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1st Build!! Please tell me what you think.

I just finished the CBG I have been working on over the last few weeks. This was a lot of fun to build and I am already starting on the next one. Please let me know what you think. I tried to use as many hand tools as possible when shaping the neck and headstock. It has a standard Radio Shack piezo, tung oiled poplar neck, red oak fretboard with burned frets and cut down .357 Mag bullet casings for markers. It plays great with a slide. It is loud when played unplugged very nice sound in my opinion, although I have not heard any others in person to compare it to. After I adjusted my amp it sound great plugged in too.

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Permalink Reply by Niles Galloway on January 7, 2010 at 3:29pm

well after seeing your 1st build, I'm going to ad the red oak fingerboard on mine. Very nice

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Permalink Reply by Gadsden Guitars on January 8, 2010 at 5:22am

Jim, really nice first build! I am currently putting my first together as well. I have to say I love the idea of spent shells for fret markers, looks like they got a little crowded down the board though. Is this not the best hobby goin?

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Permalink Reply by Jim138 on January 8, 2010 at 5:31am

Yea they got a little tight on the higher register. I was originally going to use some of my spent .44 mag casings but they would have overlapped the fret markers I burnt in. The .357 mags left a little less than a 1/16" of an inch of clearance.

Godzilla said:

Jim, really nice first build! I am currently putting my first together as well. I have to say I love the idea of spent shells for fret markers, looks like they got a little crowded down the board though. Is this not the best hobby goin?

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on January 8, 2010 at 5:33am

Very nice, I hope my first CBG looks as good. Nice pictures too.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Perrin on January 10, 2010 at 4:50am

Beautiful job!... I love the brass bullet casing idea, and the laminated fingerboard and tailpiece really make it stand out as a labor of love.....

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Permalink Reply by Gadsden Guitars on January 10, 2010 at 9:49am

I think I'm gonna go with .38 special casings for my markers. Still contemplating if I should cut in actual frets or just go with marking them out like you did. I don't want to complicate things more than I already have on my first one, now the second one I have cooking up in my mind will be awesome after making note of all the mistakes I've made so far. Can't wait to start playing!

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Permalink Reply by Grizz on January 10, 2010 at 10:33am

Really nice job. Like the 357 Mags as position markers.

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Permalink Reply by Jim Mitchell on January 10, 2010 at 12:18pm

Well you don't really need my opinion but that looks great to me.... Welcome to the asylum....How many more do you have started? LOL.....

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Permalink Reply by Michael Neis on January 13, 2010 at 2:43pm

Jim, very sweet guitar for your 1st try.I too especially think the shell casings were a stroke of artistic genius.Fine work,keep on building!!.Michael.