OAHU is GONE

I'm kind of happy to report that the Oahu has found its new owner! It was hard to let that one go, but it couldn't stay here...

I set it up in its original lap steel configuration and it played very well. Nice old git.

THE TARLETON cigar box guitar

I must tell all you people, whoever you might be, that the work on the Tarleton's Oak cigar box guitar is underway. The neck is roughed out, and man, that is some hard old oak. It's a V-neck that will have a slotted headstock, like an old parlor guitar. Black Walnut Fretboard to be added... The body has F-holes and a wonderful Edward Thomas painting on the back. The subject matter shall remain a secret until the pics are posted.

I believe that I will also add the infamous Cafe Bustelo can resonator to this machine as well.

This is exciting for me! Ed is already bugging me about getting these machines finished and he has already started painting his second one. I've got a third box ready for him.

If Tarleton had been as tough as this old oak tree, he might have done better....

12/26/08

The neck is almost done. I'm expecting to pick up the boxes from Ed this coming week and hopefully have a guitar put together by next Friday. It's killing me to get this thing done!

I think Ed's got some more wood from some locally 'famous' trees. One really famous one.

NEW beautiful parlor guitar!

Stromberg-Voisinet Parlor Guitar
Model no. 49 Hawaiian

THIS thing is so cool. Pearloid fretboard! Hawaiian scene painted on the front. Marquetry all around the edges.

These are pre-restoration pics..... Needs a little work to get it going again.

COLLABORATION with artist Ed Thomas

REALLY great news. Charlottesville artist Edward Thomas and I are collaborating on some great cigar box guitars. Ed and I grew up together in Winchester, Virginia, and finally have reconnected on this project. We're both pretty excited about them & will post pictures as soon as they're available. We plan on putting them up for sale here and at the Consignment House on Charlottesville's downtown mall.

Ed just had a nice big featured article in the C'ville weekly. NICE for him to get some more attention, as he is among the greatest of our contemporary painters. He really is. No joke.

Ed also gave me some nice wood for making instruments - some nice wide Black Walnut, and of Charlottesville fame, some planks from what was called "Tarleton's Oak" for years.... where they thought Tarleton and his men camped out. Wherever Tarleton camped, it looks like some nice cigar box guitar neck wood.

Banjer and More

This is my dragonfly banjo. Black walnut neck and fretboard, poplar pot (may veneer in maple, oak or cherry...).
Dragonfly inlay in pre-inlay stage, getting routed out and prepped.

Cedar headstock overlay.

The Oahu is looking better little by little:

DUDE, where's my spokeshave?????:

Guitars waiting for their turn...

A neat old Slingerland Parlor sized guitar getting an attitude adjustment and a new fretboard....

The Harmony Patrician, taken apart for crack repair.

MORE WORKS IN PROGRESS

Above is a really nice old Oahu Publishing company parlor sized guitar. These pics are pre-restoration. It's currently in the shop. Spruce top, probably Koa sides and back. This is a really nice old late 30s/40s guitar with plenty of tone and lots of character. Wonderful player.

And, above, a super cool Harmony Patrician archtop. These are pre-restoration pics as well. It's also in the shop right now. Mahogany sides, back and top w/ a spruce strip through the middle. Somebody scratched the name "Gene" into the fretboard between every fret! Autry?? Who knows. Character, character, character. This is a beautiful instrument.

In the works

Well, here are just a few teasers. These are all works in progress. This Dickerson Lapsteel is a nice one from the late 30s, early 40s. Pickup to be rebuilt to original specs, new bridge and body repairs to be made, new electronics to be added.

Kind of a pearloid calamine lotion/yellowish color. Very cool old instrument. email with questions!

Next is 'THE PREP' - an old archtop acoustic guitar with great action, great old antique tone. It's most likely a Supertone, based on the tailpiece. This guitar is a wonderful player, and I almost want to keep it for myself! The instrument was built in the mid to lates 30s. Comes with the old original braided strap. One small finish repair was made on this guitar.

Cigar Box Guitar! Obviously, not from the 30s, 40s or 50s, but very cool nonetheless. Bound f-holes, black walnut neck and fretboard, dovetail neck joint & half of a coffee can for a resonator. Tailpiece is from an old Stella guitar (not shown). I'll be be building a lot of these. Some will have pickups for those of you who wish to get all Bo-Diddly on us. I'd love to build a custom box for you - email with inquiries!

So, these are just a few. I'll be posting all of them in time.