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CBG Decor

I like my CBGs to look ike pretty much what they are - cigar box guitars. I like looking at other people's designs and artwork, including motorcycles, Harleys, beautiful women, airplanes, old time blues artists, cars, boats, etc., etc.

I am planing a series of "tall ships" ukuleles.

My topic of discussion today is the common theme of CBGs I call Death and Destruction. The skulls, skeletons, weapons, tombstones, etc., etc., even skull tuner knobs. We builders are able to personalize our instruments in any way we want and that is fine. I just think the death and destruction side is going a bit overboard. How about more happy themes? Music, dancing, children playing, the Norman Rockwell innosense of the 50's.

Does anyone out there agree with me?

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Permalink Reply by gary herget on October 19, 2014 at 1:53pm

I would agree with you, that's why I don't use such things on my guits. However there is a thing called fredom of expression and this allows builders to use whatever they chose to decorate their guits with. We all have opinions as to what is right and wrong and we need to accept what others use just as they accept what we use. that's we are one big happy family. Keep making your happy boxes love to see them.

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Permalink Reply by gary sheldon on October 19, 2014 at 2:05pm

Gary,

We are in total agreement, We builders are able to personalize our instruments in any way we want and that is fine.

Just putting my comment out there to see what people have to say. I haven't built any "happy" guitars yet, but have some ideas in mind.

Gary

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Permalink Reply by gary sheldon on October 19, 2014 at 2:56pm

: ) Don't tell anyone.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on October 19, 2014 at 2:40pm

I confess I've secretly always wanted one with rainbows and ponies too :)

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Permalink Reply by gary sheldon on October 19, 2014 at 3:42pm

Kid,

You build some beautiful instruments. And lots of them! You mentioned something about getting more volume when the legs of the bridge are spread more. I have never heard that and will probably try it. Do you have a theory about that? I am all about acoustics and volume. One of my favorite tools is a decibel meter. I check all my instruments with it and keep records whenever I make a modification. Even more coats of linseed oil seems to help (outside ind inside)

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Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on October 19, 2014 at 3:46pm

but i gotta admit .. 99 % of the guits i have made are death , destruction , memorials , skulls etc .. but .. but customers request ,( as these were) , so i guess it shows where the demand lies . hence maybe explains the majority of it. .

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Permalink Reply by gary sheldon on October 19, 2014 at 3:53pm

Nice work! I especially like Alice. Even coimic book art could be cool. Like the artist Andy Warhol or Roy Lichtenstein. Too bad about your customers. : ) . But , at least you have customers.