Carving bodies and necks

Just searching for that image caused my cock and balls to shrivel-up and fall off :frowning:

#instasofton

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Continue to follow this thread with admiration and have been tempted to follow in an entirely amateur manner. Then common sense took over. I do however fancy making a 3 stringed cigar box guitar, they look fun and with my fingers not always being in the right place at the right time on a 6 string, 3 strings pose less of a melodic challenge. Now’t fancy, just a fun project to annoy Mrs. S. with.

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I take it you’ve seen these:

Looks like a bit of fun for a wet weekend.

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Go 1 string

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Could be worse.

I was looking through youtube and at first thought they were a bit of a novelty item, then I heard them being played and liked the bluesy sound they produced, looked at the chording and thought ’ I can do that’. May just have a go at one with a pickup in it, can always keep cigars in it if I’m as crap on one as I am on a 6 string.

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BBC iPlayer - Cigar Box Blues - The Makers of a Revolution
Worth a watch if you haven’t already.

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Need to make a Mustang next. I’ve never seen so many shiny mustangs on display as this years Glastonbury.

Funny you should mention this, i was at our village church summer fete last weekend, there was a old boys blues band providing the entertainment. The guitarists alternated between a regular 6 string electric and cigar box guitar. The cigar box sounded really cool especially with a slide.
Quite fancy having a go at making on too.

Have a look here. (I bought my fretboard template from him)

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Thanks for posting that, never seen it before.

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Just realised that chicken bone john that ive linked to is in that program

I got lucky with the first guitar I built, in that it just aligned, and worked correctly out of the box, so to speak.

This one has been a total bitch, the strings and neck have been on and off more times than I can remember, coupled with seemingly endless nut and saddle adjustments. I am still very much a rank amature.

image

Culminating yesterday afternoon with the low E string snapping just as I was getting on top of it, never in 30 years have I had that happen. Brand new premium set of strings too, (new one on the way).

Just prior to the string snap the intonation was more or less on point and the string path between the nut and the bridge is spot on. I used cotten thread to make sure the two outer nut slots were in the correct place which worked a treat, one thing that I did get right at least.

Need to do the wiring which is a hour’s faf at some point when it’s cooler.

Still, it looks like it means business. (before the string snapped)

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Changing the subject…

An empty cigar box arrived in the post today…

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I wouldn’t beat yourself up too much about it, looks to me that you’re getting more things spectacularly right than the few things that haven’t worked out.

AFAIK it’s the second one you’ve made? So it’s pretty damn good considering that those few little mistakes are really just part of the learning process.

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Yeah, 2nd scratch build. Im not punishing myself, but lack of understanding as to why things are wrong is limiting.
I really should be noting things down so I learn for next time.

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I would imagine the pain of having to rework components would be imprinted in your memory :grinning:

It is

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One of those master builder weekends would speed up the learning process and might be fun too

I did attend a course 12months ago, learnt fret work and some of the theory. It helped, and gave me the confedence to have a go (explaines why I ended up with a working guitar the first time).
I genuintly enjoy fine woodwork and the actual construction, set up is a faf and a chore for me unfortunately.

Looks fucking magnificent from where I’m sat :ok_hand:

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