Full Guitar Build | Unique, Transparent Watch Inspired GGBO 2022 Invitational Entry - The Vertex

[@KorezGuitars]

have seen the pics before the video, was like ''what kind of a black magic is ben using again to make things float?!''. Yet again a insane build for the GGBO, but this year you dont have it easy either, so good luck on the voting!

[@sinocte]

Can I just say that I was absolutely blown away by the grit finish? F'ing brilliant!

[@Danielism]

Hey Ben, for the inevitable version 2, you should paint all the electronics black inside, use clear wires, run the wires around the perimeter using channels in the outer frame, and maybe black acrylic/chrome mirror to cover the backs of the pick ups. This is a really cool concept! Can't wait to watch the longer videos on it. That finish is brilliant

[@darin.terwilliger]

Chrome mirrors with some elegant engraving and maybe some copper tubing (plastic with copper shielding paint) to put the wires in.. make it as elegant as the watch that inspired it

[@rektautomotive3483]

Awesome, my only suggestion for longevity would be also drilling the bridge through to the rear plate, and cutting 4 pieces of aluminium tubing to act as spacers within the body so you end up with 4 clamping points that achieve compression and tension without being able to over tighten and crack the top or back 👍

[@markpell8979]

I thought that too, either a wooden or aluminum spacer of some kind to anchor the bridge and hold that spacing right and square in the body. So that's how we'll build our own.

[@chrisggoodwin777]

I think the quasi-maniacal laughs are my favorite part of Ben's builds 😂

[@rakentrail]

I like that they leave Ben's "OH CRAP" moments in too!

[@chrisggoodwin777]

@@rakentrail totally!

[@jamesh5460]

I sure hope you keep the GGBO going in the future. There are some very creative people and it is giving the music industry a great boost. Very inspirational!

[@RockyH.]

I'm casting my vote right now Ben you won the great guitar build off to me. That guitar and idea is phenomenal it's simplicity and complexity together is just mind blowing. It was a amazing idea......Now Ben make about a hundred of these as DIY guitar kits and watch how fast they sell. I kid you not I want that guitar soooo bad. This is coolest guitar of the year in my opinion. Congrats Ben this guitar is gonna shake things up you watch...I know plenty of guitars have been made similar, but this is on a different level this could be a sellable DIY guitar kit.

[@1971silversurfer]

A simplistic concept, but a beautifully minimalistic result😍

[@philgallagher1]

This is one of the most beautiful yet least practical guitars I have ever seen!! Oh the joy its eventual owner is going to have keeping it clean! It is going to show EVERY fingerprint, EVERY drop of sweat and EVERY scratch. They're going to spend more time cleaning it than playing it, but the time they DO spend playing it they will know they have a unique and absolutely stunning guitar! Keep it up, Ben. We can always rely on you to produce thought-provoking conversation pieces that keep us on the edge of what can be done with a lump of wood, some strings and hardwear (and acrylic in this case!!)

[@Stikbomz]

I've been watching you build guitars for a couple of years now and this is my favourite. Simple, understated, unfussy.

[@f.b.jeffers0n]

Love that you're presenting backwards! This makes me excited for the individual vids!

[@JamesMinchew]

You're utter mad in the best way. Actually, what that means is that you're imaginative and creative and I really like how your design brain works. I can't wait to watch the longer version of this content.

[@w13rdguy]

For the next one: A wind up, spring driven mechanism that moves the pickup near and far to the strings, giving it a Leslie effect. (Watch inspired)

[@claudevieaul1465]

That would actually be a true tremolo 👍

[@mpwithad]

That is genuinely the coolest guitar you have ever built.

[@SaxonSuccess]

Don't forget the constant fingerprints, Ben. And the scratches, Ben. And the gradual yellowing, Ben.

[@BLBlackDragon]

Thank you for explaining that up front. I was looking at this and saying, "How did I miss an entire build series?" No noise with no shielding? Impressive. Outright gorgeous. Can't wait to see the next iteration.

[@metalheadmalpass3939]

Amazing build. I would have liked to see the sandpaper finish around the outside of the headstock and an oval shaped hole through the headstock with acrylic either side to carry on the transparent theme through the entire instrument.

[@CraigHollabaugh]

I watched 8 GGBO build videos today, what a treat! Thanks from Colorado.

