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Bill Ludeman Male Palatka, FL United States: Like

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Bill Ludeman's Groups

Sell Those Puppies!

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2 String CBG builds, pla…

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CIGAR BOX KALIMBAS

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It Goes To 11

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unusual guitar designs

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Bill Ludeman's Page

Latest Activity

Wes commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post Pop Rivet string sleeves tips and how-to

"Thanks Bill, this will take care of my next to the last problem."

Apr 1

Bill Ludeman commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"Jon - the mounting tape is double stick adhesive - 3M I think and any office supply store has it. Staples or similar. Its usually used for sticking posters up I think. Its got really good adhesive and…"

Apr 1

Bill Ludeman commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"Hey -Jim - glad that worked so well for you !!"

Apr 1

Jon Leslie/Runaway Veal Music commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"What exact double foam mounting tape please ? And how do you install 1/4 inch jack to cigar box? Most appreciated!!"

Apr 1

Jim Cissell commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"Thanks for posting this detail Bill! I was just finishing up on my first build and thought I'd have to wait to add wiring. I was looking for simple on this first one. With your detail I jumped over to Radio Shack, bought the parts, and had my…"

Apr 1

Bill Ludeman commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"Reply to Dan David - Yes peizo's need to be wired in parallel. They are very high resistance and wiring in series adds more resistance and parallel does the opposite in effect. Plus if one fails in…"

Oct 18, 2012

Bill Ludeman commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"Reply to Hank S - I simply lay down two parallel strips of 1inch wide tape on the neck - as it goes thru the box. I put my piezo's as nearly under the bridge as I can. Then peel the tape release liner off leaving a…"

Oct 18, 2012

Dan David commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"This is a great idea and I want to try it on the banjo. I'd like to use two piezos, and I think I'd just need to wrie them in parallel, right? Any ideas how to mount them to the head? Thanks so much for this…"

Oct 18, 2012

hank stuke commented on Bill Ludeman's blog post How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

"could/will you show pictures of how you mount the piezo element in the guitar with the foam tape? thanks. what about using super glue to do the same thing? thanks again. "

Oct 18, 2012

Bill Ludeman commented on Habanera Hal's group Sell Those Puppies!

"Re - what to take to a show or event. I found a tall stool essential, and for sure a cooler with sandwiches, drinks and ice. Can't leave for long Another thing is extension cords and a decent amp so you can be…"

Dec 26, 2011

Bill Ludeman joined Habanera Hal's group

Sell Those Puppies!

A group to discuss selling the instruments and accessories we build. Where to sell, how to display, what works and what doesn't. Where do you find your buyers? See More

Dec 26, 2011

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Bill Ludeman commented on Habanera Hal's photo

Builder's Entry

"Stunning creative design. I have an odd instrument that someone gave me that must be a shamisen knockoff made in Pakistan - your note gives me a search starting point. Again kudos on gorgeous…"

Dec 25, 2011

Bill Ludeman posted an event

Mount Dora Fl music swap - lots of CBG's at Down the hill from the big Mount Dora flea market Mount Dora Fl

December 12, 2010 from 11am to 5pm

Sunday Dec 12th, we will be at the music swap meet in Mount Dora Fl. Just outside of Orlando. The website ishttp://www.livecfl.comand includes directions etc. This is a monthly thing.Here is a note on directions = Lake County Musician's Swap Meet at Renninger's Antiques Center on Rt. 441 in Mount Dora FloridaSecond Sundays from 11 am until 5 pmNOTE WE WILL NOT BE THERE DUE TO MY HEALTH FOR AT LEAST DEC AND JAN BUT WILL BE BACK IN THE SPRING -EMAIL ME WITH…See More

Dec 2, 2010

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Bill Ludeman commented on korruptus's photo

Muscians Swap Meet

"We do have fun and there was another guy there with Cigarbox Gits. I am almost always there on second sundays and its lots of fun to talk to other builders. Nice to meet you today too! Bill Ludeman"

Nov 14, 2010

Bill Ludeman posted an event

Florida Music Swap meet and CBG's at Mount Dora Flea market -down hill at Reningers Pavillion

November 14, 2010 from 11am to 5pm

Next Sunday Nov 14th, we will be at the music swap meet inMount Dora Fl. Just outside of Orlando. The website ishttp://www.livecfl.comand includes directions etc. This is a monthly thing.Here is a note on directions = Lake County Musician's SwapMeet at Renninger's Antiques Center on Rt. 441 in Mount Dora Florida Second Sundays from 11 am until 5 pm Come see us at booth 315. I will bring thirty or so cigarbox guitars. I have enough of an amp to be heard now…See More

Nov 10, 2010

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Bill Ludeman posted an event

Florida Music Swap meet and CBG's at Down the hill from the big Mount Dora flea market Mount Dora Fl

October 10, 2010 from 10am to 4pm

Next Sunday Oct 10th, we will be at the music swap meet in Mount Dora Fl. Just outside of Orlando. The website ishttp://www.livecfl.comand includes directions etc. This is a monthly thing.Here is a note on directions = Lake County Musician's Swap Meet at Renninger's Antiques Center on Rt. 441 in Mount Dora FloridaSecond Sundays from 11 am until 5 pm Come see us at booth 315. I will bring thirty or so cigarbox guitars. I have enough of an amp to be heard now…See More

Oct 6, 2010

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Gone crazy on these things - I have built two and redone an old Folgers Canjoe that had semi survived a house fire. Its now a great sounding two string! Put a working piezo in each one too. Lots of fun. Probably should learn how to play something! I really like the sound of slide and old time blues..... I have looked at each picutre posted at least two different times - lurking! Finally decided to join.

