Hey Tub T

[Dewey Burton]

Mike take a look at this. My son built it for my birthday. It is electric , with a cigar box amp, powered by a 9 volt batt. I wonder how long it will last. This one has 3 strings, so I tuned it to the bottom 3 on the guitar and play lead with it. I also saw some at an art show this week that had full 6 strings, but they were not electric.

[Lee in KC]

Ooo, ooo... do "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida!"

[Bob Lemke]

Dewey, that rocks man! Don't worry about battery life, rechargeable NiMH 250mAh to the rescue. Lasts much longer than a carbon dry cell 9 volt battery and is rechargeable.

Here is a source for those batteries, you might want to pick up a charging station that works for AAA, AA, C, D, and 9 volt. I have one, never have to buy any more batteries.
http://www.batteryspace.com/nimhrecharg ... ty1pc.aspx

They have good packages if you want to get all your battery needs at the same time you purchase the universal charger.
http://www.batteryspace.com/search.aspx?find=BC1HU

[Dewey Burton]

Thanks Bob..I've been using rechargables for my camera, but didn;t realize there were 9 volts..this is going to work out great.....

[Bob Lemke]

Nickel metal hydride are great batteries but thanks to Chevron Oil Company buying the rights to all cells larger than 10 amp-hour (D cell), that is all that are offered, 9 volt, AAA, AA, C, and D. Cell voltage is 1.25, so 0.25 less than carbon cells, but I'll give up 1/4 of a volt for a 1000 recharge cycles. When GM first produced the EV1 it had lead acid and about an 80 mile range. The newer cars went with NiMH and range doubled. When Detroit and the oil companies sued California on their 2% zero emission mandate, California dropped the mandate, GM had all the customers that were leasing the EV1 turn them in and were crushed, and Chevron didn't want the competition of these batteries so they purchased the rights and buried them.

[Lugnut]

"FREEBIRD!!!!"

[Mike Blanche]

Here's the one I built as an experiment.

[Dewey Burton]

Too cool mike....My son just got some large boxes, and is going to do a six string. I am getting the hang of the 3 string. It kinda sounds like a dulcimer with the open strings now that I have it tuned right..G-D-G.......the amp does wonders for the sound.......

[Mike Blanche]

I used parts scavenged off a cheap 3/4 size telecaster for mine. That's the reason for the oddly shaped pickguard. It has a little bit of twist in the neck, so once again, as a guitar, it makes a pretty good wall hanging.

I have the wood and parts to do a couple more. The body is actually 3 layers of baltic birch, with the middle layer hollowed out. I patterned it sort of after Bo Diddley's guitars.

I need to do one for the Nationals. At this point, I don't think we're going to be there, but that could change.