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Guitar Of The Month For February


Guitar of the Month for February  

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What a stellar month! Just absolutely amazing the level of work I have to try to pick from. It almost isn’t fair to pick only one. I think this is probably the strongest month I’ve ever seen. That being said, I’d like to offer up my thoughts.

SwedishLuthier: Acoustic guitar building is such an art and you do an excellent job; from the inlay to the unique sound hole to the custom bridge, it’s all top notch work. I thought the ebony tuners were a nice touch and finished it all off nicely. I thought the fret board length was a bit form over function and how it ran into the rosette sort of put me off a bit. Possible separation of the two would have enhanced this build for me a bit. All in all very minor and this build was awesome!

Awilcox: I love a good V shape and this is a great one. The white binding and pearl capped knobs really stand out. The headstock shape is classic and the staining job on the maple was excellent. I couldn’t see a flaw on it. I thought the gold fret wire was nice (I am currently working with the same stuff right now.) The truss rod stood out because the material color was off from the whiter plastics used. Along with that you might experience some issues in the future with using a flamed neck. Other than that, I’d play this guitar any day of the week!

G1: This bass really stood out to me for the excellent lamination! You got an excellent luster on the finish and the binding and the fret board look excellent. In a world of basses overloaded with exotic woods this bass is a stand out for me. I’m not a bass player but if I were this is what I would be looking for in a bass. Other than the fact that this build was missing knobs I have nothing I would personally like to see done differently.

Killemall8: I don’t minds the Schector like carving on the PRS body. It gives some originality to an otherwise over played shape. I’m a big fan of your choice of fret boards. I have a canary top I’ve been waiting to use up. The heel is nice and I really think the headstock stands out on this build. That being said, I felt the back of the guitar lacked the same attention to detail when it came to shaping as the front got. The white plastic cover seems off since the rest of the guitar is black hardware. The 5 block inlays seem unfinished since the theme doesn’t continue down the board but I’d rather see more of the fret board than the block inlays anyway. This was a strong build and I liked it.

Hydrogeman: We spoke about this build already. I love this guitar and would likely buy it if it were for sale. This guitar has everything I would want in a custom tele. The finish is top of the line, the wrap around bridge and the P90s are just cool looking. The crème color is great on that red! I even love the pick guard and anyone who knows me knows I don’t like guards. The board really sets this guitar off and gives it an awesome focal point. I would have chose knobs other than the Gibson type and I would have gone with three knobs volume/tone/tone but other than that, this guitar has it all!

Trynyty: This is a great build. I’ve never completed a headless guitar, especially one with such a wild finish! For the right person (like a progressive player) this guitar is the ticket but for me personally it would be more of a conversation piece than something I would look to for playing every day. Nonetheless I think it’s a master build!

Orgmorg: I really like the thought behind this build. In an era where so many builders burn their projects for the slightest flaw you have embraced the idea of conservation and recycling. I was blown away when I realized what the tailpiece and truss rod covers were made of. Growing up on a farm I can really appreciate this build and I’m sure everyone who sees it will ask a million questions! This was truly a unique build. To me the headstock could use some reworking. The paddle shape just didn’t fit the cool vibe for me but it does look like it would fit the era a guitar like this would have come from.

Marcovis: I love the idea behind this guitar and what it stands for. The limba back had me drooling for hours. Seriously, I have an unnatural addiction to limba! I should seek help for it. You are a top notch builder and should be commended for it. My thought is, you will win this competition. I’m not a big fan of the top on this guitar but I tend to gravitate to a more uniform color for a top. This is just a personal thing and in no way a nock on the craftsman ship.

Aidlook: I have always liked this model of tele. It looked cool and stood out as a monster in the tele market. The black and binding look nice and a 4 knob configuration is aways a plus for tonal reasons. I would have liked to have seen clearer pictures as it was really hard to compare this guitar to the quality of the other builds this month.

Well, I’m sticking true to my word and voting for the red telecaster. It would be a welcome addition to my herd of telecaster shaped guitars! This was such a tough month and everyone deserves props for stepping to the GOTM game.!

