From my point of view, we are talking about musical instruments. Conceived, studied, created, conceived by a luthier (digital luthier, why not), who puts his creative and manual skills at the service of music (and of the musician, of course) to create uniqueness; of course it's a job, with all that that entails
As you decided to do I do also not a Gibson or PRS mass production guitar i preferred the hand built 1 off guitars. I do use the CNC's laser printers to help me my guitar building. Keep up the great work RAL Custom Guitars
If the goal is to market and sell guitars to a wider audience, I could see where it makes sense to have a range of models that someone can look at to help guide their decision and generate interest, and based on what they decide on, that's what gets built. The problem with that is the possible strain on creativity since the building time would be dedicated to making only a handful of designs and not experimenting with one-offs. When making a new design every time like you're doing, it really does become more of an artform because there are decisions being made every step of the way. You're not painting the same painting twice. Throughout history we've seen ordinary tools be taken to ornate and artistic levels, and I don't think it's any different with guitars. There are functional swords, and then ceremonial swords with intricate engraving and inlays. Hatchets with plain heads, or engraved heads, etc.
a great mission statement at the end there, and i look forward to seeing new designs/guitars/pieces, and I'd love the opportunity to play one eventually. hats off
Most definitely both. My band mate and I were just talking about that on the way to rehearse last night. Sometimes we'll sit and stare at our guitars. I love having mine around even the ones I don't play everyday.
If a guitar is too much of a work of art, will it get played? Check out the Middle Earth Guitar. Who would take that guitar to a gig at a bar, or on tour, or anywhere it might be subject to real life? If it were yours, would you risk buckle rash? How about going from a hot, humid environment to a cold dry one? I once built a wood strip canoe. It was beautiful. I was so afraid to take it anywhere it might be bumped or scratched that I rarely used it. I finally sold it. Lesson learned.
It's art work when it is done with love, enthusiasm, and freedom. Why I build for me. Definitely, won't be quiting my day job anytime soon. But weekend warrior type stuff. Heck yeah I trying to my dream guitar.
I think that there is room for both one-off and mass-produced guitars. If I were an accomplished guitarist, I would surely go for an exclusive instrument but, being an awful player, I just feel grateful that there are so many affordable and reasonably playable guitars out there.
Functional art is correct. At it's core, the guitar must be comfortable to play, stay in tune, work reliably and help produce the sound you need. But, it should also inspire the player, make them want to grab that guitar, have the player want to wring every last bit of music from it. And, it actually does not matter to me if it is a one-off or something off of a production line - so long as it functions and has that something that speaks to me - could be the colour, the shape, the wood patterns, the neck carve, how it resonates - or any combination of.
You are a national treasure, a total mensch, a completely unselfish mentor.... Thank you! I have constant debates on this topic on various social media fora. You are at some strange weird crossroads, which basically involves: Do I scale up to the level of Fodera or F-Bass, or do I remain a one-person operation. Is it economically viable? I sure as heck hope so for gifted craftsmen like you!
They're both, clearly. If they were simply tools, there would only be a handful of body shapes and finishes. You can get a surprising variety of sounds with a single guitar. Some of the variations in designs accommodate playstyle and sound, but others are also cosmetic. Whether the guitar is fully hand-carved or manufactured using a CNC machine or 3-d Printer, even at a mass-production level, they are still an artistic expression. In the case of mass-produced guitars, they might be a recreation of someone else's artistic vision, but the artistic expression is still there. It's just been recreated using machines. All of my guitars are the result of a mass-production run, but I consider them all works of art in their own right. My stratocaster just happens to be a recreation of Leo Fender's artistic expression.
I don't like my guitars to be like anybody else's. I really value individuality in everything that I own to include cars, motorcycles etc. But if you build guitars that way, you've narrowed your market quite a bit. If you are in a position to be able to sustain enough business that way, that's definitely the way that I would fly.
