Why do You Build ?

[Strat Avenger]

I could all the reasons given so far, but I guess in the end the whole thing just so satisfying, I have to do it again. It's kinda like making a good meal. I enjoy doing it, and often make others happy as well.

Not to mention that weird moment of truth when you plug it in for the first time and hit the first string.    :guitarplayer2:

Yeah well my first build, the Soloist, when I first plugged it in sounded terrible. It was a not a good feeling at all. Turned out to be a bad set of strings (even thought they were new) -- Dean Markley Blue Steels. I changed them with a set of Ernie Ball Slinkys and suddenly it sounded great. I never expected that.

 

[Cagey]

In my experience, different strings can alter the sound, but it's usually not dramatic. It's more a "feel" thing. But, it's possible to get a set that's just "off" for some reason.

Biggest surprise I got was going to stainless strings. You can really hear those. Much brighter/articulate. At the same time, though, it was the "feel" again that got me. They seem to "hit a wall" when stretching - that point where you feel you're at the edge and one more iota of stress is gonna snap the thing. It doesn't happen, it just feels like it's gonna. But, there again, it may have just been the brand I was using.

 

[bass917]

Cool thread.

Im just starting my first build and am still waiting for most of the parts to come in, so im pretty green in the "build department", but my decision came from not being able to purchase the guitar i wanted. Being a lefty leaves you out in the cold alot of the time with most companies putting out only a handful of leftys in fairly generic configurations, with little to no custom options.

But i also want to build because i can (i assume lol), its fun to tinker, take your time and learn some skill along the way. I kinda enjoy the journey as much as the destination, shopping for parts and even the inevitable waiting game for stuff to arrive as it gives you time to make a solid plan of attack.

Mostly though, in the end, it will be my guitar. I wont walk into my local music store and find five just like it hanging on the wall.

 

[PhilHill]

Ya'll sound like a bunch of Hot Rodders from the 60's. I love it!

 

[Cagey]

Funny you should mention that...

I built a fire-breathing monster out of an old Chevy Nova once. Lotta fun, that. Cost a pile of money, and didn't last long. Something about running hotter than dammit shortens their life. But, I met a lotta interesting people and learned a lotta stuff.

 

[PhilHill]

Funny you should mention that...

I built a fire-breathing monster out of an old Chevy Nova once. Lotta fun, that. Cost a pile of money, and didn't last long. Something about running hotter than dammit shortens their life. But, I met a lotta interesting people and learned a lotta stuff.

I've found that's a common thread with a lot pursuits such as these. The desire for something unique and the satisfaction of getting it to function at a high level of efficiency, the social interaction it allows among like minded others, the personal and educational growth that it can inspire. And there's something deep inside most of us that doesn't want to lose the practice of craftsmanship of some form or another.

 

[Cagey]

Well put.

 

[Rick]

'Cause it's fun to make things that are fun.  Like a building a house or a motorcycle, you can use it, you made it.  Sure parts were made by other people, but you put it together.  You created it.  It's yours, like having a garden, you plant the seeds, and at the end you reap what you've sown and it's good.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

For me it started with "knowing how the instrument is made will help me better understand how to make it perform better, and by it performing better, the foundation is now made to help me to perform better".

This is what made me pursue sound engineering, producing, the whole thing.

Thinking singularly of the guitar only doesn't help the guitarist understand how to work within the context of a complete band mix, which includes; sound design, songwriting, arranging (specifically in multiple keys as vocalist strengths vary in different keys/octaves), the art of story telling and how my instrument can accentuate that serviceability.

It's much more than just guitar to me.

 

[spe111]

First one: I like to do things once just to make sure I'm capable. Then I'd rather just pay someone to do it. I did the same with building amps, working on cars, and dozens of other things.

Second and third ones: Entirely the custom aspect. It's a good way to get some totally unique guitars that aren't even options anywhere else. Most of my guitars are made by big companies like Fender and Gibson and it will stay that way, but I definitely like having some unique ones as well.

 

[ghotiphry]

Truth be told, I'm a better builder than I am a player.  I've always gravitated towards things like this, I used to build wooden model ships.  A few years ago I decided to pick up the bass guitar.  I bought my first guitar at a pawn shop, a Fender Precision, in burgundy mist.  It was fine, but..  Next purchase was a Fender Jazz off ebay.  It was fine but...

I can't remember what brought me to this forum, but that's when I discovered Warmoth, was right here.  I was probably googling around looking for how to do something.  Heathen that I am, I was tinkering on the Fenders, rewired them, new pickguards, etc.  (I recently sold the Fenders, and was smart enough to be able to put them back together stock, mostly.) But Warmoth was a new ballgame for me.