Edited by zyonsdream
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I went for the red tele as well. Even though it is not the sort of guitar I would normally vote for, there is just something innately appealing about it. Very eye catching and tasteful. Plus I love the fact that the mahogany was found in the middle of the road. :D Hmm.. fell off the back of a truck you say..... :D

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Aidlook: I have always liked this model of tele. It looked cool and stood out as a monster in the tele market. The black and binding look nice and a 4 knob configuration is aways a plus for tonal reasons. I would have liked to have seen clearer pictures as it was really hard to compare this guitar to the quality of the other builds this month.

Couldn't agree with you more on the crappy pictures I'd like to see much clearer pictures myself. I can't begin to say how pissed I am at the lousy pictures, for some reason I just can't get a guitar to look like it should on a picture. It's so frustrating not being able to capture your own perception of the instrument, someone should really put a guitar picture taking tutorial on here :D

Edited by aidlook
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Couldn't agree with you more on the crappy pictures I'd like to see much clearer pictures myself. I can't begin to say how pissed I am at the lousy pictures, for some reason I just can't get a guitar to look like it should on a picture. It's so frustrating not being able to capture your own perception of the instrument, someone should really put a guitar picture taking tutorial on here :D

Just remember, sunlight is your friend. Also, it is best if the sun is behind you while you take the pictures so it doesn't wash out the photo. Taking good photos indoors (especially with point and click cameras) is much more difficult.

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Couldn't agree with you more on the crappy pictures I'd like to see much clearer pictures myself. I can't begin to say how pissed I am at the lousy pictures, for some reason I just can't get a guitar to look like it should on a picture. It's so frustrating not being able to capture your own perception of the instrument, someone should really put a guitar picture taking tutorial on here :D

Just remember, sunlight is your friend. Also, it is best if the sun is behind you while you take the pictures so it doesn't wash out the photo. Taking good photos indoors (especially with point and click cameras) is much more difficult.

Thanks, too bad I'm currently living on the Swedish west coast then, expect good pictures next summer!

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I went for the red tele as well. Even though it is not the sort of guitar I would normally vote for, there is just something innately appealing about it. Very eye catching and tasteful. Plus I love the fact that the mahogany was found in the middle of the road. :D Hmm.. fell off the back of a truck you say..... :D

So that's where my wood fell off my truck!!! Just kidding, but seriously everyone did a great job and this month was a hard one to pick. I had to go with Marcovis because I'm planning something similar to that in the future. But the ouroborous was a close second because it just looks so freakin awesome!

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The P-90 Tele gets big points for just looking so i-want-to-eat-it delicious, even if maybe lacking a little novelty. The Flying-V Supreme is a close second for the same reason.

I almost regret not voting for The Ouroboros because of the unique look, but ultimately I guess I just can't find the body style pleasing. Headless was never my taste either - But still, very tough decision between these three entries for me!

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But the ouroborous was a close second because it just looks so freakin awesome!

Don't forget the innovative styling and configuration. I guarantee that you cannot find another Steinberger style guitar even close to this one. It's a groundbreaker. It's an Ibanez / Steinberger hybrid with seriously customed electronics. The paint job is just icing. This beast is a player and it demands it daily -- of course I'm happy to oblige. :D

It's not pimping if it's in the post-vote thread, right? :D

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I had to go with "the Stoddard" because I find the shape and the wood very appealing, but it was really tough to pick just one.

I was >< this close to voting for the Ouroboros.

There honestly wasn't one this month that I didn't like.

[Edit: Oops! I originally said "Barney" when I meant "Stoddard." I voted for Marcovis' guitar. Although I really liked Barney too.]