I think building guitars can definitely be approached as artisan craftwork. In a world of mass production and hypercapitalism, it probably even should be. I personally don't really care about the idea of art as being something that just stands there for somebody to look at. Art to me should be part of life, just like life itself hopefully is a conscious act as well, as opposed to simply "being there/standing there". From that perspective, there is definitive artistic potential in making a guitar. Of course, a well-made, reasonably priced production model fulfils a bit of a different purpose than a one-off, custom crafted instrument. They're both undoubtedly tools as they should be, but the latter is also an opportunity for both the luthier as well as the artist to express an individual and personal approach to making music. Is that "necessary"? No, but it's enriching.
Art is more than just a reflection of life. It is a living thing of its own. The idea of an artist creating works of functional art that allow other artists to create their own works of art is more than just a romantic notion. It's reproductive energy. It is what you embody, with your guitars, your plans, and your videos. I, for one, am eternally grateful for your dedication to your craft, and to all of us who get to experience it and benefit from it. At the same time, guitar playing is a relatively "easy" art form. While not everyone who picks up a guitar becomes great (for reasons than I care to mention here), many derive satisfaction from the experience of making music that they commit to a lifelong activity. For some, guitar playing becomes part of who they are. Because of all of this, and because this in and of itself is good and should be fostered, the demand for guitars is greater than could ever be satisfied by the artisan luthiers like you. So the manufacturing of "serviceable guitars" for the masses must exist to ensure the sustainability of guitar playing. There are virtuoso guitarists who achieve what the world assesses as "success": they find fame, fortune, respect, notoriety, etc. Many virtuosos are fortunate only to be able define their success as being able to support themselves producing the art they are dedicated to enough to become virtuosos in the first place. Some virtuosos don't even see that level of success. None of these guitarists are more or less important or valuable to the world than any other; neither is the impact they make on the endurance of guitar playing as a whole. It is just different. The same holds true for the builders of guitars. The ripples made by the craftsman who works solo out of his shop may not be waves, but even a small ripple can travel a great distance, and can change the course of a mighty wave. Anyway, lots of words to say the world needs you and it needs Paul Reed Smith. It even needs a relic automaton like Rickenbacker, who pours infinitely more energy and interest in defending its ageing intellectual property than it does into creating anything new to defend. You are why there are still new guitarists and better guitarists every single day.
Maybe there's a happy medium between one-of-a-kind art pieces and mass production? Painters I know will create the original, but also sell a limited run of 100, 500, 1,000 or whatever prints. I don't think a print lessens the experience of the original in fact they can help elevate it. I don't see why guitars couldn't have limited edition runs of 10 or 20 or even 50. Number 1 in a series would be highly collectable; the original created object ever more so valuable.
I will say that aesthetics do come in to play when it comes to how a guitar inspires me to play it and get certain sounds out of it. This applies to a point on a purely artistic level but there is also an overlap with regards to how some of these aesthetic elements affect the playability of the instrument. For example, the comfort contours on the body, the satin finish on the neck, the rounded fret ends.
They are tools first and for most but there’s nothing wrong with making them look very cool it’s more the music that’s performed on them is were the art is
Overall, I do not really care for doing the same thing twice. I don't even like playing the same songs forever on stage. My recent guitars are works of art if only because I am putting my own hand-painted or drawn images on the bodies and pegheads. They also cost me a lot of money to build and take two, or even, three years to build. Some people claim time is the fourth dimension, making clocks four-dimensional art. Perhaps this makes a guitar a piece of five-dimensional art, making artistic sound a fifth dimension.
They are mainly tools but those tools are not gonna get picked up if they are not doing something to u when you look at them....iam personally indifferent to the flying Vs...never liked that shape but this guitar like here makes me gonna grab it and play it although its a V...thats speaks volumes about the artist that made it....
