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Brendan
01-11-2018, 10:04 PM
December Guitar of the Month (for Guitars and Basses finished in November)

Enter your finished guitar or bass here to be judged for the Pit Bull Guitars December Guitar of the Month.

Please remember:

For Guitars or Basses finished on (or before) the end of November.

One guitar/bass per member per month.
It must be a Pit Bull Guitars kit (mods and upgrades acceptable).
Guitar or Bass must be finished and playable.

We need at least 4 photos:
· full guitar shot from the front;
· close up of the body finish;
· shot of the back of the guitar; and
· close up of the headstock (please, no brand name logos)


Please post your photos in this thread. If you are having issues posting photos on the forum, please email them to brendan (at) pitbullguitars (dot) com

Please note: This competition is open to amateur guitar builders only. If you are making and selling guitars for profit, you are ineligible. Also while there are some stunning guitars around - you never know what the judges are looking for, so we encourage anyone who's built a Pitbull during the month to enter!

Competition for closes at the end of November (Perth Western Australian time).

The sorts of things we judge on include:
· How well have the body and neck been prepared
· Is the choice of finish for the style of guitar appropriate
· How well has the finish been applied
· How well has all the hardware, pickups, etc, been installed
· Does it have the 'Wow Factor'· Which guitar would you make a beeline for in a guitar shop. That is, which one would you most like to take home.

BTW - remember that the winner is invited to be a guest judge the following month!

ozzbike
02-11-2018, 05:46 AM
The Low Bee ladies and gentlemen.

She is heavily electronically modded....three push pull pots on this one.

Timbermate (Mahogany colour) body filled.....and then TRU Oil all over....no stain.

Build Thread....

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=8736

Four knobs...three are push pull.....has a split humbucker.....has front coil or humbucker or back coil....has parallel and series between two pickups.

The fifth Bass string is tuned to a low B....hence the name.... LOW BEE.

She is very shiny and smooth and sounds amazing with just the original PBG Chinese pickups.

ozzbike
02-11-2018, 05:51 AM
Piccies and more piccies.

Ahscay
07-11-2018, 03:35 PM
This is my first build
It took me almost a year but I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.
P bass kit, not additions or substitutions.
Hand painted design with high gloss clear coats, stain and satin finish on the neck.
Sounds great.
2897128972289732897428975

Ahscay
07-11-2018, 03:36 PM
some more pics

28976 28977 28978

Sonic Mountain
07-11-2018, 03:56 PM
Wow, two equally cool but very different basses straight up. I'm hoping to throw mine in the ring this month as well.... so this might be veeeerrry interesting.

Brendan
07-11-2018, 05:56 PM
Its all about the bass... :)

JohnH
09-11-2018, 04:40 PM
Man, they both look great. Don't envy the judges this month

MaxS
26-11-2018, 04:02 PM
ESPM 1 No mods. The body finish doesn't look great there's a few marks left by the clamping on the back of the neck and front of the headstock. Other than that it's okay, not too fancy but plays well, low action and sounds good even with stock pups. The two basses are really nice, but I'm posting my pics anyway:2914629147291482914929150

MaxS
26-11-2018, 04:04 PM
29151291522915329154

Andyxlh
26-11-2018, 05:48 PM
Well done you three, 3 different instruments, all of them look great.

wazkelly
26-11-2018, 07:21 PM
29151291522915329154

Professional photo studio back drop works well in showcasing what looks like an industrial inspired design brief.

Is that another bit of timber sandwiched between tuners and rear of headstock, and did it come that way or added by yourself?

Cheers, Waz

Bakersdozen
26-11-2018, 07:27 PM
I think it's an optical illusion. Maybe the finish?

Simon Barden
26-11-2018, 08:20 PM
No, definitely another piece of wood. Presumably to lower the height of the tuner posts for more downward string pull?

ozzbike
27-11-2018, 06:40 AM
I really like the nature of this explorer. It is very workmanlike and looks ready to just blast through a gig.

I reckon it is a nice back of the headstock veneer. Looks good. I like the colour mix...body....neck headstock.

The natural finish...sealed without being glossy is killer too.

I reckon she would play rather well. Very very nice work.

Sonic Mountain
27-11-2018, 11:21 AM
It's done!

Formally introducing 'The Steampunker'

As per the build thread I finally got some suitable strings and completed setup today.

So, it's based on the Y-B4 kit it has a maple neck (With an awesome flame in it) and a bass wood body. Finished in Japan Brown stain with Cabots satin exterior poly. Fretboard stained with Japan Black and sealed with poly.

Stock pickups, after market pots and 3 way switch and 'custom' wired similar to a Telecaster.

Hand carved (with a dremel) tentacles, TRC and full custom bridge out of 3mm brass plate (thanks Frankie!)

Modified for string through.

PBG replacement Black Tuners

D'Addario Flat Wound Super Long Scale strings.

