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Advice needed on 1st build... Lid on front or back?

I have a couple of wooden cigar boxes, poplar 1X2 and the day off tomorrow. I have seen plans and pics that show either the lid on front or back. I like the idea of having accsess to the inside with the lid on the back. Are there any dos and don'ts that I should know about??? Bone nut and bridge or bolt?
I also have some 16 gauge sheet brass that I could use to make a nice tailpiece. I saw a link for a printable pattern for fret placement but now, I can't seem to find it. Anyone have that link?

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Permalink Reply by Roger Martin on January 5, 2010 at 2:12pm

Niles, are you building a 1 string Didly Bow or a 3 or 4 string CBG? I use poplar 1x2 all the time for 1 strings but my experience trying to use 1x2 for 3 or 4 strings didnt work out.It just wasnt beefy enough to stand that much strain .If you want to use poplar may I suggest you glue 2 pieces together or go to a thicker piece of poplar or other type wood.

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Permalink Reply by Niles Galloway on January 5, 2010 at 2:15pm

I had a three string in mind. Would an oak 1X2 be any stiffer?

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Permalink Reply by Tres Seaver on January 5, 2010 at 3:51pm

Here is the online fret calculator I use, with printable multi-page PDFs:

http://www.fretfind.ekips.org/2d/

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on January 5, 2010 at 4:07pm

Are there any dos and don'ts that I should know about???

Certainly are. Do what you wanna do. Don't let anyone tell you different.

Seriously tho, no rules. Make it. If it doesn't look or sound right. Make another. Follow [roughly] the plans here and you will be just fine. The 1x2 oak is good. remember, its really 3/4" x 1 1/2" too.

2, 3 or 4 string?

Good luck.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on January 6, 2010 at 2:56pm

As far as the "hardware store" woods go, oak is easily the stiffest. Followed by maple, then poplar.

A common dodge to make a really stiff neck is to glue a piece of 1/4" stock to the main neck board as a fingerboard.

This works very well; none of my oak or maple necks have any bowing at all.

I just built one with the top on the bottom, because the top was exceptionally thick. Almost 1/4". I figured it would make little sound. One advantage to this construction is that if you build in a piezo or any other electrics, you can get at 'em easily if they need repair or adjustment.

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Permalink Reply by Niles Galloway on January 7, 2010 at 1:28am

Well I got it roughed in, strung it up yesterday afternoon, installed the piezo which by the way I used to experiment with after reading a mag. article about the RS buzzers about 20 years ago. It sounds like a dobro plugged in. Is there really any tone mojo in using an eye bolt for a bridge and a bolt for the nut or is it just tradition? I have come scrap ebony and some bone and I'm thinking about making a real bridge and bone nut. No frets on this one, I plan to do a six string with a fingerboard and frets. I will post a pic this 1st effort asap.