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Not a CBG ... it's a CTG

Posted by Wichita Sam on March 25, 2011 at 11:39pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

OK, Wichita Sam's been a busy boy. About a month ago, a local kitchen design store offered me their unused, unclaimed formica counter tops. You will see that I have plenty of them in tan/brown tones, perfect guitar colors. Anyway, I've always been a fan of masonite clad Danelectro guitars, so I thought, what-the-heck?,,, why not take a swing at building one of my own.

The following is a slideshow of the Building of a Counter Top Guitar (CTG).

Now if I've got your curousity up, let me make you an offer. If you would like to try your hand at building your own CTG, send me an email and then a paper profile of the guitar you wish to build. Depending on the level of finish you require, you can have the start to your CTG.

Enjoy.... Thanks for watching....

the best,

Wicihita Sam

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Replies

Wichita Sam March 31, 2011 at 6:33pm

I'm on the look out for masonite/formica table top in funky 50's and 60's designs.... gotta do them more...

E D said:
Cool! I'd take one in boomerang! Hahaha. Seriously, I like it.
Bad Finger (Eric) March 31, 2011 at 4:29pm

Cool! I'd take one in boomerang! Hahaha. Seriously, I like it.
Roosterman March 31, 2011 at 12:12pm

Cool! Im off to cut a hole in our new worktop.... :o)
Wichita Sam March 31, 2011 at 11:20am

Jeff,

this is a real franken-monster-guitar. On prototypes, I often just throw in the kitchen sink. The pups (epi jazz) and the neck (acoustic style) were odd pieces from a recent trade. The bridge was off a Squier 51 modd project. so.... the pups and the strings don't line up perfectly... you know what? I can't tell the difference. Sounds good to me. I'm waiting for a report back from her night out with some pros... I'll report later

Seriously the tone is great. I like the semi-hollow sound. a solid back bone and two reso chambers seem to work well.

thanks,

the best,

Wichita Sam
jeff maurer March 31, 2011 at 10:11am

what did you use for neck? any issues with string spacing in regards to using a fender bridge and what looks like gibson style pups. im thinking about doing a solidy body 3 string(flying v style) and after seeing this i dont think ill need to go look for tone woods like mahogany or ash.
Wichita Sam March 31, 2011 at 9:02am

Ron,

outside contour bandsaw, then belt sanded. Inside fostner bits in drill press, then router bits.... my plunge router head is installed in a router table.... oh, well.

thanks for the comments,

the best,

Wichita Sam
Mungo Park March 30, 2011 at 11:49pm

Beauty of a build, me thinks it might be easier to bandsaw the sides out than to cut all that cement out of the center, maybe with a router it would go fine but dusty a lot of glue in that stuff, either way it came out just fine.

Cheers Ron.
Wichita Sam March 30, 2011 at 10:52pm

Bob,

Thanks..... I started thinking about building a Danelectro ish while recycling stuff left over and came up with this... So far getting rave reviews for everyone who plays it....

thanks,

Sam

Bob Harrison said:

Yip, Gibson did this in the early 70's. Most folks did not like it because they thought it was cheesy,,,,, But since it was so dense it sounded very good.

For Gibson owners one thing that they did not like was this. When the guitar would get nicked the particleboard showed. But every one like the sound.

Your solution is far better of an idea. Cover the whole thing in Formica. That stuff is hard as nails. And it would have a Dan Electro look.
Bob Harrison March 30, 2011 at 10:46pm

Yip, Gibson did this in the early 70's. Most folks did not like it because they thought it was cheesy,,,,, But since it was so dense it sounded very good.

For Gibson owners one thing that they did not like was this. When the guitar would get nicked the particleboard showed. But every one like the sound.

Your solution is far better of an idea. Cover the whole thing in Formica. That stuff is hard as nails. And it would have a Dan Electro look.
Wichita Sam March 30, 2011 at 12:07pm

Thanks for the comments. I took my CTG by the kitchen counter place where I got the "surplus" tops. They were wow'd. One of them plays in a band that is doing a session tonight and begged me to let him have it for the evening. Of course I said yes. If I get lucky, I might even snag a professional track out of it.

the best,

Wichita Sam