I remember my first.  I was so green.  Wiring was all wrong.  Used parts I thought were the best, but weren't my ultimate favorites.  But I kept at it.  I was in love.  Different parts here or there.  Hmmm, I wonder what that bridge is like...

I've lost track of how many I've done now.  I know it's over 10.  At some point someone said short scale.  Then there was the new mooncaster.  All this to get to where I am now.  I've got two mooncasters, and they are pretty much all I play with.  So, over time, I've got to to the point where I think I know what suits me, what I like.  What makes me play better, if an instrument has influence over playing capability.  That's partially what this is all about.

The rest of it is pure pride.

My employment circumstances have changed recently, and not for the better.  I've still got a hankering for that ice blue mooncaster I posted about a while back.  Hopefully I'll be able to continue the journey.

 

[MikeW]

Interesting topic, and lots of very interesting answers.

I build primarily because I can't get exactly what I want from any brand off the shelf. The latest Charvel DK24s are the closest thing to it in a very very long time, but I'd been building or modding Strats to be like that since the 80's. Also, there is a level of quality from getting parts (Warmoth particularly) that you just can't get without paying a thousand extra dollars for custom shop work.

Another aspect of it is that I'm an engineer. I've been tinkering with things since I was 4. Clocks at first, cars along the way, I've even hand-crafted a surfboard or two. But guitars are a great love, not just because I use them in bands, but also because there is a deeper level of thought that goes into a build; not just the aesthetics, but the physics as well.

One other reason is when someone brings a guitar to the shop and wants me to do a mod I've not done, or has some piece of hardware that I've not worked with before, some specific sound that they get. That gets me thinking about the next build, and the next build, and ...

 

[Seamas]

I've only built one so far, have done a re-build / refinish on another, and am in the process of doing the same on an old bass I have.
Also just started building my first effect pedal (a fuzz clone kit).

For me it is just another creative endeavor. I have a background in visual arts, used to stretch all my own canvasses, build my own frames, etc. Worked for a while doing murals and sculptures.
I have also always liked refinishing furniture, etc and after buying a house 11 years ago, spent a lot of time doing my own repairs and  a ton of much needed landscaping / gardening, etc
I also cook and brew beer.
Making a guitar just seemed like a logical thing to do.

I'm in my early 50s. I have noticed for YEARS that men with no hobbies or hands-on interests like these tend to decline horribly and swiftly when they get older. Once they retire, they got nothing to do.

I think having projects --for one's own enjoyment -- help keep the mind active. It is also useful, I think, for combating seasonal depression, something I can mildly suffer from over winters (no winter this year though).

 

[Strat Avenger]

Ya'll sound like a bunch of Hot Rodders from the 60's. I love it!

Well, I am into hotrods & classic muscle cars, and I've modified every electric guitar I've ever owned.

 

[PhilHill]

I've lost track of how many I've done now.  I know it's over 10.  At some point someone said short scale.  Then there was the new mooncaster.  All this to get to where I am now.  I've got two mooncasters, and they are pretty much all I play with.  So, over time, I've got to to the point where I think I know what suits me, what I like.  What makes me play better, if an instrument has influence over playing capability.  That's partially what this is all about.

I firmly believe, and I've heard it from several customers, that the right instrument can allow a player to do things they've never done before. I hope the employment thing gets better soon.

 

[PhilHill]

I've only built one so far, have done a re-build / refinish on another, and am in the process of doing the same on an old bass I have.
Also just started building my first effect pedal (a fuzz clone kit).

Yep, your hooked. I afraid it's hopeless. Soon you'll be saying things like," I don't have a building problem, I can stop anytime I want."
Please, for your own sake, get yourself to a 12 fret program as soon as possible. Or , one day they'll find you lying face down on a workbench, a half empty bottle of Tru Oil next to your head.

 

[Cactus Jack]

Value.

I can buy 3 used Warmoths, piece together a dream guitar, flip the extra parts and be thousands ahead compared to buying 1 MIA Fender product. I love Fender style guitars. However, I became disillusioned once Fender, and others, starting charging $1,200+ for a basic Strat and Tele. I have no idea how Suhr commands the price they do when their guitars are assembled with cheap Wilkinson hardware. Heck, Tom Anderson uses mini Alpha pots and super cheap wire in his guitars...yet they command $3K+. I have no problem paying a premium, but I have a problem when the price goes up and value/benefit goes down. We're talking about sticks bolted to painted blocks of wood all held together with a bit of wire, not the Mona Lisa. 

