The next MIMF challenge- ideas anyone?

[Charlie Schultz]

Hi all,
Looking for ideas or themes for the next challenge, also a time frame. It doesn't necessarily have to be a finished instrument either (e.g., maybe rosette designs). Also, we might be able to offer small cash prizes.

For example, here are the rules from the last challenge so you can see sort of how they run:
* You must pay a $10 entry fee, you can build any number of instruments you have time for with your one $10 fee.
* You can build any instrument, with or without strings, acoustic or electric.
* The total cost *excluding* strings and shipping must be $100 or less - convert your costs to US dollars if you're outside the USA.
* You may begin collecting your materials at any time, and you may mill your lumber, but you may not start actual construction until midnight on November 24th, our server time.
* You must be finished by midnight our server time on January 2nd, 2012, and you MUST post your image of the completed instrument before the deadline!
* Salvaged parts are OK. For electric guitars we count a salvaged neck ready to (re)finish at $33.33, a body ready to (re)finish at $33.33, and a package of all hardware at $33.33. You can only use *one* of these salvage options in your instrument.
* All images posted to your discussion must be uploaded to the MIMF server, not stored on a remote site.

Pay your fee here [*link*], and please give me a day to get your new discussion posted. Please WAIT FOR ME, do not post the discussion yourself! [*The reason for this is that they pay first, then I post. No pay, no post. Also, it keeps the discussion titles correct, otherwise most of them leave out something important, like their name*]

To clarify how we ask you to figure costs on items you have around the house/shop, or items that were gifts: unless you got a part out of a dumpster you'll search online to find out what the part you're using costs from a retailer (not on eBay), and use the current retail value of the part. Objects given to you as gifts do not count as no-cost parts of your build!

You will wait for me to post your discussion title, then you may post your first message. You'll tell us what you plan to build, and post an image of your unworked materials as soon as you have them. When you finish your instrument you will post a picture and a final accounting of materials costs *BEFORE* the deadline. If you don't complete your instrument in time or are over the $100 limit, you'll be disqualified from balloting. The top three winners will be chosen by the vote of all staff, and all challenge participants who complete their instruments according to the rules.

[Douglas Ingram]

I think that we had the best response and participation when the challenge build was kept simple. I enjoyed the acoustic and electric challenges the best. I don't enjoy it so much when the challenge concept tries too hard.

[Bryan Bear]

About a year ago, I posted a thread with 10 or so ideas on the old MIMF (I assume in Jam Session). I don't remember most of them, but presumably that post still exists somewhere. Probably not good ideas but maybe one is worth reading. . .

[Tim Douglass]

Although I doubt I will be able to participate this time around I would like to encourage keeping the overall concept pretty simple and allowing people to do as they are inspired to within that general framework. There is also no particular stigma to reusing one of the previous challenge ideas. The tele contest was very well received and probably would provide another great set of instruments. You could even specify that you can build anything as long as it uses a particular part - say build any instrument that uses the standard 3 pickup/5 way switch Strat configuration. Or how about build an instrument that has an arched top - acoustic or electric.

Just spitballin'

[Arnt Rian]

I agree with Tim, I think it is more interesting when there is a "theme" of some sort for the challenge, and you can see how different folks handle a similar concept. I also dislike having to upload my pictures to MIMF. For one thing it is much more work, and secondly, I like to be able to use the links to MY pictures to whatever I please. It makes the posts easier to navigate and read; no clicking each picture etc, which is s-l-o-w. It also makes it much easier to write the posts, as you can do them all in your favorite word processing program (I use google documents, free), links and all, post everything in one go. Yes, some folks break the links to their pictures, and that can be too bad for the post, but it should be up to those who own the pictures how they are used, anyways.

[Bob Menzel]

I only participated in one challenge, and though I ran out of time, found the project quite fulfilling. I especially enjoy seeing the work of other more talented members and learning from them.

Engineering schools often have design competitions where teams are supplied with a box of identical components from which they must build. Maybe a challenge where everyone must use the same ingredients might be interesting?

BTW: Who were the winners of the last challenge?

