AGP #545 - ''Tom Tom''

AGP #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. smile

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Comments

  • "BQ", I Never thought about cutting it any other way than the Angle Grinder, but what you say about the Table Saw makes perfect sense to me, didn't think of it at the time, and as you suggest the off cut being turned into a Bass is a great idea. smile

  • Yea, fiberglass doesn't like hand tools too much when it comes to cutting! As a modifier of drums, I learned a trick using a table saw with an obnoxiously high fence. Basically, you roll the drum against the fence & it leaves a clean, level cut all the way around, you'll also have better control over kickback while it's cutting? If you know somebody who owns a lathe, that's the way they really cut them in the factory? I'm surprised you didn't turn that into a bass, considering the size, maybe with the leftover piece, right? Cheers😎

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