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Just a part time, casual builder.  I sometimes go to the local market days with a git or two to raise enough spare change to support my habit of building and collecting CBG's.  I was sought out by a couple who had stopped by a couple times and looked at my rude initial attempts at making music.  Seems they had a shy teenager that was somewhat of a musical prodigy - several instruments already under within his mastery.  Intrigued by the boxes, but just too darn shy to even ask if he could try one out.  I put one in his hands and he was almost embarrassed that he couldn't play it right away, obviously uncomfortable to be in public and plunking away at an unfamiliar instrument.  And he was left handed to boot, and I with nothing but "righties".

So last week, these folks sought me out to make that boy a proper "lefty" git out of a cigar box.  A little short on the order as I was already making a couple that were to be gifts.  But I remembered the kid, and thought, what the heck?  Of course, they wanted everything I could put in, three pickups, nice wood, picked out a nice Punch box and fretboard.  Regulars here may have noticed my "Need a 3 string mag pickup" thread I started because I couldn't find any readily available.  One Mr. Dan Sleep answered my call and I promptly bought one of his nicely finished pickups to complete this build.  Of course, with my "day job" the build stretched on and it was into this last week when I was fitting the pick up.  I cut the hole in the top a bit too small and as I was pushing it in and out, I managed to cut the fine winding wire. DOH!

Now I knew I could be in trouble.  First it was only 7 days from Christmas and I still had a ways to go with this git.  Second, I would have to admit to Mr. Sleep that I fumble-fingered his nice pickup.  Third, I still needed a pick up!

A hurried email was fired off.  The very understanding Mr. Sleep said he would wind me a new one, with a special base so even this moron could get it in there right, and get it in the mail to me the next day (Wednesday, Dec. 18th). This decreased my stress level a little, but I knew it was still on me to get this gift finished quick!  The Priority Post ponies were mercifully on time and I got the replacement pickup on Friday, Dec 20th.

So here I sit in my shop on Sunday, December 22nd, awkwardly trying to make sounds with a FINISHED left handed guitar.  I kind of feel what the kid did that day - your fingers just don't work backwards!  I did just flip it over and play it "righty" and it sounds great!  Starting with the buried bridge piezo pickup she makes a muted, but hollow sound, then to the "acoustic" piezo to bring out the "delta blues" twang in the box, and finally on to the smooth tones of Dan Sleep's magnetic pickup.  The parents are on the way over to take possession of their special gift.

Oh yeah..... I asked Mr. Sleep how much money I could send him for bailing me out and custom winding me a pickup on short notice and jamming it in the mail for me.  He sent me an email and it had two words on it.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you Mr. Sleep

To all - may you never break a string, may every build be better than the last, and may your intonation be perfect, and may you have a Merry Christmas!  

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