Edited by Rick500
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SwedishLuthier - I had to vote for this. Its a simple and elegant build with some really nice features. I particularly liked the bridge design and all the other bits of ebony trim. I think it might work slightly better aesthetically if the soundhole ring wasnt so close to the fretboard but thats just my eyes telling me it should be in the centre!! :D

Awilcox - Absolutely stunning Vee. the only problem i have with it is that the back appeals to me more than the front.... which then makes me disapointed by the front. The straight even flame on the back intersecting as it does really suits the vee shape well and the fact it carries on up the neck... stunning!!! The quilt in itself would have been excellent but after seeing the back i really want the front to recieve the same treatment

G1 - I like the body shape and most of the carving but it doesnt quite flow as nicely around the lower horn to waist area. its unfortunate the bridge broke because it did look quite nice before. also i dont really go for the look of bare pot shafts

Killemall8 - obviously the inlays are not finished and you have said it didnt go very well, i think it looks a little strange. I am also not sure i like the shape of the treble cutaway, it looks like a bit more wood could be removed to balance the design better. I think the careve turned out quite promising and its certainly worth another go at something similar to refine the design a bit

hydrogeoman - a stunning tele... that red does a lot for me and the build is extremely neat. I was considering putting a maple fretboard on a bloodwood neck and this shows me the colour combo could work. I am not entirely sold on the modified scratchplate shape and i would have filled the space at the end of the fretboard with an extra fret

Trynyty - its a great project and i like the artwork a lot. I have never really been a fan of headless guitars like this but the carving does make it appeal to me more.

orgmorg - i love this idea and its very well done. I think i owuld do some severly distressed hardware to go with it to complete the look. The bright shiny stuff kind of detracts from it at the moment

Marcovis - another stunning guitar and a great cause. again the build is flawless. I do feel that the limba on the back is a bit blah in the photos just because there is so much of it and the colour is a bit sickly... but i know how good that would look in real life and thats whats important. anyway, i think i would have liked to see a bit of colour, maybe not as blue as the last one but an amber tint may have made it for me

aidlook - its a great copy of a great design. Your photos may not be the best but i like how you got the popart reflection in the back shot :D I have to say the two tele's this month are the guitars i would most play

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orgmorg - i love this idea and its very well done. I think i owuld do some severly distressed hardware to go with it to complete the look. The bright shiny stuff kind of detracts from it at the moment

Ya, that's something I've been on the fence about. I personally like the contrast of the shiny chrome and the rusty tin, but have also been thinking about using something distressed, and was intersted to see what other people thought. I've got a few other projects like this in the works, so some experimenting is definitely in order. :D

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orgmorg - i love this idea and its very well done. I think i owuld do some severly distressed hardware to go with it to complete the look. The bright shiny stuff kind of detracts from it at the moment

Ya, that's something I've been on the fence about. I personally like the contrast of the shiny chrome and the rusty tin, but have also been thinking about using something distressed, and was intersted to see what other people thought. I've got a few other projects like this in the works, so some experimenting is definitely in order. :D

the lower strap pin caught my eye too. I'd agree that a distressed look would also give the guitar an authentic look. the more I look at that guitar the more I like it.!

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i did some that i think would look great on it

th_r2-1.jpgth_51.jpgth_49.jpgth_p2-1.jpg

Its all just been attacked with various impliments then dunked in etchant - mostly nickel hardware as well because it doesnt work as well on chrome. I didnt do the pickup covers - they were made by Bare Knuckle Pickups.... i told them i wanted them wartorn then aged.. and the utners were brought like that as well but i removed the buttons to age them a bit more. i didnt want to actuall dunk teh tuning mechanism

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alright

this decision was fairly difficult for me, but this is what i chose and why

i voted the the G1 bass becuase i love the combinations of wood and the shape. the colors just seem to compliment eachother in very elegant simplicity. the bindings on the fretboard go well with the inlay which it seems the fretboard was made for. all the other builds were very cool, just not my thing

i love the natural beauty of wood, and what you can do with it. and it looks like you did a great job!

keep up the great work guys!

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i will derail it... i put in etchant into google and i found a relatively local store selling ferric chloride for etcthing circuit boards... works wonders on nickel hardware. 2 minutes would be like 60 years if i hadnt attacked the stuff first

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My vote went to Marcovis. I have heard/read that some people on the forum think his guitars are a modified Les Paul. After seeing his instruments first hand, and I have to say that they are quite unique in many ways. The workmanship is awesome, very detailed work.

I love his neck transition it is very sweet and extremely comfortable. Marcovis nice work and a great cause love the woods you used very unique.

Mike :D

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