The Shortlist

The result of our home builder competition grows near

We’ve analysed, scrutinised, discussed and argued our way through the process of selecting the shortlist for our home builder competition. Many flagons of coffee and sundry packets of Hobnobs were consumed during the process, but now, at last, we’re able to publish a list of the six finalists drawn from the multitude of entries we’ve had flooding into the magazine’s mailbox. It’s been an amazing journey and we’re overwhelmed by the woodworking talent, imagination and design prowess we’ve witnessed during these final stages. Now, the shortlist will be sent over to StewMac for its judges’ adjudication and we will be announcing the winners soon. Stand by!

PETER CROUT WENGE WONDER

Peter chose a combo of maple and wenge for his build. It’s a neck-through-body design, “removing the necessity of a neck-to-body joint while maintaining maximum resonance and strength”. The body has routed chambers and the wenge fretboard features maple dots. Pickup duties are upheld by Bare Knuckle Apache units on wenge/ maple mounts and the vibrato unit is courtesy of Duesenberg. Total build time was a lean 45 hours, and the guitar weighs in at a trim 3kg (6.6lb). We really liked the look of the guitar – the woodworking skills alone are well worth a place in the final.

MICHAEL SLSSINGAR MAPLE ROCKER

Before starting this build, Michael built a couple of prototypes,“from which I learned a lot – things that worked and didn’t…” Michael’s guitar is another neck-through-body design, this time it’s rock maple with mahogany wings and the body has an attractive carve. One thing foremost in his mind was the avoidance of any ‘moving parts’: “I have other instruments with many moving parts that vibrate, rattle and are a little fragile,” he tells us. With Gretsch Super HiLo’Tron pickups and electrics fully screened using aluminium tape, we love the no-nonsense looks of Michael’s creation.

NIGEL GREENING BRAZILIAN BONANZA

Nigel is one of the few entrants who named his guitar, calling it ‘The Iguana’, for fairly obvious reasons. Based around Gibson’s ES-335, “though probably much more similar to a Collings I-35”, the top is carved from maple with a back made from reclaimed Brazilian mahogany. The f-holes are “a nod to the Monteleone Radio Flyer”, making The Iguana a sum of many parts. Other exotic timbers used here include Macassar ebony for the fingerboard and flame maple for the neck. A single Seymour Duncan ’59 in the neck powers the beast, a proven PAF-style pickup that suits the guitar.

RICHARD FLETCHER MAHOGANY MARVEL

“I’ve never owned an electric guitar but have always wanted one,” says Richard. “This guitar was my lockdown project, which I began in July 2020, using timber from our old mahogany fire surround… ”Well, it worked for Brian May and so why not? Especially when the said fire surround turns out to be Cuban mahogany. Advised by a friend to keep things as simple as possible, Richard used Bare Knuckle Black Hawk ’buckers, Gotoh tuners, a Schaller piezo bridge and switching, and the guitar is finished using clear satin lacquer. We were drawn to its majestic good looks and elegant functionality.

MASA TOMITA TULIPWOOD JACKPOT

Masa built his first electric guitar in 2012, “as a way of combining my two loves: guitars and woodworking.” Since then, his weekends have involved, quite literally, wood shedding. Masa sent us his fifth creation, featuring separate outputs for the guitar’s two voices: electric and acoustic. The body is made from a single piece of tulipwood, and the neck is a five-piece construction featuring sapele and maple. The rosewood fretboard sports 24 Jescar stainless steel frets with a 635mm (25-inch) scale length. We were captivated by the headless design and the multi-voiced capability.

NICK SEDGWICK ASH SENSATION

Sometimes a good starting place for design is simply to avoid everything you don’t like about the instruments already out there in the public domain. That was part of Nick’s manifesto for building his entry, in any case. With a two-piece swamp ash body, belly and forearm cuts, and a rounded neck joint, the guitar features a slab rosewood ’board, 22 stainless steel frets, a 635mm (25-inch) scale length and 304.8mm (12-inch) radius. Pickups are Mojo Special Strats with Schaller bridge and tuners. “Better players than myself have commented favourably on the playability and tone…” says Nick.