This is my first build. I'm going for broke. It's a long time coming. I am just starting it. I will update as I progress. Jon Pruett of sleepinggiantguitars.com built a 4 string cigar box guitar that I bought. It changed my musical life. So did the hand wound pick up. It is called a flat pup. It was made by a guy named Elmar from Austria. His nickname is klangbox. The third thing that changed my musical path is the 4 string tuning I googled and found. It is C,G,C,E. I changed it to C,G,C,Eflat. More info on the tuning is here. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9_mVi_pS-c
This is the sleepinggiantguitar that inspired my build. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2cUlKKwnl48 Over a year ago I bought a solid block of white ash. That wood pays homage to my last 6 string electric, a peavy T-60 circa 1980. I finally went to Jack Cook's house about a month ago and roughly cut it out. Over the past 6 months I have collected parts. A klangbox flatpup pickup like the one in my CBG, machine heads, a floating tremelo, knobs, a complete wiring harness with pots, fret wire, etc etc etc. Jimmy Wheat donated a pickup from a Gibson SG that I have been sitting on for about 10 years. Updates will follow.

I really am happy with almost everything about my sleepinggiantguitars CBG. What I don't like is the initial reaction that people get when they see it. Almost without fail Women laugh and so something like "oh how cute". Admittedly it is. Men laugh and say something like "that's funny". THEN they hear it! Their reaction of shock at just how good it sounds is somewhat validating.

I also hate having to answer "no" when folks ask me if I made it. I love it. I love playing it. I just finally want to make my own. I am making it with the exact same 25.25" scale. I also want it to look more.... traditional I guess. My additions to the sleepinggiantguitar CBG will be the extra pickup, a tremolo (whammy bar), individually adjustable string lengths, and a built in rat distortion pedal.