I'm sitting here waiting to start my project. I still have at least 4 more weeks before the parts arrive. I find myself already dreaming of the next build but can't justify yet another guitar or project. So I find myself pondering, just why do we do this? Please tell your story!
Why did you build your guitar
- Thread starter Jcurl02
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Jusatele
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you really need to open that to multiple choice
I have 3choices up there I could have used
can't get the look
can't get the sound
wanted one I designed and built
now I can add two more
Got hooked on it during my first build
figured out the profit margin on BOUTIQUE guitars
I have 3choices up there I could have used
can't get the look
can't get the sound
wanted one I designed and built
now I can add two more
Got hooked on it during my first build
figured out the profit margin on BOUTIQUE guitars
reluctant-builder
Hero Member
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Really, what drove me to Warmoth is that I'm left-handed.
My handle says it all; I'm a reluctant builder. I'm reasonably handy, in that I've always been able to fix things that have broken, but usually on a structural basis, often with just manual tools. I worked more on cars than with wood and, spending half my life on a farm, a lot of what I did was brute labor ... a lot of driving nails and screwing screws, wrenching bolts, and the like. Nothing approaching fine-tuning or finesse work.
I've loved guitars all my life, despite never playing in earnest until -- at 23 -- I finally decided to play a left-handed guitar after three futile, frustrating attempts to learn right-handed. It was such a difference. It felt utterly natural and I wish I'd not listened to all the naysayers who told me: just learn how to play righty ... playing left-handed is [stupid, limiting, ridiculous, blah, blah, blah].
Limiting? Maybe. In that I can't walk into a store and pick up any guitar off the wall and walk away with it. But I've never liked to be too normal. I'm not an off-the-rack kind of guy ... I'm, well, more like an off-the-rack-that-no-one-else-is-using guy. :icon_biggrin:
I bought Hagstroms because, while they are perfectly good guitars that are -- in my opinion -- unbeatable for the price, they are relatively unique. Far fewer people own them than own Fender, Gibson, Jackson, ESP/LTD, et al. And I like that. There's really nothing more ordinary, to me, than that cherry sunburst Les Paul. I don't care too much for Mercedes-Benz, either. Call me gauche, I don't care (technically, I am; it means "left" in French).
My first electric was a black, Made-in-Mexico Stratocaster. Pretty ordinary, but I think it's classic as opposed to pedestrian, and its lefty orientation makes it relatively more precious. I've avoided Gibsons like the plague, and any other builder with questionable QC, ridiculous prices and, perhaps, an animus towards left-handed players (PRS, raise your hand).
From my first-bought Fender, I went more of an LP-inspired, dual humbucker route with the two Swedes -- bought a Hagstrom bass, too, and a Heritage semi-hollow -- but I've always liked Leo's designs and single-coil sounds, and the Jazzmaster was one of my favorites. Of course, the only way to get it as a lefty from Fender is to shell out megabucks at the Custom Shop. So, I came to Warmoth.
I'm growing less reluctant by the moment, as I assemble this guitar. I'm planning on an LPS for my next, and (famous last words) likely final, build. As a drummer, I already have too many guitars, but I at least play them all.
I've learned a lot from the mistakes I've made this time around and I think those faults and foibles will only make me love my Jazzmaster more but I'd like, too, to try a flawless build ... and I've got a pair of humbucker-sized P90s that need a home. :icon_biggrin:
My handle says it all; I'm a reluctant builder. I'm reasonably handy, in that I've always been able to fix things that have broken, but usually on a structural basis, often with just manual tools. I worked more on cars than with wood and, spending half my life on a farm, a lot of what I did was brute labor ... a lot of driving nails and screwing screws, wrenching bolts, and the like. Nothing approaching fine-tuning or finesse work.
I've loved guitars all my life, despite never playing in earnest until -- at 23 -- I finally decided to play a left-handed guitar after three futile, frustrating attempts to learn right-handed. It was such a difference. It felt utterly natural and I wish I'd not listened to all the naysayers who told me: just learn how to play righty ... playing left-handed is [stupid, limiting, ridiculous, blah, blah, blah].
Limiting? Maybe. In that I can't walk into a store and pick up any guitar off the wall and walk away with it. But I've never liked to be too normal. I'm not an off-the-rack kind of guy ... I'm, well, more like an off-the-rack-that-no-one-else-is-using guy. :icon_biggrin:
I bought Hagstroms because, while they are perfectly good guitars that are -- in my opinion -- unbeatable for the price, they are relatively unique. Far fewer people own them than own Fender, Gibson, Jackson, ESP/LTD, et al. And I like that. There's really nothing more ordinary, to me, than that cherry sunburst Les Paul. I don't care too much for Mercedes-Benz, either. Call me gauche, I don't care (technically, I am; it means "left" in French).
My first electric was a black, Made-in-Mexico Stratocaster. Pretty ordinary, but I think it's classic as opposed to pedestrian, and its lefty orientation makes it relatively more precious. I've avoided Gibsons like the plague, and any other builder with questionable QC, ridiculous prices and, perhaps, an animus towards left-handed players (PRS, raise your hand).
