Quality

Materials, Components & Craftsmanship

From carefully chosen domestic and exotic woods to the selective hardware and electronics, Schuelke Custom uses the highest quality materials, components, and craftsmanship in each guitar and amplifier. We focus on quality, not quantity, producing only six instruments and amplifiers each year. Click the links below to learn more.

Exotic Woods

Tone Woods Start at the Source

For our guitars and amplifiers, we start by selecting the finest cuts of wood straight from the mill. Wood is chosen by color/grain, the cut which is either flatsawn or quarter sawn and is free of any crowning or warping, only the straightest boards are selected. Each piece is tap tested to ensure there are no internal defects such as checking or voids. All rough lumber is taken to the shop for milling. Milling involves S2S (planing each face of the board) Next step is to square each individual piece of lumber.

  • We start by selecting the finest cuts of wood
  • Wood is chosen by color/grain
  • Ensure the wood is free of any crowning or warping
  • Only the straightest boards are selected
  • Each piece is tap tested to ensure no internal defects
  • All lumber is milled, planed and squared
  • No paints, stains or dyes are used
  • Only natural wood grain and figure provide color
  • Oil-based polyurethane is the preferred finish

Guitar Components

Balancing Ergonomics & Performance

  • Scale length of 25.5” and a 12” radius
  • Stainless steel medium jumbo frets
  • ¼” Abalone dot fret indicators
  • 3/32” Abalone side dot fret indicators
  • Graphtech Tusq XL nut (white)
  • Bridges from Tone pros, Graph tech, Schaller
  • Grover 18:1 ratio 3×3 tuner set
  • Dimarzio Super 2 pickups / F spaced / custom ordered (White)
  • Carling DPDT on/on/on mini toggle switches
  • Switchcraft 3 way toggle pickup selector for 2 humbucker circuits
  • CRL 5 way blade style selector switch is used for 3 pickup configurations
  • Switchcraft heavy duty sealed TRS barrel jacks
  • Internal hookup wire is Weico 22 gauge pre tinned
  • Gravitt 22 gauge cloth with braided shielding when needed
  • Canare GS6 and Belden 9271 low capacitance cables to preserve tone
  • CTS pots/Sprauge Orange Drop capacitors & metal film/carbon comp resistors
  • Active circuits by Waldo buffer or Fender mid boost pre amp circuit
  • Custom fit SKB i3 open cavity instrument case

Amplifier Components

Meticulously Hand Wired, Tested & Played

  • Exclusive use of the 5E8A circuit
  • Circuit is rehoused inside an aluminum chassis (available on custom 1X12 and custom 2 X12 amplifiers)
  • Traditional cold rolled steel chassis is still used for the original style amp model consisting of solid pine cabinet/tolex/grill cloth
  • All components and transformers are top mounted as opposed to the traditional cold rolled steel chassis’ suspended from rear of amp cabinet
  • Performance based grounding scheme to eliminate noise (chassis ground and signal ground are two separate paths to earth ground)
  • This grounding method ensures excellent rejection of both EMI (electromagnetic interference) and RFI (radio frequency interference)
  • Another benefit is a path of least resistance to earth ground for any unwanted signal that may happen to bleed into the signal path. Unwanted noise can follow signal ground directly to earth ground rather than try and travel through the resistive signal path
  • Hand wired circuits
  • Custom dovetail jointed wood cabinetry
  • Celestion Neo Cream back speakers for reduced weight and high fidelity
  • (3) 12AY7 Noval pre amp tubes
  • (1) 12AX7 Noval pre amp tube
  • (2) 6L6G Octal power tubes
  • (2) 5U4G Octal rectifier tubes
  • Heyboer transformers
  • Leather handles

Let’s Talk

Custom Starts with a Conversation

Please call (804) 441-5777 or email Schuelke Custom with any inquiry. This is both a love and passion for all of us so, we’re always thrilled to talk with like minded individuals about all aspects of guitars, amps, gear, and music.