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Balsa wood ResonatorThe balsa wood resonator bug is still biting hard. After more research [I’m not a computer literate person find it frustrating and causes much swearing more than usual actually] found Jake Wildwood’s site really helpful here is another attempt at the balsa reso. Yep it needs more work but Rome wasn’t built in a day either.
I’ve tried a banjo model this time with a shorter scale length. Instead of a deep soundwell it is just 15mm deep and attached to the soundboard with the balsa being 5mm thick. A triangular sound hole instead of the complete cut out circle also is what is different this time. |
Next one will have a larger body to accommodate sound holes plus a few other modifications. This CBG style lets me make instruments quickly and iron out bugs without all the work of a traditional shape.
April 2020
April 2020
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Whilst in Isolation
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The second half of 2019 and the beginning of 2020 we had been doing the rounds of the awesome Music Festival offerings in Victoria showing our wares and enjoying the live music and atmosphere at - Guilford Banjo Jamboree, Maldon Folk Festival, Newstead Live and the Mornington Peninsula Blues Festival. And our artistic community have rallied together since to provide some welcome release to our isolated days - we can make sure we support these people now by buying their music and merchandise. Hopefully it won't be too long before we're back enjoying the company and festivities of our music industry again.
I've been happily ensconced in the workshop during isolation building CBG's and a new resonator. Gone are the prefab metal cones and in come my Balsa top sound well that I've based on a 1935 Regal Tenor Guitar with a Balsa resonator. Who'd of thought Balsa would resonate so well!
I've been really getting into the patina paintwork as well - paint, concrete dust, leather dye, blow torch, wire brush, explosions the lot!!! In my element.
April 2020
I've been happily ensconced in the workshop during isolation building CBG's and a new resonator. Gone are the prefab metal cones and in come my Balsa top sound well that I've based on a 1935 Regal Tenor Guitar with a Balsa resonator. Who'd of thought Balsa would resonate so well!
I've been really getting into the patina paintwork as well - paint, concrete dust, leather dye, blow torch, wire brush, explosions the lot!!! In my element.
April 2020
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The 2nd Great Southern
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RESONATOR Obsession
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Have had too much spare time waiting for jobs to turn up! So rather than waste time I’ve been fiddling with resonators with biscuit and spider cones. It’s like learning all over again trying to understand how it all works and what doesn’t. There has also been hiccups along the way with the disappointment of badly shipped cones [panel beating should occur on cars not cones] and waiting for other orders to arrive. I’ve now found Southern Tone Woods ship stuff REALLY WELL so no need for panel beating now. And the journey for metal materials has taught me many new things. The original Dobro how they were constructed back in the day just blows my wig off! Heaps of skill, craft and determination. Our mate in Russia has been a huge help (AGAIN) Mikhail’s advice is spot-on and as he is a damn good player I appreciate his input. Though Russia is too far to just pop over and say ‘try this… what do you reckon… how do I make it better…’ through social media it happens. Thanks to Steve Plater of Salty Dog Blues aswell he’s always very willing to sample my instruments, gives them a real workout and tells me straight what he thinks. January 2019 |
The 2nd Great Southern Cigar Box Guitar Festival
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia March 30 & 31, 2019
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After the success of the first Festival at Hepburn Springs in 2018 it's back again in 2019 and this time even bigger. The Cabaret Club hosts the event over 2 days starting with a Builders Market from 11am both Saturday and Sunday - and of course we'll be there with a range of 3 - 6 strings.
