Jump to content

Corvus Build-off


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 178
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Hahahahhaa...

I thought people couldn't see it...hehehhee...though all theses posts I have been waiting to give the corvus "the bird!"

I still don't see the bird in flight.

Oh John, are you confessing to not seeing it in the original? It's a "corvus", a raven, a crow...that's the whole point of the thing (not a good point, in fact and ugly point...but a point...)

So...would such a modification to the "shape" still be in the "spirit" of the Corvus...cause I don't see "the bird" in some of these...or the original (well, eventually, but it took a week!)

pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly, this is all for fun, and if anyone takes it so seriously that they would rail on you for building a nicer guitar and going 'over budget' because they so badly want to win, well then they've got other problems. I say you build it to whatever spec you want to, and if you beat me, so be it. I'd rather have you in the competition and building what makes sense for you from a financial/business standpoint than not have you in the competition at all.

This should be like a cage fight ... the only rule is, there are no rules!!

Seriously ... I think that there needs to be some very loose design parameters in order to encourage the spirit of friendly competition, and so that what you each end up with can reasonably be called a Corvus ... but nothing too restrictive.

If someone spends $50 and another spends $1,000 overall ... does that matter? Won't that be something you'd simply note in your wrap-up thread? If someone has $40 pups and someone else has $400 will that win the "competition" for them? If someone uses the finest flamed timbers and someone does a Home Depot plywood build ... aren't we more interested in what they manage to create?

Anyway ... this is becoming an interesting thread and competition ... keep it up.

:D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And I personally think your second sketch looks more like a BC Rich than a Corvus.

The second sketch is a direct picture of an overhead view of a crow taking a nosedive...

If you were to have a "corvus build off"( which i think will never"fly"...prove me wrong)then you should be able to design a more suitable crow representation...such as Pete's sketch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

so here we have how this is going for me

Pete researches corvus and pelts us al with info about crows

Interest re-perked in corvus design - although GH3 had done that some months before :D

Interest perked in swamp thing by students at school when discussing watchmen film (they are too young to have seen it)

draw a WV 'WarVus'??? design

Fiancee like WarVus design, also likes the corvus. says it should be lacquered wood and definatly not blue (this is why i am marrying her)

Wez drinks lots of cider

Discuss swamp thing with fiancee

Fiancee wants to get some alan moore swamp thing books

John throws out obscure reference to swamp thing in his corvus thread knowing i like watchmen and V for vendetta

swamp thing and Corvus linked in my head

Some swamp thing books ordered including a murder of crows

its almost fate telling me i need to build a corvus, maybe a swamp thing themed corvus at this rate - but i am still going to go my own way with it so dont include me in a build off - just wait and see if i do it

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see this falling one of two ways if a real build-off is to occur:

1) Either everyone just pony up and build a damn Corvus exactly as it is supposed to be done, to body spec, an exact replica of the real thing...

2)...Or you have a build-off of everyone's own -personal interpretations- of an improved Corvus design.

Personally, it is pretty obvious to me that 98% of the posters here do not really even like the damn thing, but want to have a build off for some unknown reason anyway.

It's like a car accident on the freeway, horrific to think about, but you can't turn away for trying...you have to look at the horror and human mutilation of it...

So, if an interpretational build-off puts everyone at ease, then remove ALL the limitations and rules, and let everyone build whatever they want with whatever materials they want as long as it is -basically obvious to the layman- that the Corvus was the initial design plan.

A free-for-all interpretational Corvus build-off.

Now to me, THAT is an exiting build that will push people to stretch their creativity to the edge, and it is not only allowed, but expected and nourished.

The only rule I see that would need to be in place is that a person should be able to look at a Corvus and your guitar and say 'Yeah, I can definitely see where a Corvus was your starting point, but damn, what you did with it is AMAZING!...". If you stretch it too far for the average person to be able to see the similarity, disqualification and dishonor must ultimately occur. Maybe even disembowelment if it's a real serious difference... :D

From what I'm reading here, I think that kind of contest is far more organically in-tune with what people seem to want to do. Everything I'm reading is falling somewhere in the middle of these two choices and seems really unclear at this point, and how can you have a build-off with completely unclear objectives?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am in complete agreement with Drak's previous post. People need to run with this as a starting point and see where creativity takes them! That's what will really make this fun and interesting!

I guess it's what I've been trying to say in my previous posts, but I haven't expressed it quite so clearly. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Personally, it is pretty obvious to me that 98% of the posters here do not really even like the damn thing, but want to have a build off for some unknown reason anyway.

It's like a car accident on the freeway, horrific to think about, but you can't turn away for trying...you have to look at the horror and human mutilation of it...

Exactly what I have been saying...the horror...oh, the humanity...

I can't believe with so many corvus'ssss (corvi?) and crow references, no one got "the bird" from which gibson got it's name...some still can't see it...hahahaha

I see this falling one of two ways if a real build-off is to occur:

I can see it falling over in many many ways! And in the end people simply saying...I still don't see the bird...hahaha

I can't see how a headless version with rear tuners is more "true" to the design vs my completely hypothetical sketch...I even included the original for comparison...

pswus01.jpg

but there are plenty of potential variations in my opinion and I'd like to see more people put pencil to paper and come up with their own "version"...just cutting out the shape and bolting on a neck isn't that much fun really...how would you judge it, "yep, that's a corvus, yep that's a corvus...ok, thats a corvus..." hahaha

pete

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's even better, a pencil sketch competition and then call it a day and put the old bird to bed for the next 20 years. :D

Exactly what I have been saying...no photo shop allowed...