Some Pics - Loads more in the build thread, pretty sure these cover the main details.

http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/showthread.php?p=175266&page=20#post175266

https://i.imgur.com/xamaCtg.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/gv0iBtH.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/yTEmdSy.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/DLeWVPC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/7c4lJhn.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/K6XO58L.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kFHLsA3.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/kp3ZWLa.jpg

ozzbike
27-11-2018, 12:24 PM
Wow. Sonic I have followed the punker build. What a great BASS build mate. I love the detail and the effort you went into with the Brass work on this. Compass in the Truss Rod Cover and all the suction cups on the tentacles of the octopus.

Great work......dare I say.....December Guitar of the Month 2018 right here. Again....WOW.

wazkelly
27-11-2018, 12:50 PM
Wow. Sonic I have followed the punker build. What a great a BASS build mate. I love the detail and the effort you went into with the Brass work on this. Compass in the Truss Rod Cover and all the suction cups on the tentacles of the octopus.

Great work......dare I say.....December Guitar of the Month 2018 right here. Again....WOW.Ditto

Sent from my SM-A520F using Tapatalk

Sonic Mountain
27-11-2018, 01:47 PM
Thanks guys... it’s been an adventure for sure. :)

Adam Barnes
27-11-2018, 03:30 PM
Very nice sonic

Brendan
01-12-2018, 08:54 AM
OK - Comp for the month closed - will open up a new one soon!

Brendan
07-12-2018, 06:17 PM
Judges comments are in...
Ozzbike's MMB-5
love the pickup options and nice natural finish, another top build Ozz, well done
Love the stripped back look. Great design & finish choices.
A really slick build, basic clean and nicely finished. The timber tones and black hardware always look good together. Some great electronic mods, well done.
I'm glad this unwanted Bass found a home. I absolutely love the black on natural finish with the Mahogany grainfill on this Bass. Its so simple and beautiful. I especially like the string retainers and unfortunately I can't hear the electronic trickery through the photo. I would have liked to have seen a photo of the finished recessed jack hole, they aren't easy to do. Nice work Ozzbike a Bass you should be proud of.
Well done, looks elegant and very functional electronic mods. I liked the headstock details, simple and clean as the entire bass. I do like the natural honey color combined with black hardware. I am not a bass player, otherwise I would choose this instrument to take my home for sure.
A very natural and understated build perhaps the clear on the body is a slight letdown given that the grain is a little bland, but having said that the finish is absolutely top shelf.
The fit and finish is flawlessly executed and the understated finish would make this a perfect workhorse for the pub circuit.
Sadly finds itself up against a couple of rather imaginative builds that have that extra wow factor
Beautiful, clean, nicely finished build. The black hardware works well with the mahogany, giving it a deceptively simple natural look. Great looking headstock with the fantastic decals, although the uneven tuning spacing grabs the eye from the back. Nice wiring mods and, more importantly, you like the sound. Great job.
This one has been buzzing around for a while and good to see it finished in all its naked glory. Nice & glassy Tru Oil finish which Ozzie seems to have mastered plus an informative build diary that went through many steps before ending up with seriously modded controls setup.

Ahzcay's PB-4
good work on the artwork it goes well with this kit, top effort for a first build !
This bass is a lot of fun. Would love to see a picture of it in full sunlight.
A bright fun build, with excellent painted graphics. Show what can be done with a bass kit, and no mods. The year it took was worth the wait, well done.
Original artwork is nice my friend. I always wanted to do that on a guitar. fairly neat build, everything is where it should be. nice job for a first build.
It’s a classic PB with an astonishing hand painting on the body which looks funky, modern and fun. It will be fun to play some classic funky on this one. I can imagine this thing catching some attention at the guitar shop, it’s unique. In my opinion I would apply the same artwork on the neck and headstock. In general, looks fun.
The second low ender for the month and one that must be described as a work of art, reminds me a bit of the weird mind and wonderful work of Robert Crumb all those years ago.
The finish is right up there with the imagination of the art on the body that seamlessly wraps around from front to back and the little fellas claws hanging over the scratchplate completes the image.
A slight letdown with no headstock decal.
Definitely has wow factor but do you hang it on the wall or play it
Wild paint job, and certainly unique. Great detail. Neck/headstock stain may be a little dark for the body finish, but looks still good. Great first build... and claws on the pickguard!
Good first build choice that has turned out looking great. Some seriously out there hand painted artwork is different and would definitely be a conversation starter. No headstock logo but could be forgiven due to first build.