There are beginner and advanced Cigar Box Guitar Workshops with the guru himself Steve Plater of Salty Dog Blues starting at 11am on Sunday. There's also Open Mic sessions on both Saturday and Sunday and door prizes. Another super FESTIVAL LINEUP consisting of 8 returning acts from 2018, some travelling from interstate. |
SATURDAY from 2 -11pm: FIONA BOYES ANNA SCIONTI STEVE P & THE 3 STRINGS STRINGY & MOLLY JO JO RAINWATER
SUNDAY from 11 - 6pm: RHIANNON SIMPSON HGT SUEDAN STEVE P & THE 3 STRINGS ANNA SCIONTI
Tickets start from $20 - $50, kids under 12 are free. For out of town ticket holders there is a great accomodation deal at The Ballarat Colonial Inn [next door to the venue]. For full Festival details visit the links below:
Cigar Box Guitar Festival FB page Great Southern CBG Festival website The Cabaret Club Get tickets
SUNDAY from 11 - 6pm: RHIANNON SIMPSON HGT SUEDAN STEVE P & THE 3 STRINGS ANNA SCIONTI
Tickets start from $20 - $50, kids under 12 are free. For out of town ticket holders there is a great accomodation deal at The Ballarat Colonial Inn [next door to the venue]. For full Festival details visit the links below:
Cigar Box Guitar Festival FB page Great Southern CBG Festival website The Cabaret Club Get tickets
Reproduction Pollman Mandolin Banjo Medallion
I was missing the medallion from my vintage August Pollman Mandolin Banjo like so many others I discovered. Thought I would replicate one and through researching stumbled across Seth Swingle's website who had an absolute ripper of a close-up image of the medallion on his instrument. From that image and a bit of redraw and photoshopping I produced a water-slide decal [I'm a low tech man in a high tech world so my partner did the computer work]. As with most things I've gone a bit overboard - have a few. If you're interested in purchasing a decal sheet of 6 assorted colour variations OR a finished medallion contact me. The size I've worked to is 28mm. If you'd like a Pollman Standard Banjo medallion I'm sure I could produce one of those also.
April 2018
April 2018
My Other job
My other job when not making instruments is slapping a bit of paint around on bikes and vehicles. A job for Marcus, he lives on a dirt road so he's only going to wash this puppy once a year hence the semi-distressed look.
March 2018
March 2018
Buninyong Village Easter Twilight Market
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We've decided to 'go to market' and set-up our Chough Guitars at the Buninyong Village Easter Twilight Market this year. We thought why not we're local to Buninyong and it's a great chance to put a Chough guitar in your hands and try it out. We're bringing Banjo's, 3&4 string guitars and even some 6 strings so watch out for our stall and come in to have a play and say hello. Save the date Saturday March 24, 2018 at the Buninyong Town Hall precinct from 4pm to 8pm. |
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CBG Festival at the Old Hepburn Hotel, Victoria
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A new Cigarbox Guitar Festival in Victoria and we'll be there. The music starts from 2pm on Saturday 12th May at the Old Hepburn Hotel, Hepburn Springs, Victoria. A great line-up so far with Stringy & Molly, Anna Scionti, Steve Plater & Ian Amor, Salty Dog and Rhiannon Simpson. There will be a door prize of a Chough CBG, and a midday Workshop 'Learn to play CBG' with Steve Plater. And of course we'll be there at the Builders' Market. More details to follow so watch this spot, and our Instagram and Facebook pages. Contact Sue on 0408 549 287 for tickets and if you want to book your spot for the Open Mic. |
Replica Pollman Banjo's
I recently purchased an original August Pollman Banjo one that had been made by Pehr Anderberg something I’d been wanting for a long time. After this I began to construct replicas but with some changes these being modern tuners instead of the old frustrating friction style tuners. Contemporary fret marker positions and, a larger tailpiece keeping the strings straight to keep the bridge from wandering are also modern additions that I’ve made to make the instrument more playable. The scale length, bracing, tapered sides and top and bottom are as accurate as I can make them. Nylon strings have been replaced with lightweight steel strings to enable the instrument to stay in tune. A truss rod is also a modern addition to my replica Banjo’s. With the electric version obviously it required a different sound hole position to accommodate the pickup but basically the instrument still has the same dimensions and bracing. They are now listed on the Banjo page. They will change as I make more I imagine as I’ve discovered for a modest instrument they are a complex build.
February 2018
February 2018
Rhiannon and Steve play LIVE @ the Cave 22 December 2017
Rhiannon of Rhiannon Simpson Music recorded LIVE to a small group of friends at Matt Harding's LIVE@ The Cave in December. Steve Plater of Salty Dog Blues joined Rhiannon using her very own Chough Guitars for an impromptu bluesy session.
