Bonehead Guitars: “I wanted to be open with the mistakes, the solutions, and the changes in process”

In our Luthier Interview Series we dive into the world of electric guitar craftsmanship with the experts who bring these instruments to life. This time we feature an interview with Scott from Bonehead Guitars.

Bonehead Guitars is based out of Lubbock, Texas. The owner, Scott, has shared his journey to becoming an expert guitar maker on YouTube since 2014. He’s not afraid to show his mistakes along the way, which makes his channel super helpful for newbies and folks just getting into guitar building.

Scott’s videos are a goldmine for anyone looking to learn the craft or improve their skills. His honest approach gives viewers a real look at what it takes to master the art of guitar making.

In this interview, Scott opens up about his experiences and the path that led him to where he is today. It’s definitely worth checking out!

What inspired you to build guitars and share your journey on YouTube?

I discovered building at a time when I needed a cathartic creative outlet, and as a hobby it still serves that purpose for me.  At that time there weren’t a lot of builders on YouTube. 

I wanted to share my progress in the hopes that it could be useful to others, because I know the sense of accomplishment and joy it can provide.

How did you come up with the name “Bonehead Guitars”?

It’s kind of a long story, but as a beginner I knew I would make lots of mistakes. And it annoyed me to see people present what they said was their first build and claimed it turned out perfect.

I wanted to be open with the mistakes, the solutions, and the changes in process resulting from those lessons.  Self deprecation has always been my go-to form of humor, Bonehead Guitars just seemed to make perfect sense to me. 

In early videos I had a Bonehead Counter to track the number of mistakes on a build.  The happy accident is that it provides some fun marketing ideas.

Can you tell us about your first guitar build and how it compares to your recent projects?

My very first build was a cigar box style build.  It was solid body, but had no truss rod, had four strings, and a plywood top screwed onto it.  It was absolute garbage. 

My first true guitar build was a short scale bass for a friend who claimed he loved it.  Those builds are worlds apart from what I do today.  So much has changed in method, process, goal and execution.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from making mistakes during your builds?

Few mistakes are unrecoverable.  But more importantly, from that realization, is that you can’t let a fear of making mistakes paralyze you. 

Embrace mistakes for the lessons they are.  Try to avoid them, but enjoy them when they come.

How has your YouTube channel influenced your guitar-making process?

I think having the camera on makes me pay more attention to being honest with myself and not being lazy. I don’t think it really changed my process, but I do think it makes me work a little harder at being precise.

What’s been the most challenging aspect of documenting your builds for viewers?

Trying to find ways to make telling the same story, again for the 20th time, entertaining and compelling.  I know a lot of YouTube builders get tired of dealing with the camera. 

The only time I resent it is because I have to turn shop music off to record.

What’s the most common question or comment you get from your YouTube audience?

I don’t generally get a lot of questions, but the one comment that I get most often is that they appreciate my stream of consciousness way of walking them through the process. 

I never would have guessed that that would be something that reached people.  It makes me wonder if the camera forcing me to go through that internal monologue out loud has some benefit too.

Has sharing your mistakes openly affected how you approach guitar building?

I don’t think so.  I think I would handle things the same way without the camera.  But I think being honest with the issues that come up is essential to reaching an audience. 

In this kind of pursuit, mistakes are just something you have to deal with.  I guess not being honest about them would make video editing difficult.  Lol

What’s your favorite part about running a YouTube channel alongside your guitar-making business?

Hearing from people who have benefited from or enjoyed what I share.  I like to share my journey, but I really love hearing how it’s done something of value to the people I’ve reached.

How has your guitar-building technique evolved since you started in 2014?

Lord…  I’m not sure I could count the ways.  I’ve slowly changed my mind about a lot of things I thought in the beginning.  I’ve learned so many things to do and not to do. 

I’ve slowly learned when to deviate from process for certain situations, and where sticking to the normal process is essential and where it’s optional. 

I think a lot of mastering anything is learning where and when to concentrate your efforts, and where you can be more relaxed.  Learn the rules, then you know where they can be bent or broken.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start building guitars and sharing their journey online?

All you have to do is start.  That’s the hardest part.  Once you jump in things just tend to flow.  As it turns out, Newton’s laws of motion don’t just apply to physics. 

The second piece of advice I’d offer is start small.  There’s a tendency to want to do everything you’ve ever seen or imagined in that first build.  Start simple, with cheap materials.

Are there any specific builds or videos you’re particularly proud of?

My Great Guitar Build Off 2022 project for my son.  Usually when someone asks what my favorite build has been, it’s almost always ‘the last one’.  

But that project is a highlight.  Mostly because it was a gift of music for my kid, after not being able to see him for years.  Music got me through a lot of hard times growing up, and I couldn’t have been happier when he showed true interest and talent for playing. 

And the fact that he chose the one instrument that I could build for him made that project a necessity.  I’m as proud of the build as I am thankful to have been able to do that for him.

How do you choose which projects to feature on your channel?

I document every build.  I’m fairly certain I’d regret it if I skipped any.  But I don’t think my OCD would allow it.

Has your YouTube presence helped grow your business? If so, how?

I’ve never really aimed to make this a business.  I try to sell enough to finance the hobby.  But at least for now, a hobby is what it is for me. 

For me it’s free therapy.  If it were a business, I’m afraid it would turn into a source of stress rather than the stress relief it is now.  Maybe someday, but it would be a side gig.