Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on July 12, 2010 at 11:18am

Interesting topic for discussion. You know I have seen many interesting builds here on the nation using almost everything, but many times some major points get missed...how does it sound?..is it functional?..can YOU play it?..and what unique sound does your choice of building materials produce? Personally using a shovel alone does not impress me. Tiny guitars is a great example of using interesting materials and producing a functional instrument with great tone. The first instrument I saw of his was a banjo built from a dog dish and an axe handle. His later builds just got even better. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by christian pearson on July 13, 2010 at 8:11am

i agree with that on the sound very correct on that. but what gets me is the way you choose to make things out of nothing. thats what to me makes a great builder, dont get me wrong. i think all the people on this site and other are very good with builds. but the thought of useing a dog dish or a tooth brush tray or ash tray or any thing like that is great.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on July 13, 2010 at 12:04pm

Yes, I agree with you. Like Shane always states, There are no rules. This keeps the the door open for some free wheeling experiments. Sometimes great discoveries come out of accidents or thinking outside of the box. Using less than common building materials it very interesting. My point is, that many members here are building many instruments, but few are investing the time to refine their playing skills using their unique inventions. I think this is what I am really trying to say.
Originally, during the depression, CBGs where built out of necessity. A person had a desire to play guitar but could not afford one. The objective was to make a functional substitute, but of course if you look at real vintage CBGs, sometime they succeeded, other times it was quite crude.
I guess because I am basically a player and not a builder, I am always looking for more creative playing out of these unique builds.
Thanks for talking. Enjoy, Keni Lee

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Permalink Reply by L.J. on July 13, 2010 at 3:00pm

Shelly Rickey plays a mean saw. And bairfoot Cajun just posted a brick guitar. I built a gastank bass for a No wood challenge we had in here a couple years ago. It didnt turn out as good of a player piece as I would have liked. So I will dive back into it one day. Or eventually part it out. Not sure yett. I dont care much for guitars that dont make alot of sound. Maybe Ill find some place that would wants it for decoration?

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Permalink Reply by christian pearson on July 14, 2010 at 9:04am

will if you just dont want it i will take it. i was just thinking of a way for maybe all the members to get together and build one thing that they can give to some one to donate to a school. or to raffle off for charaty. i am working on a stanliess stel mixing boil guitar.

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Permalink Reply by christian pearson on July 14, 2010 at 9:07am

i could not agree more. now that i know what i am know about the building i am now doing the playing side.

Keni Lee Burgess said:

Yes, I agree with you. Like Shane always states, There are no rules. This keeps the the door open for some free wheeling experiments. Sometimes great discoveries come out of accidents or thinking outside of the box. Using less than common building materials it very interesting. My point is, that many members here are building many instruments, but few are investing the time to refine their playing skills using their unique inventions. I think this is what I am really trying to say.
Originally, during the depression, CBGs where built out of necessity. A person had a desire to play guitar but could not afford one. The objective was to make a functional substitute, but of course if you look at real vintage CBGs, sometime they succeeded, other times it was quite crude.
I guess because I am basically a player and not a builder, I am always looking for more creative playing out of these unique builds.
Thanks for talking. Enjoy, Keni Lee

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Permalink Reply by Mungo Park on July 14, 2010 at 10:37am

I thought the electric brick was brilliant, great material for a good sustain, not so hot acoustic.
I have a bedpan in the works, AKA Ratdaddy guitars.
The Bar-B-Q Reso is a wild thing.
Hollow things for acustic, solid things for electric is about all you need to know.
Cheers Ron.

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Permalink Reply by christian pearson on July 14, 2010 at 3:49pm

yeah i agree. the brick is a great thing and a bed pan is somthing of its own. brelant. i am also doing a eletric guitar body as bracing in my cbg. but i am still trying to fig out the bracing on a reg cbg. still get enuff bow in the neck to were it will not hold tune. but most of mine are 6 string.3 string is not a prob.

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Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on July 15, 2010 at 8:54am

Well I suppose it doesnt much matter what I build since I cant play what I build. The entire notion of being able to play what you build I feel is a moot point. I build to build, I enjoy building CBG's. I find it an artistic expression on my behalf. I really dont think EVERY luthier out there today is able to play the instruments they build or any instrument for that matter. The fact is there are builders and players and some who can do both. Are you going to tell a carpenter he cant build house since he cant live in it? No he is building a house for someone else to live in and enjoy. Since Shane says "There are no Rules" I can only assume there isnt a rule that requires every builder to be able to play what they build. Besides as I see it, since I cant play they get to go to fine players who can enjoy them, play them, and appreciate them. Instead of piling up under my work bench.

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Permalink Reply by L.J. on July 15, 2010 at 9:37am

I dont care If you play or not. You got some pretty nice builds. I esspecially like the one with the back mounted reso box. I was thinking about doing that for a bass to gain the scale length I needed. And about a day after I started talking about doing it I came in here and saw yours posted. I Guess I wont be the first.
I am a player and a builder but i still feel as if I suck on the CBG. I feel much more comfortable with fretted 6 strings but I keep building 3 and 4 stringers anyways.If it makes you happy, DO IT.

Tracy Kennedy said:

Well I suppose it doesnt much matter what I build since I cant play what I build. The entire notion of being able to play what you build I feel is a moot point. I build to build, I enjoy building CBG's. I find it an artistic expression on my behalf. I really dont think EVERY luthier out there today is able to play the instruments they build or any instrument for that matter. The fact is there are builders and players and some who can do both. Are you going to tell a carpenter he cant build house since he cant live in it? No he is building a house for someone else to live in and enjoy. Since Shane says "There are no Rules" I can only assume there isnt a rule that requires every builder to be able to play what they build. Besides as I see it, since I cant play they get to go to fine players who can enjoy them, play them, and appreciate them. Instead of piling up under my work bench.

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Permalink Reply by Brett Morgan on July 15, 2010 at 10:59am

Has anyone seen a miniature Gibson SG? I saw a very nice looking Les Paul, looked pretty sweeet

http://www.etsy.com/listing/42195843/mini-les-paul-style-gold-top

Brett

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Permalink Reply by christian pearson on July 15, 2010 at 12:52pm

thats cool.

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