Cigar Box Electric Guitar: "Rockenstein"

[k0ala]

My buddy Mojo in San Diego has been turning cigar boxes into guitars, but in a twist from the usual yardstick fingerboards which require bottles to play, these are made from replacement Fender Telecaster necks, so there are wire frets. I've requested a Les Paul build since I want this to be a backpack guitar, and I already picked out the body.



Since it looks like a little casket, and we're getting parts from all over, and this is an abomination to guitar purists, I'm calling this build "Rockenstein". Even if it's a metal beast, I didn't want it to be a Zakk Wylde Bullseye Les Paul clone. So we're making it with passive pickups, and giving it a Chopper Magazine kind of cartoony style.

Neck is a Les Paul Special bolt-on replacement, solid mahogany, with rosewood fingerboard.
Pickups are a matched set of DragonFire Quad Rails 4-coil double humbuckers, day-glo green with black rails.

[k0ala]

Photo gallery of earlier works
http://bikerwalla.tumblr.com/post/529767...ine-wicked
Facebook page
http://www.facebook.com/WickedMojoDesigns

[rumbot]

Craaazy.

I spent far too long this weekend contemplating the first major surgery of the first guitar I ever stuck with (third time around was at age 33).

It's a epi LP junior that I got with an amp combo package for 99 samoleans. Though, I just realized this weekend that the combo-tail post space is way wider than the usual tune-o-matic post space.

I have sentimentals for this guitar, as it is the first that compelled me to stick with it, but I feel obligated to break free of my comfort zone.

***
Back on topic, I've long desired to build myself some cigar box rigs, and look forward to how yours turns out.

[Evil Cheese]

This seems like a cool project. I can't wait to see the results. It's going to be bitching.

[HeK]

I have to dig up some pics of the cutting board guitar that my brother built.

I look forward to seeing your progress.

[k0ala]

     

[k0ala]

[k0ala]

[k0ala]

Triple Shot Pickup Rings with Coil Tap and Parallel/Serial Switching

Sprague "Orange Drop" Tone Capacitors

Bridge with brass rollers

DR NEON Rocksmith colored strings

[k0ala]

While we're at it, why not wire in a kill switch?

Buckethead top 10 killswitch songs

What do you think, arcade fight stick people: Should I get the Seimitsu arcade button or the Sanwa arcade button?
I've heard Seimitsu buttons sometimes feel like there's a 2-stage throw (light pressure through the dead zone, medium pressure to actuate); while Sanwa buttons are sensitive, in fact, some fighting game enthusiasts say they're too sensitive.

[rumbot]

I like the look of the Sanwa.


I'm not a buckethead fan, but would like to mod-in one of his killswitches one day.

[k0ala]

I think these are Sanwa buttons on the Buckethead Les Paul.

http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric...tudio.aspx

[Squishy3]

I would say Sanwa buttons would serve your purpose well, they're less resistive than seimitsu buttons. It takes much more effort to push them down (this is really weird to say since you're just pushing buttons) and it's not really a big deal on an arcade stick itself. However, buttons are so cheap you can order however many you need of each and decide for yourself which you prefer.

I'm also probably one of the only if not the only whose actually used seimitsu buttons as far as I know everyone else who plays fighting games in BRBU uses a tournament edition stick or a pad.

[k0ala]

That's right. These are like less than 3 bucks each. Easily the cheapest part.

[k0ala]

roller tuneomatic bridge from 'trickedoutguitars' on eBay

[k0ala]

The cigar lounge where Mojo came up with the idea wants to give him space to sell his cigar box guitars.
Guitar production is on hold so Mojo can build a display case.



This will be going up at Cigs & Gars in Spring Valley, CA.
https://www.facebook.com/CandGLoungeRoom

[k0ala]

More business pictures, this is the reason Rockenstein isn't getting built:

[k0ala]

Current model, "The Red Ripper," on display at Cigs and Gars in Spring Valley, CA.
Mojo is the bearded one on the left, and Ray, owner of the cigar lounge, is on the right.
https://www.facebook.com/CandGLoungeRoom
http://www.cigsandgarslounge.com/

[k0ala]

Mojo's current project, this one's his personal guitar, made from a Rocky Patel 10-year cigar box and Gretsch hardware. He's called it the Ten-Year Gretsch, TYG for short.



He's told me he can't wait to get this guitar finished so he can try out Rocksmith for himself. He says he envies the amount of fun I have on the game and he's willing to learn. After this the next thing to hit his workbench is going to be Project Rockenstein.

[k0ala]

"Life is what gets in the way while you're busy making other plans."

Mojo is done with the Ten-Year Gretsch guitar but is stuck thinking of improvements rather than moving on to Rockenstein.

So he's letting me borrow the TYG next month, keeping it out of his hands; and while I play it and get used to it, I'll point out to him what needs improvement.