July GOTM

[Brendan]

Entries have now closed. We'll announce winners as soon as we can. August Comp to open soon!

[Brendan]

And to the comments (we love to start here and build anticipation...)

Logan McIvor's IB-6L
Beautiful, clean IB-6. The Linseed Oil really makes the most of that delicious spalt and dark/light grain contrast. The photo of the back is a little too blurry to truly judge, but the colouring is a good match for the top. I like the look without a truss rod cover, but it probably needs a bit of colour/finish in the channels. These basses always look great and this is no exception. Well done.
Classic natural finish on the IB-6 is always a winner. Great spalt patterning, nicely assembled. Lovely looking guitar.
You've made the most of the amazing spalt top on that bass. Great job.
A great looking bass, and a cool lefty one at that. Nicely finished and I presume all stock parts. A clean look that captures the top nicely, and doesnt look over the top. A nice job
A great example of how well a kit can come up straight from the box. Good choice to leave the timber un stained and let the natural beauty show.
The spalted top has so much figure. Well finished bass. No truss rod cover and the photography let you down.
Very interesting spalted maple grainy top and they always look best done natural. Missing the Truss Rod Cover and no logo.

Ricardo's LP1-M
Great rescue with the sand-through and a fantastic colour choice. Not sure about the gold hardware, it clashes a little too much for me, but the pickguard has grown on me. Nice simplified controls and sleek appeal that makes me want to pick it up.
Excellent salvage of a mistreated kit. The colour choice is unique and very appealing. The re-mapped controls draw the eye for a second look. The reshaped pickguard, I'm not so sure about. Solid effort.
Love the mods & the silver finish. I personally can't fault you for the lack of the name on the headstock, as I think it would detract. I'm struggling with the gold hardware, but I'm not sure any other colour would have worked.
A slick LP, and love the colour. You've done some nice detailed things to make it more custom and your own. I love the pickguard shape, it really suits. The whole axe really flows nicely and a nice save with the kit. Good job.
Super simple and clean. The headstock shape just seems to suit the colour scheme, very tasteful and a nice rescue from a damaged kit. Has that vintage feel to it , me likey!
Nicely finished LP but the photo's are too small to see close detail. Custom pickguard and truss rod cover suit the shape.
Subtle changes to the typical LP design work well with customised scratch plate & truss rod cover however no logo. Gold PUP mounting rings were a good choice too.

Rossc0's LP1-SS
A great looking LP with some very tasty upgrades. I love the look with the ply covers for the switch and control cavities, although they appear a little rougher than the rest of the body. The finish on the top suits it so well and does justice to the intricate spalt lines. The Zebras with the cream plastics are a perfect match for the build.
Once again clear on spalt looks awesome. Excellent selection of upgrades on this one make it stand out from the rest. The zebra pickups suit perfectly. Add points for well chosen logos.
Great job emphasising that beautiful spalt. Personally I feel like the chrome parts don't match the rest of the guitar though.
This is a beautiful spalt top, and you've treated is well. Shame about the glue, but the top is so patterned that it hides it a bit. Some great custom upgrades that really add some nice quality touches - it must sound great. Nice headstock personalisation, a nice guitar.
Awesome hardware upgrades on an awesome bit of splaulty goodness! For a first build its fantastic,the timber has really been shown off well, the whole package is well done indeed.
You really made the the most of the lovely spalted veneer. Some nice grain in the mahogany too. Nice upgrades. A well finished axe.
DT Coolangatta Gold was a great choice on this spalted top and headstock as it has enhanced the variation in grain patterns. Love the clean and natural look on the back too plus plenty of tasty upgrades. Good to see an aftermarket Truss Rod Cover, Logo and design on the headstock.

Andy40's STA-1HT
This is just gorgeous. The custom rosewood colour with the timbermate grain pop and deep gloss, wow. The neck looks great with the grain featuring nicely and tasteful logos. A hardtail ST with black and white plastics, Toneriders and Grovers. I want it, and I want it now.
Something about this one really speaks to me. Fantastic colour combo with the dark red body, black pickguard, white plastics and chrome. Hardtail is a big plus in my book. Lush looking guitar.
I love everything about this guitar. All the parts just go together.
This is a stunner and you have to love a hard tailed strat. Simple, clean, effective with some nice upgrades just to make it a bit more special. The finish looks great - it's a cool machine indeed.
In a store full of strats this is the one I'd head for.Great finish and the hardware upgrades suit it perfectly,it oozes class.
Another super Andy build, really nicely finished and tasty colours this axe oozes appeal. Well done.
Another Andy masterpiece done in the same unique DT Rosewood used on his Ash Tele to create a matching pair. Plenty of tasty upgrades and finished to a standard higher than you would expect to find on a store bought guitar.

Drummerdude's TL1-Q
I love the colour and look of this beautiful Tele. Double-bound, string-through, and some nice upgrades - excellent. I'm not entirely sold on the headstock shape, it gives me an I do but I don't sort of feeling. I love the logos and overall look of the build, and the finish looks spectacular. That quilt, oh that quilt wow. Great job.
Dragonburst FTW! What's not to love about this one? Superb colour, super glossy finish, really nice logos and a wide range humbucker in the neck. Kicking goals on all fronts.
Clean finish, great colours. An envy worthy TL style.
Wow what a great burst , looks like the ocean. Lovely finish overall and some nice upgrades. Simple catchy headstock. This is a great looking tele that should sound good too!
Drummerdudes tele oozes swamp water!
Flawless finish,not only in its gloss but the colour and the flame in the top were made for each other.The white pick guard and binding just gives it that lift.Nice hardware upgrades too. If I saw it in a shop it would come home with me."the gators got ya granny...chomp chomp"
Really love this tele the colour and finish is top notch. Super smooth gloss and nice upgrades. For a first build you knocked it out of the park !
Stunning effort for a first build. Nailed the green blue burst on both the front and back which is not so easy to do on Basswood. Love the headstock shape and logos. Lots of nice upgrades too.

[Brendan]

And to the winner. Well, this month there isn't one.

Yes that's it. Not one, but two! 7 judges this month and two guitars ended up with exactly the same score!

So the winners. I'll get there..
Soon.

Congratulations to Andy40 and DrummerDude! Both have come up with spectacular guitars and the judges have loved them!

If you missed them then here they are:
Andy40's STA-1HT


DrummerDude's TL1-Q


Congratulations to both of you - worthy winners!

[wazkelly]

Congratulations Andy & Drummerdude. Both worthy winners and it was very hard splitting them apart.

Top effort from other entrants too in a small field last month.

[Dedman]

Congrats to you both on the win and to the other entrants.The level of work here inspires keeps us all trying that bit harder

[wokkaboy]

Congratulations Andy and drummer. I gave you both highest scores and couldn't split them. Well done all other entrants were all top notch builds

[andrewdosborne]

Well done Andy & DrummerDude, truly inspirational builds and fantastic work all other entrants

[JB RETRO]

Awesome job to both of you, not to mention the efforts from everyone else. These guitars that are winning now are bordering on factory quality if not matching.

[Chuck]

Great builds folks. As JB says, amazing quality from everyone. Congrats!

[Rossc0]

Well done both of you. Must say I agree with the result, both fantastic. Lets see if I can give someone a run for there money with build #2.