Oilcan and parts from Pitbull

Earlier this year when Pitbull guitars were still awaiting deliveries I was wondering what to try to make next. Around the same time I went to see Samantha Fish and was totally blown away by her oilcan guitar. Like a mug I thought " hmm... how hard could it be ?"
Actually - a lot harder than I imagined. But I bought a load of harware parts from Pitbull together with a neck, purchased a big can of castrol vintage motot oil and gave it a go. It has turned out to be a great learning exercise with lots of challenges, a few mistakes and a bit of luck along the way...plus a lot of fun. I've got to the point where I need to wire the electronics. Whilst not a Pitbull build sensu stricto - they were the source of about 90% of the components so I thought why not share some pics (now I think might actually work !).

Attachment 44405
Starting point

Got a neck too...
Attachment 44406

Started with shaping the neck
Attachment 44407
Attachment 44408

Next needed to work out how to fix neck to a "body" which would be inside the can. Didn't have an existing body to cut up - but found a u-tube video where a chap attached a piece of wood to the top of the neck - which was then inserted through the length of the can and used to attach the neck to a wooden top-piece in the can. Seemed a good idea so sketched out a plan and bought a piece of hardwood for the neck attachment. Found some scrap pine for the top. (Later was to find out I got lucky with purchase as they put the fretboard at exactly the right height above oilcan body). Needed to try to make the heel of the neck look tidy though - which was a lot of sanding.
Attachment 44409
Attachment 44410

Next purchased a dremel and carefully cut bottom off can.
Seems ok. Also cut off the handle of can, and carefully cut hole for neck having marked up the can.
Attachment 44411
Attachment 44412

Fits snugly.

Having cut top to fit in can - realised that whilst top is ok - need to go back to drawing board. The neck and attachments are great and seem strong - the sides / bsck of can are "flimsy" and have no strength. So used plywood to make a supporting frame for ends of can and sides - but with back of can free.
Attachment 44413
It is a bit makeshift but fits in snuggly and has a base-plate
that I can refix the metal base of the can to and fit with "feet" and a strap screw. I also cut some sound holes in side of it - just guessing they may be useful tho.
Attachment 44414

Attached neck.
Attachment 44415
Attachment 44416
Attachment 44417

Measured and marked pick up locations and control pane location.
Attachment 44418
Attachment 44419

Carefully use dremel to cut though can where pick ups will go, and cut cavities .... purchased a hand router for job. Not perfect but seems OK for first attrmpt. Drilled holes for eireszwhere needed. Also hole for Jack.
Attachment 44420
Attachment 44421

Attachment 44422Attachment 44423
Hardware fits ok. Purchased a mounting ring for neck pickup

That's a great idea, and a nice tribute. Looking great! Samantha Fish is definitely inspiring.

This is very cool. I love it.

Shielded pick up cavities. Needed to drill holes to accomodate mounting screws of neck pick up as the guitar configuration prevents routing cavity deeper.
Attachment 44435

Had mistakenly purchased a tele control panel upgrade with 500k pots. Purchased an alternate set of 250k pots which should be better for single coil pickups. BUT threaded shaft too big for control panel plate. Thank heaven for the Dremel
Attachment 44436

Here is a view inside.
Attachment 44437

Soldering iron was not working. Purchased new one from big green shed. Waste of time and money. It got colder /generated less heat with time resukting in some rubbish solders. Then died after 40 minutes or so. Will need to get a new one tomorrow and de-solder / re-solder some of the wiring.
Attachment 44438

Made up base. Fitted straplock and "feet" ...
Attachment 44441

Purchased new soldering iron. Cleaned up and completed wiring. Checked out ... all good.

Finished.
I am pretty happy with the result.
The Tonerider blues pickups were a good choice - great sound. Took a while to get intonation right, but it seems OK now. As guitars go it is a different beast and I am looking forward to getting to know it. The bridge is a vintage style Wilkinson with a cover. To be honest, the guitar/bridge looks much better without the cover - which hampers playing anyway (particularly with this style of guitar). Fitted some straplocks and got a nice slightly worn looking leather strap which suits the guitar.
Attachment 44442

Some more pictures.
Attachment 44445
Attachment 44446
Attachment 44447

Does not work with bridge cover really.
Attachment 44443

Neat!
Now I gotta check you Samantha Fish.

Do check her out - she is pretty awesome.

When rest of us are struggling even to put through guitar made from a kit, you go ahead and do a guitar from a empty can [emoji15]. I wish I had 20% of your capabilities.

Keep Rocking

Drashkum

Sent from my NE2211 using Tapatalk

Man you are onto something. Nice to have something that looks that good without having to mess with finishing! (The body at least!) Maybe you can put up a recording? Also, I think you're right that about the cover.

Thanks for the nice comments folks. It was really not that hard - only one real glitch where i was not sure I had the top of the body at correct distance cbelow fretboard. Took a bit of thinking to design thats all - which was updated frequently as I went slong. Would probably do differently next time - but I got what I was aiming for 🙂

Looks great.
Perhaps a new kit idea for Adam.

Thats a good idea. I had wondered about it myself and how it could be done. It would certainly be a different type of kit - with different challenges and skills to learn. There could be a number of ways to do one. e.g. many folks just cut down an old guitar-body to use as an insert - which deals with routing - but the challenge is then having a template to mark and cut through the top in the correct place (I marked and cut through the top - then routed out the insert I made through the holes). One of the things about having done this is that I learned a bit more about how guitars "work" in terms of assembly - and I think I would possibly now like to try and make my own body for a build