Zachary Custom Handcrafted Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar
The famous Home Depot Dumpster Guitar 071199
PRS Paul Reed Smith
ColorNeck Joint
Tone Zone
I climbed into the dumpster at my local Home Depot for the materials. I just had to build this guitar as a revolt against all those artificial, shallow, wallpaper-covered plastic crap which currently pollute the word. If you own one of these pieces of shit or maybe you own several or even have a whole collection of them, you should hang your head in shame and tattoo the work IDIOT on your forehead.
This is one of the best sounding guitars I have ever made. Pine is one of the best tone woods available and the jackasses who call themselves guitar manufacturers never used it and the Idiots who buy guitars would never buy a knotty pine guitar. What a disgusting world we live in.
Here is the glimpse of the strange tail of this guitar. I will add testimonials as I come across them.
Written sometime in 1999,
A great discovery about this guitar is that the Knotty Pine wood makes for a great sounding guitar. This has not been known by most guitar players and the experts in guitar manufacturing tried not to reveal information about the superior tonal quality of Pine. You will not see any Knotty Pine guitars any time soon at your favorite Wall-Mart style guitar store regardless of how good they sound because the guitar industry after hyping up"flamed wallpaper" will not be able to charge big dollars for common pine. They also would not be able to market such an instrument to all the ignorant guitar consumers who want "flawless" figured tops that look so artificial it makes intelligent people puke. That's just fine, Dan of Charlotte, NC is a proud owner of a very unique guitar.
November 2003,
Hi Zachary-- I'm the new proud owner of your Home Depot knotty pine Z2. When I saw the pictures and checked out your website, I knew I had to buy it. For years I've had an image of what MY guitar would look like, then I saw it on your website-- beautifully "imperfect" natural wood, top components, and nothing fancy or superfluous. I expect I will love the Home Depot Z2 and will want another Z2 made from another type of wood, with equal character and feel, with a rosewood or ebony (or similar) fingerboard, and also very light in weight. Can you tell me what types of woods you have available, and about how long it might take to build? Thanks, CharlieI think your concept behind the Home Depot Dumpster Z1 of using unmolested wood (well, I suppose it's been "naturally" molested") with lots of character for your guitars makes perfect sense. I don't understand why no one else does it. Requires too much skill maybe? Anyway, thanks for the info regarding making me a new Z1. Have a great holiday-- Charlie
March 2004,
Hi, Alex - Don't know if you keep track of such things, but I thought I'd let you know that the Home Depot Dumpster Z1 (071199) has found a new home. As of yesterday, it's located in Georgia.I am the fourth owner (at least) of this particular guitar, and I'm happy to report that it plays and sounds great, although it has clearly seen some, uh, enthusiastic use.
I'll admit that I was skeptical about your claims regarding the qualities of your instruments, but this is one beautiful guitar. If anything, the visible signs of use add to its allure. I spent last night doing A&B testing with all my other electrics, and the Z1 beat them all cold. Very impressive range. I was even able to get some goofy fishin' show jazz sounds out of it with just a bit of amp tweaking. I can't wait 'til the boys come over to play - they're not going to believe this guitar!
I probably don't fit the profile of your typical customer; although I have played guitar for most of my life, I play only for fun with my friends, and have never earned a dime with a guitar. I am a working artist; I paint and build furniture. For some time now, I have been designing a guitar in my head - the experience of playing yours has convinced me to move forward with the project. I really admire the cleanliness of your design, and although mine will be totally different, I hope it will have the same functional simplicity.
And even if my efforts don't yield fantastic results, I'll have the Z1 to play when I've finished. I don't understand why this guitar has been passed around like a drunken cheerleader, but unless I fall on VERY hard times, it's here to stay.
Thanks for all your toil and perseverance, JBMy reply,
What an interesting surprise. I really appreciate your email and you telling me the strange fate of the Home Depot Guitar. It sounds like you are finally the right person to own this instrument. Your funny comment about the drunken cheerleader is right on. I have no idea why she went through so many people.You can understand why I like to choose who I sell to. I try my best to send these guitars to the best homes but sometimes I am not successful. I don't like it when I see one for sale. I have too much emotional involvement in each one. I am sure you understand. That guitar is sort of special because it was made more like an art project than anything else. It was also a revolt against all that artificial nauseating figured veneer top plastic junk on the market. The scratches and dents you see my have been there originally, as well as the three antique nails that should be in her. Some may even say its a metaphor for Christ. Persecuted, yet still pure, simple and with grace.
All my guitars are alive and this is not something that most people are used to. Pine is also an excellent tone wood. Its unfortunate that people are afraid of it due to the knots but it truly is one of the best woods to use for instruments. As you may suspect guitar consumers are not interested in good guitars, so the resonance and the tone of a guitar is not really important to most people. I am glad it is to you. Its actually an acoustic instrument, I built it to be one and that is why you are hearing what you are.
I am glad to see that you are an artist and very perceptive. I am very happy you have noticed the difference. I usually like to sell to people who "get it". Bobby Simcox and Eli Freidmann are two pro players who will not play any other guitar. It is interesting that your comments are identical to theirs. I checked out your website and you are quite an impressive artist yourself in painting and woodworking. I seems like you also need to create to keep your sanity as I do. Alex
Notice the antique nail in the body. I had to find a way to keep this thing together. Just kidding.
