I wish I can customize guitar myself (as Im planning to mod the shit out of my cheap Squier) but I have no intention of making it look like anyone else's. I guess for Edge's cases, it is a lot easier to replicate specs as he doesn't mess around with stock config. too much; that's kinda problematic, thou as his Explorer has weird pups that was special for that reissue.
So, what are your customization plans then? I do love a good guitar modification.
It might inspire my next guitar build.
Muad'zin, i get it when you(or even me) feel cheated when artists either 1) change the spec of sig guitars constantly over the years (just look at Steve Vai, Eddie Van Halen or even Paul Gilbert). or 2) don't use their sig. models too often or mod their sig models thus whatever they're using different from what's actually sold. This case, Jeff Beck comes to my mind as he's using custom-made stack single coil pickups rather than noiseless pups. Matt Bellamy kinda does that as well, as his sig. is Cort-made but he actually uses heavily-customized Manson guitars.
I know that Tom Araya from Slayer's signature bass that is on offer is the exact same that he uses. No embellishments or upgrades for his own bass as he wants fans to have the exact same thing right out of the box.
In Matt Bellamy's case the Manson Mattocasters are not really heavily customized of an existing model, as he designed the shape, model and specs back in 2000 with Hugh Manson. Each is basically a true custom guitar. And whatever gets put inside changes with every tour. For a time he was into Fuzz Factories, then MIDI controlers and Sustainers, and now only Sustainers. The Corts are basically the budget versions of his main Manson workhorse, without the Sustainer. From what I get he even uses a few. Probably when he fancies a bout of guitar smashing.
And Manson does offer limited signature runs of some of Matt's guitars. He even used one or two as a back up. Usually after one of his custom guitars got too much damaged during his guitar smashing antics. They do tend to cost about ten times as much as a Cort though. But then you get the whole shebang. Man, do I fancy a signature copy of the Red Glitter.
But at almost 4000 pounds, kinda steep. I could probably build 5 clones for that price myself if I wanted too. I did once see a guitar player in the Netherlands who had a Manson Mattocaster, basic one though. And surprise, surprise, he played some Muse songs during their show.
What's worse is that sometimes artists produce cheap/affordable version of their sig in Squier/Epiphone or whatever and don't use them!! what the hell
Well, they're really for fans who do not have deep pockets. Not everyone can drop a few thousand on an artist signature series guitar. Seen from that way I can at least applaud that they would like their signature guitars to also be available in a budget friendly price range. The way I see it as long as the wood and hardware are okay they would make good upgrade models to get them there 100% of the way. Especially in the case of the Matt Bellamy Corts, as the Mattocaster body shape is a little different from the Telecaster. Save some money for some Bareknuckle pickups, a MIDI kit and a Sustainer and you pretty much have what you want. Minus that Cort logo on the neck of course. But even that can be fixed.
). Nor does it mean it will be commercially released (Line6 rack Distortion modelers? 
