March 2020 GOTM

[ozzbike]

Yeah...really the end now.

[Bakersdozen]

Here’s my LPM-1E

Finish on the front is FW Golden Teak over the flame maple veneer and SCA gloss. Back is SCA red feathered on over a grain highlight of ebony timbermate, with 3 coats of tru oil on to give nice satin type textured finish. My idea here was that I wanted textured look, rather than smooth with a very subtle grain highlight popping through the red (super hard to capture the subtlety in a photo, but I think you get the idea).

Upgrades;
Tusq nut, Grover tuners, Gotoh bridge stock tailpiece, epi Probucker bridge / Alnico Pro Classic neck pups with coil splits. Handmade TRC, recessed jack plate, aftermarket knobs and pointers, switch / wiring etc.

More detail including in the build diary.

[wazkelly]

Looks great B12

[Fatboy]

Here is my ATL1-SW, my first bash at a kit geetar.

Initially called the Peelycaster it is more commonly known as The Brown 'un due to the colour it sort of
came out. Mainly due to my schoolboy attempts at staining that went wrong when I added some gold grain filler.
However, I rather like the 'bling' effect, was trying to get hold of a set of Optima gold strings to finish
it off but Strings Direct are out of stock for a couple of weeks so standard steel jazz jobbies fitted.
You may note the lack of string tree(s) which I do have but found in my setup that they really are not needed.
It may be my playing style, gentle finger picked and small bends rather than full on Hendrix style.
And before anyone says ' but they will obscure the headstock logo if you fit them Fatboy' - yeah, I know haha.

The headstock logo defeated me, the one on the rear is what should be there but the colours faded over the red.
The Pitbull one did not, most likely as it was laser printed and not inkjet printed like mine.
There it is in all its glory, a big thank you to those who have provided me with so much help and encouragement
on this fantastic resource.
May I buy you all a beer...…..

My next one is started, a Precision Bass style - not a Pitbull one alas but I will get around to doing another
Pitbull in the future assuming that the world as we know it still exists !
Cheers, Fatboy.

[Fatboy]

And some more.....

[Fatboy]

Last one, must update/finish my build log.

[Brendan]

Comp closed - working on the new one shortly. Should get the notifications out to judges today - all the best to the entrants!

[Sonic Mountain]

Great to see so many entries this month after a couple of quiet ones. Don't envy the judges though......

[Brendan]

Oldmate's GR-1SF -
Nice build with that amazing green, it came out really well. Nice job
Great looking guitar, fresh looking green is very different and maybe too much for me. Looks well finished and the gold hardware works really well with the green. Good polishing job.
There are few minor blemishes, but after a few months playing they will look like battle scars. That green definitely is bright.
Beautiful, vibrant colour with a nice gloss to the finish. Appealing combination with the gold hardware. Would like to have seen a truss rod cover, and maybe a logo on the headstock. Nice build.
nice finish, gold hardware works well on the green. Needs a headstock logo to say you built it !
A very different green, not sure of the shade, but polished up very well. The variegation in the grain structure comes through clearly, though the lighting seems to make the colour look patchy. Tuners seem a bit out of kilter, though that’s not uncommon with the kits. Some of the close ups show a bit of variation in the surface finish. I would have liked to have seen a logo, or some other personalisation, on the whole a nice effort. The green and gold works for me though still not certain about the shade. Love the Keystone tuners and the overall effect of the thing. Doesn’t light my fire but I’d still want to pick it up and twiddle, especially plugged into that nice big Randall cab.

JimC's ESB-4 -
These always seem to look good and this is no exception. Nice to see something that isn’t full tilt gloss. Love the headstock logo treatment.
Great, simple looking guitar. Looks to be very well finished and what a great headstock inlay. Looks like its from the 60's and has had a lifetime of playing.
Really like how this one has turned out. The headstock is especially nice.
Good choice with the natural look, it suits it well. A fantastic inlaid headstock logo, very classy. The white plastics don't really work for me, although I'm not sure another colour would suit better. A very determined build with an excellent result.
nice mods and upgrades, looks clean with a natural look, love the headstock logo.
There is much to love about a naked arch top! The stripped back aesthetic is great, with some well thought and stunning personal touches (Logo button, controls, pup rings, TRC etc.). The naked treatment of the body has brought the wood grain to life, for me both front and back are incredibly pleasing. Some nice flame and a hint of quilt seem evident. The finish looks smooth and silky, it looks like it would feel great sitting in your hands. Careful work to mount the non kit bridge, some tasty upgraded parts add to a really well crafted look. Its hard to pick up where others have left off, but I feel Jim has done incredibly well here. My only wish for this would have been a matching bound fretboard and peg head, the rounded head corners and heel end seem a little out of place on it. Very well turned out axe, would be one I’d gravitate to in a store.

Marcel's PBA-4 -
Wow, looks like its just come off the production line at a well know manufacturers. Looks really well finished.
A great example of what can be done right out of the box, simple and very stylish.
Simple & beautiful. A bit of a shame that the tuners turned out too big for the headstock.
A beautiful clean, simple PBA - looks like a real player. Love the black on white look of the top, and the overall finish. Those baseplates on the elephant ears always seem to be a headache. Great looking bass that you just want to grab.
love the white with black pickguard and natural headstock, cool looking bass !
Nothing fancy, nothing OTT just a really nicely turned out bass. The finish suits it, and the replacement scratch plate sets off a wonderful contrast to the stark white body. Everything lines up really nicely down the neck to the bridge. The hint of grain through the finish is pleasing and the fretboard reveals some serious effort spent getting it just so. My only question mark is over the headstock shape, it just seems a tad bulgy? If that makes sense? The Wilkinsons also seem as though they are just a tad overlarge, they appear to hang over the top edge? Or is that just the angle of shot? Logo work is in keeping with the overall feel, Nothing overstated, just crisp and simple. This one would get some extended plunking in a store.

