Lee Connah's Instrument Photo Gallery <

Six of these instruments will be featured in a show entitled "Reincarnations: Mixed Media Works Created from Found Objects and Recycled Materials" being staged at the Sculpture Space at 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, DC. The exhibition is hosted by Zenith Gallery and runs from7/23 to 9/28. See their website for details. Below are some photos of INSTRUMENTS I've built in my basement shop. I prefer to use salvaged and recycled lumber, construction debris, unorthodox materials, found objects, and stock hardware to assemble what are otherwise recognizable and playable instruments.

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  "National Bohemian Resophonic Guitar" (2007)--salvaged 2X4 neck; unknown tropical hardwoods from woodworkers' scrap for headplate, bridgeplate, and fretboard; salvaged luan plywood top and back; National Bohemian Beer can resonators; spray paint sunburst, oven knobs and automobile nameplate.
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  Detail of nameplate and resonators.
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  "Chick Feeder Fiddle" (2008)--galvanixed chick feeder (original tag still attached) found in abandoned hardware store; neck from plywood laminated to heart pine flooring; Jotoba flooring fingerboard; cork floor sample square chin rest; stock hardware tuners; found mirror pieces, spoon, and Mardi Gras beads.
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  "Chick Feeder Fiddle"--detail of headstock.
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  Two Icons Travel Guitars painted by Gordon Anderson . From salvaged 2X4's, Plexiglas, Douglas Fir, and antique Heart Pine; egg tempera paint.
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  "Virgin Hogiditria" (2007,Collection of Douglas Connah)
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  "Pantocrator" (2007)
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  "Foster's Cello" (2004-2007) Spine: salvaged 1X6 lumber. Fingerboard: discarded Jotoba flooring. Bouts: scrap plexiglas, aluminum flashing, scrap fake fur, beverage can resonators. Bridge: salvaged old growth Redwood. Also: cheese slicer, bicycle quick-release wheel skewers, paint roller extension handle, scrabble pieces, yardsticks, chopsticks, dice, mardi gras beads.
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  "Fretless Walnut Banjo" (2007)--The wood for this piece came from a ruined piece of antique furniture believed to have been used for church purposes. Note the unusual rectilinear engravings in the neck and head; and the delaminating walnut burl veneer and the original routing on the body.
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  Fatima Travel Guitar (2007)--salvaged 2X4, Luan plywood, and Douglas Fir; bicycle cog, spoon, Our Lady of Fatima prayer card, acrylic paints and glitter glue.
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  Fatima headstock detail.
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  "Tulip Poplar Banjo 2" (2006)--Poplar bark head, salvaged Chestnut neck, top pot ring from scrap local quartersawn "wormy" White Oak, and locally sawn Poplar fretboard with "tiger" figuring.
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  "Tulip Poplar Banjo 2"--Detail of pot: middle and back rings from salvaged Poplar lumber from a discarded pallet, compensated bridge from scrap Curly Maple and Walnut.
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  "Tulip Poplar Banjo 2"--Detail of Hickory Nut fretboard inlay.
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  "Scotch Tape Travel Banjo " (2007)--Neck from discarded Jotoba flooring, pot from antique Tulip Poplar (stained) from a ruined piece of furniture, plus new poplar from a shipping pallet. Resonator is an old Scotch Tape can. All hardware is "stock" from the hardware store.
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  "Scotch Tape Travel Banjo "--detail of original headstock.
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  Mahogany Backpacker Guitar (2006, collection of Kate Scott)--Top made from mahogany wood salvaged from the sides of a discarded desk drawer; mahogany fretboard from woodworker's scrap.
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  Mahogany Backpacker Guitar (2006, collection of Kate Scott)--Bridge, nut, and tailpiece from Cocobolo scrap, back from old growth western softwood (Spruce? Fir?) from a rotted fencepost, neck from construction waste 2X4, Walnut position dots, and sides from discarded local Cherry wood.
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  "Sashimi" travel guitar (2007)--scene of mortal combat beneath the waves.... Body/neck made from scrap 2X4 and paneling, fretboard from salvaged tropical hardwood of unknown specie, top from plexiglas.
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  "Sashimi" travel guitar (2007)--headstock detail.
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  "Maccaferri-style" Backpacker Guitar (2006)--maple syrup can internal resonator, plexiglas, recycled and salvaged woods (Jotoba flooring fretboard, Cocobolo tailpiece, old growth western softwood back, construction-grade 2X4 neck and sides).
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  Body close up, maple syrup guitar. The temporary bridge has since been replaced with a nicer one....
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  Mountain-style Banjo(2006)--Construction-grade pine body (with unusual "bird's-eye" figure), neck from antique Pine flooring, salvaged Chestnut fretboard, scrap Mahogany tailpiece, and deer hide head.
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  I decided to use stock banjo tuning hardware instead of carved friction pegs on this one.
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  Teacan Guitar (2007)--Stock 2X4, scrap Lauan Plywood, salvaged Oak flooring fretboard, iced tea cans, acrylic paints and sparkles.
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  Teacan Guitar (2007)--Detail of headstock.
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  Two "canvases" prepared for Gordon Anderson's amazing painted icons...coming soon!
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  Plexiglas Guitar (2004)--Marc H. picks some delta blues.
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  Recycled cans give that resophonic sound.
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  Poplar Banjo (2006, collection of Gordon Anderson)--Tulip Poplar bark top; salvaged Heart Pine flooring neck; spoon tailpiece, beer cans, plexiglas, and fake fur. Note: the body is the shape of a Tulip Poplar leaf.
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  Poplar Banjo--back detail.