[@gerrykavanagh]

So many opportunities to scratch, melt or otherwise mar that acrylic. Living on the edge as ever, Ben.

[@chriscarmichael8579]

I've been waiting for a build for those pickups to go in, knew you'd pick the right guitar! Good luck in the GGBO!🤘

[@adammono1839]

Alot to love with this build! Screwing the tune o matic from the back was my favourite, though. Very satisfying

[@SethPlaysBass]

very cool- the sandpaper finish still throws me off. slowly getting into the acylic guitars now :)

[@kevindoran7007]

Wow, I love it, from the smooth clear acrylic to the gritty finish on the sides. Great job 👌

[@neilduty8448]

And I'm gobsmacked by your ingenuity

[@JimChamp]

A collar round the machine screws that go from the back into the bridge and tailpiece might be worth considering. Sized properly it would ensure the screws couldn't be over tightened and lock the back in place. Also it would hide the threads which may be an improvement.

[@AnjudaGuitars]

Very inspiring video, as always!Congratulations Ben!

[@reedburke7762]

Fascinating! This old old Senior just loves this channel,; please keep up the incredible work and videos Ben,. Thank you, and Merry Christmas to all of you at Crimson!

[@XschultzieX]

Beautiful in the simplicity of it all.

[@glennwhitlock1272]

Love that. Make your next guitar out of your workbench top. With all the stains, chips and dings.

[@jimjersey2345]

Another outstanding job, Ben Crow 👏 hopefully I will be ready to join the GGBO next year. I have been kicking around some interesting design features.

[@tamarmolerick3814]

Possibly the coolest guitar you've built, love it.

[@adairguitars]

That was a cool video to watch. Looking forward to future versions as well.

[@CorbinMusso88]

Just when I think you’ve plateau’d as an artist, you go and do something like this. In-freaking-credible, man. I laughed at the fingerprints thing, but then I thought, maybe one thumb print in a corner would be cool as a sort of signature. Great job, man. This build is totally awesome.

[@kevintestagrossa]

can we all just appreciate the tiny planes? so cute!

[@BBGuitars]

Some crazy concepts there. I cant wait for the watch inspired build to happen though!

[@andrielseth]

Ok... One of the most beautiful guitars you made I love it... 🤘🤘🤘

[@borgonianevolution]

Ok the Oxide for a finish looks killer. What an out of the box thought for sure. Just enough clear coat to keep it on and hopefully enough to keep it rounded so it doesn't grind skin off as you play. It has an interesting sound to it unplugged too. It surely resonates much different then a wood body does. I do seriously suggest so Loctite for the bolts inside that set the spacing. Over time playing vibrations or with travel they are guaranteed to work loose. On that same note maybe something between the bolts and the back body section so it is less apt to wear or scratch. Maybe the clear plastic covers for id cards could work there.

[@rickmakelajr]

Sounds as beautiful as it looks. Great build Ben

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thanks. Glad you like it!

[@lordjoemott1683]

Yet again I’m absolutely blown away. Awesome looking guitar 🤘🤘🤘

[@bhartissimo]

Pretty much halfway through the video, I thought it wouldn't work and that you'd need to add some sort of support block. But wow, it's incredible the way it is now... and it works!! Well done, Ben!

[@Vilm0r]

I was worried about this bridge attachment and had the same idea than yours while watching the video :) It looks fantastic !

[@treystone1993]

Looks like the template for a really great line of guitars. Tastefully done! 👍🏻

[@Kabayoth]

I can just see the slimy smile on Ben's face when he holds up the guitar and says, "It's alright. I've got a Jag!"

[@Snetwomble]

Marvellous video and beautiful guitar as ever. I love watching Bun build. I can't believe you've built a clear guitar, and it's not lit internally though.

[@StevieScotty19]

Excuse my language here Ben,THAT was fucking amazing,What a build👍👍👍I’ve been a follower of the channel for a good 5 or 6 years now,But this channel has helped me through some dark times the past couple of years,Thanks m8👍👍👍

[@davemorris8510]

Very nice build. On the watch theory this would look great with a beautifully designed B-Bender mechanism.

[@chrismunro2387]

Hooray back to guitar building.

[@Kevin-nr9lj]

Wow. This guitar looks so cool. Nice and simple design..

