GOTM thoughts and suggestions

[dingobass]

Hey Peeps,
Following on from the discussion re pro finishes on GOTM entries, this is the place to post any thoughts, suggestions and ideas.
Hopefully from this we can sort this out once and for all

[Andy40]

I do not mind at all. If its a PBG kit and the entrant has put the thing together (mostly) and has had help from anyone else, forumite or professional, no worries. heaps of people have had help with their wiring in the past and its not been an issue.

But I do agree with what you said in the other post DB, that it should be disclosed and the judges will take that into account when scoring

[FrankenWashie]

i don't see it's a problem with disclosure, as was done. Judges can score it how they like after that. We've all had outside assistance at one point or another, in many small or slightly larger ways. I don't think it requires much more thought than that.

[Simon Barden]

Maybe split them up, so that there's a GOTM entry that's been finished by someone else or a pro, then that can get judged separately? Like Andy, I'm not fussed at all if someone has helped with the soldering, but for GOTM, the kit should have been otherwise put together and finished by the forum member, only assisted by close family members. Not saying have two separate contests, just that if there is a good kit where the finish has been applied by a pro paint sprayer, then that should be brought out into a GOTM (Pro) winner category, rather than take the glory from someone who's done it all themself.

But I suggest it should be made a GOTM rule to state whether the finish was all their own effort, or had been done professionally.

[Marcel]

To me the whole getting a pro finish Vs DIY finish should carry similar weight with the judges as putting SD or Tonerider or EMG or wind-your-own PU's in an axe build.... It is one element to the overall build, and there are many elements to every build the sum of which make it desirable and/or appealing or simply a freaking hot axe..

As part of the rules we disclose that info when we submit our build in for GOTM as not every detail is obvious from a simple photo..

If anything, maybe every GOTM entry should be accompanied with a build diary so that the judges should they choose to can closer examine various details about that build.

Sadly, if a mandatory sound clip was required for GOTM entry then for the moment I too would be out of the running on all my builds...

[Bass Guy]

DB's last post in the GOTM thread is spot on.

[Simon Barden]

But quite often you are only presented with 4 photos, which makes it hard to judge. Which of course you take into account but if it looks good but have no details if it's standard of anything has been upgraded, then how do you know?

Sound clips are nice, but it's easy for someone who's good at recording to get a much better recorded sound than a novice with just their phone, so you can't really base any decisions on that.

[vh2580]

For me I don't see it as an issue. A guitar build from kit form is a sum of a whole lot of different processes including a little artistry and vision to get an end result from a blank canvas. There's no sheep stations at stake and I think that the intent was always as a bit of fun and a place to showcase what you have created.

[chrissyinbkk]

We can get into all sorts of "arguments" here, who built the guitar..who did the finish.. who set it up... is it set up at all, how does anyone know without a sound vid and a build diary... could just be a pretty picture and the actual kit sounds crap in reality... there is I believe, and should be honesty between members, I have to agree with Andy's point & DB's last post in the GOTM thread

[Andy40]

Klegacy brought up a good point on the rocktober thread.

First, I just preferred disclosure of what was professionally done - this does not mean any deduction of points, just something the judges should consider. Second, the amount of work (ie blood,sweat and tears) is also something I count when judging - I often review the build diaries and consider whether they have overcome any adversity when building, how they have recovered from any set backs and how that shows through the build.

The appearance of the guitar in a photo is not everything when judging at all.