Hey, Just joined - what a great group. I tend to build solid electrics but have just discovered CBGs and Im converted! I really want a resonator though, but over here in the UK 6" cones etc are a small fortune and that kinda goes against the grain of a CBG I reckon - any tips on how to make one out of junk? I think I get the theory - sit the bridge on the tin cover so it vibrates, and have a concave reflector underneath to project the sound back out? Pan lids, car hub caps, that type of thing??

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try paint can lids and heavy weight pie pans..
I'm about 80% done with one using the top half of a girl-scout cooking set for the resonator. It's an aluminum pan about 6" across and 2" deep.
Haunting thrift stores should produce similar items...

The paint-can lid works well; I built one a while back and it has a very dobro-ish plunky tone.
I'm sure mine is not aluminum, but I bought a cat food bowl at the pet store and I'm looking forward to some loud twangy goodness from it.
Hey randy, check out the videos here( pg. 11 i think...) Jim Ferris has great instructions on how to build a cake pan reso. good luck.
Thanks for the pointers fellas... the Jim Ferris video covers everything I needed to know... Il post some pics when its done :o)
I'm still itchin' to build one myself. I found a few things that when tapped have a nice ring to them.
Its addictive aint it?! Iv just been shopping with my missus and found myself tapping and measuring everything in the cookery section...
Love that reso Ted... the extra woodwork looks neat. Iv looked at pretty much all the reso pics on this site, but I keep coming up with the same question - What size is the cover in relation to the bowl? I understand the bowl part sits on its own lip, not glued or anything, the base not touching the bottom of the box. Then does the cover just sit on top? Does it overlap onto the box, or should it be about the same diameter as the bowl? From the pics Iv seen some plates seem to just sit on held by the strings, but some have screws through which I assume is fastened to something resembling a spider or at least attaching it to the bowl? Sorry if this is a lot of questions - having never had a reso Iv never had the chance to take one apart (which is pretty much first job I do with everything I get!), and Iv searched for hours for an idiot proof cross-sectional line drawing and cant find one anywhere! Thanks for all the help guys... maybe Im making it more complicated than it is, but if Im gonna build, its got to be good enough to grace these fine pages!!
Thanks Gene, Il do that.
I had a bit of a giggle at your advice at first, as over here in the UK there's a big campaign on tv, on billboards, everywhere - it aims to get kids off drugs... the tag line is 'Talk to Frank' !!
i use many various food type containers [tuna,ham,roast beef,oriental type food products,etc] and give the food away so i can keep the can ha ha.the larger the can in diameter the more volume it produces generally. now keep this in mind,the aluminum cans seem to produce more volume than the metal cans,the trick is to not hinder the vibration of the can hince the description i labeled [floating can] i use dowells running from side to side in the box, to rest the can on.for illustration look on my page for the tri-can reso pics. or in my pics look for baby reso. the baby reso i built was to fit the size of the box i used,very small box and i used a twin dowell neck on it that is adjustable.the volume on this small box with small black olive can is pretty amazing.you have many chocies just experiment and find what you may like.hope this info was helpful to you.
my baby reso cost less than 10 american dollars minus tuners of course.

brian romero(bairfoot cajun) said:
i use many various food type containers [tuna,ham,roast beef,oriental type food products,etc] and give the food away so i can keep the can ha ha.the larger the can in diameter the more volume it produces generally. now keep this in mind,the aluminum cans seem to produce more volume than the metal cans,the trick is to not hinder the vibration of the can hince the description i labeled [floating can] i use dowells running from side to side in the box, to rest the can on.for illustration look on my page for the tri-can reso pics. or in my pics look for baby reso. the baby reso i built was to fit the size of the box i used,very small box and i used a twin dowell neck on it that is adjustable.the volume on this small box with small black olive can is pretty amazing.you have many chocies just experiment and find what you may like.hope this info was helpful to you.
The picture of your tri-cone has answered all my questions Brian!! I just couldnt figure out how to suspend the resonator without it touching somewhere - I figured this would almost stop the resonating effect, but I guess not. Il post pics when I get started!!

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