November 2015 Guitar of the Month

[dingobass]

I see you also spotted die hard Ford fanatic as well....

[wokkaboy]

when did my avatar or signature have Ford fan DB ?

please don't do that, that is much lower than posting me as an Avid WCE fan haha

[Cambo76]

This is my MM4 in trans red 'bloodburst' that I've incorporated a Jack The Ripper transfer collage on the back of. Hope you like it!

[Cambo76]

Note 24th October: I have updated my photos to show that the bass has been intonated, and string tree and strap buttons have been attached.

[adam]

The results are in...

In submission order:

Ozzbike’s ST-1

“Everyone loves a green ST and this is no exception! Gold hardware and pearl pick guard just scream Surf rock. Nice clean job and a real eye catcher, when can I pick it up.”

“Loving the combination of colours. That green/blue is a nice change on a strat and matches perfectly. Gold hardware and some nice decal and headstock work makes this look shop ready. Gorgeous.”

“Loving the combination of colours. That green/blue is a nice change on a strat and matches perfectly. Gold hardware and some nice decal and headstock work makes this look shop ready. Gorgeous.”

“Nicely put together. The gold bling does give the impression of something a bit more high end.”

Dave Easter’s ES-3

“Great work on the head stock and the natural finish on this model with the coloured sides just suits it to the ground. This screams Jazz guitar to me, pure class.”

“Great natural finish on this one. Love contrast on the sides too. Props on the headstock shape and inlay - we're starting to see more inlay work lately. Lovely. Only point of criticism is the truss rod cover + inlay is a bit busy for me.”

“This guitar exudes class. Clearly a tremendous amount of vision and skill have gone into the headstock, and the hardware selection is spot-on. I could easily be convinced that this is a guitar that has been around for decades, it commands attention, and it instantly makes me want to play it. The grain is extremely-subtle. I think it works, and the body has become a backdrop for the high-quality hardware and the extraordinary headstock.”

“Classy and beautifully elegant. Understand about the choice of truss rod cover - maybe a black one to match the pickguard?”

KurtSlash123’s LP-1

“What a great coloured LP-1. Black hardware suits it nicely and I love the name Princess, more like Evil Rock Witch with those aggressive looks. Would love to see it under neon lights, great build.”

“Green machines are pretty rare on the forum - nice to see something different. Green and black is a classic combo and works well on the LP. The fade is a bit too harsh for me and it looks like there's a few dings in the finish but other than that a sweet looking axe. - i'm sure it'll shred with a good set up.”

“I think when this vision for this guitar was developing in the builder’s mind, the black hardware, and a black-green burst was being weighed against wanting to highlight the beautiful grain of the top. All in all I think the vision was realised. This guitar has got all the makings of an absolute stunner. When an emerald emerges from the ground, it has an underlying beauty, but actually requires a spectacular amount of work to reach its full potential. I think that this guitar needs just a bit more time spent on the final finish; the gloss intended has not been fully-achieved.”
“This looks truly stunning - you've done a great job! Black bling totally rocks!”

Ejay’s IB-5

“Well hello there “how you doin?”
This just oozes appeal, You have chosen your colour well for this PB model and the grain is just popping out . Great photos of the beast too but I feel I really need to play this to really appreciate it , You have done a nice job you should be proud. To be honest I don’t think I could just walk past it if it was hanging on the wall in a shop.”

“First of all, props on the amazing photography. Super nice. Not much to say on this one. Classic colour, classic finish, classic headstock shape. Everything just looks flawless on this one. Would love to have a jam on it.”

“This bass is inspiring. The preparation, the choice of stain and the assembly is unbelievable. The photography must also be commended. I totally understand the “rubbed finish” intent, and you are absolutely on track here, the final result has been magical. It is of course a matter of preference, but I would have loved to have seen the grain filled before the shellac went on, which would have still given a “hand-rubbed” appearance, but would have given it such a smooth appearance, like a walking stick that has been handed down over the generations. You nailed it on the neck, but that smoothness would have been incredible on the body. To complete that theme, the rear covers would need to be flush-mounted. Despite this, I am awe-struck looking at this work of art.“

“Colour choice - amazing - totally loving the look of this IB!”

Kenfu’s LP-1S

“Loving the logo and the way that the spalt and flame have come out in this one!”

