It all started innocently.
With an old 70s or 80s crappy broken guitar.
The neck was bowed like ski jump, the body was cracked in several places. Bridge - torn out from body. The colour was classic diarreha-mustard-brown.

So:
I stripped the laquer (awesome terpentine scent), cut off the neck, cut out the hole in the back for jack mounting, and maintenance.
Repaintent the body with mixture of polyurethane laquer, latex burgundy paint sample, "old-gold" paste,then scrapped some places with wire brush, and added more old gold to get that beat up vintage look.
I straightened the neck, glued and screwd it back in, but at angle, reinforced the tailpiece withahogany scrap block - inside.
The resonator is made from old copper plate - the patina is natural (reaction of vinegar, salt and ammonia fumes), held in place by bronze pins.
The tailpiece is a hinge coupled with some rosewood scrap.
The bridge is made of Azobe and rosewood with tin-plated Brazzaville electrical scraps.
The pickup has been taken out from Mexican Strat about 15 years ago (cheap ceramic bar magnets, and fake 'alnico' looking rods, of unknown metal, some cheap steel probably), I added steel zinc plated nails in-between (glued in).
The neck and fretboard was oiled.
12th fret markers are wood screws to ensure that neck won't fall apart.

I added side markers as well, as there wasn't any. Used brass nails.

As a surprise there is hand wound spring (by me, from high carbon steel wire, I believe it's called music wire - in my country the spring wire) for added resonance. It stretches from neck heel to tailpiece block.

I made a patina copper cover for the pickup as well but it muffles the sound a bit too much, and I like the look of raw pickups with nails on to a tad better.

String with 10-46 electric strings.
Tuned to CGCEGC for open major or CGCEbGC for open minor or DGCFAD as full-step down the standard.
I'll keep it tuned low as the neck is not reinforced by any kind of rod, and I don't want it to bow again.

The belt is found in used clothes thrift store.

Plays well acoustically, and even better electrically!

Views: 107

Comment

You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!

Join Cigar Box Nation

Comment by Uncle John on July 22, 2018 at 11:13am

Great story,  thanks for all that information.

The Essential Pages

New to Cigar Box Nation? How to Play Cigar Box GuitarsFree Plans & How to Build Cigar Box GuitarsCigar Box Guitar Building Basics

Site Sponsor

Recommended Links & Resources


Forum

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 21. 11 Replies

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies

How to Get Your Own Music on Spotify

Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies

CB Bass Guitar

Started by Mi Rankin in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Justin Stanchfield Jan 27. 5 Replies

Latest Activity

smilingdog1 commented on 3 String Blues's video
24 minutes ago
smilingdog1 liked 3 String Blues's video
25 minutes ago
smilingdog1 liked Glenn Kaiser's video
27 minutes ago
Doug Thorsvik posted a video

Hail the Resurrection Day: 2-String Violin Chugger Cigar Box Guitar

Cigar Box Guitar Slingers - Spokane, 195th Zoom Mtg 03/25/24. Only 1-finger chords, free songbooks here: https://www.cbgslinger.com/download CBG SOF Songbook...
1 hour ago
A.D.EKER commented on A.D.EKER's video
Thumbnail

Im Troubled (Tribute) Mc K Morganfield by BCB - A.D .Eker 2024.

"Thank you Poorness ! for loving it ! appreciated!"
18 hours ago
Southern Ray replied to Timothy Hunter's discussion just came accross this pickup idea on youtube.
" Very interesting. Thank you Timothy!"
18 hours ago
Kent Thurston updated their profile
19 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Punch Project!

She now sports gold metal CBGitty knobs, speaker and an Artec 2.5 watt speaker. Finished this in…
19 hours ago
Southern Ray posted a photo

Project Punch!

Gonna finally get back on this long-delayed project that is more than half complete. (The matching…
20 hours ago
Poorness Studios liked A.D.EKER's video
22 hours ago
BrianQ. left a comment for Rob (Uker) Porras
"Hope this helps?"
22 hours ago
Doug Thorsvik commented on Doug Thorsvik's photo
Thumbnail

Dueling Flatheads

"I appreciate the kind words Papa D! I have always loved the look of these cigar boxes. Glad to have…"
yesterday

Music

© 2024   Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service

\uastyle>\ud/** Scrollup **/\ud.scrollup {\ud background: url("https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/963882636?profile=original") no-repeat scroll 0 0 transparent;\ud bottom: 25px;\ud display: inline !important;\ud height: 40px;\ud opacity: 0.3 !important;\ud position: fixed;\ud right: 30px;\ud text-indent: -9999px;\ud width: 40px;\ud z-index: 999;\ud}\ud.scrollup:hover {\ud opacity:0.99!important;\ud}\ud \uascript type="text/javascript">\ud x$(document).ready(function(){\ud x$(window).scroll(function(){\ud if (x$(this).scrollTop() > 100) {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeIn();\ud } else {\ud x$('.scrollup').fadeOut();\ud }\ud });\ud x$('.scrollup').click(function(){\ud x$("html, body").animate({ scrollTop: 0 }, 600);\ud return false;\ud });\ud });\ud \ua!-- End Scroll Up -->