Off Topic For Bawanna ( last 2 sets of photos added 10/17)

Bookie

Bookie

Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Messages
2,010
Bawanna, Here starts the project for Irene. An acoustic three string cigar box guitar, but electrified so she can play it as is or plug'er in. She'll really be able to belt out some livin' Delta Blues with this puppy when we're done. First photo: Cleaned up piece of oak. I sawed up one of the jack stands we use when rifling a barrel. Needed a neck for the instrument, you know....so call me "Cheap Charlie" already! Picture#2: The neck getting laminated so the head will be a bit fancier than on a normal CBG. The walnut is old. Very old. The tree was felled in 1858 for furniture, so I suspect it was growing in the 1700s. Only a guess on my part. Number 3: Head has been shaped as well as thinned so the tuning machines can be mounted. Rather like a Gibson guitar head in shape. Photo 4: Tuner mounting holes drilled. Next the neck will be sawn to length, the head rough sanded, and the neck fitted to the box. I'm workin' as fast as I can, Bawanna. I mess ever thing up when I hurry. Cain't do nuthin' right. I screw up so badly that I can only get to Covid-18!




 
She's sure looking fine already. I never seen ya screw anything up yet, figure your throwing a little white lie at me, but momma says a little white lie never hurt nobody.
 
And here I been curled up on the kitchen floor in a fatal position sucking my thumb worryin about that.....you really think she liked me best?
 
More work on the cbg today and a long day and into the night at that. The box has been well braced, the lid removed, neck shortened and all mortised out, and the box cut outs for the neck created. Drilled the mounting holes for the strings (phosphor wound) and took some pop rivets apart to use the bodies as grommets for the strings so the strings do not cut into the wood of the tail piece when under tension. The box is under clamps for the night keeping everything square to the world. Will solder the electrical components & electrify tomorrow, cut sound holes, and shape the neck at the least. Four photos for you tonight.



 
Not got to do a lot of work on the cigar box guitar yesterday nor today, but did manage to get some things accomplished between honey-dos. Got the electronics soldered together and checked them out with an ohm meter--success! The jack for an amplifier cord is now mounted securely on the tail of the box. Then made the small sound hole and it's cover. That took quite a while to make the little board and lay everything out. The board was a piece of tree limb from the neighbor's tree....My skills at wood burning will make even a novice blush. Oak has hard and soft spots to frequently for my taste, but Bawanna, what you see, Irene gets. Wait until she sees what the peep show is.:D Need to paint part of the inside black for the peep show and shape the neck.......later.



 
Looking pretty amazing. She's headed for Branson Missouri on Wednesday, maybe she can hook up with a country band and help support me in a manner to which I'm accustomed. And maybe fix me up with Reba!
 
Bawanna said:
Looking pretty amazing. She's headed for Branson Missouri on Wednesday, maybe she can hook up with a country band and help support me in a manner to which I'm accustomed. And maybe fix me up with Reba!
Click to expand...
I live about 120 miles from Branson Missouri. 2-2 1/2 hrs away!
 
All my relatives on my dad's side live in Missouri. He had 7 brothers and 2 sisters, I'm now down to my last uncle, hard to believe. I got cousins and nephews I haven't even met. Often times wish I was still there.
Mostly up around Bowling Green, New Hartford around that area.
Wife just always wanted to visit Branson so she's going with a girlfriend.
 
Hey! Me an' Reba are friends. Fact is, I almost married Miss Reba Price along time ago. She's the one who taught me how to skin a possum with a tin can lid and then cook'er up with dumplins'. Now, I didn't mind her 280 pounds, but she sure is a charmer, Bawanna. She never did get married, so she's available. You're still breathin' and that makes you one ELIGIBLE matrimonial partner to look in to. 'Sall I kin do fer a friend, you know.

Now Corn Patch is getting ready fer some possible snow day after tomorry, so I been working on getting the outside of the place ready for winter, that and these all of a sudden unannounced honey-dos. Took more photos than the photo host will let me put up at one time, but I'll share 90% of them with you as we go along. I can see light at the end of the tunnel as of 10:30 PM, CSDT.
Added bracing to the inside of the cigar box to add a small paper "box" that got painted black. (Won't show you all the pics of this area as I don't want to give the theme away too early.) Cut out the3 main sound hole and made a little wooden frame to dress it up a tad. Shaped and sanded the neck and made the nut for the neck. I know it looks like a bolt, and yep, that's just what it is, but this is a guitar and this object just happens to be called a nut! Go figure.






 
Second batch of photos for tonight, Bawanna. First couple are of the slot for the nut and the nut being fitted. The frets were laid out and then burnt into position. Oak don't wood burn evenly so you'll notice some spots on the frets because of the soft wood in them places. Drilled holes for two sizes of fret markers, made & installed them. Then whacked ofgf the tops and sanded'er smooth with 220 grit paper. Feels good in the hands. That's it for tonight.





 
Your one busy beaver Bookie. Looking good. Hope you don't get too snowed in. We got big wind, yall already had that. Looks like a few damp windy days ahead for us. Summer is definitely over.
 
Bawanna said:
All my relatives on my dad's side live in Missouri. He had 7 brothers and 2 sisters, I'm now down to my last uncle, hard to believe. I got cousins and nephews I haven't even met. Often times wish I was still there.
Mostly up around Bowling Green, New Hartford around that area.
Wife just always wanted to visit Branson so she's going with a girlfriend.
Click to expand...
Branson is an amazing city. We live about 2 hours away and drive there for a day sometimes. Happy she’s getting to go. She’ll have many stories to tell you for sure!
 
Last 2 sets of photographs, Bawanna. Been a busy 2 days on this. Doing all the little or fine details on it. It is complete and plays well acoustically, but really shines with a preamp and amplifier. This is designed to play with a slide and when you do, the blues really gets belted out! The wife heard me playing Buddy Holly's Rave On on it and said at first she thought I was playing the radio! That's a first for me. Here's five pics for you. The neck is stained and clear paint applied. The "peep show" is being assembled and the pop rivet studs have been driven into the tail piece to serve as guides for the strings. Solid brass corners installed all around and the tuner grommets driven home.






 
Last edited:
That's a thing of beauty Bookie, can't wait to see it in person. She's gonna have to take a lesson or something, gotta learn to play it right. I best start shopping for an amp......
 
Last 6 pics of the cigar box guitar.
Tuners being installed. Strap buttons ditto. Completed body face. String guides in place. (These are special screws and if I so much as hinted at where they came from...well, I guess I'd hav'ta kill you.) The whole shootin' match. Looks good in my book! Some miserable curmudgeon soundin' out Cream's Sunshine of Your Love.






 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top