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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on May 23, 2009 at 12:59am

I've gotten some requests for how I build this in 10 minutes...

It's similar to a design I use with my press kit - when I send out a CD to radio or whatever, it goes in a cigar box with a couple of screws, a zither pin, a string (18 ga. steel wire, because the 16 ga fence wire won't fit through the hole in the zither pin), and plans to build it into a guitar using a dowel to be supplied by the recipient. The cigar box already has all the holes pre-drilled, so the plans start from there - but include a good pic showing where the holes are.

To use an eye screw instead of a zither pin, screw it all the way in, wrap the string (moderately tight) in the eye, and tighten by unscrewing the eye screw. That way, the string winds down the screw as the screw raises, keeping the action about the same. You have to start with the string moderately tight, because you can't wind very far before the screw comes out of the wood.

Plans attached.

Attachments:

• Guitar kit plan.pdf, 277 KB

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on May 23, 2009 at 1:28am

This is pretty cool!!!

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Permalink Reply by Jacob Blackwood on May 23, 2009 at 2:19pm

Very cool, Doc. Thanks for sharing the plans.

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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on May 23, 2009 at 3:14pm

BTW, my giveaway guitars are essentially the same design except that I cut a flat area on the dowel where it goes into the box and glue it (in addition to the screws). Still takes about 10 minutes, but requires a saw and a chisel... and for this class (and my press kit) I'm trying to keep it down to the screw driver, drill, and adjustable wrench that everyone has lying around the house.

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Permalink Reply by joe cerroni on May 23, 2009 at 11:37pm

wow, brilliance in simplicity, the de-evolution of the gutar. Thanks Doc for sharing with the world the spark of inspiration to make music .

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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on May 24, 2009 at 7:45am

Getting ready for the actual class.

Well, I've got 10 2ft dowels cut and ten boxes ready. I pre-drilled 5 for folks who want a really easy build and left 5 undrilled for the more serious students. Several Romeo y Julietas, a couple of Macs, an ungainly Punch box, and some others.

Got all the hardware and tools together. Should be a good cbg building workshop.

If anyone here is in central NC, I'm playing at 5pm Monday 5/25 and then leading the building workshop at 6pm at Chatham Marketplace in Pittsboro. Come check it out.

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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on May 25, 2009 at 2:07pm

The show was very successful - very attentive audience.

Then, afterwards, I helped 5 kids, ages 4 to 10, plus one adult, build their own one-string guitars.

I'm exhausted, but it was great fun.

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Permalink Reply by Jacob Blackwood on May 26, 2009 at 2:35pm

Good to hear the show was a success. Do you have any pictures of the boxes that were created?

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Permalink Reply by Doc Oakroot on May 26, 2009 at 3:05pm

Rebekah had the camera there, but I haven't seen the pics yet. I don't think she got any of the building class.

I was too busy to think about it :(

Jacob Blackwood said:

Good to hear the show was a success. Do you have any pictures of the boxes that were created?

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