Building A $10,000 Driftwood Guitar For Dylan Adams.

Tools used in this video:

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[haytguugle]

I see some comments that range from troll-ish to pretty much just troll.
Saying that building guitars using machines means they shouldn't be called 'hand made'. I can surely see where that comes from.
I'm sure that the very first time a builder put his slab of spruce or maple through a band saw to split a bookmatch, there was someone crying about how he'd sold out. Guess what; tools are what make the job possible. Granted, CNC is not a 'hand' tool. And it is taking over on a job that could well be done by hand. But (again) guess what; it does it with exact precision and repeatability that can NOT be matched by hand work.
Reference Gibson PAF (not Paf) pickups from the 50's; their tone and output ranged all over because the winders were controlled by hand. Hardly anything that could be called precision.
I see it that, using machines to get the rough outline and basic shape is just removing the bulk that, by hand, is just wasted time. The final shaping, finishing and setup are done by hand - that's good enough for me.
Now; for those folks that have no idea how business works, $10, 000 for that guitar is not the least bit out of line. No, the materials, prime quality that they all were, weren't anywhere near that valuable - dollar-wise. And if that were all that there was, then maybe 3G's would have been plenty.
But - that's - not - how - running - a - business - works!
And it's not just overhead added either. Nor is it just adding in some profit for the shop and a couple of bucks for the pocket.
People need to make a certain amount of money each year to live. If you have a family, kids, school, insurance, etc., that's a fixed number that must be met.
A small shop needs to bring in enough to cover all that + some for reinvestment, loan payments, etc. A small shop can't (and shouldn't try to) produce huge numbers of guitars to spread those dollar numbers out over many sales. That would certainly bring the price per unit down.
But then, there is more than just the intrinsic value. There's the value of so much time and dedication paid to on YOUR instrument. Diligent focus on the purpose of making you happy. That takes talent ($$$). It takes skill/experience ($$$). It takes creative artistry ($$$). All of those things are expressly more valuable than the cost of the wood and electronics. So; what is it that sets the price of these instruments?
The guy/gal who is happy to pay that price to get the custom CRAFTED instrument they desire made just for them. The amount the customer is willing to pay, in accord with the amount the builder is willing to accept - THAT is the price.
You don't want to pay it. That's perfectly fine. These guitars are not for you. Be happy with your Chibson and play your heart out.
But so long as there are people who can appreciate the value of the skill, creativity and love of guitars of real luthiers, their guitars are worth every penny. 🙂

[dylanadamsguitar]

Guys, I seriously can’t thank you enough for crafting this work of art of an instrument for me (and David Edwards for the pickup/wiring and surprise amp!!). It absolutely rings, plays amazing and is one of the most beautiful guitars I’ve had the privilege to play. I’m honored to call you guys my friends, and can’t wait to make lots and lots of music with this thing!!

[dannymars]

I loved the build video, but that solo at the end was 🔥 😮

[Thexpertoneverything]

Just got home frome work. Where I work as a head chef, angry as hell, and even more tired from running the kitchen. Found this lovely video and now I'm at peace with a smile on my face again. Thank you guys! Litterally made my dag. Cheers from Sweden

[docsiltanen]

Absolutely beautiful build !!! 6.4 pounds is almost light enough to have been entered in the "100 ounce challenge" competition that was put on by the guys at Texas Toast Guitars this past August. Looks amazing and sounds even better !!! Cheers !

[shanetapp]

What a beautiful axe for a beautiful human.
Dylan is quite possibly one of the very best slide players alive today, yet he is so humble and appreciative to everyone.
I love the guy and hope to see his star shine bright as ever...

What better way to shine with the impeccable power supply that is this masterpiece you guys have built.
Love what you guys do, so count me among the subbed and a big fan!

[paullowell]

Beautiful guitar, great video, outlandish price.

[alanpettibone]

That is the perfect guitar for Dylan. He is a machine and that axe looks like something he SHOULD play. Beautiful!

[Stoicbushman]

by far the most refreshing take to date on a classic. It's a challenge to remain true to the vibe and bring it to 21st century quality. Tip Top guys !

[soapboxearth]

I had a luthier build a 60 jr for me. when he had one in for a repair he took measurements. All old growth wood. Brazilian rosewood board, Brazilian mahogany neck, formosa mahogany body. It slays any modern ginson I've owned. And yes, it says gibson on the headstock. Jr's sound amazing. Dylan will ove that thing !!

[chado]

That guitar is seriously beautiful. Nice work!

[emmanuelcalderon]

The scrapped binding with that burst looks so classy! Awesome job guys! 👍🏽

[Zefi]

Thanks for letting us in on this beautiful craftman journey of yours. You guys rock!

[YTOxygenLess]

Insanely awesome build and work as always! One of my favorite guitar building channels for sure. Also that slide playing. DAMN! Gotta follow him now too. Double wammy of good content

[DirtComplex]

Your videos are my nightly calm down session after a hard day of work. Thank you.

[lachaineguitare]

Very cool video! Hope to catch you at the next NAMM for an interview. Cheers from France!

[josepheucolono]

Great work even with mistake it's beautiful

[scottmackay]

It's very cool that you were enabled and supported in your passion to grow and produce on an individual level. That is teamwork enabling individual growth and a beautiful instrument as a result. Bravo!

[CartoucheGuitars]

I love the channel and your work, and I love watching almost anything that centers around craftsmanship and building. That said I don’t think you guys would sell this for $10, 000, it’d be more in line with your tele’s, but I guess YouTube demands crazy titles. If this is a $10, 000 guitar your acoustics should cost $160, 000….

[billknudson]

Great to see you at the helm of a project, Matt! Great job!