[@areareare9953]

The pickups are pretty interesting sonically. Fairly high and clear.

[@WhitefootGuitars]

Awesome guitar & I like the super-edit first approach, it’ll be interesting seeing it come together 👍

[@LS-jj4sy]

I anticipate that much in the way watching the whole build series keeps me from watching the supercuts historically, this is gonna stop me from watching the build series

[@PauloT.Silva-pts.anywhen]

The most amazing guitar i ever seen.

[@Gorbyrev]

Glad you saw that through Ben! :)

[@drewlaws983]

Love it Ben, that body finish looks awesome!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

Thanks!

[@Mojen_Marc_Music]

Another lovely guitar by Ben! Only slightly surprised you didn't include an open gear clock mechanism in the open area behind the bridge 😁

[@cestusfr]

Your craftmanship is outstanding! It is a pleasure to see you work! Custom length cables (to the millimeter) and custom cable sleeves, a single type for all cables, would make it even better. You can push the vice to custom pickups and knobs finish as we now see them. Like custom finish sleeves that covers the back of the pickups and knobs. Have a nice week! PS: The push/pull system is genius!

[@MrNeedlekiller]

Great stuff! This what I want to see more of.

[@richardfoskett8903]

Really looking forward to the full build series!

[@northland..]

that looks really sweet. awesome build.

[@DrMurdercock]

That is seriously bad ass. I remember seeing Aluminum guitars for sale back in the day. You should look into that too!

[@jeffreyringenberger1690]

This one is absolutely awesome. Cool idea.

[@SweetTGuitars]

How cool man. Not what I was thinking you'd do with this but very awesome regardless. Killer! ✌️

[@brianfrench297]

Really liked this build. I think the negative of it where you cut the body out of a big chunk of polycarb clear, then do the top plate and back plate out of a burl or flame wood pattern f-hole and all. Be interesting. Great build..really enjoying the channel!

[@antesdedormirmanu6789]

Awesome job as always... It feels really weird don't have to wait one week to see how is all going... And testify the working changes of mind of Mr Crowe along the process... Lovely instrument...

[@paulcabrelli1863]

Just a thought, but if you planned the internal wiring in this guitar you could possibly use thicker copper wire and make some really smart skeleton type connections instead of just 'bits of wire' doing their job. Depending on possible interference you could use conductive metal gears to also connect the wires to the electronics.

[@Gearheaddesk]

Gorgeous result! As a variant: carbon fibre frame for the body and a Bigsby bridge, that would be amazing!

[@CrimsonCustomGuitars]

That would be cool!

[@Nick-yk4pq]

A full build video is amazing, best guitar build so far! - one major issue Ben! Why didn't you cable manage the loom? We can see the wiring and it looks unfinished! But, full build video up front is the best episode for a Sunday morning, you've made my breakfast (it's mostly coffee) much better

[@zykotec]

Love this build. Love seeing you dare to come up with new stuff, I love when it shows that you are afraid to fail because you know you're going into untested ideas , and you're still brave enough to go on till the end. 🙂 I'm really looking forward to see you try more of this style, because when you talked about gears at the end there, I was already thinking how it could look even better with some gears inside.

[@gregoryh4601]

Ben. You have Done it now a mass production to Sell for the Guitar Museum ! Need to Add LED Lights on the Outline of the Body. A program lights on a 9 volt battery. 👍🏻

[@JoesExpressLLC]

Actually Ben since this was the prototype and it's supposed to be Watch inspired. I suggest making the body frame out of Anodized Aluminum or Brass to give it a proper Watch look from the sides. And possibly put the control knobs on the side inward curves similar to the way the Crown dial is on the Watch.

[@kiltymacbagpipe]

I do love that shape. I know it’s not unique but it’s a classic and not cliche.

[@ianthomson9363]

Ooh! That looks nice! I love the gritty finish, hopefully with the flash coat it won't rub off or cause damage to the player's clothing. I wasn't too keen on the headstock shape at first, but it does suit the body shape. Inspired use of heat to mount the studs too. I like it a lot.

[@normbarrows]

A three neck screw heel joint - very cool.

[@CiciVonStrangelove]

This is one of the coolest guitars I’ve ever seen, I want a bass like that!! (No, NEED a bass like that haha!)

