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If you have one of those colossal, bonehead, 'DOH' moments building, tell us about it here. Aw come on, admit it. You've done something completely inept. We wanna here about it.

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Latest Activity: Jun 21, 2019

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Going to fast to get one last one ready for fair

Started by Shawn Jun 24, 2015. 0 Replies 0 Likes

Well I finally did it. I thought yah I got time to build two diddle bows before this weekends fair. Both turned out nice looking and sound nice well except this one.opps got my fret count wrong on…Continue

I'd love to say I did this While doing something important...

Started by Wolf Schlyczk. Last reply by Stephan Ziemba Nov 2, 2014. 4 Replies 0 Likes

I was cleaning up my shop ... cutting up bits too big for my wood stove... Evidently ran past the pusher on my angle gilhooley... hit the thumb pretty square... never touched the nail...

The mess I'm (trying) to work in.

Started by Jon Pruett. Last reply by Stephan Ziemba Nov 2, 2014. 14 Replies 1 Like

Not sure about the rest of ya'll, but every once in a while I'll try to clear up enough space to set down a box almost kill myself falling into the mess my shop has become. …Continue

Pushing the envelope until it explodes

Started by Glenn Reither Oct 31, 2014. 0 Replies 0 Likes

I was making a 3 string for a VERY small lady, so I tried to make a very low profile neck for her tiny hands. All was going well until I tested the rigidity and discovered I had made a pretty good…Continue

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Comment by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on March 30, 2010 at 8:03am: Jeff, I understand Einstein had trouble tying his shoes. Everything is relative, I suppose.

Comment by Jeff "Sweet T" Tinsley on March 30, 2010 at 7:20am: " You always learn more from your failures than you do your successes. "

I agree, Josh.... but with my success to failure ratio, why am I not ranked among Einstein, Newton, Feynman, Hawking, et al?

Comment by Wichita Sam on March 30, 2010 at 7:18am: my first build, I didn't allow enough room for the tuners, so I had to scab on extensions and wings.....

Comment by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on March 30, 2010 at 7:04am: Here's a quick bit of advice for any guys who put truss rods in their necks: Calculate how much wood you have between the back of the neck and the rod (use a vernier caliper or something) and then DON'T CARVE AWAY MORE THAN THAT!! There is nothing more disheartening then carving out the perfect neck and then suddenly seeing the truss rod exposed through the back.

Comment by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on March 30, 2010 at 6:58am: Definitely a group worth joining. You always learn more from your failures than you do your successes.

Comment by Dave Onastik on March 30, 2010 at 6:21am: 1st photo - I was very proud of the notch I routed out for my magnetic pickup, until I realized that I cut out the wrong side of the neck. Crap! 2nd photo - My fix; I cut off the lower end of the neck at the notch, flipped over, and glued back on. It seems to be a pretty strong joint, but to be safe, I decided to make this a 3 stringer instead of a 4.

Comment by Alan Roberts on March 30, 2010 at 4:58am: OK, I'll go first. I did the SMART thing and did a full-size sketch for my peg head. The STUPID thing was, I screwed up.

I'll give everyone a minute to see what I done wrong. Time's up. I have the three strings passing through the CENTER of the tuners, not the sides. A minor screwup, true, but it annoys me when I take time and planning to do something idiotic like that. It still works. The lyre problem was worse. I measured carefully and even did a test on a piece of scrapwood (ALWAYS do a test first) before drilling holes to accept the tuning pins. When I put the pins in, though, the holes were too big. No way in hades would they hold the strings in tune. FRAK! But I then drilled MUCH bigger holes and put hardwood dowels in. Then, with utmost care, I re-drilled correct holes right down the center of each dowel. It works and looks cool. NOTE PLEASE -- use only hardwood for such repairs, I don't thing softwood would stand up well, especially to zither tuning pins which screw into place.

Comment by peedyboy clark on March 30, 2010 at 4:23am: on my first build ,i glued the box shut,before mounting the pickup inside,but i have learned from my mistake ,thankfully,what a dippo i am,haha

Comment by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on March 30, 2010 at 3:13am: Ok, nothing bad just yet, one hole drilled off a bit for my string screw/nut but it still works. I'm sure something is coming though.

Comment by Alan Roberts on March 30, 2010 at 3:01am: I'm in. Does it HAVE to be CBGs? I had a major screwup on a lyre that I was able to fix. People having trouble drilling holes for tuners might benifit.