After All, it's just Wood & Glue, Right?

I build guitars. Mostly acoustic guitars. I think it is more than just wood and glue. Maybe the hands and soul of the builder....

 

I think the wood gives the guitar the "feel" part.

I have built a number of guitar from different wood species and they all sound a little different and feel different in my hands.

I for one don't care for richlite fingerboards, It is a feel thing for me. Give me a maple, rosewood, bubinga or anything other than richlite. Again it is a feel thing for me.

However I do agree that you don't have to break the bank on an expensive guitar to make music. I have a Squier strat that I just adore (it also has some flamey maple on the neck), however it is still viewed as a "cheap" guitar (hey I paid $50 for it and got a small amp to boot) by anyone that sees it. But it plays great and sounds way above its price range.

 

It's the glue! That's where the Mojo is!

 

Just wood, glue and a metal sign. I did leave off 3 strings though.

 

I miss the Late Jurassic. At least we got to see all the coolest bands.

 

Yep

 

I hear these arguments over and over about every industry. There are good economic reasons why products migrate to cheaper labor regions of the world. My $169 Grote is proof of how and why it works. The guitar manufacturing is just following the global economy like every other product line before it. I think the steel, automotive and semiconductor industries are perfect examples of this migration. There are good things and bad things with these migrations, but it is quite natural even back 200 years ago when it would be regional migrations within the same country.

 

Wood and glue are at least two components of the majority of the guitars that I’ve seen.
Yes, I can make music on an Esteban or a Keith Urban infomercial special acoustic guitar and most folks hearing it will probably enjoy.

But I have never had a guitar make ME feel the way I do when I play my Martin HD-28V.
Wood and glue in each instrument. But there’s way more to it. The skill of the craftsman makes the whole much more than the sum of its parts.

I have no comment regarding Chinese global economics or Gibson’s current market strategy.

 

Absolutely. But even if you are cynical about it, you can say that QC makes the whole much more than the sum of its parts. Putting acoustics to the side (as craftsmanship plays a much much—did I say much?—bigger role there than with solid-body electrics), there is a reason why some or even many inexpensive guitars sound great, and most higher-priced ones sound great.

None of this is to suggest that one should not buy an inexpensive guitar. Heck, even a cheap one. Except in extreme cases, it’s better to have a low-quality instrument than none at all. Buy the best instrument you can, but by all means, buy and play a musical instrument. It makes you a better person. And yes, we live in a Golden Age of affordable musical instruments. I wish I had even one tenth the number of choices when I was an aspiring young hack.

 

There is a point where a thing becomes greater than the sum of its parts, but I believe in quality as a decisioning point not brand equity

 

Wood and glue. And a license plate, a couple angle brackets, a cross medallion and an English sixpence, some pickup and strings, and some electronics. And screws. And some frets.

This guitar rocks.

 

I don't think I've ever read an electric guitar description even from PRS or Gibson claiming that "fancy figured woods have superior tonal qualities." They know that's BS which is why those brands all use non-flamed or lesser flamed tops on their models with solid finishes. The sound of the guitar however isn't affected at all.

 

yep, just wood and glue.... you probably walked past a potential guitar body today and thought it was trash.....

100+ yr old Hoop pine studs from an old local house being demoed... free.

 

A car is just a metal box with wheels and an engine.

 

Hey Monte, welcome to TDPRI!

 

I build electrics too. Just more wood and glue. The archtop was getting its neck glued on in my previous post.

 

Dude.... that is crazy man!!! LOL!!! Like it!!

 

you can get a burger from mcdonald's or you can get a really good one for a little more from a classic diner in your area. they're still both low brow food, but one was made with care. of course, there's always that one spot that isn't any better than the diner, but charges you 18 dollars for the burger with bleu cheese and shallots on it. it's the same with any craft.