Un-official Grassroots $209 Guitar Challenge Thread

Okay, my thread about building a metal Telecaster inspired response from a few parties, so I'm starting a thread to discuss the potential of an as yet non-sactioned GRM $209 Guitar Challenge.

The basic idea is obvious to any of us: build a guitar under budget that performs to certain criteria. The question is: what criteria? Hence this thread.

I figure we need three categories. Concours is obvious. Coolest looking guitar wins. Some measure of performance is obviously required. So, taking drags and autocross as inspiration, we could do performance categories of Cookin'-est Solo (drags) and Most Tasteful Backup Performance (using the finesse aspect of autocross).

I'm just throwing that out there. Commence debating.... Now!

Also what do we want to consider as a valid entry for this? Guitars built from scratch? Kits? Pieced together from a hodge podge of parts bought on flea bay and the like? Have different categories?

Also are we talking a traditional 6 string only? Or can other variation be applied? What about building a Bass?

Also what will our deadline be? Sound could be hard to judge without a gathering considering mic quality used record and the individual speakers used to listen to it. Also it will of course greatly depend on the player as well. You can be a crap player and make the best guitar sound like garbage. Or you can be a great player and make the cheapest piece of trash sing.

Perhaps ground-up scratch builds should be a separate category unto themselves, like Locosts at the Challenge.

I'd say wild variations on the theme are more than welcome. Bass, baritone, tenor, seven string, Hunter-esque 8 string bass/guitars, Brown-esque steel/Teles... you name it. Until it gets out of hand, I'd say wackiness is welcome.

Deadline... When's the Challenge? How about six months away from that, to open it up to folks who might want to do both? I'm open to input here.

And yeah, remote judging will take some consideration. I'll have to think on that.

Hmm...I have a guitar project sitting in my closet that I never finished. I have already made the body and neck.

You're further along than I am, then. Welcome to the Challenge. Any input on the rules/criteria?

Well I think one of the biggest rules should of course be no having a pro build it for you lol. I think it should be limited to guitars built (or assembled from parts) by the person entering.

The assembly process should be documented (if for no other reason to see some really cool guitars coming together). Purchases should of course be documented as well just like in the challenge.

If we do distance judging on sound whoever the judge is obviously cannot be entered.

You mentioned having a "Locost" type class for pure home brews. Do we also want individual divisions for electric and acoustic?

Acoustic and Electric versions are definitely needed.

I give you your 1st competitor... The PLAIDOCASTER!!! Excuse the goofy picture, it's the only good one I could find. Total investment on the guitar is about $50 so far. What if we did the guitar challenge in the pits at the $200x challenge? We could have a sort of mini-concert the night between days 1 and 2.

Oh also on electrics do we want to include the amp in the $20X limit?

Only problem with doing it in the pits at the race is those of us on the west coast would be SOL lol.

I think including the amp for electrics would make sense if they are being judged on sound. Same goes for effects, cables, etc. What about combining this with the motorcycle challenge then? I feel like it would be hard to justify a really long trip for a guitar competition, but having it be part of another, larger event would draw more people.

Well what we are also talking about is the possibility of making it a distance thing where we all submit our entries over the net. Everyone uploads pics of the guitars and their specs and price sheets then maybe makes a mp3 or something to send in for voting. Or could be people record a youtube video of themselves playing lol.

If its a meet up I doubt I would be able to make it with school but I'll still do a build. Who knows maybe I'd ship it off to someone to play at the event.

You know we could do a "standard amp" something small and inexpensive to have it be more about the guitars? Something everyone could easily get their hands on. Just an idea.

I would say that for the non concourse portion you can have someone else do the playing. This would be like having one of the hot show drivers drive your car at the car challenge.

I had a perfect guitar for this... picked it up at a pawn shop years ago... looked like a Warmoth Telecaster body and neck Jackson-style... alder body... stunning flamed maple, cherry sunburst top with binding... a real solid top too, NOT a veneer... real Floyd Rose bridge and locking nut... don't remember the pick-ups... but I had to rewire them (how I found out the top was real).

Bought it for $150 w/ case...

Played with a it a bit, then gave to my local shop for a tune up (action, intonation, etc...). Shop closed. Haven't seen the guitar since...

built mine already:

Built mine: Squier Tele with the guts out of an old Kay Thin-Twin, plus series/parallel and phase switching.

Costs:

Squier Tele: $100
Kay: $15 (pretty beat up, from an auto salvage yard in '85)
Misc switches and plastic for the custom guard: About $30