Additionally, import guitars have become fantastic. I've been seriously impressed with Schecter, ESP, Ibanez, Epiphone, and the import PRS & G&L guitars. Compared to 20-30 years ago when most imports were junk, these days you can buy an insanely nice instrument. However, in my opinion, import prices have crossed an inflection point. For better or worse I cannot psychologically convince myself to spend $800-$1,000 on an import. Heck, my first brand new MIA Fender Strat was $650 out the door with a case. I know my position is illogical, but it is what it is.

 

[PhilHill]

Value.

I can buy 3 used Warmoths, piece together a dream guitar, flip the extra parts and be thousands ahead compared to buying 1 MIA Fender product. I love Fender style guitars. However, I became disillusioned once Fender, and others, starting charging $1,200+ for a basic Strat and Tele. I have no idea how Suhr commands the price they do when their guitars are assembled with cheap Wilkinson hardware. Heck, Tom Anderson uses mini Alpha pots and super cheap wire in his guitars...yet they command $3K+. I have no problem paying a premium, but I have a problem when the price goes up and value/benefit goes down. We're talking about sticks bolted to painted blocks of wood all held together with a bit of wire, not the Mona Lisa. 

Additionally, import guitars have become fantastic. I've been seriously impressed with Schecter, ESP, Ibanez, Epiphone, and the import PRS & G&L guitars. Compared to 20-30 years ago when most imports were junk, these days you can buy an insanely nice instrument. However, in my opinion, import prices have crossed an inflection point. For better or worse I cannot psychologically convince myself to spend $800-$1,000 on an import. Heck, my first brand new MIA Fender Strat was $650 out the door with a case. I know my position is illogical, but it is what it is.

I read a nice book recently about the history of guitars in America, in it the author meets a guitar builder who feels much like you do. He defined a "Luthier" as someone who charges thousands for a guitar you can get for 500 somewhere else.
The factories and the Luthiers are pricing themselves right out of business anymore. The other day I saw a review for a 1500 dollar guitar made out of basswood. I have an old First Act sitting in the back of my closet that originally sold for 200 bucks brand new with a 5 watt amp . Guess what it's made of? I realize wood is getting harder to find and more expensive, but let's get real folks. The imports are going to do the same thing they did when the large corporations took over Fender and Gibson in the 60's and started putting out junk instead of quality. Their going to take advantage of the situation .

 

[aarontunes]

Cool thread. Thanks for starting it, PhilHill.

Building, for me, started as a way to increase my knowledge of how guitars work, and make it permanent. It's the way I learn. I study, and then create something that solidifies my knowledge. I call my technique "research and regurgitate".

For example, many years ago when I decided to put all my effort into songwriting and pitching my songs in Nashville, I began by learning everything I could about writing in the Nashville style. I crammed hard for a year, absorbing everything I could from everywhere I could. Then I wrote a book about songwriting, aka regurgitated all I had learned. Then I started writing songs and pitching. (Ironically, that book has earned me more money than all but a few of my songs!)

With guitar, I would watch over their shoulder as techs did various things to my guitars (this was before YouTube, etc), and think to myself....that's easy! I can solder and change a set of pickups. I can set my action. I can adjust my trem system and my truss rod. So I learned to do those things. It just felt like a natural extension of being a guitar player. At some point I felt like in order to solidify what I had learned I needed to build a complete guitar. And I learned so much from doing that that I felt like I needed to build another.

And now every time I build a new guitar, it's a little, um, regurgitation of all the stuff I've learned.

OK...wait....this metaphor is getting away from me. I better just stop.

 

[Cagey]

I read a nice book recently about the history of guitars in America, in it the author meets a guitar builder who feels much like you do. He defined a "Luthier" as someone who charges thousands for a guitar you can get for 500 somewhere else.
The factories and the Luthiers are pricing themselves right out of business anymore. The other day I saw a review for a 1500 dollar guitar made out of basswood. I have an old First Act sitting in the back of my closet that originally sold for 200 bucks brand new with a 5 watt amp . Guess what it's made of? I realize wood is getting harder to find and more expensive, but let's get real folks. The imports are going to do the same thing they did when the large corporations took over Fender and Gibson in the 60's and started putting out junk instead of quality. Their going to take advantage of the situation .

That's happening already. We're living with an embarrassment of riches when it comes to instrument choices if you don't limit your view to the usual suspects who are trying to live off their names. I have an Agile 3200 (Korean) here that I'd put up against any LP Custom that cost literally an order of magnitude less than the "real thing".