That's not really an either / or question sometimes. Many are both. I would allow that many mass produced guitars are artful. Some handmade guitars that aren't very playable would be more art than tool for sure. You get this phenomenon in most things thay are functional but able to be handmade. I guess working on a computer rendering and then mass producing something doesn't take away any art aspect if there's some aesthetic consideration. Computers are a tool for rendering art as well. Ramble ramble, ramble.
As with food guitar buyers, at least at first, eat with their eyes first. As a youth, I always wanted an Ibanez Destroyer, until I actually got one in my hand, then not so much. Art is what it is to each individual eye, but when you add function to the art, at times, one side is compromised. Art for me on a guitar is useless when observers cannot see it. Isn't this laminated neck beautiful? The answer is no, because people can't see through your guitar when you play it. Can a Guitar be art? Yes, if it functions as good as it looks and it is used for that function. Otherwise, it is just an expensive wall ornament shaped like a guitar. Many builders use expensive exotic woods knowing that it will sacrifice function because that is what the customer wants. People want what they want, but a true performer wants the best feel and sound. For a person who plays guitar, if the neck doesn't feel right, it goes right back on the display hook before a sound is even made with it. The eye will draw a person in, but will it survive being touched and used? Art is great, I love it, and have done it, but it has to feel right and function well for long periods of time first.
Old decorated swords are considered art and are in museums for this reason and swords are very much tools for killing. I don't see how a tool for playing music would be different.
If they aren’t both and a million other dynamics at once to you…..you’re doing it wrong….currently I say they are the ultimate and most human artifact in an ever increasingly digitized world…
They are both. There are show ponies and there are workhorses .Most players favorite guitars are pretty beat. When I put that first nick in a beautiful new finish it is pure trauma
2:40 "It's just me." Rock on Chris!
Every musical instrument is a work of art and if you "use" them they're tools as well. We use art.
From my point of view, we are talking about musical instruments.
Conceived, studied, created, conceived by a luthier (digital luthier, why not), who puts his creative and manual skills at the service of music (and of the musician, of course) to create uniqueness; of course it's a job, with all that that entails
As you decided to do I do also not a Gibson or PRS mass production guitar i preferred the hand built 1 off guitars. I do use the CNC's laser printers to help me my guitar building. Keep up the great work RAL Custom Guitars
If the goal is to market and sell guitars to a wider audience, I could see where it makes sense to have a range of models that someone can look at to help guide their decision and generate interest, and based on what they decide on, that's what gets built. The problem with that is the possible strain on creativity since the building time would be dedicated to making only a handful of designs and not experimenting with one-offs.
When making a new design every time like you're doing, it really does become more of an artform because there are decisions being made every step of the way. You're not painting the same painting twice.
Throughout history we've seen ordinary tools be taken to ornate and artistic levels, and I don't think it's any different with guitars. There are functional swords, and then ceremonial swords with intricate engraving and inlays. Hatchets with plain heads, or engraved heads, etc.
a great mission statement at the end there, and i look forward to seeing new designs/guitars/pieces, and I'd love the opportunity to play one eventually. hats off
Most definitely both. My band mate and I were just talking about that on the way to rehearse last night. Sometimes we'll sit and stare at our guitars. I love having mine around even the ones I don't play everyday.
If a guitar is too much of a work of art, will it get played? Check out the Middle Earth Guitar. Who would take that guitar to a gig at a bar, or on tour, or anywhere it might be subject to real life? If it were yours, would you risk buckle rash? How about going from a hot, humid environment to a cold dry one?
I once built a wood strip canoe. It was beautiful. I was so afraid to take it anywhere it might be bumped or scratched that I rarely used it. I finally sold it. Lesson learned.
It's art work when it is done with love, enthusiasm, and freedom. Why I build for me. Definitely, won't be quiting my day job anytime soon. But weekend warrior type stuff. Heck yeah I trying to my dream guitar.
I think that there is room for both one-off and mass-produced guitars. If I were an accomplished guitarist, I would surely go for an exclusive instrument but, being an awful player, I just feel grateful that there are so many affordable and reasonably playable guitars out there.
