Pizzatop Telecaster

SHONKY PIZZATOP TELECASTER

 

This is the latest From The Shonky Shed. For sale on Ebay as we speak.

 

When I've not been making CBG's I have been experimenting with different ideas for a unique finish to adorn my normal guitars with. I have tried several Ideas see Here and Here for two previous Ideas,

ok so maybe a bit hectic for most with all the colours hence the name Pizzatop but the technique is there. Future guitars will sport a similar finish but with more tastefull colour schemes and should be able to do patterns although I am a disciple of randomness and chaos.

Yes It has a plywood body which is actually quite resonant.

Here are the pics and details.

 

Body: Vintage(80's - 90's?) Ply body (possibly Squier) 44mm thick.

Neck: Unkown make Maple neck, Maple fingerboard . Offset black fret markers. D shape profile. fairly flat radius, nice version of the traditional style headstock.

Pickups - Bridge: Unknown re-used possibly Squier.  Neck: New Artec ceramic neck tele pickup.

Tuning Machines: Re-used Vintage style. (Came with the neck).

Controls:Budget Control plate and potentiometers.

Bridge: Re-used tele 6 saddle top loader.

Unique 3 ply egg shaped scratchplate.

Finish: Unique"Pizzatop" Multicolored hand painted top. with gloss Lacquer. Black satin "powdercoat" effect back sides and headstock. Slippery smooth Gloss lacquered neck.

Scale Length:25.5"

Weight: 3.7kg.

The Shonky Pizzatop Tele is the result of much experimentation and is the first completed Shonky guitar featuring this paint technique. The finish has as light ripply texture due to some areas of paint been thicker than others. It is enhanced by the unique egg shaped scratchplate.

The body is an old probably late 80's early 90's Squier plywood one (Good quality solid dense ply with very nicely routed cavities) 44mm width.

The Controls are new albeit budget stock chromed metal and offer solid smooth operation and work very well with good tonal variation.

Bridge Pickup is a re-used unknown make possibly Squier. It is relatively low output but gives out a bright trebly cutting tone Ideal for funky riffs.

Rather Snazzy Embossed foil Logo. Vintage style tuning machines.

Neck pickup is an Artec ceramic. 6.8k. Warm and Jazzy.

Neck is a very flat radius unknown make with a nice alternative take on the classic tele style headstock and unusual offset fret markers.

 

Production will definately be slowing down now as we are moving house in late january. I will also be getting a new bigger workshop :-)

 

 

La Calbana Flor Fina 6 String Cigar Box Guitar

La Calbana Flor Fina  String CBG

Click On Pics to go to web album

The Latest from Shonky Towers is this remarkable road worn, nay! abused 6 string.
The La Calbana box was pretty rough and beaten up already and the neck is one off an old no name Strat which had also led a rough life so the two where destined  to be joined in Shonky matrimony.

I have added to the relic appearance using several techniques. Dents and scratches are created by stone walls tools, teeth. cutlery etc.  The staining and patina is actually created using acrylic paints. The Hardware is chemically aged using acids and then neutralised and copper grease is applied to all the moving parts.

The vintage  machine heads are the ones that came with the neck and although are the cheap generic economy tuners are very firm and stable and hold the tuning perfectly.
It sports a tune-o-matic style bridge and tailpiece for sustain.

Control Knobs are fashioned from spent 12 bore shotgun cartridges.

A hand cut brass plate from an off cut. holds the vintage unknown pickup with a custom scrap wood cover.

This Cigar box also has the addition of a hand carved leg rest. (As you may have noticed by now!).  I originally made this as a normal cigar box guitar but on it's first assembly it was far too neck heavy. (The neck is particularly heavy). So as Cigar boxes are inventions of necessity i.e:I like to believe the following would more than likely have been the thought process behind the creation of a cigar box guitar traditionally:
I need a guitar - I can't afford one.
Then I'll make one - I don't have the necessary materials or skills to build a proper guitar.
Then I'll have to improvise and make one from bits and bobs (Builder then goes and makes one from bits and bobs.
So that's the mindset I try to follow when building a CBG. so the problem was It's too neck heavy and uncomfortable so solution wise I wanted to actually find a bit of fancy scrap wood from an old chair or piece of furniture to use as a bit of ballast and act as a leg rest at the same time but after several weeks of looking nothing came up so I decided to fashion one from a bit of mahogany and make it look like it once belonged to a piece of fancy furniture.

