September 2015 Guitar of the Month

[Rabbitz]

At the end of the day any judging is subjective and those who run the competition get to apply their thoughts/beliefs to the outcome.

I simply prefer the plain no logo look, and in this case I also didn't want to hide the grain.

This guitar is unlikely to ever see a shop, nor is it ever likely to leave the lounge room, so it is all a bit moot. I am well pleased with it, it is now stable, holds tune and sounds better than I can do justice to.

To be honest it won't even make "Garage Band" status.

Frankly, to sit in the rack and occasionally make some noise is why I built it.

Cheers.

[stan]

well said Gav

top work everyone
each month GOTM comes up with some very cool stuff, some functional, some very custom, but all awesome in their own way
this month is no exception, well done all

Barge you've, deservedly, done it again, super top shelf custom awesomeness: the guitar you didn't give up on paid off

[adam]

Guys, I should have pointed out that one of the judges, as part of his (very considered) feedback added a "genre" of music where he thought he would see the guitar in question. So, his "New New Wave", "Jazz Club", "Garage Band", etc comments were just his thoughts on where that guitar might be at home. I thought it was a really nice touch.

However, I think without giving you this context his comments could have been misconstrued. Apologies, I was in a bit of a rush and there were 9 entries x 6 judges.

[Rabbitz]

Sorry Adam, but even with the context "Garage Band" is pretty insulting.

I guess Cash Converters is a suitable place to find such things...

*shrug*

I'll know better next time.

[Tonyewen]

Well earned win Barge - that's one classy axe.

To the judges, thanks for the feedback. It's certainly been a learning process and I'm already in the "pre-emptive persuasion" phase of my next project. I'm torn between doing a blue LP or a red MM4. More a matter of which one to build first though lol

[Arzi]

Hi

I also thank the judges for the feedback and I'm planning and scheduling the stages of my next one. It's good to know what the judges are looking for - haven't read the comments so thoroughly in the past months since this was my first entry. It also keeps from cutting corners on my next build and really focus on what I'm doing. Gotta improve my work.

Tonyewen; I'm building a MMB-4 in red next - was this your plan also? Would be fun to build at the same time.

[jarrod]

Wow I thought that all the guitars this month showed incredible talent in the build and finish process. In my honest opinion people if a suggestion of a logo is mentioned it is only a suggestion and points are not removed from myself for that. How ever a big one I have noticed which does affect grading IMO is the setting up of the guitar. Just so you do know things like not setting up the intonation before you enter the competition is a little like entering a car in a competition that wont start. This comment is to encourage people to learn via the video's etc.... on how to make your guitar to it's possible best look and best to play. these kits make a fantastic guitar that you would be happy to take to a gig providing they are set up well and unfortunately we can tell just by looking at the guitar if they aren't. Arzi even as a custom builder I am also always looking to improve my work and I can assure you so do the seriously professional builders.
Rabbitz we don't discuss who has said what so we don't know each others comments but feel rest assured your build was a bloody nice looking guitar that impressed the whole forum. But after reading the suggested comment I think it was supposed to be a compliment to music style rather then how it may have come across.
It was a tough month with some serious competition so when incredible builds are hard to compare to each other we have to start looking very closely and start to nit pick to separate them. The nit picks may seem like minor things to the builder and that is a fair assumption , but hey how else can we separate so many great builds.

[Arzi]

Hi

My point was only to say that there' always something that can be improved - in everything we do. With every build we learn new things and the next one will be easier or somehow different. After all I'm making these for myself and no one else so whatever the result I'm the one who should be pleased. This friendly competition is a nice bonus that makes me try just a bit harder to achieve what I'm aiming for.

And everyone who enters or doesn't is a winner for they have made a unique instrument with their own hands. Not alot of people out there who have done it - I can't think of anyone I know except my father in law who did one in the 70's. And I know a bunch of professional musicians (I'm not one).

[Brendan]

Jarrod - spot on. With guitars of this level, it often to me comes down to one or two minor things between the very best guitars. The bar has gotten that high.

Rabbitz - your call on the logo - it's your guitar and it needs to look how you want it.

Pest - wasn't a comment directed at you forgetting a TRC - Gav was implying that he didn't want to be reminded that the only reason he lost to Wokks on a very early GOTM was that he didn't put a truss rod cover on his guitar - viz the only judge (judging was different early in) deemed it wasn't complete. (Ooops - maybe I wasn't meant to say that - sorry Gav).

[keloooe]

Ah thanks for the fill in Bman! Haha yeah I remember the TRC decider..... *giggle*