VOTE NOW 2011 Guitar/Bass of the YEAR! VOTES were reset.

[Cagey]

Leo had a good line of electronics going, it is a fact his amps even to this day are some of the best in the world.

You may not be aware of this, but his amps were all just engineering reference designs copied directly out of the RCA tube handbook. For years, back when I messed with such things, it's the only reference I needed. I didn't need Fender's schematics at all. And I don't mean they were based on those designs, they were direct copies, right down to the resistor/capacitor values. RCA actually encouraged it, and anybody could do it. The designs were provided for just that purpose. RCA wanted people to use those designs because they made best use of their tubes, so they were essentially public domain.

I don't point that out to take anything away from Fender amps, just to say Leo was not divinely inspired. And not to take anything away from him, either. He had the foresight to use the information available to produce the best product at the time, and it has (unsurprisingly) withstood the test of time. RCA didn't want to make amps, they wanted to make tubes. So, they made it easy for amp makers to use their tubes.

Microsoft does the same thing today. They write a great deal of the manufacturer-specific drivers for hardware that runs on Windows. It accomplishes a couple/few things, not the least of which is allowing hardware manufacturers to be quicker to market and removing development cost, as well as locking in attractive peripherals that will only run on Windows. It tends to drive further sales of Windows. If you look at two color printers and one costs $99 and the other costs $499, which one do you want? The $99 unit only runs on Windows, while the $499 unit runs on anything. All your buddies run Windows. So... which OS do you want? Now, consider you have an office load of secretaries and geeks and you have to buy 1,000 of the things. Now, which one to you want?

You'll find that most manufacturers of component parts do the same thing for the same reasons. It's actually amazing how much engineering work is available for free as a result.

 

[Eric Banjitar]

I bet you'd be all over some Telecaster nuts if Dave Murray played one.  :icon_jokercolor:

No. No I wouldn't. Let me state for the record, again: I hate stratocasters - more due to my hatred of all things Fender, than the
design itself (unlike my Tele hatred, which is all around). The whole intent of my DM strat was to build a non-Fender stratocaster,
and do it better than Fender ever could with a 'real version', even if they wanted to. The Custom Shop and Masterbuilt be damned, they got
nothing on Warmoth other than a name and f-ing laughable price tags to go with it. Period.

Max,

I hope that all of this banter does not confuse the fact that you made a fine and worthy of GOTY instrument.  Forget all of this junk above. It should not take away or distract the fact that you won and therefore deserve GOTY honors. Cheers to you. Shame on others.

Of course not, nor was it my intent. You know where you can stick your shame, right?

If this was not (of course) the intent, you should have NO SHAME. Right? A bit defensive? My intent was to praise Max. You are absolutely intitled to your well-stated opinion. I just think that this may not be the right thread with respect to Max.

Peace.

 

[MikeW]

Congratulations Max. Glad all the work and thought and patience paid off.

 

[dmraco]

Congrats MAX!

Kind of ironic you came in second the 1st time around.  Speaks volumes to timeless beauty!! :hello2:

 

[gstring120]

Congratulations Max! I'm not a Tele person but I would take yours in a heartbeat. Very classy and well done.

 

[m4rk0]

Congrats MAX!

Kind of ironic you came in second the 1st time around.  Speaks volumes to timeless beauty!! :hello2:

I guess it just grew on us!! maybe Max is a grower, not a shower.

 

[bagman67]

I guess it just grew on us!! maybe Max is a grower, not a shower.

Now that Max is over eighteen, that's only marginally less creepy than it would have been.  Which is pretty freakin' creepy.      Don't get me wrong - that's exactly the kind of sicko comment I tend to make.  :icon_jokercolor:


But seriously - I've been deep in the Telecaster lust myself, lately, and I was one who DID vote for Max earlier in the year - but voted for Telenator's bass in part because of its uniqueness, and in part because of the story behind it and the problem it was designed to solve.

 

[dmraco]

also....two years in a row the December GOTM won GOTY... :icon_scratch:

 

[Wyliee]

Congrats to Max!

I was going to post a surprise Gift Certificate bonus award for the winner of the GOTY contest, but time got away from me before the contest ended.

What do you think?  Should I still offer the award?!?!?

 

[bagman67]

Is that even a serious question, Wyliee?  DO EEET!

 

[Eric Banjitar]

Warmoth benefits from us showing-off our guitars. So... yes, reward the winners of GOTM and GOTY winners.  What does Warmoth lose? What does Warmoth gain?

 

[Wyliee]

Warmoth benefits from us showing-off our guitars. So... yes, reward the winners of GOTM and GOTY winners.  What does Warmoth lose? What does Warmoth gain?

Uh.. no.  This comes out of my pocket.  My way of saying thanks for your contributions to the board and congratulations for a job well done.

 

[Eric Banjitar]

Very Niceof YOU.  But, doesn't Warmoth the company have an intrest in the contest?  I think a gift-certificate of some amount encouraging more builds would be beneficial to BOTH parties.

 

[m4rk0]

Uh.. no.  This comes out of my pocket.  My way of saying thanks for your contributions to the board and congratulations for a job well done.

hmm... maybe you should pay Tonar... or hire him as a contractor for Nitro finishes


no seriously, that is a nice gesture, and a great design by Max!

 

[hannaugh]

Yeah, how do we get a Tonar gift certificate???

 

[Cagey]

Yeah, I wouldn't hesitate.

 

[Wyliee]

Very Niceof YOU.  But, doesn't Warmoth the company have an intrest in the contest?  I think a gift-certificate of some amount encouraging more builds would be beneficial to BOTH parties.

Do they benefit?  I would say yes.  But management is strictly hands off.  The forum is more of an employee project than anything.  We're given a tremendous amount of leeway.  I'm allowed time at work to manage it, but outside of work is all me. I hope that makes sense.

Please understand the thank you comes from me and is just something for the GOTY.  The GOTM and GOTY have been entirely member run and, what I see as, friendly competitions.  I wouldn't want to change the spirit of the contests by upping the ante on a regular basis.

 

[Eric Banjitar]

Thanks again to you and to all of the kind people at Warmoth for making this forum possible. Rewards are not why we build.  I thought that Warmoth was more involved with the forum than they are.  News to me. :dontknow:

 

[SixString]

Please understand the thank you comes from me and is just something for the GOTY.  The GOTM and GOTY have been entirely member run and, what I see as, friendly competitions.  I wouldn't want to change the spirit of the contests by upping the ante on a regular basis.

Right on ccasion14:

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Anyone make the observation that of the 3 GOTYs, only one has had a Warmoth finish?  Interesting.

And my $.02, let's keep the contest simple and for the respect and admiration of our peers.  I like free stuff as much as the next guy, but a real prize would only increase nickpicking.