So, You’re Seeing My Shovel Guitar for Sale…
Yeah, that’s right. I’ve got this… unique instrument, a shovel guitar, and I’m looking to offload it. You might be wondering, “Why on earth does this guy have a shovel guitar, and why is he selling it?” Well, pull up a chair, it’s a bit of a story.
It all started a while back. I was watching these videos online, you know? Guys wailing on these crazy homemade instruments. Looked cool. Looked… achievable. I’m pretty handy, or so I thought. So, I figured, “Heck, I can build one of those!” Seemed like a fun project, maybe even something I could make a few bucks on if it turned out decent.
The Grand Shovel Guitar Project Begins
So, I went to the hardware store. Grabbed a sturdy-looking shovel. The kind with a good solid handle, you know? Then I ordered some guitar parts online – a cheap pickup, some tuners, strings, a bit of fret wire. I watched a bunch more videos, trying to piece together the “how-to” bits. Seemed straightforward enough: cut here, drill there, wire this up.
Getting that neck carved out of the shovel handle, or rather, shaping the handle to feel anything like a neck, was a real piece of work. My garage looked like a woodworking disaster zone for weeks. Sawdust everywhere. I spent hours sanding, trying to get it smooth. Then came the fretting. Oh boy. Let me tell you, getting those frets in straight and level on a piece of wood that was never meant to be a musical instrument… let’s just say my respect for actual luthiers went through the roof.
I managed to get the pickup installed, wired it all up to a jack. Strung it up. It looked… well, it looked like a shovel with strings on it. Rustic, I guess you’d call it.
The “Playing” Experience and the Harsh Reality
Then came the moment of truth. I plugged it into my little practice amp. And… it made noise! A very raw, very bluesy, very shovel-like noise. It was kinda cool for about five minutes. But playing it? Man, it was a beast. Heavy. Awkward. The action was sky-high no matter how much I fiddled with it. My fingers hurt. My back hurt from holding the thing.
I realized pretty quick that this wasn’t going to be my ticket to blues-rock stardom. And making more to sell? Forget it. The amount of time and frustration that went into this one… I’d have to charge a fortune just to break even on my sanity.
- It was way more work than I anticipated.
- It didn’t sound as good as those pro-built ones online (shocking, I know).
- It’s actually pretty uncomfortable to play for more than a few minutes.
So, it sat in the corner of my room for a while. A monument to my ambition, or maybe my foolishness. My wife kept giving it the side-eye. “Are you ever going to do anything with that… thing?” she’d ask.
And That’s Why It’s For Sale
Which brings us to now. I decided it’s time for it to find a new home. Maybe someone out there is looking for a unique wall hanger. Or a prop for a band. Or maybe you’re just more determined than I am to master the art of the shovel guitar.
I cleaned it up, took some pictures. Figured I’d list it. Honestly, I’m not expecting to get rich. Just want to recoup a few bucks for the parts and maybe a little for my troubles. And get some space back in the garage. That’s the real prize here, folks. Garage space.
So yeah, that’s the story. It was a project. I tried. I learned a few things. Mostly, I learned that some things are best left to the professionals, or at least to people with more patience than me. If you’re interested, you know where to find the listing. Just don’t expect a Stratocaster, okay? It’s a shovel. With strings. Handle with care, or maybe just hang it on the wall. Your call.
