Homemade Guitars Showcase

Mike McBride · Post by **Mike McBride** » 14 May 2008 1:54 am

I am starting this thread so folks can show their homemade guitars.

I am planning to build a low buck 8 or 10 string.

Please also show converted guitars like 6's turned into 8's etc.

Roman Sonnleitner · Post by **Roman Sonnleitner** » 14 May 2008 4:56 am

OK, here we go:

My first, a 6-stting made from African mahogany/khaya wood & maple fretboard, Seymour Duncan P90 pickup:

My second build: 8-string, same kind of wood for the body, zebrano wood for the accents on the body, Jason Lollar Chicagos Steel pickup at the bridge, Vintage Vibe Guitars Stringmaster-type Pickup in the neck position:

Mike McBride · Post by **Mike McBride** » 14 May 2008 5:36 am

Nice work!

Bernard Beck · Post by **Bernard Beck** » 14 May 2008 5:37 am

Not exactly home made, I had the idea of a D8 travel steel (acoustic, with piezo pickups), did some sketch of what I wanted, talked to a Luthier, and after a few conversation, exchanging ideas on what was doable or not doable, he built it for me. The scale lenght is 22.5.

Rocky Hill · Post by **Rocky Hill** » 14 May 2008 5:45 am

This was my first attempt, I am currently working on another.

Rocky

Mike McBride · Post by **Mike McBride** » 14 May 2008 6:11 am

Beautiful..

Let's see some crude ones too!

Tom Pettingill · Post by **Tom Pettingill** » 14 May 2008 8:43 am

We have some great builders on this forum

Here is one I did a while back that most of you have probably already seen.

.

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 14 May 2008 10:42 am

I really appreciate the guitars made from various woods and I did make a guitar from wood once, but my skills are in metal. This is a titanium (ti 6,4) tube frame with machined aluminum 6061 T-6. It has an 8 string bass neck, 34” and a 12-string neck 24” that has a "birdcage" changer, should I ever think it needs pedals. It weighs 27#.

George Piburn · Post by **George Piburn** » 14 May 2008 12:55 pm

Fred Shannon · Post by **Fred Shannon** » 14 May 2008 1:39 pm

Man, George P. I can't wait until the "tone experts" get through working this one over. Well, maybe the wood, no it's in the pickup, probably in the little white box (they're using an A-B switch and some guy in the closet is playing an Emmons Bolt On P/P) through a Sarno box and an Evans amp. (Guess this little number puts some of the "sperts" ideas in the fridge.)

phred

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 14 May 2008 1:41 pm

Great to see so many builders on here. Lots of pleasure in building something yourself.

Gary Anderson · Post by **Gary Anderson** » 14 May 2008 4:21 pm

Here is my crude entry, made a couple of years ago.

Mike McBride · Post by **Mike McBride** » 14 May 2008 5:54 pm

I haven't seen a crude one yet.

Keith Wells · Post by **Keith Wells** » 14 May 2008 6:13 pm

Mike McBride wrote:
Let's see some crude ones too!

I can do that!

Mahogany body, brass nut and bridge, DeArmand 2000 pickup, stainless cover plate covers almost entire body. 22 1/2 inch scale.

The Headstock is kinda funny looking. My idea was to remove only enough material as necessary to install the tuners and strings. The headstock is a full inch thick.

Overall a pretty rough guitar, but it's working well.
I'm building an electric violin now and want to start another steel soon.

-- Keith

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 14 May 2008 7:29 pm

Here is a project that I need to finish one day before Haleys Comet comes back.

It is a simple 6 string lap with a very simple hardware store parts changer on it that can raise two strings and lower one. There are two palm pedals and if you look close you will see a bent piece of stainless steel that is a knee lever. I need to make a cover mount for the vol/tone pot. I also need to experiment with some different size return springs. The changer works well and there are some springs inside the body and a concentric cam assembly for the knee lever. The fretboard is old Shobud stock I got from the late Ed Naylor. Someday I will finish it....just too many projects.

David Venzke · Post by **David Venzke** » 14 May 2008 8:21 pm

I don't think this is crude, but it is pretty plain jane...

A piece of poplar with a 1" x 3/4 oak stiffener running down the length of the back. Angle aluminum at both ends. An Altoids tin for a resonator with a $3 Radio Shack piezo buzzer inside the tin acting as an acoustic pickup that's wired to the 1/4" jack in the side of the tin. Bridge is a bolt with the head sawed off and square nuts on each end. $8.00 tuners at the head end. The most expensive piece is the real rosewood fretboard and nickel-silver frets. I had less than $20 into this before I added that fretboard.

It is 25" scale and the string spacing is the same as my reso. I carry this in the back seat of my car and play it during breaks and lunch time -- great way to get in at least an hour a day.

-Dave

Mike McBride · Post by **Mike McBride** » 15 May 2008 12:40 am

I really enjoy seeing the ingenuity you folks have used. I am taking notes and accumulating parts.

I have 12 new Grover tuners and a board off of a shipping pallet. I have some 8 1/2" x 11" plastic dividers out of a 3 ring binder that are pretty thin and can be easily cut to size to make a pickguard.

I plan to secure a used George L pickup for use on this guitar.

I grew up on a small farm where being frugal was considered mandatory. I anticipate my total costs when complete at under $100.

Phill Martin · Post by **Phill Martin** » 15 May 2008 2:54 am

Do Fankinslides count? I'm in the process of a putting avalco pickup on a Ohau with a lestrem vibrato bridge.
Phill

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 15 May 2008 5:24 am

here are some models that french fo'bro Tony Quedeville made
he's not a pro builder mind you
just a down home cat that loves steels

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Ma patience n'a pas de limite

Mike McBride · Post by **Mike McBride** » 15 May 2008 5:30 am

Are those slide guitars or sled guitars?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 15 May 2008 8:27 am

Those are incredible!

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 15 May 2008 8:40 am

more like Catamaran steels Mike

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 15 May 2008 10:30 am

I applaud all those who have come up with their own creations. Great imagination and ideas.

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 15 May 2008 10:45 am

Bernard Beck,

I've always been intrigued by acoustic lap steels w/o resonator.
How does it sound unamplified?
Is it loud enough unamplified to compete w/other acoustic instruments?

Jim Pitman · Post by **Jim Pitman** » 15 May 2008 10:49 am

Here's somehting I posted a couple of weeks ago. The complete thread is
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=133232

Unfinished:

With finish:

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Homemade Guitars Showcase

Homemade Guitars Showcase

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