Is it time for ...

Nomad

Cheers, @TTony. In the photography forum, it's quite informal and anyone can start a challenge. In general, they tend to go about it in a similar way, which is probably a bit specific to photography...

Start a thread to discuss the idea and get feedback on what the challenge entails,
Once things are clear, start a 'registration' thread, which is less formal than it sounds - it's mainly people saying they're up for it, and usually requires posting a photo of the camera(s) you plan to use.
Folks go and take photos.
An entries thread is started towards the end, where people post their photos.
The challenge starter edits the first post to add a poll and people vote on which photos they think are the best.
The winner is showered in prizes, glory and adulation.

Bricks & mortar photography clubs tend to have photo competitions as a regular thing, and the challenges are essentially an online version of that, with the emphasis much more on having some fun using old camera gear than in actually trying to win something (there are rarely, if ever, any prizes). The registration and voting threads probably look a bit formal, but they're really just a reflection of how things are done in bricks & mortar clubs (so everyone that is, or has been, in a real club kind of expects that sort of process).

For here, I would say we don't need registration other than people saying they fancy giving it a go (or that they've taken up a challenge), and I don't think voting is necessary. I do think starting a thread to discuss an idea is a good start, and once things are clearer, start a proper thread for the challenge without the clutter of the brainstorming one. This proper thread could be added to a sticky post that lists challenge threads as they get created over time (an index of challenges). If there was a completed projects thread dedicated to a challenge, that could be added to the index as well (so, two thread entries per challenge in the index post). Links to build threads are taken care of by participants when they post in the completed projects thread (as tends to be done in the ad-hoc one that's currently stickied).

Kalimna

What about building a guitar using only recycled wood/parts?

LuttiS

Perhaps not this one, but an interesting future challenge could be to build a guitar with costs closest to some odd amount... receipts must be shown..  e.g. the £48.73 o'caster - make, scrounge, buy, borrow - get as close to that sum as possible. Probably will never work as some people will have giant bits boxes with all they need and others won't have £48.73.. and the idea dies. Good show chaps, carry on.

AustrianJohn

LuttiS said:

Perhaps not this one, but an interesting future challenge could be to build a guitar with costs closest to some odd amount... receipts must be shown..  e.g. the £48.73 o'caster - make, scrounge, buy, borrow - get as close to that sum as possible. Probably will never work as some people will have giant bits boxes with all they need and others won't have £48.73.. and the idea dies. Good show chaps, carry on.

Nice idea, but the problems are "scrounge" and "borrow". I'd like to simplify the idea - build a guitar that costs less than ...? I think £100 would be a great target.

I also like @Kalimna 's idea of building a guitar from recycled wood, but @axisus has already won that one

Sporky

The problem I had with the £100 guitar challenge was that - to me - it would have been £100 down the drain, because that's just not enough for me to scratch build something, and I didn't want to end up with a tarted up cheapo kit guitar at the end of it.

The wider theme idea appeals more to me. So something like "none more blackerer" or "steampunk" or similar that lets people build/mod whatever takes their fancy but with a general direction sounds more promising to me.

Kalimna

Ok, how about a 'British woods only' challenge. No price/design limit beyond that?
Or guitar with built-in amplifier? Extra points if amp is home brew too.

AustrianJohn

Kalimna said:

Ok, how about a 'British woods only' challenge. No price/design limit beyond that

Could I use Austrian wood? We have enough of it here!

AustrianJohn

Kalimna said:

Or guitar with built-in amplifier? Extra points if amp is home brew too.

Seems to be very limiting - how many entries would we have?

Bridgehouse

Kalimna said:

Ok, how about a 'British woods only' challenge?

No. 1 - The Larch

Rabs

Well how about if we want to include people outside of the builders we hold two challenges...  One will be for everyone and is a guitar/bass design challenge which can just be a scanned drawn picture with design and specs included in the entry..   Then maybe the builders can judge the designs and build the best ones?

Or something like that?

WezV

I really like the design a guitar idea.  I like the idea of building it too, but funding becomes an issue if the winning design is all about the bling 


the British woods one appeals, but rules out anyone who can't build from scratch.

price limits don't work too well for me. I have far too many parts in boxes with no idea what they cost.

Bridgehouse

How about a:

"Make or mod the guitar Gibson/Fender never made but should/shouldn't have"

WezV

Bridgehouse said:

How about a:

"Make or mod the guitar Gibson/Fender never made but should/shouldn't have"

But I am nearly finished with one of those.... I would still be up for it

stickyfiddle

Sporky said:

The problem I had with the £100 guitar challenge was that - to me - it would have been £100 down the drain, because that's just not enough for me to scratch build something, and I didn't want to end up with a tarted up cheapo kit guitar at the end of it.

The wider theme idea appeals more to me. So something like "none more blackerer" or "steampunk" or similar that lets people build/mod whatever takes their fancy but with a general direction sounds more promising to me.

This is the reason I probably wouldn't do any more 100 quid challenges (other than that everything here is far too expensive and we don't have eBay). As much as I enjoyed the ones I've done before, I don't want to end up with another £100-type guitar, and it's impossible to make something *really* good for that figure. But pedals I can happily keep loads of... Equally I completely understand why people who don't like pedals and haven't done a £100 guitar would enjoy that far more, so I'm keen on anything that permits both options within some other theme-based constraint

Rocker

I would like to get my hands on a Hofner Shorty and try to make it a real guitar. Or bass.

Kalimna

Another idea then - sticking to a specific scale, say a shorter than usual. It would limit the number of folk attempting it, but im sure something could be worked out if there was enough interest.

Adam

Roland

Like a travel guitar you mean? 

Kalimna

I wasnt thinking specifically of a travel guitar, but yep, why not?

WezV

I like the idea.

@legionreturns could still do his LARP guitar for a travelling group of heroes

paulnb57

Short scale sounds a great idea, something 24" scale or less....