Community Guitar Project

[Hitone]

So I have this idea that won't get out of my head. Each year I build a guitar and donate it to the Wildflower! Festival to be auctioned off. The money goes back into the community. This year I'm starting early. I am wanting to build a guitar that everyone can contribute to. Something made by the community. Or by a bunch of bands. Or by random people that want to contribute.

I'm thinking of having the top of the body (and maybe back) cut into several tiles or squares. Each tile can be sent to an artist (or band member or some random person in the community). And that person can paint or design whatever they want. Once I get them back I will attached them to the guitar, topcoat and finish out. That's the idea so far.

If anyone has any ideas please comment on this post. I am looking for other/better ideas of how to do this or any ideas of what materials might work.

[Workingman]

If you went with a material finish you could have people supply the material or give them canvas squares they could paint or draw on.

[Hitone]

Thanks Workingman. I like the material idea. Your thinking like a fabric right?

Here's my first diagram of the process. This is still just a poorly drawn image. More ideas please.

[Cam]

The only problem that I see that may have an effect on the guitar is that, when you 'chop top' your going to lose the thickness of the blade which you cut it with.

[low end fuzz]

wht about some kind of transfer decal; along the lines of what ur saying, but more waterslide like;

can't get the 'sack' look outta my head with thisquilt idea, and the hokiness might kill the coolness/ auctionability of the guitar

[verhoevenc]

I'm not trying to be critical, cause from a community and artistic standpoint I think the idea is cool. However, from a "will this sells for more or equal to a normal guitar if I did one of those instead, and get the maximum cash for the charity/event" standpoint, I think some market research may be needed.

Chris

[WAK Guitars]

Depending on how much time you have, you could just bring the guitar itself around to the different people, they could leave their mark (whatever it may be), and then on to the next person. Besides if you're wanting to get a bunch of people in on it, it's not like they'll each have to take up a lot of real estate on the top, and the amount of time each person took with it probably wouldn't be very long. If you didn't have to chop it up it might be a bonus. Good luck either way, sounds like a cool build.

[Hitone]

Some good input. I think the original idea would look like a painted quilt once it's put back together. Pure American folk art.

verhoevenc I might not have mentioned that the auction is for art guitars. Mostly old guitars that have been painted. I have been donating a handmade guitar each year for the last 5 years. A normal guitar would get lost in the sea of art.

My past auction builds | Wildflower! Art Guitar Auction

Cam your right. I would have to fill in the space between the tiles. Some kind of wood strips might highlight the pattern nicely.

Low end fuss the decal idea is interesting. I'm not 100% sure about using it for this, but it might be interesting to have people develop send in digital artwork that could be printed out. I'll have to think more about that one.

WAK Guitars I like your idea a lot. The one thing that might hinder it would be if I had artist that isn't local. Shipping a small tile would be less costly.

[ScottR]

Dude, your past auction builds have been very cool!

I might be interested in decorating a tile if you end up going that way and don't have them all accounted for.

SR