark Art Guitar can be equipped with a Sustainiac transducer upon request. Extra charge: 400 CHF
For even more sonic variety the bridges from T4M can be equipped with Piezo saddles. This will allow you to blend an acoustic sound with the tones from the magnetic pickups.
Extra charge: from 400 CHF

Customization

While there are certain default options for a Dark Art Guitars build, just about anything can be customized upon request. Below are some common options you might want to change.

Construction

The standard option is a set-neck construction, but neck-through is also possible for an extra 350 CHF.

Scale Length

Default:
6-String: 25-25.5in
6-String Baritone: 28in
7-String: 25.5-26.5in
8-String: 25.5-27in

Extra charge for custom scale: 100 CHF

Inlay

Either as an aid for finding your way around the fretboard or just for aesthetic value, inlay provides many interesting options. The base price includes a Dark Art Guitars logo on the first fret, as well as a choice of position markers. The color can also be chosen for free. Naturally, it is also possible to not have any inlay.

Default options:
- Circles (center, left, or offset)
- Dots
- Block

Extra charge for custom inlay depends on design and material. Simple 12th fret designs start at 100 CHF. Larger and more intricate designs start at 200 CHF.

A glowing skull with tentacles in dark lighting

Various pieces of wood, including a large, irregularly shaped burl wood veneer on a table.

Available Woods

The backbone and soul of any guitar, there are endless different choices for body and neck woods. Some of them have characteristic sounds they are known for, while others just look plain stunning.

At Dark Art Guitars there is virtually no limit on what woods you can choose for your build. Below is a list of some common options and how much they add to the price of the instrument.

Please contact me directly to find out what exotic and domestic woods are in stock at the moment. If my wood stock doesn’t have what you’re looking for, I’m sure one of my dozens of suppliers worldwide has something that fits the bill.

Top Woods

Below is a list of some available drop-tops from my wood library. Due to the sheer number of possibilities it is best you reach out to me directly if you're interested in a custom top, the ones below are just a small selection. I am also more than happy to pull from the vast selection of my global suppliers ensuring that we will find the right top for your custom guitar.

All of the light-colored woods can, of course, be stained any color you would like, including multi-color bursts or fades.

Stone Veneer

Are you looking for a guitar that is unlike any other? How about a guitar top made from real stone instead of wood? These veneers have a very thin layer of natural stone (no colors added) on a synthetic backer. They look and feel just like a big block of stone but remain nice and light. Below you can see some ideas, if you like one of the stones, let me know and I can show you all the different patterns possible with it.

Close-up of a textured multi-colored stone surface with part of a wooden or cardboard object in the top left corner.

Body Woods

Ash has very pronounced grain that gives a unique texture to your guitar. It can also be stained any color you like.
Options:
- European/Swiss Ash
- Swamp Ash
Mahogany barely needs an introduction, it is one of the most common guitar woods. It is fairly light weight and light brown to slightly orange in color, but can be stained to appear more red.
Options:
- Sapele
- Khaya
A common name for dark-patterned Korina, Black Limba is another visually stunning wood with a good light and dark contrast. It is also fairly lightweight.
Alder is very smooth in appearance and feel. It is also fairly light, making it perfect for painted guitars.
With its stunning color ranging from orange to red with streaks of brown, Padauk is definitely a looker! It is slightly heavier than some other woods, but still manageable.
This is just a small selection of available body woods, so if you have something else in mind, feel free to reach out.

Neck Woods

The options for neck woods are also plentiful. The base price of the guitar includes a single-piece or up to 5-piece multi-laminate neck with standard woods. Below are some options, but feel free to reach out with your own ideas.

- Wenge
- Mahogany
- Maple
- Flamed Maple
- Purpleheart
- Padauk
- Walnut
- Ovangkol
- Black Limba
- 7-Piece or more Neck (from 50 CHF)
- Premium Woods (from 25 CHF)

Fretboard Woods

Row of wood samples available for fretboards.

These two pictures show a selection of the different woods I have available for fretboards. For many of them, there are multiple pieces available with different patterns, so make sure to reach out to get my most up do date pictures.

First picture: Marbeled Ebony, African Ebony, Zebrano, Bocote, Wamara (Ironwood), Bird’s Eye Maple, Flamed Maple, Macassar Ebony, Ziricote
Second picture: Padauk, Pale Moon Ebony, Pale Moon Ebony, Ziricote, Indian Rosewood, Indian Rosewood, Ancient Oak (Bog Oak)
Not pictured: Richlite Black Diamond, Wenge

Finish Options

All Dark Art Guitars are finished with durable 2K Polyurethane lacquer. This provides ultimate protection against wear and tear, ensuring the guitars last you a lifetime.

There are three different finish options available:

Matte Open-Pore

This finish option preserves the natural texture of the wood. You will be able to feel the wood grain and stay connected to its origins. The matte surface will give an impression almost like there is no finish at all.

Smooth Satin

For this option, the wood grain is filled before applying the finish, creating a perfectly smooth surface. The satin finish feels amazing to the touch and will hide fingerprints and small scratches much better than high-gloss.

High-Gloss

There is no denying the depth of color a high-gloss finish provides. No other option is quite as vibrant and glass-like. This naturally comes at the cost of showing fingerprints and small scratches much more than matte or satin options.

Thoroughly confused or ready to order?

I am happy to answer any questions you have, just shoot me an email or a DM on Instagram.

Get in touch