I'd go even further and make it compulsory to hand in a sketch for all members of more than 1,000 posts!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wez, that's a pretty amazing improvement, but stop showing unless everyone gives up on building one. :D I don't want to get acused of copying when I carve it into an ax.

I sort of started already, but all I did was route the truss rod into the neck, and lay out the Purple heart and Maple, so no harm done if the actual build off tanks. Hope it doesn't, it'd inspire me to build on a schedule.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...if the actual build off tanks.

I don't see that happening at this point.

IN:

avengers63 / John

Dirge For November

ToddW

The Telecaster Kid

WezV

PSW/Pete

Anderekel

MAYBE:

Kenny

Orgmorg

MattHarris75

Matt LOOKS like he's in, but hasn't come out and said it yet. (hint hint)

From today's discussion, here are the rules:

1) The body must be evidently inspired by the Corvus - the closer to the original the better. It's a personal interpretation of the original shape, but the connection MUST be evident.

2) Try your best to keep the budget at $200. If you go over, explain clearly why. It'll be up to the judges to determine if it's legitimate or not.

3) All entries are to be finished and in the entry thread by June 31, 2009. A GOTM style vote will begin on July 1, 2009. No deadline to enter the build-off, just to have it done.

4) Post your build thread.

We'll still wait until tomorrow evening to see what gets discussed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wez, that's a pretty amazing improvement, but stop showing unless everyone gives up on building one. :D I don't want to get acused of copying when I carve it into an ax.

I'm already rethinking this and am going to rip off a couple of those sketches. I want Drak in just to see a coco covered Corvus.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

OK, I'm going to spill the beans...

The reason I'm not riding avengers for this build, even tho I don't personally care for it, is that:

1) I sincerely applaud -anyone- who will still build their ideas in the face of so much controversy.

2) Also is that I, Drak, have my own ugly stepchild of an early '80's guitar that is not so dissimilar to the Corvus that I am want to build myself, so I am doing very much the same thing as avengers, except I happen to like the design I'm building far more than the Corvus, but mine was also an ugly stepchild of the early '80's as well.

I'm just keeping mine under wraps, as I do not want the vast scrupulous public derision of the Corvus cast upon me, hahaha!

So basically, I am paralleling the Corvus and avengers in spirit, but with a design I just like better, but a lot of people probably won't. :D

...and maybe that, my Komodo friend, will be in Coco-Bolo, but no Corvus for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm already rethinking this and am going to rip off a couple of those sketches. I want Drak in just to see a coco covered Corvus.

It gets to you after a while, doesn't it. You know you want to jump in, you just won't let yourself.

C'mon, buddy! Holf your breath... both feet... deep end.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wez, that's a pretty amazing improvement, but stop showing unless everyone gives up on building one. :D I don't want to get acused of copying when I carve it into an ax.

I'm already rethinking this and am going to rip off a couple of those sketches. I want Drak in just to see a coco covered Corvus.

hands off my WarVus :D

seriously, if i do make one i wont be trying a list of major improvements. I suggested headless partly because of the balance issues of the original design, but also because i have been playing with steinbergers recently and its the way my mind was working. Notice in the drawing i did i didnt just lop off the head and stick all the weight the other end - thats as lazy as the original corvus design. I also lengthened the upper bout considerably in an attempt to get the centre of balance in a more ideal place. still not perfect but its a rough sketch at this stage

Tbh i am not after incorporating loads of new features in an attempt to show how a corvus is really the guitar of the future and a very clever design (it isnt... on both counts). i would just like to see a more usable version of a rather lazy gibson design that to me does have some quirky appeal

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...and maybe that, my Komodo friend, will be in Coco-Bolo, but no Corvus for me.

:-)

So now my wheels are turning and I, a child of the 80's (guitar playing teen), won't sleep till I guess that guitar. Right off the bat I'm going to say it's a Hamer Scarab. Damn those were cool. I saw Fernando Von Arb (Krokus) throw one down onto the stage off of a full Marshall stack. BAAAOOONNNNGGGGGGG!!!!!

And if its not that, then I sincerely hope it's an Ibanez Voyager ala Reb Beach. If so, I want to show you a design I've been working on for years based on that guitar.

Avenger - for all the negative juju I've tossed out about the design, the build off does have appeal. But for me, it's really a matter of available time and not derailing my other guitars in progress (one of which is my personal uber guitar). More power to anyone who is going to do this though. Nothing is more interesting than seeing several peoples solutions/ideas of one concept.

Edited by komodo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Wez,

Was I the first to suggest that?

WarVus ? (Is still looks like a fantasy battle axe to me.)

If so, the name is all yours. When I thought of it, I googled Vus, but couldn't find out if it had some cool meaning to go with War. WaraVos didn't sound good, but would have meant "War to you" I think.

I did notice you left some headstock room, I'm thinking 0 fret and standard tuners at the base using a cheap $15 Wilkinson roller bridge.

May go with 1/2" maple top, 1" purple heart, and 1/4" maple back. That way when I router off the top where the tuners need to be sticking up to get the correct down angle and router the back to get it to the right thickness, the footstock(?) will be PH. It also means the "blade" will have a different color edge after I bevel it and makes doing the control routes and cavities easy.

Going with stock/cheap tuners, it's gonna be an uncomfortable wrist bend to tune, but I'm not seeing any Steinberger's on ebay, and given a few of us are probably looking right now, I won't bid without making sure I don't bid one of you guys up. Not sure I see an easy way around that.

Maybe it'll never go out of tune because it'll be too ugly to play.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...