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Here is how I gave life to an axe handle and a cigar box.

So... I began with a pile of parts and a vague idea how to do it.

Most importantly, the axe handle. I took a 80-cm one, which is quite small as strings need 63 cm and then there's the head... Also, how to make enough room for pickups. I was afraid I'd compromise the strength of the neck, so I decided to go to about half and then, if necessary, lift the bridge as much as possible.

Next was the nut. I wanted to use a piece of bakelite off a frying pan handle, but my brother gave me a brilliant idea: why not use deer antlers? Found in the woods, no animal was hurt, the elks "shed" their antlers, it will be a nice tribute to our clean and pure nature that surrounds us.

I realized there is hardly enough space for the tuning pegs. Luckyly, they all fit.

Other side view...

The "elements" start to fit...

Dodgy wiring...

Those of you know who "know", will notice that I wired the volume controls all wrong... I studied English, not Electronics fercryingoutloud all I know about electricity is if it starts smoking, you wired it wrong!

After it was tested and it all worked well I dismantled it and laminated the whole body with matte lamination foil, to keep it safe from "accidents", my neighbour has a laser cutter so ge engraved a 2000 year-old national symbol on the neck and on the head, our historical national coat of arms, to keep it "distinguished".

Notice how I used pieces of white foil to mark the "frets" so I have visual reference when I play - during the gigs it is often hard to hear yourself and you have to play "visually", see where you are playing, not only hear... Later, when I'm 100% sure I got all the positions exactly right, I'll burn the fret marks in the wood.

Here is the finished project, together with momma Maya (the white Flying V is a rare all-mahogany Japanese 1983 Maya, all original except for Alnico 5 pickups) and poppa Gibson (the red one, all original, with Alnico 3 Burstbuckers).

Romeo Y Julieta (that's the name of the newborn guitar, because of the mark of cigar box that the body was mafe from) is a baby of both my rockets: she's got Alnico 5 humbuckers and all measurements taken form Gibson.

I'll post some videos when I make some. Till then... This guitar gave me so many ideas that I'll probably make 3 more just to shut the-voices-in-my-head up.

... and before y'all purists flip your lids - the zebras are not turned upside down, theywere, for some strange reason, born that way. A little ga-ga but who cares.

Anyway. Even though the axe handle is a simple beech tree, it doesn't bend, and as the bridge is bolted directly on it, the guitar is basically a neck-through and it has a beautiful sustain and it is surprisingly loud when oyu play it without an amp. For comparison, both the Flying V's on the photos are NOT a neck-through, but they have their necks inset, glued in. They have a beauitful sustain, but they cannot beat Romeo y Julieta's sustain which is enormous.

There is one test to know when you have a good guitar: when you play it and you get a feeling it is EAGER to play, it WANTS to sing, it LURES you to go on. This is what Romeo y Julieta is like. It's a good instrument and I hope to bring her on many gigs to rock'n'roll.