[@paolo-1283]

Imagine an aquarium version of this with neon lights 🔥🔥🔥

[@m.a.bushling]

That's brilliant! Well freaking done!

[@MarkGray1970]

That's a cool guitar! I'm not usually a fan of the weird stuff you make, but this one is awesome!

[@jimgraves4197]

That looks ____ing awesome!

[@norgermish1]

Very cool, some clear acrylic buttons on those tuning machines would be really cool too :)

[@BoneheadGuitars]

Gotta be my favorite Ben build.

[@timothycormier3494]

I’ve got to admit. I didn’t think that I was going to like this one. Especially when you used the grit finish. But!! …..there’s always a but. Than came out really cool. The grit finish complements the clean clear of the lexan or plexi or whatever. Very cool ben! Thanks for sharing man!

[@fatpotanga]

Oh my trousers! I think that could well be my favourite ever build of yours Ben. It’s made me want to try something for my second build. What’s the ‘sandpaper’ like playing with bare arms? Straps, you should check out my mate Rods company Pinegrove Leather . You may have seen him in Guitarist or at the shows - beautiful high end, hand crafted gear.

[@tomahoks]

I had a dream last night, where there was Princes Symbol guitar neck in the trash bin. Fretboard was there too, with frets, which were weird like rivets with long studs poking through the fretboard. I put white glue innit, but I think I didn't glue the together. LOL

[@decomputerleraarable]

Wow! You did it again! A beautiful and original design. Question: Wouldn't it have been smart to cover the acrylic with a layer of crystal clear resin to make the top less sensitive to scratches? Downside: the electrical cords are laying very chaotic. That could have been a lot tighter. Rob

[@gustau4764]

Of all the guitars you've made, this is the one that I'd consider getting. And I don't even play guitar.

[@TheLord0Ice0Wind]

That is absolutely gorgeous, I love it!

[@paulcabrelli1863]

First ever comment by me. But when you get the blow torch out!!!!!. Awesome build as well. CCG definitely ROCKS.....................

[@bjorn8357]

A cool Idea. And it looks cool too. Maybe you could use a suitable shielding braid in tinned copper on the cables from the pickups to get it even cooler. It is a bit trickier to do it on all wires but that could look really cool to. I don't know how the impedance of semi rigid coaxial cable will affect the sound. But using that for the wiring between the potentiometers could give it a completely different internal look.

[@olivier2553]

The veneer to reinforce the short grain is a good idea, but the two pieces of veneer joining just in the middle where thr grain is the shortest and the strap button is adding pressure in the wodd, ooch!

[@TiberiusWallace]

That's a stunning piece. Going forward a cool thing would be to have the acrylic etched.

[@glasmannschaefer]

Truly inspired build Ben. I love it.

[@dalgguitars]

Fun. Thanks. As always, you rock!

[@textnotepro]

..."and in next weeks Luthier Tear Down of this guitar Ben criticises the original builder for not using Crimson Rear Guard shielding paint on the inside of the acrylic". Looks fantastic.... could you do something with more rigid wiring ...maybe set within another plate of acrylic elevated above the back with spacers ?

[@Philtoid]

Mate you HAVE to do a guitar with an infinity mirror inside it. That would look insane!

[@tomcartmill401]

Ben, no waffle, fantastic super watchable, fantastic build. Love the outcome.😂😂😂

[@markpell8979]

Very nice. It has a jangly acoustic sound unamplified. Probably not much of a factor to the pickups and amplified sound but interesting, and you can probably feel that a little. Even so, the only thing I'd add is a solid spacer block of wood or metal where the bolts go through under the bridge. The way you've built this, you can always experiment. But I bet a block there to tie it together would not hurt anything and probably keep your top and back more stable long-term. Great job, great ideas, and you've given me some things to think about if I ever build a guitar or furniture with acrylic sheet.

[@w13rdguy]

Wooooo!! Dave's World Of Fun Stuff in the intro! \m/

[@daytripper7879]

Awesome build and demo

[@roytofilovski9530]

Love this whole guitar. Fantastic.

[@adamwright3664]

Looks amazing! How about for the next one a sort of (lozenge-shaped?) space in the headstock into which you could put acrylic front and back to mirror the body? You could maybe engrave your sigil into it?