Hi, I'm Keith from western Pa in Mercer County. Left handed, so thought of making my own instruments to play. Have a neighbor, that wants me to make one for him too, which will be a righty. Not sure as to what I will make first, but have some tins, and one cigar box to use right now. Been reading lots on here, and at some point, am sure that you will see some questions from me. Till then later.
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Your welcome mate and if you need any help in the future I and I am sure the rest of the guys will be only too ready to help a Guaky/Gawky anytime (now a member of the club), onward the devils own with one hand tied behind their back!!!!! Yes even in my young days I was not at five years old allowed to write with my left hand, you had to sit on your left hand as you were the devils spawn, true, can anyone believe that, and these people were supposed to be intelligent post WW2 modern educated teachers? Anyone else gone through that? The fact that I wrote backwards might have not helped but at that age it's not a great start as the only one in class and of course the bullies jumped at the chance, fond memories NOT. All the best, Chris. :)
No for me, but yes for my brother. If he was caught using his left hand, the teacher would smack it with a ruler. Lucky for me, they put in a four lane highway, so that me and my siblings had to switch schools, and I never had to put up with that teacher. Yes, sad to say, early teachers prior to the fifty's were that way, where as the teacher I had, never made me switch. Then they came up with the idea that us lefties needed to turn our papers upside down to write, but for them, in getting me to write that way, was a loosing battle. Oh what us lefties have had to put up with thru the years. When 16, I traded my sisters violin for a Kay guitar, right handed. Still have it now, but people told me that the neck was bent, about ten years ago. About five years ago, had a run in with a radial arm saw at work, and it took about half my middle finger lengthwise to missing the second knuckle at an angle, so it doesn't bend at the first joint, and at the tip it is three mm short, and at a point. This is why I will be making left handed ones, and will need to relearn how to play. Thinking that I might just play better going left handed. The Kay guitar, I don't think is bent, but that from the strings pulling, it bowed up the face of the body, Will check that out in the near future.
Hi Keith, your bro and me are brothers in arms mate, had the ruler regularly but it was knuckles up and the thin edge of the ruler, the flat would have been a doddle, the bullies was a lot harder as the kids who I thought were my friends laughed as the big guys beat me hard and in those days the dust was thick on the ground so I got a cuffing for coming in dirty and fighting even though it was five to one and I lost big time but I was not the fighter and as slight as I have always been I am strong enough, just having a great discussion with Gavin about doing his taxes in Madrid when I went with him and he can speak fluent Spanish and this guy was giving him some grief and dad said it in English and he sorted it straight away, got to go cause were talking dad and son talk mate and had more reminisces in the last few minutes and trying not to laugh too loud, take care and have a great weekend, keep in touch mate, gotta go, he just said wish I had put my foot down and said were getting married in England, don't want to say "I TOLD YOU SO" he just said it, poor lad is so disillusioned with the Spanish way of life, maybe the old UK ain't so bad after all, it's the same the whole world over mate, it's the rich that get the pleasure and the poor that get the blame and there is no country more to blame than Britain, GREAT BRITAIN, what empire, not anymore, rip off Britain without enough land to move in anymore, have a great weekend mate. Happy to talk any time, all the best, Chris. :)
P.S. a Kay will or should have a truss rod that with an Alan key should lower or higher the fret board, will be a trial and error job, a small touch at a time with no string tension and sight it with your eye, get it as straight as you can and give it a couple of days to settle down and slightly re adjust, if you can't get it spot on and you have fret buzz just level the fret wire with a fine grit paper, about a thousand grit, take your time, what you take off mate you can't put back Keith, steady away, have a great weekend, talk soon mate, Chris. :)
Hi Kieth, from one lefty to another though I only write, fish (those Mitchel French reels that are fixed handed are still the best) and cut with scissors etc I do gawky handed, stranger than strange and my youngest son is the same, right footed too, not only the wrong side of the brain but mixed up on both sides. Making your own git either handed is just the same either way but make a double take on which way you cut the box first or it may end up upside down and back to front, enjoy the addiction mate, all the best from one Gawky to another, Chris. :)
Yep measure twice and cut once. Thanks Chris for replying.
welcome, nice to see another lefthander here.
Thanks for the reply Seaman Jay.
welcome keith. hi all i to am new to this site my name is jeff burgoyne i live in New Zealand i will be looking at making a 3 stringed cigar box guitar when i get some plans and material this is a cool site. god bless y'all
Welcome Jeff. My plan is to make a couple 6 stringed tin guitars, as they have over 3 1/2 inches of depth to them. Then my neighbor has another tin, that will be used to make a three stringed. Best of luck.
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