Basham75's DMS - 4
awesome project with your daughter - parenting done right! This is a very cool mod and looks the part, cant wait to see what you two come up with next!
Love the steam punk look and love that you are looking to teach in school. Great idea to get more people building. Unique. Unfortunate that there are a couple of screws needing finished off
wow that's a different concept cutting a section of the body out and join with copper pipe. Sunken cogs a nice touch. I would find some screws for the neck to body or order some, string tensions on a bass are massive !
I’m in two minds about this. Did you go too far, or not far enough with the mods. The finish is on point though.
A great family build with just the right amount of crazy. I love the detached section and finish with a light steampunk touches. Pending the screw updates, excellent result and a really nice build.
’Tis a brave rookie that takes to their first kit with a radial arm saw and Forstner Bits! Some cosmetic reshaping appears to have been done on the horns? The finish has come up great, the black/brown combo with the grain pores on show works for me. The copper pipe stand off at the upper bout is interesting, as is the inset gear cogs, it would have been nice to see that theme taken a bit further, perhaps a carved/etched scratch plate or Truss rod cover? Some more copper touches to carry that through it maybe? Upgrading to black was nice it does suit, though I think it would have worked well with chrome or an antique or relic nickel finish also. Neck plate in black is cool, again perhaps a monogram or similar on that. Shame about the mixed screws, that can happen from time to time. A great effort, some original touches and thinking, and a nice overall build.

[Brendan]

Ozzbike's AST-1 -
A excellent classic looking ST that's certainly flash enough for anyone. Nice finish with subtle grain highlights and tidy overall look. Great looking build.
nice looking strat Ozz, another great looking build and nice upgrades
The simple and classy look plays down how nice this really is, you’ve been here before and never disappoint.
Not a massive fan of wood finished strats but this one looks to be really well thought out and finished. Great electrical setup.
Really great job. It’s come up a charm. I’d be tempted to round off the lower horn of the pick guard a bit so it matched the body better.
The only way this could get upgraded any further is to change it out to an actual Strat! The rubbed wax finish over the FW stains is wonderful, looks satin and silky and makes the colours seem deep and dark, especially at the edges. Tasty upgrade package, love the bridge and the controls upgrades. I really enjoyed the sound you got from the Entwistle pups in your video. I suspect that neck was grafted in from a TL kit with the squared off Fretboard end? Its about the only ?? Bit of the whole thing for me. I love that you’ve detailed what you did, transplanted and upgraded, as well as shared some of the tribulations you’d had getting it done. It really is a wonderful looking, great sounding guitar.

Bakersdozen's LPM-1E -
Very nice LP and classy execution.
really well finished guitar. The top looks stunning and in my opinion better than how a lot of LP's look. Very different to see no fret markers but i lobe how clean this makes the neck look. Carbon parts are a great addition.
I’m not a fan of LPs, but this is a classic. Impressive stuff!
Beautiful, just beautiful. Love the finish, love the hardware, love the carbon fibre look plastics, just love it. The back looks a touch cherry-pink rather than red on my screens, but I'm sure it's more red in person. Great headstock and fantastic looking build.
awesome looking LP great choice of colours and upgrades, well done.
I like this guitar. The front highlights a fantastic veneer, the colour combo suits it to a T. Not sure about the texture effect for back of the body and headstock neck, but to each their own. Tasty set of electrical upgrades with some handy switching options. I like the use of the rounded socket for the output jack. The Carbon fibre effect covers just gives it a little pop, especially on the rear, where it could have been acres of flat red with some shiny black plastic. I love that simple flowing “Baker” logo. It’s perfect for the whole ethic of the build. The flat black expanse of the fretboard just helps to highlight the wow grain on the front and on the headstock. I’d need to pick this bad boy up and jack it into a half stack if I found it in a store. Wonderful job.

Fatboy's ATL1-SW -
This is certainly a Tele with the lot. This blingtastic creation is quite eye catching. The top turned out quite nicely
another great looking guitar. trying to bribe the judges with a Pitbull logo? lol. Super clean finish on the binding and love the colour on the rear. Gold strings would really finish it off.
A great finish. I love the colour combinations, even if I know others won’t.
cool looking tele the finish looks great and choice of colours work well with the gold hardware
I love the look and colour of the top, especially with the gold hardware. Not so sold on the red scratchplate and headstock face, although good when viewed in isolation. The natural fretboard provides a nice contrast to the back of the neck and body. Nice result.
I really dig the way the red/gold effect comes across in the grain of the body. The unusual spalting pattern on the front kind of draws your eye in, and then you note the finish, which is deep and shiny all over. The red gold effect continues through the hardware options, another one with some wise upgrade choices, you can’t really go wrong with the Grovers. I think your logo is great, and it would have been wonderful to have seen them reversed, with the PBG on the back. The inkjet ones are so very finicky and limiting. Not sure if that is the standard scratchplate but it certainly works with the whole motif. Neck looks very well aligned, string paths are all tracking well across the bridge pup. Close up shots show a nice smooth finish coat, it looks slick! Not normally a tele fan, but this one has a little bit of something special about it, would have to spend some time twiddling.