Functional art is correct.
At it's core, the guitar must be comfortable to play, stay in tune, work reliably and help produce the sound you need.
But, it should also inspire the player, make them want to grab that guitar, have the player want to wring every last bit of music from it.
And, it actually does not matter to me if it is a one-off or something off of a production line - so long as it functions and has that something that speaks to me - could be the colour, the shape, the wood patterns, the neck carve, how it resonates - or any combination of.
You are a national treasure, a total mensch, a completely unselfish mentor.... Thank you! I have constant debates on this topic on various social media fora. You are at some strange weird crossroads, which basically involves: Do I scale up to the level of Fodera or F-Bass, or do I remain a one-person operation. Is it economically viable? I sure as heck hope so for gifted craftsmen like you!
I like your approach for building one of a kind guitar!
I love your focus with your business Chris. Self-reflection is a strong tool. Much better to do your passion.
Cool ones are like sports/muscle cars. They look good and perform well...and I need lots of them.
They're both, clearly. If they were simply tools, there would only be a handful of body shapes and finishes. You can get a surprising variety of sounds with a single guitar. Some of the variations in designs accommodate playstyle and sound, but others are also cosmetic. Whether the guitar is fully hand-carved or manufactured using a CNC machine or 3-d Printer, even at a mass-production level, they are still an artistic expression. In the case of mass-produced guitars, they might be a recreation of someone else's artistic vision, but the artistic expression is still there. It's just been recreated using machines. All of my guitars are the result of a mass-production run, but I consider them all works of art in their own right. My stratocaster just happens to be a recreation of Leo Fender's artistic expression.
I don't like my guitars to be like anybody else's. I really value individuality in everything that I own to include cars, motorcycles etc. But if you build guitars that way, you've narrowed your market quite a bit. If you are in a position to be able to sustain enough business that way, that's definitely the way that I would fly.
I think building guitars can definitely be approached as artisan craftwork. In a world of mass production and hypercapitalism, it probably even should be. I personally don't really care about the idea of art as being something that just stands there for somebody to look at. Art to me should be part of life, just like life itself hopefully is a conscious act as well, as opposed to simply "being there/standing there". From that perspective, there is definitive artistic potential in making a guitar. Of course, a well-made, reasonably priced production model fulfils a bit of a different purpose than a one-off, custom crafted instrument. They're both undoubtedly tools as they should be, but the latter is also an opportunity for both the luthier as well as the artist to express an individual and personal approach to making music. Is that "necessary"? No, but it's enriching.
Art is more than just a reflection of life. It is a living thing of its own. The idea of an artist creating works of functional art that allow other artists to create their own works of art is more than just a romantic notion. It's reproductive energy. It is what you embody, with your guitars, your plans, and your videos. I, for one, am eternally grateful for your dedication to your craft, and to all of us who get to experience it and benefit from it.
At the same time, guitar playing is a relatively "easy" art form. While not everyone who picks up a guitar becomes great (for reasons than I care to mention here), many derive satisfaction from the experience of making music that they commit to a lifelong activity. For some, guitar playing becomes part of who they are. Because of all of this, and because this in and of itself is good and should be fostered, the demand for guitars is greater than could ever be satisfied by the artisan luthiers like you. So the manufacturing of "serviceable guitars" for the masses must exist to ensure the sustainability of guitar playing.
There are virtuoso guitarists who achieve what the world assesses as "success": they find fame, fortune, respect, notoriety, etc. Many virtuosos are fortunate only to be able define their success as being able to support themselves producing the art they are dedicated to enough to become virtuosos in the first place. Some virtuosos don't even see that level of success. None of these guitarists are more or less important or valuable to the world than any other; neither is the impact they make on the endurance of guitar playing as a whole. It is just different. The same holds true for the builders of guitars. The ripples made by the craftsman who works solo out of his shop may not be waves, but even a small ripple can travel a great distance, and can change the course of a mighty wave.
