Bob Hartman Guitars

[Mountain Man]

I was in the Nashville Hardrock Cafe a couple years ago and they definitely had some Petra stuff in it: Bob's guitar from Beat the System, Ronny Cates' bass, a cymbal signed by Louie Weaver, and John Lawry's hand held keyboard.

[Rich K.]

I know that this is a "zombie" thread, but Bob is still building custom guitars on a one-off basis. He uses parts from Warmoth, primarily - nothing wrong with that, since he uses Warmoth parts to build his own personal guitars as well. He is currently building one for me, which should be ready in a couple of months.

[curt]

I know that this is a "zombie" thread, but Bob is still building custom guitars on a one-off basis. He uses parts from Warmoth, primarily - nothing wrong with that, since he uses Warmoth parts to build his own personal guitars as well. He is currently building one for me, which should be ready in a couple of months.

I have always wondered to what extent he made the guitars by parts he bought elsewhere. I would have no problem buying something he build using parts from Warmoth. There is a lot more to building a guitar than putting the parts together. Getting it setup correctly is also an interesting and important part.

[wildmanpetra]

I know that this is a "zombie" thread, but Bob is still building custom guitars on a one-off basis. He uses parts from Warmoth, primarily - nothing wrong with that, since he uses Warmoth parts to build his own personal guitars as well. He is currently building one for me, which should be ready in a couple of months.

What style is he building for you? Strat, LP, etc.?

How much is he charging now? (If you don't mind me asking...)

[JRoyGreen]

Bob makes good guitars, as there is more to it than just the parts. I owned one of his tele-style, and really liked it.
I keep this one because... well, because:
It was #6 of the 7 J&H guitars he made, and he has since sold the one he kept for himself.

[Rich K.]

I know that this is a "zombie" thread, but Bob is still building custom guitars on a one-off basis. He uses parts from Warmoth, primarily - nothing wrong with that, since he uses Warmoth parts to build his own personal guitars as well. He is currently building one for me, which should be ready in a couple of months.

What style is he building for you? Strat, LP, etc.?

How much is he charging now? (If you don't mind me asking...)

$1500, and it's a Strat (rear-routed, with no pick-guard). Swamp ash body with clear blue finish, extra-wide maple neck with pau ferro fretboard, '59 roundback profile, and 1-7/8" wide Tusq nut (I have thick fingers and tend to hit too many strings at once on a standard width neck), Seymour Duncan pickups (P-Rail at the bridge, Custom Staggered at the neck and center), Wilkinson tremolo bridge, and Sperzel locking tuners.

[Rich K.]

Bob makes good guitars, as there is more to it than just the parts. I owned one of his tele-style, and really liked it.
I keep this one because... well, because:
It was #6 of the 7 J&H guitars he made, and he has since sold the one he kept for himself.

I think he must have built another one, then, because he was playing it at the concert in Steelville, MO last October

[Rich K.]

I know that this is a "zombie" thread, but Bob is still building custom guitars on a one-off basis. He uses parts from Warmoth, primarily - nothing wrong with that, since he uses Warmoth parts to build his own personal guitars as well. He is currently building one for me, which should be ready in a couple of months.

I have always wondered to what extent he made the guitars by parts he bought elsewhere. I would have no problem buying something he build using parts from Warmoth. There is a lot more to building a guitar than putting the parts together. Getting it setup correctly is also an interesting and important part.

Yup! He said he's building it for maximum versatility, playability, and also choosing parts (like the tremolo bridge and tuners) so that it will best stay in tune (Strats are notorious for going out of tune easily, especially with certain tremolo types).

[curt]

I know that this is a "zombie" thread, but Bob is still building custom guitars on a one-off basis. He uses parts from Warmoth, primarily - nothing wrong with that, since he uses Warmoth parts to build his own personal guitars as well. He is currently building one for me, which should be ready in a couple of months.

I have always wondered to what extent he made the guitars by parts he bought elsewhere. I would have no problem buying something he build using parts from Warmoth. There is a lot more to building a guitar than putting the parts together. Getting it setup correctly is also an interesting and important part.

Yup! He said he's building it for maximum versatility, playability, and also choosing parts (like the tremolo bridge and tuners) so that it will best stay in tune (Strats are notorious for going out of tune easily, especially with certain tremolo types).

And it's all those seemingly small details that end up making a huge difference. I am able to do a setup myself under normal conditions - that is if everything is working as it should (truss rods and the like). And spending the time on getting it just right and making sure the intonation and everything is as it should be makes a huge difference.

For years I wanted a strat but was reluctant since I was concerned about tuning stability. What I did when I bought a strat-type guitar was to simply block the tremolo with a piece of wood. That was rather easy since the bridge was already lying flat to the body when I got it, so it could only move in one direction. Now it cannot move in any direction. I never used the tremolo anyway and now the guitar stays in tune really well.

Telecasters or t-style guitars build along the original lines are monsters when it comes to stying in tune. They are often called workhorses. In my opinion they are some very beautiful and sophisticated workhorses and sound great. The tone of a strat, however, has a character that is hard to describe but very easy to recognize. Like Jeff Beck said, there are certain things you can only play on a strat. Strats and teles are my favourite guitars.

Hope you get your guitar soon and that everything turns out the way you like it.

[curt]

Bob makes good guitars, as there is more to it than just the parts. I owned one of his tele-style, and really liked it.
I keep this one because... well, because:
It was #6 of the 7 J&H guitars he made, and he has since sold the one he kept for himself.

I think he must have built another one, then, because he was playing it at the concert in Steelville, MO last October

At a concert in Sweden he borrowed a J&H guitar from a fan he had sold it to. I heard him say very recently that he does not own one himself. That can have changed or perhaps he borrowed one again. Anyway though I don't need any more guitars at the moment I would by one of those if I had the chance. They seem a bit PRS-like to me.

[Rich K.]

And it's all those seemingly small details that end up making a huge difference. I am able to do a setup myself under normal conditions - that is if everything is working as it should (truss rods and the like). And spending the time on getting it just right and making sure the intonation and everything is as it should be makes a huge difference.

For years I wanted a strat but was reluctant since I was concerned about tuning stability. What I did when I bought a strat-type guitar was to simply block the tremolo with a piece of wood. That was rather easy since the bridge was already lying flat to the body when I got it, so it could only move in one direction. Now it cannot move in any direction. I never used the tremolo anyway and now the guitar stays in tune really well.

Telecasters or t-style guitars build along the original lines are monsters when it comes to stying in tune. They are often called workhorses. In my opinion they are some very beautiful and sophisticated workhorses and sound great. The tone of a strat, however, has a character that is hard to describe but very easy to recognize. Like Jeff Beck said, there are certain things you can only play on a strat. Strats and teles are my favourite guitars.

Hope you get your guitar soon and that everything turns out the way you like it.

That's why Bob is using a Wilkinson tremolo and Sperzel locking tuners. Apparently he's had good luck with those staying in tune. He says Floyd Rose trem bridges are good, but they take a LOT of fiddling to get them working right.

[Rich K.]

Picked up my guitar on Saturday. Bob, Kim, and Jeff Hartman met my wife, my mother-in-law, and I in Knoxville, TN for lunch, and Bob gave me the guitar afterwards. It's AWESOME!

[wildmanpetra]

That is great!!!!! Congrats sir!!!!
Always wanted to try to get one from him….

[curt]

Great. Enjoy it.

[Rich K.]

Great. Enjoy it.

Oh, believe me, I am! It plays really well - fits my hands as good as I hoped it would, and sounds great, too!