“Loving the headstock picture. You have put a lot of effort into this build and frankly it does show. The Spalty goodness is always an eye catcher and the pick up choice I’m liking a lot. little more sanding around the headstock would have given a more professional precision look but none the less be proud of this beast.”

“I've loved watching this build develop. Acid finish has really popped that spalt and with the clears it has just come up amazingly. Some hot Seymour Duncan pups and she's ready to sing. You received some criticism on the stock but I personally think it goes well with the theme of the guitar. Really well done.”

“This spalted beauty has really been well conceived and well-executed. The creativity with the staining has resulted in a grain that reveals new complexity every time I look at it. The builder knew that the spalted top was the main attraction, and everything was done in respect of this. The headstock details, the hardware, and the final ‘balance’ of this guitar are extraordinary. I note it’s perhaps not intonated, and despite its near perfection on the clearcoat, there is minor orange-peel in the top. Picky perhaps, but on this guitar, the clearcoat is the glass frame above the work of art, and it must be flawless. “

Cambo76’s MMB-4

“Oh wow love the idea’s you have put into this build to make it original. Great black/red burst and a nice finish to match. This has “Slap Dat Bass “ written all over it. Great build and some great original well thought out ideas.”

“Great looking build Cambo. Classy trans-red finish came up a treat and your finish is quite flawless. Love the photographs that have been included in the back of the guitar too. Some nice touches.”

“Of course what jumps out at me initially with this bass is the fantastic use of the print on the back. This has been so expertly-applied, and adds so much character to the bass. The rest of the build is solid, well done, with a professional factory-feel. There seems to be a finish issue around the 1^st string machine post at the headstock, some clear-coat lifting? This is a bass that needs to be played on stage, it’s wonderful.”

“Cool way to bring through a concept! Loving how the headstock really reflects the feel of the rest of the guitar.”

nDRO1D’s ST-1 relic

“Man did you drop this thing several times on the way to the photo shoot. To achieve this look without looking like you just hacked at a new guitar is not as easy as it looks!!! Frankly you nailed it..... well everything but put nails in it. I’m not one for relics unless it is a relic but I am drawn to this one because it does look like you have been gigging with it for 20 years. Great job.”

“Crazy wiring, crazy headstock and a relic - I'm sure this one will split the panel. I'm not one to instantly hate a relic and I think you've done this one with a bit of restraint which is nice to see. Not too sure on the headstock for my own tastes though. Would love to see some pics of the wiring.”

“This guitar made me smile. That headstock, those switches, the relic treatment, it’s a statement, a departure from the every-day, and a ballsy-entry. At the end of the day, the relic treatment is believable (except the very flash neck plate), the actual fit and finish is very good, the electronics certainly look exciting. The headstock is the sort that you either love or hate, but it’s unique.”

“Great ST - love the wiring effort!”

cont....

[gavinturner]

Ozz, love the color you achieved for this axe and the gold hardware really sets it off! Nice build man. Dave, a really lovely ES-3 from you. The headstock inlay is especially impressive.

cheers,
Gav.

[wokkaboy]

haha not that I've seen yet Gavmiester

[KurtSlash123]

Alright so i think its about time i place this thing in here. first ever entry into GoTM.. yew, excited, i think. kinda nervous, ah what the hell.

So here it is, the LP-1, made for my girlfriend for our 2 year anniversary, clearly this is fashionably late.

Flame maple top covered in a beautiful green stain. then with a black 'sunburst'. clear coated with plain ol' acrylic gloss. came up a treat. black tuners and all other hardware. stock pickups, (sounds wonderful by the way). had a custom logo put on it, stating 'Princess' because well, shes my princess, pretty self explanatory. only other major customisation i did was in the wiring. usually in an LP, people put 2 volume, 2 tone, and well i hate the idea of 2 volume... soooo, i converted this thing into a 1 volume, 2 tone and a kill switch. simply so she can just flick the switch and not have to worry about other controls until later on.

So yeah this is it. P.S.... DB, i know how much you love wood grain and your 'let wood grain be wood grain'.. i really didn't want to put any paint over this, nor the pickguard, but it was the missus decision, and what she says goes, i'm sure you understand

[dingobass]

I forgive you

Looks great, you can still see the flamey goodness.

[GeneralKaos]

Very Nice!!