I've built plenty of LM386 circuits. Very reliable. I have a couple guitar tube amp chassis on my workbench right now, and they are much more dangerous than even the radio ac power danger. Best of luck to you and the project.

Darryl, all sources I have searched regarding this idea have the same reply...no. I had the same idea a couple years ago, and acquired a few old tube radios with the exact same idea. The tubes on old radios are not like guitar amp tubes, in that they carry all of the ac power. Match that with the old 2-prong cord that may be plugged into the wall reversed, and the ac power is now flowing through the chassis, which is connected to...wait for it...the guitar strings, since those are grounded too. So there is a 50/50 change at any time someone will plug the radio in, connect the guitar patch cord, and strum a string "BLAMO!"

Also, the circuitry is designed to amplify the radio signal as clean sounding as possible without any crunch/gain that is desirable in guitar amplifiers.

There are proper vintage tube amplifier chassis that will fit in some radios. With a bit of searching, research, and patience, an old tube radio can be used as a shell, like an amp "head" without a full size speaker, rather to connect to an external cabinet.

But for the time, money, and such, a good battery powered solid state unit will do rather nicely.

You are welcome, yes lots of great help on here.

Hi Darryl, the one with the open headstock is a ukulele with nylon strings an non-geared uke/banjo tuners - this is similar to a Fluke or Flea ukulele headstock which I like the look of their basic design, so "borrowed" it and modified for a CB uke. The uke is in standard re-entrant uke tuning gCEA with 15" scale.

The other builds use standard geared guitar tuners and steel strings with a 24" or 24-3/4" scale length.

Thank you! Derek

I am new too . I like the way these little guitars look. I have a box guitar I am building , but right now I am stuck on the neck. I will post pic tonight.

Darryl just get in your hot tub time machine and you'll never forget anymore.