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Lean-Back CBG Rack Design

First off, I'm still a newbie 'round here and not sure if this should be a blog post instead. This is my first time starting a 'discussion'. I figure it's easier to reply here if someone has a question or new idea. So anyway...

I'm a tinkerer. I can't help it. I built one of the PVC racks that was posted here where the guitars sit on top of a dual rail with the necks hanging down. It worked great, but after a few months I wanted to try something different. Yesterday I was looking at it and thought, hey I could convert that to a leaning rack like 1 of those travel guitar cases. So today I went at it. I'm sooooo happy with it! Thought I'd share in case it helps someone else. If you build one, you don't have to follow my dimensions exactly. Do what's right for your needs, tweak it, make it better... But to get you started, here's the design I used.

Notice the front lower rail is higher than the back lower rail (only by 1 inch), but this makes the guitars lean back against the top rail. This is key! The gap between the 2 bottom rails allows your neck through tail to hang down.

At first I did a quick assembly without the elevated sides (they look like arms on a chair). It worked great, but I decided to put the sides on to prevent a cbg domino slide onto the floor if my crazy dogs rammed into it while wrestling.

The whole thing's made from 1/2" PVC. I inserted a 1/2" aluminum tube inside the front lower rail which bears all the weight to keep it from bowing. Works really well & keeps it light. I tried a dowel, but it didn't stop the bowing.

I ended up with a lot of extra PVC vs where I started from with my original hang down rack. Like I said, I liked that design, but I'm a tinkerer and wanted to mix it up. I have a feeling a lot of people around here are tinkerers too! :)

Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 19, 2016 at 10:39am

Hahah! I know exactly what you mean Tommy! I had mine awkwardly sitting in A-frame electric guitar stands all over the place too. The rack totally cleans thing up, and it's really sturdy too. You can just pluck one off the rack and go.

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Permalink Reply by Two Dog Guitars on April 19, 2016 at 11:42am

Janis,

I take it you are a TN gal? How do you like the LPG? I have built several and they all have a cool tone to them!

John - Two Dog Guitars, Nashville TN

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 20, 2016 at 3:48am

Hey John! Yup I grew up in East Tennessee (Johnson City). My heart will always be in the Smoky Mountains. I'm in Atlanta these days. Never thought I would when I was younger, but I love it here. I've got several friends from the Nashville area. I've always thought Nashville seems like a great place to live.

So the LPG - WOW, I love it! It's tied for my favorite build. I think it's the most comfortable to play of mine. It's my first 4 string, & I love the range it has. I'm working on a second LPG now with a fretted neck and snake oil humbucker. I think that'll be my ultimate (for now). I got great tone on my first LPG with the rod piezo & preamp, but I slightly prefer the smoothness of the humbucker. Plus slide on the electric strings is cleaner for my skills than slide on the acoustic strings I'm using on the rod piezo. Got any tips or tricks as an experienced LPG builder? I love the look of them. I'm really smitten.

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Permalink Reply by Two Dog Guitars on April 20, 2016 at 6:57am

Janis,

I am just now experimenting again with mag pups, the prototype which is now owned by Bruce Childs in CA had one and I immediately saw that cost was a big factor unless I started winding my own.

I love the grittiness and the growl of the piezos but pup diameter and placement is always the PITA of the build!

My last dozen or so builds have been LPG's and I really like them! I kept serial number 88, 94, and 101 for myself. I also have another three CBG's that I will always hang on to. Pretty soon I will have to make a copy of your guitar rack!

I am in the process of building my fourth Double neck, it will be my 136th build and will have a baritone and standard neck 3 strings each. I will probably keep it as well.

Next time you are in "TwangTown" please come by and pick a bit!

Best,

John Drury - Two Dog Guitars

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 22, 2016 at 3:22am

Wow, John, I would love to experience some of your builds in person! I'm sure I'd be blown away! 136th build - man, I can only imagine.

I'm just making mine for me at this point. I was hoping my hubby might take a liking to diddleybow and step up from there so we could play together, but he's not really into learning how to play (come to think of it I tried to teach him bass several years ago and he had no interest). He's happy getting involved in the builds when needed and actually claims to enjoy listening to me play. ;) So that's good at least. We both like making stuff.

I absolutely love the shape & look of LPGs. They're my favorite form factor for sure. There's just something so cool about them!

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Permalink Reply by Blues Frog on April 19, 2016 at 3:11pm

Great design. I actually bought a multi rack holder much like your design, and got it cheap, but it does the trick. I have seven CBGs and the "Martinstein" (a blown out Martin guitar I replaced the back tone wood on) on the rack. It gave me some place to put them.

I like the design, and may have to build my own version for the next bunch that I build, as I haven't yet gotten around to selling the damn things. Working on #12 & #13 ( a 4 string and canjo).

Keep up the good work, and share what you can with us. Its really appreciated.

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 20, 2016 at 4:01am

Hey Frog, thank you for the kind words!

I hear ya on the accumulation of CBGs. I'm gonna need another rack shortly unsless I pass on some to friends & family! Here's a coincidence - I'm on 12 & 13 now too, actually. Doing a 30" scale bass (2 string) that could be finished up tomorrow. And starting another license plate guitar.

After this I think I should just settle down & play for a while! Hahah! What is it about the building that's so addictive? I just assembled an outboard preamp box to juice up the tone on some prior piezo builds. I need to go fire it up.

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Permalink Reply by Blues Frog on April 20, 2016 at 9:50am

Last week I built a custom amp. Bought a sweet amp circuit with three setting, clean, rock and blues.

The new builds are a four string with custom maple neck and a canjo made from a tea canister with a custom maple and teakwood neck. The Canjo will be done this week. I still need to do the fretwork on the four string and finish the neck.

The addicting part is the feeling you get when you finish it and get to hear how it sounds.