I live in western North Carolina, near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. There are shops in several mountain towns which cater to tourists. Some specialize in 'local art'. I have consigned instruments to about 5, and all have sold some. They t
Read more…I have been given a couple old hubcaps (rather heavy) which I want to build into 3-stringers. Many questions:
1. Is there an online tutorial you can point me to?
2. What are some good ways to attach the neck?
3. I will have to purchase tools for met
Read more…What would you do with this 'vanilla' gallon can? Paint it? Leave it as is? Add a mod-podge image[s]?
I want to make a 3-string git but no inspiration as yet as to what it should look like...
Do you ever repaint them prior to building? If so, what steps do you take and what products do you use?
Any tips on cleaning them?
Do you ever hit them with a spray coat of poly?
I would like to see your 'before' and 'after' pix
TIA!!!
Read more…See attached image: My buddy gave me an old humbucker that he traded out on one of his instruments and I want to build it in to a 3-string CBG. The CBG will not have a toggle between two pickups so I plan to ignore the red wire. Is that a good plan?
Read more…I would like to build a sold body. But I do not own a router nor have ever used one. Does anyone notch the back with hand tools? Any tips or pointers?? TIA!
Read more…I want to build a 3-stringer using a vintage paddle I found. The finished instrument will be donated to a fund-raiser for my paddle club. Planning on a single-coil pup. But it seems the back will have a lot of electronics hanging about and sticking o
Read more…A buddy asked me to build a bass CBG for his father. He specifically requested a 3 string fretted with a 34" scale. I am concerned that the scale length will cause too much string tension for a normal neck. I do not have the ability or tools to do a
Read more…I am working on a commissioned build featuring a 1946 license plate that has acquired a bit of rust. I am thinking of hitting it with some matte poly spray to insure the rust doesn't spread or soil anything. Is this a good idea?
Are there better ways
Read more…Can you guys help me understand the physics behind slot depth?
What is worse: too deep or too shallow and why?
Is string buzz or other common issues attributable to incorrect slot depth?
Also: any tips for getting it right?
My thanks!
Read more…I an thinking about using a left over piece of galvanized sheet metal for a couple tailpieces and the back of a LPG.
But is is new and shiny and I would like old and rusty... any tips on making that happen short of burying it in the back yard for 10
Read more…I acquired this thing for $3 thinking I would re-purpose the tuners, nut, and perhaps neck and bridge into future CBG builds... But I am now thinking I would like instead to make it resophonic. It is a 35" instrument with a 24" scale if I measured it
Read more…Please forgive me if this is not the proper place to ask this as it is amp related, not CBG related.
Our kids gave me a nice box which wasn't conducive for a good CBG so I decided to make an amp out of it. Never used a soldering iron before but it se
Read more…One aspect of this addiction which has huge appeal to me is the DIY angle, making homemade music on homemade instruments. Taking it a step further, I have seen many homemade tools which help form the instruments: sawing jigs, angled fret files, etc.
Read more…Here are a couple images of a box I would like to build into my 1st reso. My question: Do you think the box will play well acoustically? If so, I would probably add a piezo. If not, I would probably add a magnetic pup, likely the Electric Delta from
Read more…I am starting to form some leftover tongue & groove oak flooring into a neck. After planing it into a rough rectangle it is a tad wider and a 1/16" or so less deep than a 1x2.. My skills are not so very good, so when I say 'rough' rectangle that's ex
Read more…CBG nut, that is... Below is a pic showing two similar builds. They happen to be my first fretting attempts following a few sliders. I used bone for both nuts. In the first, string tension kept the bone nut centered and I chose not to glue it, think
Read more…I purchased a hard tail bridge, primarily because the things look so cool [true confessions] but have no idea how to install or adjust. Can anyone point me to some info? My plan is to use it on a box with a thick lid reinforced with bracing in an ele
Read more…My sister-in-law gave me two boxes that belonged to her grandfather. She estimates they are over 60 years old. Both feel very fragile. One has a crack in the bottom as well as two brads nailing the cracked bottom to the side. You can see one of the b
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