Q: Where are the production series guitars built?
A: The Standard Series are built in Indonesia to our exact specifications at a factory that maintains ethical and fair labor practices. Our Select Series come with premium specs and are handcrafted in South Korea by a small shop of trained luthiers, only 7 people to be exact. These luthiers all have over 15-30 years of experience. This factory has been building guitars since 1985, and we chose to partner with them because their quality is top notch.
Q: Where are the Select Custom series guitars built?
A: Our Select Custom Series guitars are built by 3 people within a custom shop in South Korea. We are able to retain our high standards of quality and tone because we have partnered with shops/factories that share the same mindset.
Q: Where are your Heritage Series guitars built?
A: The Heritage Series Instruments are machined/built, painted, and assembled in the United States from start to finish. These builds are spec’d out and built one at a time by Joe Balaguer and our USA team. They are available for sale once the build is completed, and are signed with a unique serial number. These instruments are meticulously crafted to represent the apex of what we can do.
Q: What is the current build time for a Select Custom instrument?
A: We are currently estimating 5-7 months for Select Custom instruments. Some options that we offer are more time and labor intensive and can potentially add time to the build process. If you choose one of these options we will reach out and inform you of the potential for a longer build time.
Q: Can I make changes to my Select Custom order after the fact?
A: All Select Custom orders go through a review process before they are submitted to our team in Korea. We can accommodate some changes before the orders are submitted to the build queue. Once orders are submitted we cannot allow any changes to be made. Please review your specs carefully before you place your order.
If you have any questions about the order process please send us an email at info@balaguerguitars.com and we will get back to you asap.
Q: Can I get something that is not listed in your online builder?
A: We can source any pickups from any of the 3rd party pickup companies we work with. If you aren’t seeing a pickup that you want in the builder from one of the brands we work with, just include the pickup brand, model, covers or bobbins and pole pieces and we will invoice you for them separately.
Aside from pickups, we do not offer sourcing anything that is not in the builder.
Q: Can I request a custom finish for my Select Custom order?
A: We do not accept custom finish requests at this time.
Q: What should I know about your in house pickups?
A: Our Standard Series, Select Series, and Select Custom series all come with our pickups that are made in Korea. Our USA Series and Heritage series all come with our USA made pickups. These pickups are made to the same specifications with the same materials – the only difference is where they are made.
For a full breakdown, description and audio samples of our pickups, head to our pickup section at:
balaguerguitars.com/ourpickups/
Q: Do your guitars come with cases?
A: Standard Series, Select Series and Select Custom Series guitars all come standard with our rigid padded gigbags. You can upgrade your Select Custom order to a hardshell case in our online configurator. Our USA Series and Heritage Series guitars come standard with a branded hardshell case.
Due to the many customizable options we have available, we do not offer cases sold individually at this time. Please make sure if you want a hardshell case for your Select Custom guitar or bass that you include it with your initial order.
Q: Do you offer Artist Endorsements/Discounts?
A: Yes we do! We are always willing to review an artist application that comes through and should your application meet our requirements for endorsement, we will reach out to you to discuss the possibility!
Please fill out the artist application at:
balaguerguitars.com/artist-application/
Q: Do you ship worldwide?
A: Yes, we can ship internationally at a flat rate of $150 if the guitar is pre-ordered or in-stock at our distributor. Shipping cost may vary if the guitar is coming from our shop in the USA, so please contact us prior to placing your order for a shipping quote The customs/taxes are paid for by the buyer in addition to the shipping cost. All international Select-Custom orders are drop-shipped from our Korean shop through a distributor, to the customer, instead of coming to the USA first. Our Korean shop follows the same 46-point checklist as our USA shop for these Select Customs. This allows us to pass on savings for shipping to the customer.
Q: Is there a warranty on your guitars?
A: We offer a 1 year non-transferrable warranty, which starts following the purchase date of your Balaguer Guitar. If a part of the guitar fails due to factory defect, we will send you a replacement part. The following items are not deemed factory defects and will not be covered under this warranty: fret wear, saddle wear, nut wear, strings, discoloration, shrinking, adjustments or routine maintenance, setups, damage due to modding/customizing the guitar, damage caused by temperature & humidity fluctuations, and normal wear and tear on parts.
Q: What is your return policy?
A: You can return a production series guitar or our pickups within 1 week after delivery, for a full refund. The product must be shipped back in the original packaging, in excellent condition, and the customer is responsible for the return shipping cost. If you are pre-ordering a production series guitar and need to cancel your pre-order, a $200 cancellation fee will be deducted from your refund amount if canceled after 30 days of the pre-order placement. Due to the custom one-off nature of our Semi-Custom and USA Custom guitars, they are only returnable within 24 hours of receiving the guitar based on factory defects only, and are subject to a 15% re-stocking fee at the time of the return. Semi-Custom guitars/basses that are canceled during the build process can only be refunded 50% of the total build due to the loss of labor/cost involved in ordering wood, hardware, etc. as well as having to complete the guitar and look for a different buyer if the build is close to completion. Think of this as a build deposit that is non-refundable.
In order to process a return, email us
at info@balaguerguitars.com
for a return authorization label.