MaxS' ESPM-1
great photography Max, not sure why there is a piece of wood behind the headstock, finish looks pretty good, missing a headstock logo
Colour looks great, it really suits this style of guitar. The flash reflections do show up some issues with the top coats though.
A great effort with a non modded kit. Despite the minor blemishes, this a rocking guitar. It looks ready for the metal scene. A nice clean look, well done.
Dude, Its not my kind of guitar but I love the colour choices here and you pulled it off. You've got the right idea with the satin finish a few more coats and sanded back up the right grits and that sheen would be to die for. Veneer on the headstock? or just stain? I can't tell, I need more info on your build diary. But overall great work MaxS.
The ESPM has an aggressive design which calls for play it until you cut your own fingers… This instrument looks good in general. Natural wood with black hardware works well.
Plain and understated but in this case I find this very attractive, it has a dark appearance to match it's personality and intended use, it belongs in a loud and rowdy band along with Ozzbike's MMB5 but I don't think that little CUBE is going to cut it somehow.
There are a couple of minor niggles such as lack of headstock decal and the bleed of the dark stain into the lighter areas but no one is going to notice in a sweaty pub when the whole show is going off.
I love the look of a dirty dusty brown finish with black hardware, and this is no exception. Although a little rough in places it still looks great and makes you want to grab it. The strip on the back of the headstock looks ok, but would prefer it to have been either more matched or more contrasting. Nice build and excellent photography.
Guitar looks too mean for a tiny Cube amp. Elegantly understated look. Usually I am critical of two tone effect on set neck builds however natural finished mahogany neck looks good and gives it a more industrial look. Additional headstock strip to space tuners is different and a build diary would have been good to see how it all came together. No logo and also stock kit truss rod cover are things that can be updated at a later date.

Sonic Mountain's YB-4
love the mods to the steam punk you nailed the theme you are chasing, the jack plate, TRC and bridge work is sensational, top build again Sonic !
I know it isn’t exactly what you had in mind originally, but this truly is a wonderful beast. I love the little touches, like the jack and the truss rod cover. Great job!
An outstanding build, with so much awesome work to take in. The brass work tentacles, custom bridge, truss rod cover, cool output jack and love the headstock logo.. it goes on. This is a first rate build, you should be proud, top effort.
Epic build Sonic, the steampunk octo looks great on the bass and your brass work is spot on. I especially enjoyed reading the design inspirations from concept to action in your build diary. Satin finish? yeah great choice man. just the right amount of busyness and dark calm for this one. One negative, I am really really not a fan of F&W stains, they draw moisture from the wood and give a lackluster effect, but that is just personal choice for me. Still a build to be proud of man well done.
Great instrument based on the Y-B4, I loved the finish, looks smooth and very well done. The colors match very well, I liked the way how the bridge integrates with the metal tentacles, looks like an octopus floating in a dark brown sea, its awesome. Attention to details is the key here and therefore it catches my eyes into it.
This has to be one of the most amazing builds that we have seen on this forum, simply stunning from every angle.
Every single component of this build reflects the Steampunk theme and becomes the work of art that it is.
Find a spot in The Louvre for it, possibly not next to the Mona Lisa.
Wow, just spectacular. Concept, innovation, problem solving, integration of components... and true dedication, effort and talent in caving those beautiful tentacles. TRC, jackplate and bridge fabrication are all just fantastic. Finish looks great and works well with all the brass. The only thing that looks a little off to me is the gold switch, and only a little. It just looks a little too gold against the brass, and maybe a black body/ring would work better. Stunning build.
Watched intently as this Bass came to life. Not my cuppa tea but it does look oh so good. It has just the right amount of adornments but not too many to make it look overdone. Great logo and compass is one of the best truss rod cover ideas seen on this forum.

Brendan
07-12-2018, 06:24 PM
And the runner up - Ozzbike's MMB-5
http://www.buildyourownguitar.com.au/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=28896&stc=1&d=1538777354

And the winner - with a stunner custom job - take a bow Sonic Mountain...
https://i.imgur.com/gv0iBtH.jpg

wazkelly
07-12-2018, 07:39 PM
Congrats Sonic & Ozzie plus MaxS & Ahzcay.

Even with a small field the quality for judging was still quite high.

Cheers, Waz

DarkMark
07-12-2018, 07:44 PM
Congratulations everyone. Must be hard to judge which guitars don’t win, but I was a fan of Mr Mountain’s Steam punk bass.

Sonic Mountain
08-12-2018, 02:58 AM
Woo hoo. Such a buzz to take this one, even against a relatively small field. Congrats to Ozzbike, I really feel like it could have gone to your build for being almost the exact opposite to mine with the understated look but fancy electronics. Completely agree with the small negatives such as the gold switch not quite matching.

Thanks to the judges as well, every month you are asked to compare apples with oranges and pick a winner.

I mentioned in another thread that I’m going to retire from GTOM. It’s great fun, but I’d like to see newer builders and people who haven’t won it before have a crack. It’s so good to get the feedback even if you don’t get up and over the last year or so I feel like I’ve progressed from total novice to not totally clueless amateur. Thanks again to all, I’m off to celebrate with a run round the park 🙂

JohnH
08-12-2018, 04:11 AM
Congrats Sonic and Ozz! Great builds all around, once again. Never envy the judges

Bakersdozen
08-12-2018, 10:18 AM
Onya Sonic and all other entrants!

andrewdosborne
08-12-2018, 10:29 AM
Congrats Sonic, Ozzbike and all other entrants!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

ozzbike
08-12-2018, 12:58 PM
Pretty happy with my 2nd place.

Great win SonicMountain....awesome Bass you made.

Thanks to those who have or do offer congratulations.

Andy40
08-12-2018, 03:31 PM
Nice work guys really cool month

MaxS
08-12-2018, 03:56 PM
Congratulations Sonic Mountain and Ozzbike, both brilliant, Ahzcay great artwork and build.