From my first-bought Fender, I went more of an LP-inspired, dual humbucker route with the two Swedes -- bought a Hagstrom bass, too, and a Heritage semi-hollow -- but I've always liked Leo's designs and single-coil sounds, and the Jazzmaster was one of my favorites. Of course, the only way to get it as a lefty from Fender is to shell out megabucks at the Custom Shop. So, I came to Warmoth.
I'm growing less reluctant by the moment, as I assemble this guitar. I'm planning on an LPS for my next, and (famous last words) likely final, build. As a drummer, I already have too many guitars, but I at least play them all.
I've learned a lot from the mistakes I've made this time around and I think those faults and foibles will only make me love my Jazzmaster more but I'd like, too, to try a flawless build ... and I've got a pair of humbucker-sized P90s that need a home. :icon_biggrin:
I get bad GAS. I don't need another guitar, but I find myself wanting another one. One thing about Warmoth is that it slows down the acquisition - I have to find the parts I want and assemble them, rather than just walking into a store and picking one out.
I do like the feeling of building something with my own hands - being able to point to my Telecaster and telling people that I made it.
And like reluctant, I like having something just a little out of the ordinary. Not the something really weird, but a non-standard play on a standard style. After building my Tele (with a P-90 in the neck and Pau Ferro neck/fingerboard), I got addicted. Pretty quickly I started laying out what other builds I want to do. The Strat is next, followed by a Baritone VIP, then most likely a Nylon String build (like THIS), then a Les Paul or SG build.
Unfortunately, it's usually about a year between builds for me to get the money - I could do them faster, but my money ends up going to my motorcycle, or effects pedals kits, or some other project I have going. So the long-term plan takes me out a few years. But I figure I better do them now while I'm single, because it's a lot easier to have a lot of guitars while married than to get a lot of guitars while married, from what I've heard...
I do like the feeling of building something with my own hands - being able to point to my Telecaster and telling people that I made it.
And like reluctant, I like having something just a little out of the ordinary. Not the something really weird, but a non-standard play on a standard style. After building my Tele (with a P-90 in the neck and Pau Ferro neck/fingerboard), I got addicted. Pretty quickly I started laying out what other builds I want to do. The Strat is next, followed by a Baritone VIP, then most likely a Nylon String build (like THIS), then a Les Paul or SG build.
Unfortunately, it's usually about a year between builds for me to get the money - I could do them faster, but my money ends up going to my motorcycle, or effects pedals kits, or some other project I have going. So the long-term plan takes me out a few years. But I figure I better do them now while I'm single, because it's a lot easier to have a lot of guitars while married than to get a lot of guitars while married, from what I've heard...
Eric Banjitar
Senior Member
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- 291
No one makes a guitar like mine. They just dont exist in the style and quality of "Stab Love", my six string electric banjo. There are others like it (gold tone es6) but mine is far superior in many, many ways. Thank you Warmoth and the forum members for their advice and attention to detail.
reluctant-builder
Hero Member
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Eric, that thing is a real piece of work. I'm impressed every time I see it, no matter how many times I look. Kudos.
B3Guy
Hero Member
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one big reason: NECK. WOOD.
no other company offers so many exotic raw neck wood choices. to top that off, they're compatible with the number one modular guitar system on the planet. they offer the best necks, hands down. double truss rod makes them rock stable, fit and finish is to a high degree of accuracy, and to top it off, stainless frets and top notch tuners are also available.
other than that: amazing finish jobs on their bodies, amazing laminate tops, affordable, friendly, limitless options and possibilities.
no other company offers so many exotic raw neck wood choices. to top that off, they're compatible with the number one modular guitar system on the planet. they offer the best necks, hands down. double truss rod makes them rock stable, fit and finish is to a high degree of accuracy, and to top it off, stainless frets and top notch tuners are also available.
other than that: amazing finish jobs on their bodies, amazing laminate tops, affordable, friendly, limitless options and possibilities.
SkuttleFunk
Hero Member
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personal sanity ... and I still find great satisfaction in the build process, even though my tools are significantly different than the crude ones I utilized on my first assembly bass
can't see that 'designed and built with my own hands' is a legit option, since none of us did any of the design or building of any of the W parts utilized. 'assembling something I specified details on' would be a more accurate definition
all the best,
R
can't see that 'designed and built with my own hands' is a legit option, since none of us did any of the design or building of any of the W parts utilized. 'assembling something I specified details on' would be a more accurate definition
all the best,
R
on the poll choices, you have had to select number of choices at the beginning.
Like the others, i had most of those reasons. i was origianlly looking at the 2011 usa fender deluxe with the new N3 pickups, but i really wanted to try an ebony neck. thats not available. plus fender solid poly finishes are not very interesting. So i just finished this thing.
Like the others, i had most of those reasons. i was origianlly looking at the 2011 usa fender deluxe with the new N3 pickups, but i really wanted to try an ebony neck. thats not available. plus fender solid poly finishes are not very interesting. So i just finished this thing.
