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[SOLVED] First license plate guitar, sounds horrible. Tips?

Posted by Richey Kay on May 19, 2014 at 1:38pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

I started throwing together a LP build yesterday, and have got this far:

So... I've made a pretty sturdy box (3/4" thick pine) with a plywood base, and have the plate attached with 8 screws on the original mounting points and one at each corner. I haven't added the frets or indeed set up a nut (currently just a bone nut blank). I'm not expecting it to be loud but I'm planning to fit dual piezos in there eventually.

This is my first try at a bolt bridge, which looks cool for this style of guitar but seems to buzz pretty horribly all the way up the neck (but curiously not when played open...) - is there any special preparation that needs to be done to use of of these?

Break angle behind the bridge seems fine, certainly no less than I've successfully used in the past.

Also, I've tried with a wooden/bone bridge as I normally use too, and it seems to have the same problem. It sounds slightly less hideous with a slide. Think it'll sound better once the frets are in?

Any thoughts?

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Replies

  • Kevin Sprague (Knotlenny) June 1, 2014 at 9:01pm
    What I found is that the aluminum plates sound "blah" - I like using old steel plates which seem to resonate better. Not sure why
    • Ron "Oily" Sprague > Kevin Sprague (Knotlenny) June 1, 2014 at 10:37pm
      Old steel plates are thicker and stiffer than the newer aluminum ones.
  • BUGGY (C) May 25, 2014 at 4:39am
    Sounds awesomely good to me
    I would be happy with that
    Try AEA but watch you sound board
    Can take it as you go.
    Martin bronze heavy acoustic strings
    Are nice but noisey with a slide.
    Lovin that tone. P.s it sounds way better than the one of the pic I posted.
    • Richey Kay > BUGGY (C) May 25, 2014 at 4:51am
      Thanks Buggy. I'm going to go with FCF as even GDG is a little high for my vocal range. I don't (can't?) play slide and prefer lighter strings, as a rule.
  • Richey Kay May 25, 2014 at 1:44am

    [UPDATE #3]

    I've recorded a short sound sample of the guitar's (almost) clean tone, I'm quite pleased with the sound but I think some new thinner strings and a higher tuning are a priority. I think it will sound pretty good with some distortion as well so I'll give it a try through my Line6 over the next few days. Thanks again for all your help!

    • Richey Kay > Richey Kay May 25, 2014 at 1:50am

      ...and I was also going to mention that I like the way some of the properties of the license plate come through even through a magnetic pickup, i.e. it sounds very different to a CB guitar. I think I might add a few more screws around the edge of the plate to cut down on some of the weirder bits of harmonic resonance I'm hearing :)

  • Sawbones May 24, 2014 at 7:32pm

    Looks cool,I started a doubleneck reso-plater,but its definetly on the back burner.I'd like to make a box like yours,I've got a bunch of old(60's)AZ plates.

    I was wondering if you had a good frame if you could have a plate on the top and back.

  • BUGGY (C) May 24, 2014 at 3:53am

    306293917?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

    • Wichita Sam > BUGGY (C) May 24, 2014 at 12:03pm

      hey!...that's not a Union Jack.....

      • The Capo Kid > Wichita Sam May 24, 2014 at 2:49pm

         Who said Union Jack ???

This reply was deleted.