Custom Built Guitars Near Austin TX – Vintage Guitar Boutique | Hill Country Guitars

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are a few answers.

We can build your custom Collings, Allison , Froggy Bottom , Huss & Dalton or Santa Cruz.
We specialize in custom order Collings Guitars. We are 25 minutes from Austin, Tx where these beautiful instruments are made. I go over to Collings a few times a week just too pickup, place orders for guitars or just to take pictures of the instruments in the build process. We have a personal relationship with them that other dealers do not have because they are not just next door. If you want to know how your next guitar is going to be built give us a call and we will walk you through the process just like you where there watching it being built.
Froggy Bottom Guitars only makes a little over 100 guitars a year and we have build slots so we can built your custom Froggy.
Allison Guitars are built in Austin, TX.We are one of two dealers and since he is a small builder, building by hand we can offer some really cool custom builds and this is another builder that we are personaly involved with and vist with each week. When your dealer has these kind of relationships with builders you know your are going to be and feel like you are there while your instrument is being built.

When you buy a guitar from us, is there an approval period?
When we ship guitars (i.e., you're buying it without trying it), you get a 48 hour approval period. If you keep the guitar, great. If it's not for you, ship the guitar back and we'll refund your money minus shipping costs and credit card fees. If we take a guitar on trade from you, we get the same option and have 48 hours to check it out and determine that is everything we expect.

What is your policy on returning guitar amplifiers?
Because the most common reason that someone would return an amp is "It just didn't sound the way I thought it would," HCG charges a 20% restocking fee as well as all shipping charges for all returned amps. Rarely is a returned amp "like new" so we like for the buyer to be sure that is the amp they want.

What forms of payment will you accept?
We accept cash, cashier's checks, money orders, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, and bank transfers or wires. Overseas purchases will be bank transfers unless other arrangements have been made.

Do you do repairs?
Yes, we do most repairs in house but if it is a finish repair we will use, John Allison who has his own guitar building business (Allison Instruments - see the acoustics page and electric page for his guitars) and is one of the best finish people around. He was Collings' finish person for 16 years.

Tony Nobles, is nationally known for his work on high-value vintage instruments. We also use Ross Jennings in San Marcos who does great neck resets.

Why Wimberley?
Being 45 minutes from Austin and just an hour from San Antonio has its positives. Besides being one of the most beautiful areas in Texas, it also happens to be right in the middle of a music-making and instrument-making oasis. Ray Wylie Hubbard, Alejandro Escovedo, Willis Alan Ramsey, Susan Gibson, Mason Ruffner, Jeff Plankenhorn, and Sarah Jarosz are all residents of this little town of 8,000 or so people. The working musician per capital ratio is through the roof. Also, it happens to be where a lot of great guitars are made. The Collings factory is just 25 minutes from here, and a few of their employees live out here. Tony Nobles, who writes a monthly repair/restoration article for Vintage Guitar Magazine, lives here. As does master builder Jamie Kinscherff. Beauty, convenient location, great music and passionate builders.
When did the store change owners
We took over the store November of 2009. Since that time we have worked to increase the inventory and make the store a place that everyone would like to come see.
Why did we move the store to a new location.
The noise became a problem with some of the other businesses in the complex that we where in, so being good neighbors that we are, we found a new place. It has worked out better for everyone and we are very pleased with the new store. It is in a rock house that was built in 1942 and has pine wood floors and is one of the greatest sounding rooms for playing guitars that you will ever find. We are just down the road about another 100 yards from the old location. Believe me it is worth the trip.
I've called during business hours, but got the answering machine. What's up?
HCG is a small operation. Unlike the big box stores, there's usually only one or two working in the store. So, we may be helping a customer out to their car, or be on the other line, or stepped out to get a sandwich. Leave a message, we'll get back to you.