I am going to try to post pics of the first three instruments along these lines I have built. Also a a short description of each. The first one is an old Folgers Canjoe I bought it from a craftshow guy years ago. It survived a house fire just barely. I converted it to guitar tuners and two strings - It and my Arturo box both have toothpick frets spaced dulcimer/strunstick and the same light strings from Walmart. The last one is really nice looking and I used a kit neck from a Waring Cardboard kit - couldn't bear to use the nice wood on cardboard..... Hope this works.

Bill Ludeman's Photos

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Bill Ludeman's Blog

How I do a simple piezo pickup including tool and parts tips

Posted on March 27, 2010 at 4:30am 18 Comments 0 Likes

Here is how I do a simple piezo pickup

A trip to Radio Shack will get you the piezo and 1/4 inch mono jack. They are in a drawer case towards the back of the store and most stores usually have them in stock. The piezo you are looking for is the 273-073 and costs 2$ and the jacks are #274-255 and are two for 4 You can also pickup a 25 or 30 watt soldering iron and some… Continue

Are Musicians Snobs??? I don't know!

Posted on March 20, 2010 at 4:57am 3 Comments 0 Likes

I have had a great deal of fun building instruments of different kinds but can't claim to be a musician. I had played the cello in high school forty five years ago and started with the harp in 1990. I quickly learned that the harp is a snooty instrument world. Its inhabited by long slender women with long slender fingers - quite a few men too. Mostly guys are harp builders and movers. I accepted my plight and muddled along. I tried a half dozen teachers over the years and learned that they all… Continue

Duh - right side up? While its not that important there is a tradition.

Posted on March 19, 2010 at 6:56pm 5 Comments 0 Likes

I literally put my tuning machines or tuners on upside down AND backwards on my first build. I had no clue there was a right way. After a comment clued me in, I went to Guitar Center and observed that their was a pattern that was always followed. The objective is to have them installed such that the string tension pulls the shaft into the gear instead of away from it. I am using inexpensive Ping Economy tuners and if I put them on right they stay tight. Backwards works ok but there is a… Continue

Pop Rivet string sleeves tips and how-to

Posted on March 19, 2010 at 5:58pm 5 Comments 0 Likes

The best string sleeves I have found are simply pop rivets. I originally bought a small box of 25 from Ace Hardware and paid way to much. Next I found them at Lowes for about half the price Ace got but still cost me 4 or 5 bucks for a small box of a hundred. Then I found a box of five hundred at "Harbor Freight" for four bucks.

Here is the URL for these.… Continue

memory jogging notes on building and playing cbg's

Posted on March 19, 2010 at 2:18am 3 Comments 0 Likes

My shop burned to the ground in June of 2009. Nobody knows for sure what caused it - the fire dept asked me if it was electrical and I said I don't see how, since everything was turned off - so they put it down to electrical..... No insurance.

I had forty years and two hundred thousand dollars invested in that building and contents. I had spent a huge amount of time in it building and designing stuff, including half a dozen harps and all my patterns and jigs for building my harp designs. I… Continue

Comment Wall (9 comments)

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At 12:07pm on April 11, 2010, Mr. Toad said…: Thank you for the information Bill. I think that I will in stall what I have and see what I think. I'll let you know.

At 1:18am on March 28, 2010, Christopher Call said…: I commented on the BLOG, but it's "awaiting approval"! LOL Great info bro!!!!!!!!

At 8:22pm on March 22, 2010, Sonny Wentling said…: hi Bill. ALthough I didnt sell any guitars I did sell 2 custom made amps. The guitars were very well received and a big hit. unfortunately the promoter neglected to mention vendors on the flyer so everyone I talked to thought it was just music and didnt plan on buying anything. It was alot of fun and I'm looking forward to the next one. cb mandolins and banjos r on the burner for the next one in may.

At 9:01am on March 22, 2010, Dianne Woods said…: Bill, guess what---I had two of my tuners up side down. Who would have thought there was a right and wrong way to install them? I didn't. Thank you for the heads up on the tuners and the rivets. I tried it, and it is easy to pop the rivets off.

At 6:12pm on March 19, 2010, Dianne Woods said…: Thanks Bill, it will be much appreciated.

At 5:47am on March 19, 2010, Dianne Woods said…: Thanks Bill, I will try it.

At 4:43am on March 18, 2010, Dianne Woods said…: Bill, it looks like you rivets for the string holes. How do you get the rod out of the rivet---hammer it out, but I bend the edges?

At 11:27am on February 25, 2010, Dianne Woods said…: Bill, very nice CBGs; I especially like the fish hole sound holes, very unique. Nice job.

At 9:08am on October 13, 2009, Ronnie Retherford said…: Thanks for the tip Bill. I think I'll try it your way and see how that works. I may get the cut started with my Dremel and finish it with th hacksaw, just to save on the cut-off disks.