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My latest CBG Build

This is my latest CBG. 4 string fretted with a homemade single coil pickup;

The box: Jose Gener Noche

The filler for the lid out of red oak from Lowes

Veneer cut offs I bought on ebay. I've found a million and one uses for it. Laminating 3 sheets together, alternating the grain, makes great flatwork stock

Center for the bobbin

Neodynium magnets

Finished bobbin, ready to wind

And, wound on the winder I built earlier this summer. Crazy.

Hole cut in the filler for the pickup. Needed to make a few adjustments, by adding something to mount the pickup to and reinforcing the neck where I took out a lot of material. Hid it well.

Mounted to the lid filler

Forgot to take pictures making the fingerboard and fretting it.

Neck carve finished

More missing photos, sorry.

Here it is with the snakehead headstock I made. The magnets in the pickup are so strong that I'm going to see if I can leave the top uncut. Stealthy and all..

Ready to string and wire up.

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on October 10, 2013 at 2:00am

Looks good so far! I'm just concerned about the girl in that picture - does she have gas??? :-)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on October 10, 2013 at 4:52am

No, she just got caught by the sprinkler when she turned on the faucet.

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on October 10, 2013 at 5:12am

Well, I was hoping for a closer look so as to make my own determination!!!!! But I'll take your word for it - I was just concerned about her well being - that's just the way I roll ! :-)

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on October 10, 2013 at 5:18am

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on October 10, 2013 at 6:31am

Oh...well....she looks healthy enough!!!!! My fears were unfounded! :-)

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on October 10, 2013 at 2:35pm

great post ron,looking good

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on October 10, 2013 at 5:36pm

Not digging the headstock. I started it it too far from the nut. I got to think about this one. I may string it and see how the pickup works. If that's not good, now's the time to figure it out. May shelve it for a while and think on it. Depends on the pickup.

I need to build about 4 real quick, 3-stringer fretless for X-mas gifts. Paper covered-boxes with fancy corners. Planning on building them all at once. I'll try and post my production process.

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Permalink Reply by Tom Drommond on October 10, 2013 at 6:49pm

Made a quick temporary tailpiece and strung it up. String break angle is too shallow. Everything needs to come closer to the nut.

But the sound...is freaking killer. Just from the pickup to an output jack to the amp, it sounds full and bright with a deep drone on the bottom end. Super happy with my stealth pickup. Now, that ugly headstock is a shameful mess. Maybe the pinup girl will distract everyone from it. Gotta fix that no matter the work.