A Pet Peeve Of Mine...

[Strat Avenger]

The term "parts-guitar". I find it derogatory, and I believe it is used to berate guitars such as those we build with Warmoth bodies & necks (or other manufacturers). I find the idea snobbish that the name of someone else (or a corporation) needs to be on my guitar or else it's some inferior POS. Yeah, if the guitar is assembled & set up by someone who doesn't know what he/she is doing, the guitar will be junk, but to assume that all Warmoth owners lack the necessary skills is absurd and insulting. The term "parts-guitar" is also absurd because all electric guitars are parts-guitars! They are all assembled from parts (bodies, necks, bridges, tuners, pickups, screws, switches, knobs, etc.). The fact that the name of a corporation (ESP, Fender, Gibson, Ibanez, Music Man, PRS) or boutique builder (Anderson, Suhr) is on there does not change that fact.
The only differences are that most of these "prestigious" builders make their own bodies & necks in house, while people like us have companies like Warmoth do that for us, and the guitars we build don't cost us 5 to 10 grand. I guarantee that there are people here who can build a guitar every bit as good as the aforementioned companies, using Warmoth bodies & necks.

Bottom line is I refuse to refer to any of my builds as "parts-guitars". They're not some kit that just gets slapped together. They are made of all the best components available anywhere, and each component was individually selected by me, not a "kit". Tom Anderson and John Suhr are not using better bridges, tuners, pickups, or woods than what my Warmoth builds have (or can have).

So anyone who refers to my guitars as "parts-guitars" can kick rocks.

 

[cromulent]

As long as you drill your own guide holes for the tuning machines

 

[cromulent]

Nah but seriously… who cares? Factory guitars have certain QC standards and therefore will have relatively less variability in overall quality (per model). “Parts guitars” may be amazing (like yours and mine) or may be awful (like Spud’s - nah jkjk). I proudly tell people I built my own partscasters, and frankly don’t really care what they think about that. IMO, factory guitars are very cookie cutter and it’s rare that you get every spec you want without having to mod. IMO, parts guitars, assuming they are designed and built right, tend to be superior.

Don’t let anyone yuck your yum.

::kicks rocks::

 

[Spud]

Nah but seriously… who cares? Factory guitars have certain QC standards and therefore will have relatively less variability in overall quality (per model). “Parts guitars” may be amazing (like yours and mine) or may be awful (like Spud’s - nah jkjk). I proudly tell people I built my own partscasters, and frankly don’t really care what they think about that. IMO, factory guitars are very cookie cutter and it’s rare that you get every spec you want without having to mod. IMO, parts guitars, assuming they are designed and built right, tend to be superior.

Don’t let anyone yuck your yum.

::kicks rocks::

Ooooh your gonna get it Crommy!!

 

[bruzanhd]

When someone asks “what kind of guitar is that?” I just tell people “I built it myself” and people say, “wow very cool”. And that’s it. Nobody asks if I routed the body or scoffs and says that it’s too bad that it’s a parts guitar or something dumb. The only people that might do that are forum addicts who pray to 50s gibsons and fenders. All of the people I jam with are pretty impressed or interested that I play guitars that are unique. Outside of the internet, most people are happy for others happiness, be nice and happy for people and they’ll return the favour usually.

 

[Waraxe]

Let's not forget the good amount of "boutique" builders who actually source their bodies and/or necks from usacg, warmoth, musikraft, etc. Sometimes, they even leave the finishes up to the parts manufacturers too.

Personally, I am proud to call my creations warmoths.

 

[mayfly]

I just say I made it. Folks are always impressed - especially with the benders!

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

That stuff is only important when you want to sell the guitar. All my parts-guitars are built to suit my own preference, without really considering what other people think.

 

[cromulent]

That stuff is only important when you want to sell the guitar. All my parts-guitars are built to suit my own preference, without really considering what other people think.

Yeah that's the thing. With Fender/Gibson you (pretty much) know what you're getting, but with DIY builds you don't.

 

[NedRyerson]

When someone asks “what kind of guitar is that?” I just tell people “I built it myself” and people say, “wow very cool”. And that’s it. Nobody asks if I routed the body or scoffs and says that it’s too bad that it’s a parts guitar or something dumb. The only people that might do that are forum addicts who pray to 50s gibsons and fenders. All of the people I jam with are pretty impressed or interested that I play guitars that are unique. Outside of the internet, most people are happy for others happiness, be nice and happy for people and they’ll return the favour usually.

Yup, and as a result of this, I've had -- as I'm sure most of us have as well -- people start asking, "can you build me one?"

Sure! Then they get my price quote and slowly back away.

I'd launch into a diatribe about scale, supply chain, and production facilities, but nobody's interested in that. They were just hoping I'd be able to build a custom for about the same price or lower than a production instrument. That's when I suggest going to the store to look at an instrument that appeals to them if price is the main factor (I say it much more gently than that, of course).

 

[cromulent]

@Spud , how much for your Bigsby Tele?

 

[BroccoliRob]

meh, i don't think partscaster is a pejorative. a pejorative is when a guy on the street calls me a loser when I'm just practicing my nunchucks in my friend Todd's garage in nothing but a bathrob, athletic cod piece, and crocs for optimum balance, mobility, and comfort. i hear you saying "just close the garage door, dummy" - again, ouch, pejorative. but also u don't know just how hot it gets in there when i'm perfecting my forms. i just tell gawkers (people who stare, not the website) they best keep walkin', cause i don't want them gettin' pregnant

 

[Spud]

@Spud , how much for your Bigsby Tele?

I will give you a very special price!

 

[cromulent]

I will give you a very special price!

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Potayto, pototto
Tomayto, tomotto.

It’s a custom guitar. Just play it.

 

[NedRyerson]

meh, i don't think partscaster is a pejorative. a pejorative is when a guy on the street calls me a loser when I'm just practicing my nunchucks in my friend Todd's garage in nothing but a bathrob, athletic cod piece, and crocs for optimum balance, mobility, and comfort. i hear you saying "just close the garage door, dummy" - again, ouch, pejorative. but also u don't know just how hot it gets in there when i'm perfecting my forms. i just tell gawkers (people who stare, not the website) they best keep walkin', cause i don't want them gettin' pregnant

I've missed your insanity of late, dude.

 

[TBurst Std]

Insanity? I say sanity from a different angle. Glad to see you posting again.

 

[4406Pack]

I would put my bucketcaster up against anyones custom gibson,fender,prs ect!!!!

 

[Spud]

I just tell people if they ask Bagman67 made it.