Anyway, lots of words to say the world needs you and it needs Paul Reed Smith. It even needs a relic automaton like Rickenbacker, who pours infinitely more energy and interest in defending its ageing intellectual property than it does into creating anything new to defend. You are why there are still new guitarists and better guitarists every single day.
Maybe there's a happy medium between one-of-a-kind art pieces and mass production? Painters I know will create the original, but also sell a limited run of 100, 500, 1,000 or whatever prints. I don't think a print lessens the experience of the original in fact they can help elevate it. I don't see why guitars couldn't have limited edition runs of 10 or 20 or even 50. Number 1 in a series would be highly collectable; the original created object ever more so valuable.
I will say that aesthetics do come in to play when it comes to how a guitar inspires me to play it and get certain sounds out of it. This applies to a point on a purely artistic level but there is also an overlap with regards to how some of these aesthetic elements affect the playability of the instrument. For example, the comfort contours on the body, the satin finish on the neck, the rounded fret ends.
Both
They are tools first and for most but there’s nothing wrong with making them look very cool it’s more the music that’s performed on them is were the art is
Tools...in the right hands'. Art... on any wall.
Yes
Overall, I do not really care for doing the same thing twice. I don't even like playing the same songs forever on stage. My recent guitars are works of art if only because I am putting my own hand-painted or drawn images on the bodies and pegheads. They also cost me a lot of money to build and take two, or even, three years to build. Some people claim time is the fourth dimension, making clocks four-dimensional art. Perhaps this makes a guitar a piece of five-dimensional art, making artistic sound a fifth dimension.
They are mainly tools but those tools are not gonna get picked up if they are not doing something to u when you look at them....iam personally indifferent to the flying Vs...never liked that shape but this guitar like here makes me gonna grab it and play it although its a V...thats speaks volumes about the artist that made it....
Nice instrument.
That's not really an either / or question sometimes. Many are both. I would allow that many mass produced guitars are artful. Some handmade guitars that aren't very playable would be more art than tool for sure. You get this phenomenon in most things thay are functional but able to be handmade. I guess working on a computer rendering and then mass producing something doesn't take away any art aspect if there's some aesthetic consideration. Computers are a tool for rendering art as well.
Ramble ramble, ramble.
yes
Well, obviously they can be both.
As with food guitar buyers, at least at first, eat with their eyes first. As a youth, I always wanted an Ibanez Destroyer, until I actually got one in my hand, then not so much. Art is what it is to each individual eye, but when you add function to the art, at times, one side is compromised. Art for me on a guitar is useless when observers cannot see it. Isn't this laminated neck beautiful? The answer is no, because people can't see through your guitar when you play it. Can a Guitar be art? Yes, if it functions as good as it looks and it is used for that function. Otherwise, it is just an expensive wall ornament shaped like a guitar. Many builders use expensive exotic woods knowing that it will sacrifice function because that is what the customer wants. People want what they want, but a true performer wants the best feel and sound. For a person who plays guitar, if the neck doesn't feel right, it goes right back on the display hook before a sound is even made with it. The eye will draw a person in, but will it survive being touched and used? Art is great, I love it, and have done it, but it has to feel right and function well for long periods of time first.
You should start selling Options for the next guitar you build...the derivatives market that might spawn could create billions of dollars of action!!!
Old decorated swords are considered art and are in museums for this reason and swords are very much tools for killing. I don't see how a tool for playing music would be different.
If they aren’t both and a million other dynamics at once to you…..you’re doing it wrong….currently I say they are the ultimate and most human artifact in an ever increasingly digitized world…
I'd say guitars are a tool, but looking good is not bad either.
and only open to yanks
The rest of the world has gone insane with their rules and regulations regarding contests. That's why.
They are both. There are show ponies and there are workhorses .Most players favorite guitars are pretty beat. When I put that first nick in a beautiful new finish it is pure trauma