I write to you all this evening with my head down and tail between my legs. I must admit I took a short break from the harp to build a cigar box guitar. I was obsessed. I don't own many tools so try to understand making the whole thing with a leatherman multitool and a borrowed hand drill. Lotta time put in "whittlin." So tonight I went out to put the monster together and give it life when I realized I need to make a few touch ups here before I string the beast. No problem... CRAAAAAACK. S%&^! Son of a c#$% s@#$%^& !$@#^% ^&*#$@ !!! Neck = ruined. A lot of love went into forming that neck with a pocket knife.
I thought, "what am I doing? I'm a harp player!" So I picked up the stock Marine Band in G that I bought up just before the departure of my right mind and played my frustrations away. Then I realized, man this thing sounds pretty good. All this time I've been looking for the next best harp and learning to tinker so I can have that "custom" response. When all along, a good ol' Marine Band, was really all I needed.
Tomorrow I'll go about carving up a new neck but I'll never let go of my appreciation for the Marine Band.
PS- I love the way that G sounds.
---------- Be safe, keep the faith, and don't let em tearrrrrr ya down.
Last Edited by on Feb 25, 2011 9:01 PM
Bummer, hope your next build goes better. I've got the cigar box guitar bug too, but I took the lazy man's route-got a three stringer on order. Inspired by Sea Sick Steve's YT videos and our own Hobostubs. ----------
Last Edited by on Feb 25, 2011 8:45 PM
Yeah, I thought about building one a while back but I really made up my mind when Hobostubs posted his last video. The body's ready to go. Wired for sound and everything. I think I'm going to skip the stain to save some time and get to making some noise.
---------- Be safe, keep the faith, and don't let em tearrrrrr ya down.
Last Edited by on Feb 25, 2011 8:48 PM
Here's a cool video that shows a kind of reverse thinking on CBG. The Jack Daniels guitar that I showed off recently was built with this design--except I used solid wood instead of the metal channel for the neck--anyway, something to think about--the music sure sounds good.
The lap steel hasn't pulled me away from harp really--but it's hard to for me to practice regular repertoire now with that steel starting at me--it's just so much fun to play! I'm already building another shorter scale lap steel for an E tuning--this shit is addictive. . .
---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
Looking forward to hearing that one Old Wailer. Can you not use different open tunings on one lap steel guitar? Is it because the neck is not reinforced? Here is a cherry Cohiba box that I am using in mine. It's a cedar box. The neck and bridge will be stained black. If this turns out to be something I take to next time I will do a 4 stringer kit project.
Yes, you can tune the same steel to different tunings--the neck on the one I finished a while back is solid Oak clear through the can and it's almost 2 inches thick--doesn't need a rod. I mainly just hate re-tuning all the time and it breaks strings pretty often--so I'd like to have a guitar for each major tuning I use when it's possible--and these are just fun to build.
I haven't tried one with real frets yet--that might be my next one after the one I'm on. I also haven't tried one less than 6 strings--I know they sound great, but I've always been used to having those other strings.
I'd love to hear that Cohiba if you can post a sample of the sound--or any other CBG's--I'll put some harp with my next CBG demo to make it more on topic for this forum. . .
---------- ==================================== Always be yourself--unless you suck. . . -Joss Whedon
Cut out a new neck today. Skipped the stain process, glued everything up and strung it tonight. Broke a string tuning it up :( The other two sound pretty good though! Enough to make me want to use what I learned to make a second one of greater quality.
---------- Be safe, keep the faith, and don't let em tearrrrrr ya down.
Last Edited by on Feb 25, 2011 8:45 PM
