“Vision without execution is hallucination.” - Thomas Edison
(and probably a million other people)
This is a real picture of me making a real face while playing a show in front of live people. It’s only here because there will never be a worse picture of me, literally every other picture will be a better picture. You’re welcome.
SAHKOG? Dumb name, cool stuff.
Welcome to SAHKOG Music Works. Founded by Brian Miller, SMW is a one-man custom instrument shop based in Central TX. I offer fully custom handcrafted guitars and basses, made to your exacting specifications. I welcome the challenge of bringing your vision to life and creating an instrument as unique as the player.
SMW started because the guitar I wanted to buy didn’t exist. Commercially available options were unable to produce the results I was looking for and it became clear I’d need to create the instrument I wanted. Armed with questionable woodworking skills and inadequate tools, I set out to execute on the concept in my head - a 35” scale 8 string guitar. It’s probably illegal to call that build a success, but it did show me what was possible and I haven’t looked back since. I’ve spent the last decade honing my skills, refining my designs, fine tuning all aspects of my build process, and now it’s time to take the next step.
There are a few crucial things you should know about me before going any further - It is my belief that …And Justice For All is the best Metallica album. I genuinely like Alien 3. I eat pizza with a fork and knife. I own, and wear (in public), multiple pairs of Crocs. I’m against picketing but I don’t know how to show it. Traditional and conventional are four letter words in my shop. Most importantly, I have ZERO formal woodworking or luthier training/experience and I am a self-deprecating perfectionist. What that means is I will always seek to improve my craft, and I tend to focus on where I need improvement over anything else. That said, perfection is a path, not a destination, and I treat each build as an opportunity to move further down that path.
My goal with SMW is simple - Custom instruments that inspire creativity and help effortlessly bring your ideas to life.
Ready when you are…
Instruments and Pricing
Guitars and basses from $1500 USD
Your vision, my execution. It’s like peanut butter and jelly (I’m actually allergic to peanuts, but that won’t stop us).
Base price gets you a 6-string guitar or 4-string bass, any scale length, crafted from standard domestic and exotic hardwoods (no figured wood and nothing super exotic/expensive). Standard hardtail bridge, your choice of electronics in a standard configuration (dual humbuckers, P/J bass, etc), standard tuners for basses, locking tuners for guitars, stainless steel frets, and your choice of strap locks. Design choices that add cost and/or complexity will be reflected in the final quoted price.
Finish options are limited to hand rubbed only at this time. A spray booth is in the works so I can offer a full suite of finishes, coming soon(ish).