It works beautifully and the guitar is now very comfortable to play. the top of the box is ideal to rest your forearm on for finger picking at the lower end of the neck.
It has a proper old school sound. Nice and warm on a clear channel and it lives up to it's dirty looks when you slap the overdrive on.  There is  bit of fizz and hum in the background from the pickup which I love in the same way I love the crackle of vinyl.

The neck although old and probably not a very expensive one and very battered plays very nicely. I have given it a light fret dress and they are lovely and smooth with no sharp bits. It has a clear matt lacquer on the back. It is also straight and true.

Action is set reasonably low for combination slide and fretting. (Could go lower) Nut is the original plastic one.
It is strung with a basic set of 9's and tuned to open D.

The only new parts on this instrument are the bridge and tailpiece, Strings, potentiometers, wires and Input socket. The rest of it is constructed from entirely recycled re-used or reclaimed material and parts.

If you like this one then you might also like THIS one

Cheers :-)

Diddy Bow

No not a spelling mistake. This is the Diddy Bow so named because of it's tiny dimensions.
Total length 26" / 67cm
Scale Length 19" / 48cm
Box Size: 6.25" / 16cm X 4.5" / 11cm
1 String + Piezo Pickup.

First Picture is next to my Beli CBG for comparison.

 Purple Heart Nut

 Floating Purple Heart Bridge

This one is  very rustic using basic tools which I find very satisfying and is in the true spirit of CBG building. I really like the picture on the box. The neck is hand shaped and set at a jaunty angle. I didn't notice until I was finishing it that there was what looked like a crack right through in the centre of the neck having put a fair bit of pressure on it and not breaking it I figure this must be a crack that must have occured when the wood was growing and then healed.

Sounds rough and ready as it should.

For sale Soon.

Banjo ukulele

I've finished the Tambolele banjo ukulele banjolele call it what you will.
Total cost about £20. and about 4 hours work.
It's a bit rough as I just wanted to get it done and not spend to much time on the finish but because I was rushing I got the holes in the peg head wrong so had to fill and re-drill and paint the headstock to cover it up. The painting didn't go too well either. . It should have 12 frets but I didn't take into account the rim of the drum so had to cut the fret board a bit short so now it only has 11. However taking all that into account it actually sounds pretty damn good. I will try and sort out a recording of it so I can put a sound file up.
Any way here's the pics.

Taking the Tambourine apart. Pretty easy. the pins that hold the jingles in place just pull out.

Making the neck.

The neck was just made from some scrap Mahogany. I made a fret board from a Beli off cut and fretted it. I have now invested in a fretsaw as doing it with a coping saw was working OK it just takes too long and can quite easily go wrong.

The neck is shaped. I have cut a block to go either end of the hoop.

These are the only Construction photo's I have the rest are the finished item.

I made the neck quite chunky as a normal soprano I find too thin to play comfortably.

The nut and tuners are from a damaged Cheap ukulele I got in a job lot of spares or repair instruments many moons ago. I made the Bridge and fashioned a (Very Rustic) Tail piece from some sheet Aluminium. I almost wished I spent a bit more time on it. I am in the process of making two concert scale cigar box ukes.

Ukulele's and the Tambolele a Ukulele made from a cheap tamborine.

My little 2 yr old boy Leonard, loves guitars, no surprise really as he's surrounded by them. When he comes into my study he goes from guitar to guitar strumming each one in turn. Last Christmas we bought our nephew a Ukulele. After much research we got him a Hudson Aloha HUK-S soprano ukulele when he visited a couple of weeks ago he brought it around and Leonard had a go and really loved it and got on quite well with it. I also had a play and yes, I now have the bug and can quite understand why there so popular.
Any ways I decided to get a couple one for Leonard and one for myself.
This is the one for Leonard....

I saw it and it just had to be had and for £20 too you can't go wrong.

For myself I went for the Concert size Samick Greg Bennett UK70 for £80

Having received both of them and playing both, I thought it would be interesting to do a comparative review of them both.

