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AGP #466 - ''Theo''

AGP #466 - 3 String Fretless Recycled Relict Guitar
Scale: 654mm / 25¾ inches
Strings: .044NW .030NW .020NW
Tuned: F C f
This is another one of those builds that was originally meant to be something completely different to what it turned out to be!, as the body shape suggests it’s based on the much maligned Gibson Theodore design from the late 50’s, was going to do a 4 String Version, using roughly the Gibson Specs but couldn’t find the appropriate body pieces, so opted to maintain the body shape, and used recycled crappy bits of offcuts, old machine heads from a 6 string charity shop Git, and various other bits of metal crap that was on hand, to come up with this cheap recycled relicted build.
The Body and Neck are Recycled Pieces of Solid Pine, which were glued & dowelled together, roughly sanded, heavily burnt with a propane gas torch, wire brushed, and again roughly sanded, and then given three coats of Shellac, I think the whole process is called Shou Sugi Ban, a Japanese method of wood preserving & antiquing.
The Stainless Steel Tailpiece, Galvanised Threaded Rod & Nuts Bridge, Galvanised Building Strap Output Jack & Vol Tone Plates, were put into a Hydrochloric Acid & Water solution for an hour or two, dried then heated to red hot with a a Gas Torch, and then quenched immediately with WD40.
A 10.3k Zebra Humbucker is wired through Vol & Tone Pots to the Output Jack. :-)

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Comment by AGP # on May 16, 2022 at 4:13pm: "Thanks Jerry" :-)

Comment by Jerry Jordan on May 16, 2022 at 3:23pm: Xcellent

Comment by AGP # on May 15, 2022 at 8:44pm: "Thanks Ron", the solid body gits are well worth having a go at, have done quite a few over the years, and they do add a new side to the so called Cigar Box Guitars, I particularly like the ones where I used High Output Pickups.

I neglected to take any Pics of the early construction stages of this one, but there are a few little tricks to adding the Vol, Tone Output Jack and Ground Wires.

Most of my solid body builds are around 40 to 50mm thick, and basically the method I use, is to firstly rebate the Neck and Pickup to the required depth, and then with the help of an 8mm x 460mm Screw Point Auger Drill Bit, drill the holes for the wires as per the Pics, of course the tricky bit is keeping the drill bit central to the body thickness, and on the correct path. :-)

Comment by AGP # on May 15, 2022 at 7:54pm: "Thanks A.D.", No 78 Records were harmed in the construction of this build, purchased 250g of Shellac Flakes from the local Hardware Store and mixed them with 1 litre of Methylated Spirits, these particular Flakes are a bit on the Dark side, so have ordered some Blond Dewaxed Flakes from an online supplier, in the hope that the mixture will be a bit lighter in colour.

Yes #466, and #467 has already been started :-D

Comment by RON NORTHCUTT on May 15, 2022 at 7:42pm: That is a very nice build, I have never done a solid body. May have to give it a go.

Comment by A.D.EKER on May 15, 2022 at 7:18am: it kind a looks like that "brian May "from Queen DIY guitar ,nice color on the git ,do you make your own shellac from old 78 records? it has that old & new vibe in one go ! 466 wauw !!

Comment by Uncle John on May 13, 2022 at 6:59am: Hope you get those settings worked out. They sure seem to be all different.

Comment by AGP # on May 13, 2022 at 2:56am: "Thanks UJ", I'm also happy with the look of this one, but the final sound of it was not what I expected, I thought it would have some deep growly tones, but to my deaf old ears it sounds a bit on the trebly side, so the jury is out at the moment, as whether I like it or not, but I'm sure some tom foolery with one of my many Amps will come up a tone I'm happy with. :-)