Haywire Guitars

A potential customer called not long ago and asked, “What’s so good about Haywire Guitars”?

This is a good question. My reply can be summed up in the following narrative below.

Haywire Custom Guitars are highly regarded for providing custom-shop quality and specialized modifications at a price significantly lower than major manufacturers’ custom divisions. Players frequently praise them for their “gig-ready” reliability, extreme neck customization, and innovative electronic circuits that solve common tonal issues. 

Standard neck profiles from Warmoth Guitar Products featured in many Haywire Custom Guitars

The 8-Point “Gig-Ready” Process at Haywire Guitars

Every guitar from the Haywire Custom Shop undergoes a rigorous 8-point setup designed to ensure the instrument is ready for professional stage use immediately upon arrival. Pro Set-Ups done precisely. According to Haywire Custom Guitars, this process includes setups that music stores don’t include with purchase: 

1. 4-Axis Neck Alignment: Ensuring neck and string margins are perfectly aligned, centered and seated.
2. Tuning Gear Service: Inspecting and lubricating tuners for stability.
3. Pickup Potting: Reducing microphonic feedback.
4. Body Preparation: Ensuring optimal resonance and component fit.
5. Fret Work: Fret end dressing, leveling, crowning, and polishing frets for smooth bends.
6. String Radiusing: Matching string height to the fretboard’s curve.
7. Action Adjustment: Setting string height for maximum playability.
8. Intonation: Precision tuning across the entire fretboard. 

Unique Customization & Neck Re-shape and Shaving Options

Haywire Custom Guitar Shop is particularly well-known for accommodating players with specific physical needs that standard “off the rack” guitars do not meet. We are musicians working for musicians.

• Extra-Wide Necks: They offer nut widths ranging from 1-3/4″ up to 2-1/8″, which are ideal for players with larger hands or those who find standard necks too cramped.
• Neck Shaving: For players who find their current necks too thick or generally uncomfortable, Haywire provides a service to reshape and thin the back of the neck to a preferred profile, such as a slim “60s oval”, soft or hard “V”, asymmetric profile, Thin, Boat neck, ’59 Round back, Fatback, “D” shape, neck duplication and many more custom profiles that players require.
• Lightweight Builds: They specialize in “X-Light” models, often weighing around 6 lbs, designed to reduce back and shoulder fatigue during long performances. 

Electronic Modifications at Haywire Guitars

Reviewers on Reverb and official testimonials often highlight Haywire’s custom wiring as a major selling point. 

Treble Bleed Circuit: This modification prevents the loss of high-end frequencies when the volume is turned down, keeping the tone clear rather than “muddy”.

• Seven-Sound Toggle: On Stratocaster-style models, this mod allows for two additional pickup combinations (neck/bridge and all three pickups together) that are not available on standard 5-way switches.

Working Bridge Tone Control: Unlike many vintage-style guitars, Haywire often wires the bridge pickup to a tone knob for better versatility.