the gittershop

Bamboo flute, frogheels, patricians, etc.

2009-03-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

THIS is a bad picture of a bamboo flute. So, I messed with the color and contrast. Now it looks iconic.

Rosewood headstock overlay.

Harmony Patrician project.

Frog heel banjo still underway.

Now that's some grain! Maple is amazing wood.

The headless picker

2009-02-27T18:14:00.000-08:00

Here's a shot from Nancy P. of the headless picker. He occasionally stops building instruments and actually plays one.

He sometimes pretends to be Bill Frisell or Ry Cooder, and only performs in the dusty gittershop concert hall to an audience of mice.

He has been building bamboo flutes recently, and dern if they aren't a quicker build than a guitar or banjo. It's nice to complete an instrument in twenty or thirty minutes for a change.

Banjo Progress

2009-02-24T01:50:00.000-08:00

This one has to be done by March 14th.

And wrapped up with a bow on it.

The blonde fretboard is piano maple. Maple headstock overlay is from the maple

tree in the front yard of my old homeplace. Black walnut neck w/ frog heel is from an

old shelf in my great uncle's basement. This thing has a history and it isn't even born yet,

which is a great start in life, I believe.

Oh, and if you want me to build you a banjo, just email me. They are cheaper than you think. I mean, all the wood is free at least...

MWB's gitter, ASC's gitter & FAV's banjo

2009-02-11T15:04:00.000-08:00

MWB's GREAT BLUE HERON FRETBOARD INLAY & SHOT OF FRET SLOTTING OPERATION.

FAV'S HOPTOAD HEEL CARVING IN PROGRESS.

ASC'S COHIBA BOX TRI-CAN IN PROGRESS.

Another cig box neck is roughed out

2009-01-13T15:32:00.000-08:00

From a maple beam from that old piano we took apart. This one is going out to a friend of mine who has helped me walk the valley. THANKS!

Black walnut headstock overlay with a strip of boxwood down the middle. V-neck with some nice flame on one side.

National Guitars call it a "Tri-cone". I call this one the "Tri-can" - it will have three resonators made from one Cafe Bustelo can and two smaller El Pato hot sauce cans.

This thing is going to be great. And, it is making itself...

Can you sympathize with me?

2009-01-09T00:35:00.000-08:00

So, I'm sitting here at 3:40 a.m., and have been drawing this draft plan for hours. I'll be paying for this in a couple hours when I have to get up and work on the farm... oh well.

It's too late to fire up the saw, so drawing is the next best thing.

I have been thinking about the nyckelharpa, an incredible Swedish instrument. That's where I started from. I think this violin will really work well and sound great. The neck, head, bridge and tailpiece will all be traditional.

prototype WORKS!

2009-01-04T05:42:00.000-08:00

the prototype is glued up and strung for a test run. Still not done done, but that will come now that I know the thing works. And it works GREAT. Low action, really cool sound and it looks just like I wanted it to. It plays perfectly all the way up te fretboard, and truly exceeded all of my expectations. Also pictured is the Tarleton guitar neck in its current state and a beautiful Ed Thomas painted box. The image of the guitar is on the back & Ed painted a sunburst on the front. Rock and roll will never die!

Two string turtle shell and deer hide instrument

2009-01-03T05:09:00.000-08:00

This one's not for sale, folks. It actually works! Picked or bowed, it makes a plucky little sound. Similar to the 'rebab' or spike fiddle of Northern Africa/ Mid East.

Old Piano Wood

2009-01-02T21:56:00.000-08:00

I'm getting an old 1920s baby grand piano for free. No, folks, I don't play piano, but I do operate a screwdriver and a hacksaw. It's going to be dismantled and mined for some nice old guitar wood! Spruce, Ebony, Mahogany! Ivory on the keys - I hate that it came from a wonderful elephant, but I'll try to generate some good karma by building a new beautiful thing from it.

It's actually a nice piano, a Feurich, maybe worthy of restoration. A baby grand would be a pretty cool thing to have in the house. But not as cool as a bunch of guitars.

Glue on the gitter

2009-01-02T16:42:00.000-08:00

So, I thought I'd have this prototype cigar box guitar ready for our Friday Night popcorn party, but alas, the day ran short on me...

BUT, it's looking good, and Clyde dog liked it too. Frets are on and level, and I'm using old school violin tuning pegs on it, just because that's what I had lying around on the workbench. May switch them out later.

OAHU is GONE

2008-12-30T22:03:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-22T18:20:00.000-08:00

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!

2008-12-21T08:16:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-11T09:07:00.000-08:00

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

2008-12-10T07:48:00.001-08:00

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

2008-12-09T14:54:00.000-08:00

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.