December 2017
December 2017
3rd Yackandandah Cigarbox Guitar Festival
Just back from the Cigarbox Guitar Festival in Yackandandah 'Boy oh Boy' what a hoot. The music was just awesome Shane of the Oz Blues And Roots Music Cigar Box Guitar Emporium who organised the event deserves a medal. We got to meet a heap of new people stayed in fantastic accommodation ate like royalty and would visit Yack just to feel the vibe again. We witnessed incredible talent and our ears were treated to an orgy that just blew our socks off - Salty Dog Blues Anna Scionti Fiona Boyes Stringybark Mcdowell & Molly Coddlecream Nigel McTrusty and 15yr old Bad Boy Bobby from the Yac. We'll be back for the 4th Yackandandah Cigarbox Guitar Festival next year.
November 2017
November 2017
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Root Music
Everyday is a bonus. You have to have a laugh and enjoy smelling the roses or picking up some firewood and saying 'what a fine instrument this would make.' Then when the sound exceeds what's expected, I'm choughed! Steve Plater of Salty Dog Blues and I having a play of the roots, enjoy.
October 2017
October 2017
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Cigarbox Guitar Festival – Yackandandah
We’ll be at the Cigarbox Guitar Festival and their Builders Market this year on Saturday 25th November hope to see you there. I’ll be bringing the new Jase range of 3 string guitars as seen below with the new shape I’ve been playing around with. I'll also be bringing the Axel range and a selection of my wooden bodied Banjo's.
Check out the Oz Blues and Roots Music Store Cigar Box Guitar Emporium’s facebook page for full details on Featured Acts, the Builders Market and Workshops. The Festival begins on Friday night 24th November at The Yackandandah Hotel with Jamming in the Bar.
October 2017
Check out the Oz Blues and Roots Music Store Cigar Box Guitar Emporium’s facebook page for full details on Featured Acts, the Builders Market and Workshops. The Festival begins on Friday night 24th November at The Yackandandah Hotel with Jamming in the Bar.
October 2017
Something different – Cadillac artwork
Taken a break to airbrush some artwork on a Cadi bonnet & boot for a lady. I now know I’m an old fossil as these puppy’s were jolly heavy to move around – when I was younger no dramas but age has caught up, bugger.
September 2017
September 2017
Cigarbox Guitar Workshop
Stevie of Salty Dog Blues and I took a workshop with some local Year 10 students to build their own Cigarbox Guitar. Luckily no splinters, bandaids or bad language was required and they all ended up rock stars twanging their stuff in the end.
[Stevie and I did some swearing just quietly]
June 2017
[Stevie and I did some swearing just quietly]
June 2017
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Ukulele build
With the Ukulele craze going on I thought I’d give it a crack. But this puppy is a baritone so I’m having problems with strings – but we’ll get it organised. Thanks Stevie of Salty Dog Blues the ‘Tiny Tim’ look a like!
May 2017
May 2017
Axel builds his own Guitar
Had the pleasure of meeting a Swedish Exchange student Axel on a bike run organised locally. He rocked around one day after this and I showed him how to build his own guitar – plus we sent him home intact, phew!
After his visit I developed the ‘Axel’ range of guitars and the legend lives on...
April 2017
After his visit I developed the ‘Axel’ range of guitars and the legend lives on...
April 2017
Kauri Cigarbox Guitars
Acquired some old Kauri shelving that was otherwise going on the bonfire!!! So after some cutting and a few trips through the thicknesser – whoopee more than pleased with the result. These 3 guitars didn’t even get listed for sale on the website they got snapped up locally. Kauri as a tone wood is just a joy to listen to as a finished product with the added bonus of recycling wood well over 100 years old.
Enjoy Stevie of Salty Dog Blues sampling the guitars.
January 2017
Enjoy Stevie of Salty Dog Blues sampling the guitars.
January 2017
Huon Pine Mill-end Cigarbox Guitar No4
This Huon Pine Cigarbox guitar didn't make it onto the for sale listing as it was sold shortly after Steve here of Salty Dog Blues sampled it for us. A little different to the earlier whole slab of Huon Pine models, Trevor has used a section of the mill-end mounted on a solid body. Enjoy.