Well I'm with Mayflower on this:
And what I want is a combination of all sorts of things that manufacturers don't do - why should I be stuck with Strat problems just because I want a scalloped neck? Why should I be stuck with all the re-created crap parts on a Fender Mustang - tuners, whammy, pickups, frets, controls, just because I want a light 24" scale guitar? And I never lusted after "Jimi's Strat" or "Jimmy's Les Paul" when I was a kid, I wanted THIS bass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmiOBYJy2vk
And I knew I couldn't get it, but I could build good stuff. My grandfather was a carpenter and my dad always had a shop of sorts, and once I started playing it never even occurred not to change pickups and learn fretwork and stuff. Paying people to do things I can either do myself, or learn how to do, is anathema to me.
And what I want is a combination of all sorts of things that manufacturers don't do - why should I be stuck with Strat problems just because I want a scalloped neck? Why should I be stuck with all the re-created crap parts on a Fender Mustang - tuners, whammy, pickups, frets, controls, just because I want a light 24" scale guitar? And I never lusted after "Jimi's Strat" or "Jimmy's Les Paul" when I was a kid, I wanted THIS bass:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmiOBYJy2vk
And I knew I couldn't get it, but I could build good stuff. My grandfather was a carpenter and my dad always had a shop of sorts, and once I started playing it never even occurred not to change pickups and learn fretwork and stuff. Paying people to do things I can either do myself, or learn how to do, is anathema to me.
For me it was a combination of things. I wanted a guitar designed to my specs/looks that I can use to complete my arsenal of equipment. To get exactly the specs I wanted from a floor model was impossible, and I was not prepared to pay thousands for one. Warmoth was really a no-brainer. My looks, my way, for amazing quality at an affordable price.
P
ptirman
Guest
Great thread. I wanted something that looked like a strat, had a gibson scale (24.75) with humbucker pickups (regular and TV Jones) and a birdseye neck. At least that's what I tell myself now and the whole process morphed from the time I saw the wood until it was completed. Warmoth was the most logical choice to get it done and get it done with real professional quality.
Cagey
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I just wanted a professional grade guitar that didn't make me sick, and while money wasn't really an issue, I wasn't willing to spend what the manufacturers wanted for such things. Didn't seem like an even trade. Some of those folks are just insane. I've been working on guitars since forever, so there was no question about being able to put one together and set it up properly. The only thing that ever stopped me was finishing, because it can be a big-time major league pain in the ass and I didn't want some basement finish job that just screamed "HOME MADE!". Been there, done that, back when I was a poor white child. Then one day while looking at Warmoth's parts it was clear that not only would I not have to fight that particular fight if I didn't want to, they had tons of options to make the thing "just right". Where do I sign?
Now I'm finishing guitars again, but I'm in a situation where I can do a proper job. It's still a pain, but while Warmoth finishes are a helluva bargain for what they are, they're still a good chunk of change. $200+ for a body and ~$100 for a neck is 15 cases of beer, fer crissakes! <grin>
Now I'm finishing guitars again, but I'm in a situation where I can do a proper job. It's still a pain, but while Warmoth finishes are a helluva bargain for what they are, they're still a good chunk of change. $200+ for a body and ~$100 for a neck is 15 cases of beer, fer crissakes! <grin>
I build my own bodies - there's something quite satisfying about it. I needed a outlet for my woodworking desires, but had neither the patience nor the capital to make a neck.
I am chronically motivated by being told I can't, or even just the knowledge that people think I couldn't. I read LoTR at seven because my dad said I wouldn't be able to. Picked up a guitar at 15 because I was told it wasn't that easy. Bought a bass neck from Warmoth the next year because again "it can't be done". (Still haven't finished that one...) build a warmoth with my brother in law two years ago on a whim - bought a couldn't-pass-up-showcase. Finished my first halfmoth last year - pride is part of it, customization is part of it, uniqueness, challenge, final sound, look, having a hobby, an obsession... It's complicated, but I love how planning makes me excited, how getting all the parts together is a great hunt, solving the different problems inherent to doing something for the first time, the frustrations of screwing up and covering up, the showing of the final product, and the kick I get when I tell people, yeah, I'm a hobby-luthier.
I am chronically motivated by being told I can't, or even just the knowledge that people think I couldn't. I read LoTR at seven because my dad said I wouldn't be able to. Picked up a guitar at 15 because I was told it wasn't that easy. Bought a bass neck from Warmoth the next year because again "it can't be done". (Still haven't finished that one...) build a warmoth with my brother in law two years ago on a whim - bought a couldn't-pass-up-showcase. Finished my first halfmoth last year - pride is part of it, customization is part of it, uniqueness, challenge, final sound, look, having a hobby, an obsession... It's complicated, but I love how planning makes me excited, how getting all the parts together is a great hunt, solving the different problems inherent to doing something for the first time, the frustrations of screwing up and covering up, the showing of the final product, and the kick I get when I tell people, yeah, I'm a hobby-luthier.
S
swarfrat
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Because nobody made what I wanted.
Steve_Karl
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How it "looks" has always been the lowest priority for me when it comes to a guitar.
Of course it's nice if it looks good, but I build to get the sound or for usage relative to my musical goals.
Of course it's nice if it looks good, but I build to get the sound or for usage relative to my musical goals.
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