Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on February 21, 2018 at 5:51am

My method has been to rap on the lid with a knuckle and see how the box resonates.  Size may matter, but some of the smaller boxes work quite well.  Even the "cardboard" boxes can work well.  Purely acoustic I doubt that you will ever get the sound of a full sized guitar, but a simple piezo can bring out a lot of sound and for sitting in a room just picking and grinning it doesn't take a lot of volume to have fun.

I would start out with the White Owl, small sound hole and stick a piezo in it for the times you want to be loud.  The thin boxes may surprise you in their volume too.

Love those Muriel boxes, relics have a charm of their own.

Welcome to the insanity of home built instruments.  Enjoy your builds.  Take your time and have fun, that's what it's all about.

Life is good on the lunatic fringe, Duck

Permalink Reply by Bob Herget on February 21, 2018 at 9:14am

Thanks for your response, Duck,

I had pretty much counted out the White Owl to use at all because it just thuds when I tap it, but after hearing your call to use it, I can see the sense in it. It's the one that would matter the least to me if it didn't work out well and it's the closest to what I see as being the minimum recommended size.

As far as volume goes, I actually prefer a relatively quieter instrument. I play my "store bought" tenor guitar a lot at night when my wife is asleep. It is quieter than my dreadnought guitars, but the clarity of the tenor is superior.

I guess what I'm saying is I'm looking for a full range of frequencies and don't care about volume. I was thinking the White Owl might sound "muddy", but who knows, it might be just lovely.

I admit to being addicted to analyzing things to death, but my budget is the probably the main reason I'm being so nitpicky. Trying to make the right call the first time, you know.

It somehow seems that the edge of that lunatic fringe got a bit closer since I became interested in CBGs.

Bob

Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on February 21, 2018 at 9:32am

So far in my building, it seems like every box has a different voice.  With that said each one that I have built sounds good and sometimes different is what you are looking for.

My only disappointment was a canjo with a nylon weed whacker line for the string and a piezo stuck in the bottom of the can that had more feedback than anything I have ever heard.

Permalink Reply by Bob Herget on February 21, 2018 at 2:58pm

Oh, my gosh! I can't stop laughing!

Your first paragraph is soothing, like a lullaby, then, bam, the second paragraph hit me like a sledgehammer!

I must believe that was the intended effect, eh?

Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on February 21, 2018 at 8:11pm

Just the facts Bob.  You never know until you string it up and pluck the strings what sound you will bring to life.  So far after 24 builds that's the only one I killed and I used the neck to build one with a small box as a single string fretless bass that sounded great.

Permalink Reply by MadGomer on February 22, 2018 at 4:54am

What a thoughtful wife!  You can take those two identical thin ones and bond them top to bottom for more depth and better acoustic performance.  Love those old ones, a steal for $3

Permalink Reply by Bob Herget on February 22, 2018 at 6:12am

Hello MadGomer,

Thanks for responding, and for the suggestion of doubling up on boxes. My head is spinning with all the possibilities to try out.

Bob

Permalink Reply by Richard Dean on February 22, 2018 at 7:04am

Personally, I like the "La Escepcion", I'd brace all the sides front and back with wood, do a through neck, and as far as scale, just make the neck as long as you need to achieve it, add as many frets as you want, doesn't mean you need to fret the neck the entire length.

something like this, but not with your punch box which is smaller

Permalink Reply by Bob Herget on February 22, 2018 at 8:14am

Hi Richard,

Thanks for responding. I also like the look of the La Escepcions the best out of the modern boxes. I'm gonna go fretless for now until I build up some experience and acquire more tools.

I play 23" tenor guitar tuned in fifths, CGDA; as well as 25.5" in 6 string "store-bought" guitars. I'm not sure how the fifths tuning would work out on a CBG. I know it really doesn't matter what the scale is, except that I might build muscle memory in a way that I don't want to if I'm on an unfamiliar scale. 

Is there a CBGer's term for "store bought" guitars? I just can't think of an appropriate word that would get the point across without having to type out "store-bought. 

A question about your nice-looking Punch CBG. Did you start out with one sound hole and add another later, or was two of them in that arrangement your original plan? I'm wondering if you had a formula in mind when you made it.

Permalink Reply by Richard Dean on February 22, 2018 at 8:28am

First, stock photo, not my git, second, we just call-em 6 string, most people assume store bought unless we're talking about a 6 string build, I have a punch box, so it's a pic I saved to inspire my build. A lot of different arrangements can be found for sound holes, mostly for aesthetics, they help a little, but not much with cigar boxes due to the small volume of space inside.

Here are some of my sound hole designs;

and current build

and as far as formula, I fly by the seat of my pants lol, very little planning

Permalink Reply by Bob Herget on February 22, 2018 at 8:46am

Cool designs. They remind me of a friend I had years ago. I don't know why. They just do.

Thanks for sharing them.

Permalink Reply by the anonymous pick on February 22, 2018 at 7:23am

Too small ?   pffft  .... tiny  still works ;-)

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