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Bill Ludeman's Blog (5)

How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

Here is how I do a simple piezo pickup

A trip to Radio Shack will get you the piezo and 1/4 inch mono jack. They are in a drawer case towards the back of the store and most stores usually have them in stock. The piezo you are looking for is the 273-073 and costs 2$ and the jacks are

#274-255 and are two for 4 You can also pickup a 25 or 30 watt soldering iron… Continue

Added by Bill Ludeman on March 26, 2010 at 9:30pm — 19 Comments

Are Musicians Snobs??? I don't know!

I have had a great deal of fun building instruments of different kinds but can't claim to be a musician. I had played the cello in high school forty five years ago and started with the harp in 1990. I quickly learned that the harp is a snooty instrument world. Its inhabited by long slender women with long slender fingers - quite a few men too. Mostly guys are harp builders and movers. I accepted my plight and muddled along. I tried a half dozen teachers over the years and learned that they all… Continue

Added by Bill Ludeman on March 19, 2010 at 9:57pm — 3 Comments

Duh - right side up? While its not that important there is a tradition.

I literally put my tuning machines or tuners on upside down AND backwards on my first build. I had no clue there was a right way. After a comment clued me in, I went to Guitar Center and observed that their was a pattern that was always followed. The objective is to have them installed such that the string tension pulls the shaft into the gear instead of away from it. I am using inexpensive Ping Economy tuners and if I put them on right they stay tight. Backwards works ok but there is a… Continue

Added by Bill Ludeman on March 19, 2010 at 11:56am — 5 Comments

Pop Rivet string sleeves tips and how-to

The best string sleeves I have found are simply pop rivets. I originally bought a small box of 25 from Ace Hardware and paid way to much. Next I found them at Lowes for about half the price Ace got but still cost me 4 or 5 bucks for a small box of a hundred. Then I found a box of five hundred at "Harbor Freight" for four bucks.

Here is the URL for these.… Continue

Added by Bill Ludeman on March 19, 2010 at 10:58am — 5 Comments

memory jogging notes on building and playing cbg's

My shop burned to the ground in June of 2009. Nobody knows for sure what caused it - the fire dept asked me if it was electrical and I said I don't see how, since everything was turned off - so they put it down to electrical..... No insurance.

I had forty years and two hundred thousand dollars invested in that building and contents. I had spent a huge amount of time in it building and designing stuff, including half a dozen harps and all my patterns and jigs for building my harp designs. I… Continue

Added by Bill Ludeman on March 18, 2010 at 7:18pm — 3 Comments

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Forum

Song lyrics for Steve's new song

Started by J. D. Woods in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by BrianQ. 22 hours ago. 4 Replies 0 Likes

AI Search Query - Curious Answer

Started by Southern Ray in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by A.D.EKER on Wednesday. 4 Replies 0 Likes

UK - Best Place to Buy Cigar Box's

Started by Rich Butters in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Crazed Fandango on Tuesday. 4 Replies 0 Likes

Are metal frets necessary?

Started by J. D. Woods in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods Apr 20. 7 Replies 1 Like

Busking Songs...

Started by Nomad Jack in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods Apr 17. 7 Replies 2 Likes

Joseph J. Rogowski about Current Based Pickup Design

Started by Moritz Voegeli in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 14. 6 Replies 2 Likes

crossover guitar.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Apr 10. 14 Replies 3 Likes

Flat bucker under box top. Any Success?

Started by Tom T in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 9. 9 Replies 0 Likes

Has anyone tried this? Thoughts?

Started by Southern Ray in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 4. 7 Replies 1 Like

just came accross this pickup idea on youtube.

Started by Timothy Hunter in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 27. 1 Reply 2 Likes

VIDEO: Building a CBG with limited resources.

Started by Taffy Evans in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 10. 1 Reply 3 Likes

Free PDF Download: Vintage Guitar Effects Plans - 1967 Fuzzbox and 1969 Treble Boost

Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by BrianQ. Mar 9. 4 Replies 3 Likes

Tune up songs

Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies 1 Like

Duel output jacks

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies 0 Likes

No Harmonics

Started by Ken I in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Brian partington Mar 8. 8 Replies 0 Likes

Camera suggestions?

Started by Southern Ray in Cool gear discussion - that's not cigar box related. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 6. 5 Replies 0 Likes

CBG site issues, continued.

Started by Taffy Evans in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 5. 4 Replies 2 Likes

Anyone used a violin-style tailpiece on a CBG?

Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Carl Floyd Mar 1. 15 Replies 0 Likes

Guitar for the grandson

Started by Joe in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by Carl Floyd Feb 29. 13 Replies 0 Likes

Building with vintage paper/pressed board cigar boxes.

Started by Chance in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 22. 12 Replies 1 Like

Blog Posts

I'll be fashionable this summer =)

Posted by Vlad on March 31, 2024 at 11:48pm 0 Comments 1 Like

Everyone can make CBG. And I did it =)

Posted by Vlad on March 6, 2024 at 2:32am 5 Comments 2 Likes

.✨. Cover Me ..♪♫•¨•. ~ the Delta Blues Outlaws

Posted by billy jones bluez on February 28, 2024 at 2:09pm 0 Comments 0 Likes

Q&A with Arkansas-based talented blues musician Billy Jones, one of the very best authentic modern artists

Posted by billy jones bluez on February 17, 2024 at 11:00pm 0 Comments 0 Likes

Big Power Bank for Small CBG =)

Posted by Vlad on February 11, 2024 at 1:06am 1 Comment 1 Like

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Events

Republic of Texas CBG Festival (8th Annual)

May 11, 2024 from 11am to 8pm – Speakeasy Grill
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20th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival (Day 1)

May 30, 2024 from 6:30pm to 10pm – The Casual Pint of Huntsville
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20th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival (Day 2)

May 31, 2024 from 6:30pm to 10pm – Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium
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20th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival (Day 3, Daytime)

June 1, 2024 from 11am to 3pm – Lowe Mill ARTS & Entertainment
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20th Annual Cigar Box Guitar Festival (Day 3 Evening

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