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Show and Tell: What's your go to guitar?

After my last video, I realized that just about everything I've posted the last couple years uses the same guitar in one way or another. Most of the content here is for showing off a new build, which is great, but I'm guessing there are plenty of CBGs that hang on the wall collecting dust while we play our favorites.

I don't name my CBG's, I simply refer to this as my guitar. It's made from pieces found in my Grandfather's basement so it has sentimental value, but the real reason I pick it up every time is because it's a player. It was my 7th build or so and everything just came together - scarfed headstock, zero fret and a few degree angle on the neck produced the best action I've ever had and makes it a joy to play.

It's always within reach and goes with me when I leave town. It bounces around in the back of my truck and gets played hard and put away wet. It's been through a couple of re-builds and never ending tweaking of the electronics. If I was stranded on a desert island, this would be the one thing I would take with me.

This is the guitar that taught me how to play on 3 strings, and every time I get in a rut and think it's time to move on, my guitar will reveal another lick or chord or song. It won't be long before I've logged more hours on this than any other single instrument I have. It damn near plays itself at this point.

I could go on for days about my guitar, but what I really want to see is your guitar.

Show us your go to, #1 main axe Nation. There's an endless stream of wonderful creations here, but I want to see which ones get played and why. Post pics and videos and wax poetic...

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Permalink Reply by turtlehead on December 2, 2014 at 1:10pm

I don't see your other post anymore RTZ, but wanted to respond. I didn't really think far enough ahead originally and the bridge ended up too far back on the lid and was dead sounding, so I took a page from Pete Seeger and came up with this. Those feet really help to focus the vibration more to the center of the lid.

Lincoln Logs is a great way to describe it actually. The thin strip of maple locks them together and there's a flat violin style piezo underneath that strip.

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Permalink Reply by RTZGUITARS on December 2, 2014 at 7:34pm

If you can get the guitar together without the a hole and play it sometimes you just like the way it sounds. My thinking Turtle is the more sound board the more sound, cutting a hole removes space and vibration as the top is not whole and you have very little space to start. The Uke I just extended the hole that was already in the top from the neck but that leaves a much better sound board and it does work.

It does look like Lincoln logs, I got caught on my paint lid guitar as the lids have ridges. The bridge doesn't have to be in the center but it helps. On these guitars you need to think like a banjo builder sometimes.

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Permalink Reply by Brown Water Jerry (Rice) on December 2, 2014 at 1:20pm

My latest seems to be the one I go for.

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Permalink Reply by Cause the Blue rat on December 5, 2014 at 5:43am

My AutoRATic Rhythm and blues cosmic glider. It plays just as good as most of the electrics I have. Because it's semi hollow it's loud enough to hear wile singing. And as an added bonus it's got a flat bottom.Doesn't need a stand. Always reachable from where I'm sitting. And it sounds good too.

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Permalink Reply by gary sheldon on December 6, 2014 at 2:14pm

Here is my

Here is my "beater" . The neck is the first one I ever made. I have had at least 3 bodies on it. It goes by several names. Test bed. Dreadnaught, Captain Amnerica, etc. The body is home made of cheap materials. Sides are door skin, top is Birch ply. The top is replaceable and I have several tops I can put on it. I keep experimenting with cheap resonators. The best I have found so far is this "stressed" paint can lid. I usually have it with me in my van. It plays very well and has plenty of volume acoustically. It has a piezo, but I seldom use it. The body has a crappy paint job and I didn't bother to paint the top yet.

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Permalink Reply by Cigar Box Gus on December 7, 2014 at 1:50pm

On the left is my go-to three-stringer. I call 'er ¡El Kabong! because it was built specifically to be a beater equally capable of being used for music and self-defense.

The sassy fretted four-stringer on the right has become another go-to. I built 'er last winter but neglected to give 'er a name.

I've got a three-string tin guitar that I use when Kabong isn't quite...icepick-in-your-eardrummy enough.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on December 7, 2014 at 2:56pm

The one on the right = Curly ;-)

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Permalink Reply by Marko Natri on December 8, 2014 at 2:35am

I have couple of guitars and #1 is made of ammo box. Birch neck and mahogny fretboard with barbed wire fretmarks. Tin body gives nice resonator like sound. I keep it front of my tv or on the couch so it´s easy to grab any time I feel to play.

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Permalink Reply by SlowHound on December 8, 2014 at 6:46am

I have 32 cbg's on hand but these are the ones I keep tuned up lately. Three of my builds and the frying pan from Chris Carlson.

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Permalink Reply by Clarky on December 9, 2014 at 4:26am

This is my go to guitar these days. A 3 string acoustic resonator that I made out of a crappy beat up box. Stuck a dog bowl in it and fretted it et voila. It hangs in the hall, and when I'm waiting for the family to head out (happens a lot) or just waiting around I pick it up and have a pluck.

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