Lets look at the aesthetics first I think they both have something going for them in this area. The Mahalo is fun and quite clever design wise with the double sound holes for eyes (I wish I had thought of it).

The Samick is also very nice with the funky headstock spruce soundboard, Book matched Rosewood back and rosewood  sides and Abolone Inlay around the edge and the sound hole. The tuners is where the Mahalo scores an upset. Both have cheap tuners The Mahalo however at least tries with the dolphin shape whereas the Samick looks like it has the cheapest open geared tuners without even tension adjustable buttons. for me this is a big let down considering the overall appeal. The trouble is it would even be difficult to upgrade as your going to be left with an exposed screw hole which is a shame.

Build Quality finish and materials.

(Taking price into account). The Mahalo is obviously made with the cheapest materials Maple ply and maple for the neck however it is made to be solid and reliable it's target customers are kids so it has to be. The Samick may be Rosewood and spruce but veneered not solid so "posh ply" And with a solid Mahogany Neck.

Again the Mahalo edges ahead with it's appointment of a "Tusq" nut and Compensated saddle and again the Samick lets itself down with a cheap plastic saddle and the nut is a thin bit of plastic.

The Finish on the Mahalo is perfectly adequate for the price, it is, missing any soundboard markers on the front, only having them on the side of the finger board which I feel is a bit unusual considering it is really a learners instrument but maybe that's a good thing as it means you don't have to crane your head over to look at it either.

On the box of the samick it states that it is of heirloom quality! It is finished in a high gloss lacquer which is very attractive bringing out the Rosewood especially nicely. There is the odd tiny blemish and scratch here and a big glob of glue on the fingerboard where the nut was glued on and  and with those tuners heirloom quality it isn't, but what you would expect for the money. In fact The mahalo is supposed to be a limited edition so may be more collectible in the future.

Sound:

So far, for me the Mahalo is ahead surprisingly but this is where the Samick should be far superior and thus even the score. well I was quite disappointed actually. The Samick was in tune out of the box whereas the Mahalo has pretty nasty nylon strings which don't stay in tune at all but I will be changing the strings on both of them. The Samick does have a very nice tone too it warm soft and mellow but very very quiet. The Mahalo is a bit more boxy and as the look of it would suggest more fun sounding and amazingly much much louder than the Samick and with the compensated saddle intonates better than the Samick (When it's in tune).

I was going to comment on Playability but as I am a novice to the world of Ukuleles and I have big hands  I don't find them particularly easy to play. The Soprano Mahalo is just too small so thats why I went for a concert size for myself. I know there is the tenor and baritone uke to consider. I will say that the samick does have quite a sharp edge to the body which digs into my wrist  and leaves quite deep impressions making  me look like a self harmer.

So there we have it the winner for me is the Mahalo. Crazy? yes. the Samick is very pretty (apart from the ugly tuners but sound wise doesn't live up to it's looks and certainly doesn't sound 4 times better than the Mahalo which looks fun sounds funky and loud and is cheap as chips. It seems Samick have concentrated on the aesthetics too much surely a solid spruce top would have been a better option.  I will however upgrade the saddle and nut for the Samick and Also get some better strings for them both which should make a bit of  a difference.

I wish I had bought the Hudson Aloha concert size now for about £60 as judging from my nephews Hudson Soprano it will be a very good instrument. for the money.

I have also decided to make a Banjolele As this is what I really wanted but funds are a bit low at the moment so I bought one of these.

£8.99 from Tonedeaf Music on EBay. This is what will make the body.  Updates will be posted shortly.

Beli 3 string Cigar box

Here is the finished cigar box that my recent Build Log was documenting. well nearly finished I have decided to find some brass sheet to make a tailpiece out of as I think it will suit the gold better. I also have a gold strap pin to put on too.

I am very pleased with how this one has turned out putting the neck through the centre of the box was a pretty good move as the sound transmits from the strings throughout the whole body so even without a sound hole it's certainly loud enough for acoustic strumming. Amped up is pretty good too the Teisco pickup produces a warm tone with enough low fi grittiness to keep it on the mojo side of things. It is a bit buzzy though.
For sale? No I'm keeping this one for myself. at least for a while.

