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Ok, we can become obligated to much to quickly.

That friend I way underpriced that build for is waiting his guitar. He told me today he knew he was getting a real bargan. He ain't no fool. So tonight I started cutting sound holes and the drill bit snagged, tore out a hole. Have to find all the little pieces and glue then back in, and tomorrow when all is dry cut it out by hand. However, I soldered in the Double Piezo pickups, one under the bass strings and one under the high string, with volume control for each pickup. Never did a double before and never a wired in volumn control. Halleleau it worked after a lot of frustration with the soldering iron.

I an putting in a lot more time in the build than I should be for the return - but sating myself with pride, learning experience, advertisement, all that stuff we bolster our selves with when we bit off more than we aim to chew.

I go up stair to eat between frustrations and the dear wife who has fixed a marvelous dinner looks at me and says, "Christmas is comming up". She pauses, "You could build a guitar for your daughter". We have a daughter Glenwood Springs Colorado who runs Sunshine Mtn. Inn with her husband. I can hook you up, it is on a ski resort. Also they have a lot of hunters and in the summer weddings and rafters, bikers, and groups. Anyway, the daughter sings and plays anything she sets her mind to.

"And Clayton", daughter's husband, "a banjo". He wants to learn, Daughter bought him a banjo he has not worked with, he is a busy busy man - never slows down. But if he had a CBG type banjo, maybe?

Then there is our son, he is learning to play guitar. He sings, is in a band and all that, has set in with some of the big boys and gals. He throws names around all the time. Could make him a guitar for Christmas also.

See how it snow balls? We have not mentioned my brother-in-law, etc, etc, etc, Wonder if she'll get around to them?

You do not want to get to a point the better half can brag on you! That is the danger zone! Ever let them think they have bragging rights and it is over, your goose is cooked, you are officially a commodity they can use for leverage within the family, among friends, and co-workers- even chirch groups.

You replace that streight "A" child, the Athelete Child, the Child with the College Degree, that child with the job that lets them drive around in a Mercades. They need a new angle, a new handle, a new advantage, a new one upper, and you have laid that weapon squarely in their lap.

Now it ain;t all bad. This allows you to spend whatever you need within reason on your "hobby", so long as you produce results once in a while. It means you get your man cave [interpeted shop]. You get to make all kind of noise - yes noise, real noise, mechanical and musical! You can track sawdust all over the house - again within reason. You can buy new tools !!!!!!!

I just cannot list all the perks, and should not, the ladies of the house may read this and get wise to us.

All I can say is make those gifts in between making your toys and one or two to sale to make it seem like you are actually making money with your hobby.  

Do not be afraid to seen marvelously talented to the Better Half. Brag, Wax eloquent, earn those perks - just be aware of the danger zone involved.

Every day I check the mail box. Looking for one order from Gitty and one from a company in Thailand. The company inThailand sells really cheap capacitors, pots, boards, etc. However, it takes ten days or more to arrive. More usuallly. Gitty takes far less, it just seems like ten days since I am anxious. I am awaiting two sets of tuners. two sets of strings and twenty five grommits for strings.

Read an article today about tools needed to do a professional job of building CBGs. It was from someone who does this for a living. They listed real tools, band saws, drill presses, plainers, belt sanders, scroll saws, table saws, several sets of drills and a power screw driver, dramill tool, chisel set, rasps, files, and a lot more. They said a cheap set of these tools could be bought for around $1200 to $1500 and suggested one invest that just to get started.

Really?

Raise your hand if you can invest that much right now. Ok, a few of you have decent jobs, the rest of us are ordinary blue collar stiffs.

I've given up chex mix and chocolot, and ginger ale to support my weekly thirty something to forty dollar purchases.

My breakfast cereal bowl ends up in my shop, I moved my computer to my shop, and a dorm refridgerator. Beverage cans overflow the trash can.

My new second hobby is shopping antique stores, flea markets, yard sales, and junk places for tools and supplies. The last two cigar boxes I got were from junk dealers and the draw knife for doing guitar necks from a flea market. I call shopping going to Lowes. I hit the hardware isle at Wal Mart and even find myself in the electronic isle of Goodwill looking for amps and tube radios or old guitars to turn into resonators, or cannobalize.

I even watch the road side when driving down the road for hub caps or parts. Its obsessive.

The cost is far more than money, its time, its personal time, family time, its every waking thought, all our energy, its our every thought like time. Its worse than football, worse than sex even. Its an addiction. We'd almost steal to feed it, we'd beg, we'd have no shame, and we'd grovel with the dealer using every trick to get him or her down one more dime.

We have no shame.

It cost us our very soul, our dignity.

The cost is great, but the reward is worth it when our creation is done, when that first note rings out, the beauty shines forth, the marvel and miracle happens.

We again become a proud parent, we have created, have birthed, have brought forth, have enriched the world.

AH, is there anything like it my firend?