Bowl Box Guitar 1.0

[Raymond Overman]

Yeah, yeah, I know. It's not a natural edge bowl but it did require some turning and has a very nice bowl attached to it. The last guitar I made was definitely an alpha version. This one has enough improvements that I might even release it into the wild so I'm calling it my 1.0 version.

The bowl is cherry from my father's farm and the neck is red oak that came down in Hurricane Floyd (I think, correct me if I'm wrong Papa). The bowl is 9" in diameter and about 4 1/2" deep. So far it's finished with a coat of oil and wax. I may buff the bowl section later.

The guitar has three strings and is tuned to an open A (A, E, A') chord. It's played with a slide and like the first one has a real blues drone to it.

Comments and critiques welcome.

Update: This is the way it sounds when played by someone who doesn't know how to play guitar. My rendition of the opening of "La Grange" by ZZ top.

[Don Carter]

Raymond:

That thing is cool!! It looks like a cross between a dulcimer, banjo and sitar. Where did you get the idea for this?

[Steve Schlumpf]

Really like the style of this one Raymond! The turned body really fits the form! You are well on your way to becoming a Luthier!

[Raymond Overman]

Raymond:

That thing is cool!! It looks like a cross between a dulcimer, banjo and sitar. Where did you get the idea for this?

A friend of mine made a cigar box guitar (check some out here Bluesboy Jag's CBG site, not affiliated) and I thought, why not turn the box portion.

[Raymond Overman]

Really like the style of this one Raymond! The turned body really fits the form! You are well on your way to becoming a Luthier!

I've been called worse things than a Lutheran, Steve. I think this is about as far as I want to go down that path though. Other than a couple of these to jam with, I think I'll go back to turning natural edge bowls and teapots.

[Matt Hutchinson]

Nice looking instrument! Good work! Now all you have to do is is make a banjo. (A banjo's on my short list of instruments to make someday.)

Hutch

P.S. I started to learn how to make violins in high school, under a local violin maker. I never completed a violin, but I sure learned a lot!

[Nathan Hawkes]

Man, I knew I should've picked an instrument other than the Baritone sax.....
Seriously though, Raymond, you do good work. I might have to make one of these myself sometime, just as something to mess around with. I've never been able to deal with being able to play the same note in different places......; the sax is just linear--more holes closed, lower, less, higher.

Beautiful instrument, man.

[Pete Jordan]

Great idea Raymond!

I might be "borrowing" that someday. Is there a reason you did not put 6 strings on it?

By the way, I grew up Lutheran.

[Paul Douglass]

That is a keeper. I really have to put that on my list. I've made several tongue drums and Native American Flutes. I want to do a few of those.

Very nice job

[Raymond Overman]

Great idea Raymond!

I might be "borrowing" that someday. Is there a reason you did not put 6 strings on it?

By the way, I grew up Lutheran.

I didn't put six strings on it because I don't know how to actually play the guitar. The way this thing is made and tuned you can just play with it and get a tune out of it. It's fretless so you use a slide (some folks use a 3/4" socket) to find the notes and you're always playing a chord.

You can put 4, 5 or 6 strings on it if you wanted to. In fact, I ran across another website that has a lot of different handmade instruments that had a 7 string banjo. (http://www.noteworthyjohn.com/saw7StringBanjo.htm Not affiliated).

As for you growing up Lutheran, the guy who inspired me to make these is a Lutheran Pastor and we've been going to his church some. Not as dutifully as he'd like but that's a whole other story.

[Joe Tonich]

Been a while since I've been on SMC, between workin and the family...... figured I'd drop in. Thats pretty cool Ray!! My sons playing the guitar, mebbe I'll try makin one and this tone deaf old dude can mess with him... Thanks for posting this.

[Bill Wyko]

WOW Raymond. Thats incredibly cool! Fantastic job.

[Paul Douglass]

Still look'n at your Get'tar. What did you use for bridge material? would Corian work? Looks like you used real guitar screws for turning? I'm think'n maybe some bolts with nylon lock nut.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Great looking instrument. Really is a cool looking piece.

[Raymond Overman]

Still look'n at your Get'tar. What did you use for bridge material? would Corian work? Looks like you used real guitar screws for turning? I'm think'n maybe some bolts with nylon lock nut.

The bridge and nut material are corian. I picked up the tuning pegs from the local Sam Ash store (6 for $15). You could use wood tuners or as you suggested, eye bolts. I also used the cheapest acoustic strings I could buy at around $4 for a set of 6.