Specification.

Body: Back and sides from a vintage cigar box (unsure of wood) Top made from 4 pieces of beli with a central bubinga stripe.

Neck: Beli

Fingerboard: Bubinga

Frets: 21 narrow medium nickel silver.

Bridge: Purpleheart with nickel silver fret wire top.

Nut: Purpleheart

Tailpiece: Stainless Steel

Machine heads: Gold plated

Pickup: Teisco single coil behind a Mahogany cap.

Controls: full size 500k Volume pot with a Bubinga capped gold plated Knob.

Length:

Width:

Scale length: 25.5"

Weight: 1.3 kg / 2lb 9 oz

Here's the pictures:

Making a Cigar box guitar. Part 3

Now we have the Body and neck joined together It's just a matter of fixing the top but wait a minute I don't like the top of the box for this one. It's a bit boring and there's some unsightly Ink Stains. ( I normally quite like them to have marks and stains on them but only if they aesthetically pleasing.

Also I have several Thin slices of the Beli left over from Trimming the neck which i decide to laminate together with a thin strip of Bubinga to form the top. This is really going to compliment the neck and headstock.

I can almost get a bookmatched effect even.

Here it is laminated and sanded and put on the top of the box.

I did have a rather small oversight during this procedure I measured the new top against the old top which was left a 4mm gap I will just cut another thin strip of Beli to fill it when I Glue the top on.

Usually My CBG's are sealed with no access hatch to the electronics so I have to decide what to use before I glue the top on. Normally it's a 27mm piezo disc which gives a great authentic and raw blues sound particularly through a little amp but for this one as it's a bit special I have an old tiesco pickup which I'm going to use. This is whats inside the metal casing.

Coincidentally the depth of the pickup is exactly the same depth as the wood top. the Magnet is loose in the middle so I cut a nice piece of thin mahogany which will fit over the top and be attched to the top surface of the lid and another small piece to stick to the bottom just to keep the magnet in place.

Then cut a hole in the top just enough for the pickup part to fit through and glue the wood overhang to the top of the box.

I'm also going to put a single volume control on it so I need to solder this all up and drill the holes in the body for the Volume pot and for the jack socket as the back wall of the guitar is to thick I use a wood auger bit to drill a recess of about 3 mm then drill the normal hole for the socket to fit through.

Soldering is the part I hate the most I'm pretty good at it now but it's taken a lot of practice and swearing and burnt fingers to get the hang of it.

Once this is done I fit the socket and volume pot and then it's time to glue the top on.

Before this is done I maybe would cut some soundholes but as this one has a proper pickup I'm going to leave that for the moment. besides I don't want to cut into the top.

Firstly I glue some strips of wood to the inside top and bottom for the lid to sit on a bit like kerfing on an acoustic guitar. (it will already sit on the sides although sometimes on real flimsy boxes I will do this all the way round.)

Once these have set, time for the top.

I also slot the thin strip of Beli into the gap at the bottom of the guitar.

While this is drying I make a little bubinga cap for a gold control knob that I had in my spares box about. (probably had a mother of peral one originally but long lost)

And also make a bridge out of purpleheart and a strip of fret wire.

And a tailpiece out of some stainless steel sheet offcut. I might replace this one with a brass one as it will go with the gold better but I don't have any at the moment.

Once the top is dry I use filler to fill all the little gaps around the neck and edge of the lid and the gaps where the hinges where and nail holes where the catch was.

Using a Dremel I carve out my name into the pickup cover.

Then It's a matter of final sanding down to 240 grit you could go down finer it depends on how much time you want to spend on it.  I reckon on 70 to 80% of the time building is taken by sanding. I also like to round off the edges off the box to make it a little more comfortable to play and hold.

You also need to drill some holes in your headstock ( I actually probably did this earlier but just remembered :-))

Once you have done this it's probably wise to fit the hardware and string it up and see what it sounds like and make sure everything works but I'm going to have faith and finish it with two coats of sanding sealer (Sanding between coats) and two coats of my own formulation low sheen (virtually matt) varnish.

And then once it's dry. attach all the hardware, string it up and finally hear it's voice.

 Finished guitar

Thank you for reading :-)