[Charlie Schultz]

Bob,
I'm not sure why, but I heard that they never voted or made any awards for that last contest.

[Jim McConkey]

Between the switchover to the new Forum, and the fact that only 6 members actually completed the challenge, I guess the awards got lost in between. The participants are all winners, and we saw some outstanding inlay work across the board.

[Bill Snyder]

I think another $100 (or $XXX) challenge would be good. They seem to get good participation and viewer interest as evidenced by the number of comments they elicit.
After all everyone wants to be amazed by the instruments that can be built on the cheap by some of the wonderful builders here.

[Samuel Hartpence]

I think you can carry over some themes from a couple of recent "epic" threads in some of the general discussions. One thread was titled Improving The Telecaster (or something like that), and there have been numerous threads about locally harvested materials (a al Lacey Act in the headlines). I think a tele challenge would be interesting because it would show an individuals flare, and I'd bet there would be some really diverse and interesting submissions even though there's a fairly specific medium. I think the local wood build is relevant and everyone has a few ideas, but the market hasn't demanded those solutions. Perhaps a challenge would get one instrument on the wall and slightly skew the market to desire alternative materials. Perhaps you could even combine the two...

Local material improved telecaster...

[Clay Schaeffer]

The $100 Lacey challenge might be a good one if we could figure out the law...<g>

[Alan Peterson]

People in my neighborhood throw out the most amazing trash and rubbish I've ever seen -- stuff that's still potentially recyclable/reusable in one form or another. The guys from Make Magazine could probably build a replica of Apollo 11 out of stuff that gets pitched around here.

Having said that, how about a MIMF challenge to build a functional, playable instrument out of found castoff material? Betcha you could make a helluva hammer dulcimer or Celtic harp out of a bicycle frame; used kitchen cabinets can quickly be remade into Cajon box drums; and plenty of people in the old Forum asked about recycling old piano soundboards into guitars. Jeez, just search for "free piano" on Craigslist and see what rolls out.

Yesnomaybe?

-AP

[Josh Humphrey]

I like the recycled idea- but instead of just recycled objects, how about:

-at least one reused or recycled wooden part involved in the construction.

This could be anything- a piece of trim from construction project, some scraps re-laminated into a neck blank-

the main idea being, something that was bound for the waste bin is now a part of the finished instrument. It is vague on purpose, to allow a broad scope of interpretation, and thus more creativity and myriad of possible solutions.

[Alan Peterson]

how about at least one reused or recycled wooden part involved in the construction.

I'm all for that.
A guy on Craigslist DC has a really old solid oak door he's just giving away; gotta be dry by now. A little resawing and creativity, and you've got something akin to the old Peavey T-15 (http://www.tdpri.com/forum/attachments/ ... 30-001-jpg) or the Kustom solidbody line (http://www.jedistar.com/images/guitar2/ ... guitar.jpg).
If I can find an old upright 'pie-yanno' that suffered through a busted overhead water pipe, that will replenish my veneer supply almost overnight.
This might actually be fun... mua-ha-ha...

[Tom Pettingill]

.... You could even specify that you can build anything as long as it uses a particular part ...

I think this has some potential with a lot of fun possibilities, maybe something like a single pickup build, that could cover a pant load of designs.

[Darryl Young]

I probably won't participate due to previous building commitments (depending on when it happens) but with that said, I like the previous suggestion of building from domestic woods as this has a lot of exposure right now due to Lacy.

How about a Cherry back/side build-off? It's domestic, fairly cheap, and folks can use their imagination to select matching woods for best tone. Be creative and dress it up any way you like. You can use Cherry for the neck if you wanted.

[Darrel Friesen]

The "Cherry Challenge"!.

[Greg Robinson]

What about us international members!

[Barry Daniels]

Do you have any native fruit wood in Australia that is suitable?

[Arnt Rian]

I made instrument from all domestic woods in a previous challenge (the "Norwegian Wood Mandola"). I used pear for the FB and all the appointments, and I'm told its holding up well. I'd be game for another go at a "local" instrument, at least I would consider it, if you would drop that silly rule about only allowing uploaded pictures...