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GP #545 – “Tom Tom”

3 String Fretted Drum Head Guitar

Scale :  666.75mm /26¼ Inches

Strings : .042NW / .028NW / .020NW /

Tuned:  G D g / F C f / E B e /

Every Build has a Story, hope this one is not too long and boring.

The 16” x 16” Floor Tom Drum was a $2 purchase many years ago from a local Salvation Army Charity Shop, the original idea was for it to be a Kick Drum, I added a Kick Pedal, but was never coordinated enough to play a Git and Kick a Drum at the same time, so there it sat, unused for ages, at one time I had visions of turning it into a Standup Bass of some sort, but it never happened.

A recent posting on a FB CBG Site of a similar Build made my mind up to turn it into a Git of some sort, I had no idea of what the final sound of it would be like, but guessed it would probably have a Banjo Type Tone, so was originally going to be a 4 String Plectrum Banjo Build, but after making and fitting the Neck, realized it was only 40mm Wide, which would make the String Spacings a bit too close together for this Hamfisted ex Bricklayers Arthritic Fingers, so opted for the old Standard 3 String GDg Build.

The final Sound & Tone is a bit on the Banjo side, albeit a bit Bassy, it is quite loud Acoustically Unamped, but has virtually no Sustain when Amped, the String Gauges I used where for GDg, but sounds better on the lower FCf & EBe Tunings.

The Neck is Merbau, the Headstock Wings & Bridge are Pine, the Vol Tone Knobs are my own DIY Grey Ironbark creations, all coated with Paste Wax.

A 2.3k MGB Micro Single Coil Pickup is hardwired through Vol & Tone Pots to the Output Jack.

An YES!, because its size, it is a bit cumbersome to play, and the rough sawn fiberglass bottom edge is a bit harsh on the thighs, but should be remedied by the arrival of some Rubber Edge Stripping I have on order.