16 August 2016
16 August 2016
A new Chough Cigarbox Guitar for Rhiannon Simpson
Here's Rhiannon trying out her new cigarbox guitar for the very first time - getting used to the 4 strings. We will upload more of Rhiannon when she's had a chance to really explore her new instrument. You can follow Rhiannon on Facebook and see more of her on her Youtube channel. Trevor has based the body shape on the F5 Mandolin although it's a more boxy version of it. The body is Indian Rosewood with a Celery Pine neck and a Huon Pine burl veneer on the peghead. We hope you enjoy.
11 July 2016
11 July 2016
Custom Blackwood Banjo for Bentley
On our trip to Tassie in March this year we had the pleasure of discovering Tasmanian Acoustic Tonewood in fact we went there twice. The factory is literally an Aladdin’s Cave of so much fantastic timber and tonewood stock and Bentley has a very courteous and friendly manner. His dog was very helpful too as it took quite a shine to my leg. If you are after fantastic service and very knowledgeable advice with regards to tonewoods then contact Bentley. He is also on Facebook and Instagram
I’ve just completed a Blackwood Banjo for Bentley using his Fiddleback Flame Curl Tonewood board and as you can see it looks awesome. It’s beautiful material to work with and once steamed turns to butter, wonderful to form. I couldn’t go past the beautifully figured off cuts and used them to veneer the peghead. The neck is solid Blackwood with a Rosewood fretboard and purfling. The Banjo features my fully adjustable nut and bridge as well as a handcrafted brass tailpiece.
Thanks once again to Steve Plater and this time also the other half of Salty Dog Blues Marion Turner for sampling Bentley’s Banjo for us. ENJOY
5 July 2016
I’ve just completed a Blackwood Banjo for Bentley using his Fiddleback Flame Curl Tonewood board and as you can see it looks awesome. It’s beautiful material to work with and once steamed turns to butter, wonderful to form. I couldn’t go past the beautifully figured off cuts and used them to veneer the peghead. The neck is solid Blackwood with a Rosewood fretboard and purfling. The Banjo features my fully adjustable nut and bridge as well as a handcrafted brass tailpiece.
Thanks once again to Steve Plater and this time also the other half of Salty Dog Blues Marion Turner for sampling Bentley’s Banjo for us. ENJOY
5 July 2016
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A new Chough Cigarbox Guitar for BJ Humphrey
Here's BJ playing a new song he wrote last night especially for us to upload here. You can follow BJ on Facebook and Instagram and he plays with Sound Mountain Band and the Triple Delta. Trevor has based the body shape of this Cigarbox Guitar on the F5 Mandolin although it's a more boxy version of it. The paint work has a snake skin design surrounding the central rising sun. We hope you enjoy.
17 June 2016
The original Huon Pine Mill-end Cigarbox Guitar
Our very first cigarbox guitar that I made from a mill-end of very old Huon pine. We purchased these mill-ends from Brendon & Kellie at Morrison's Huon Pine Sawmill in Strahan on a recent trip to Tasmania. This one sold really quickly but we got our hands on it recently and asked Steve to play it for you. Enjoy - the look and the sound. Our Huon Pine Mill-end Cigarbox Guitar No2 is now listed for sale on the Cigarbox page.
5 May 2016
5 May 2016
A new custom Cigarbox for Steve Plater of Salty Dog
We featured this one on our Instagram feed. Stevie likes his Harley's, yes, more than one and overtime Trevor's painted many for him always involving skulls and pinstriping. As he changes bikes more often than hot dinners Chough Guitars decided that maybe painting a cigarbox for him would be a keeper. But as the new bike is developing into a purple haze the red base may be the wrong colour! But it still has a heap of skulls on it, so he's happy. Also happy is his manager Sue she's having a trike built and there'll be a bit more jam thrown on that as well. Though Sue's not into skulls...
You can find Steve at www.saltydogblues.com and also on FACEBOOK
28 April 2016
You can find Steve at www.saltydogblues.com and also on FACEBOOK
28 April 2016
Steve Plater of Salty Dog
A big thank you to Steve for sampling all of our currently listed instruments. Here's a bonus video from Steve's sampling session with us this banjo has nylon strings and is a bit of a homage to David Eugene Edwards of Wovenhand fame. This is also listed for sale now in Banjo's.
21 April 2016
21 April 2016