The Second Remedy MP3 Sample Sold

This is the second in a series of four Remedy guitars. Like the first Remedy this guitar features an all wood Remedios 92 cigar box with a 35 inch maple neck. It has three strings tuned DAd. Unlike the first version, this one has an added sound hole and the box has been distress for a vintage, well played appearance.

The Remedy MP3 Sample Sold

The Remedy is an all wood Remedios 92 cigar box with a maple neck aproximately 35 inches long. It has three strings tuned AEa, a bolt for a nut and a standard banjo bridge.

The Partagas Two MP3 Sample Sold

This is a yellow, paper-coverd Partagas cigar box with a cherry neck marked along the top with 24 frets and a maple fingerboard marked with 6 key positions. This one stringed diddley bow is around 32 inches tall.

The Partagas Sold

This is a red, paper-coverd Partagas cigar box with a cherry neck marked along the top at 13 fret positions. This one stringed diddley bow is only around 24 inches tall, so it is the perfect travel instrument

The Black Dulcimer sold

The Black Dulcimer is a primitive hybrid instrument made from a painted metal tin with a long scale neck, fretted dulcimer style. It has four stings, two bass drone strings and two high strings tuned to the same note which are fretted together to create the melody. The fingerboard is made from a piece of maple with steel wire threaded through it to make primitive, but effective frets, a technique I'd like to experiment with more in the future. When played, The Black Dulcimer sounds like a banjo played through bagpipes in a bathroom.

The Wawel sold Etsy Featured Item 12-23-06

This "Finest Quality Wawel Chocolates" box came from the Goodwill Store. The neck is shaped from red oak and stained to match the color of the box. I shaped the headstock in an attempt the reflect the little gold decorations on the corners of the chocolate box. The fingerboard, tailpiece, bridge and nut are all made from a natural color oak. The fingerboard was notched out at fret positions and the notches were filled with a contrasting color of wood filler. Brass screws not only hold the fingerboard in place, but also mark the key fret locations. The bridge is mounted on a pair of bolts and its height is adjustable. As it is, the action is low enough that it can be played with a slide or as fretless guitar. Several coats of lacquer were applied to the box and neck, and it looks pretty good,

The Scalloped Maduro sold

This is a collection of experiments that came together into one little guitar that is very different from any of the others I've made so far. Two of the strings run through holes in the headstock into reversed tuning machines. I also used bridge pins to secure the strings rather than a tailpiece. The biggest departure though, is the scalloping of the neck in between the first 4 frets. This is an ancient method of creating a fingerboard. Because of this primitive fingerboard, the guitar is tuned EAD, like the first three strings of a standard guitar, rather than the open slide tuning I normally use. I decided to use nylon strings so the neck will not get chewed up when fretting. Although they have a good sound, these strings have the unfortunate side effect of lowering the volume output. There are also some issues with stray glue marring the finish, but overall it is an interesting piece.

The Romeo sold

The Romeo is a one string fretless diddley bow made from a Cedro Deluxe Romeo Y Julieta cigar box. It is about 32 inches tall with a 25 inch scale length. The neck is carved from a reclaimed piece of mystery lumber taken from an old coffee table. I think is a hard fruit wood. A few key fret positions are marked along the top of the neck with tiny filled holes. The wood has a nice amount of small worming running across it. I like the look of the bare wood so I finished it simply with some hand rubbing and a very light coat of car polish. I like the way it sounds played fretless while plucking with the thumb or fingers like a bass.