Ahhhh, Bloody Hell

So I finished my first CBG (sorry no pics). Over all I am pretty happy, but had a few problems.

I read that if you place the piezo in between some padding or in between two pieces of wood it would help with buzzing noises coming from the amp (I placed it in between some furniture leg pads around 2 mm each). I placed the piezo directly behind the resonator inbedded in the wood of the neck that goes the length of the guitar (ie I cut a small circle so that it sits flush). I tested it out yesterday and add major problems with buzzing. If you place your hand on the chord the buzzing would stop. My jack is a three prong 1/4 inch jack. Any ideas?

I was expecting my resonator to have more sound to it. I made a resonator by place two metal drains with multiple holes together and used a nail as the bridge. My resonator has a little contact with the neck of the guitar running inside the box. Should the resonator have NO contact inside or does it matter?

I followed the build design that is found on the website for beginners. I DID NOT use a fret board on top of the neck (neck is flush), but just cut fret lines into the neck. I found that my strings are still too high even though I lowered the nut and bridge as much as possible (the strings are around 3 mm at 1st fret and around 5 mm at 12th fret). I used a bolt for the nut and it is sitting in a deep groove. Would ya`ll consider this to be too high for the strings? I think next time I will place a fret board on top of the neck to help. Suggestions?

Lastly, one of my next builds will be a wine box bass guitar. I am hoping to get a little insight on whether I should use a higher bridge or just try to keep the action low like a regular guitar. Have any of you tried a wine box guitar? Do they make a better bass guitar or do you think it would make a nice regular 3-4 string guitar? Ideas and suggetions please.

I know that the first CBG is supposed to be trial and error, but I was hoping to use the guitar rather than srapping it. Thanks for listening to my rambling, and I am sorry for repeating the same type questions on the forum. Please help me with some suggestions, and please use IG-NANT man`s jargun as I am just now learning how to play and build. Thanks.

Douglas

Basically, the downward pressure and vibrating strings cause a resonator to vibrate. This in turn creates soundwaves that develop inside the box and also shoot striaght out of your resonator like a mechanical speaker cone. Not enough downward pressure, the resonator will not vibrate. Too much downward pressure, the resonator will lock up. Many things effect this downward pressure. Neck angle, bridge height, nut height, string guage. There is definitely a science to building a resonator instrument with good volume and tone. A piezo amplifies sound. It is not a magnetic pick-up. The better you build acoustically, the better the final product. A resonator is an anolog device. Hope this offers some insight. Enjoy the adventure, Keni Lee

Replies

Keni Lee Burgess May 10, 2010 at 9:49am

Basically, the downward pressure and vibrating strings cause a resonator to vibrate. This in turn creates soundwaves that develop inside the box and also shoot striaght out of your resonator like a mechanical speaker cone. Not enough downward pressure, the resonator will not vibrate. Too much downward pressure, the resonator will lock up. Many things effect this downward pressure. Neck angle, bridge height, nut height, string guage. There is definitely a science to building a resonator instrument with good volume and tone. A piezo amplifies sound. It is not a magnetic pick-up. The better you build acoustically, the better the final product. A resonator is an anolog device. Hope this offers some insight. Enjoy the adventure, Keni Lee
MichaelS Country Boy Guitars May 10, 2010 at 9:11am

Don't scrap it, just keep tinkering with it till you like the way it plays. Sounds like a decent start, now make it work.
Chester Winowiecki May 10, 2010 at 8:31am

Also make sure that no exposed wires or any part of the metal piezo are touching the metal resonator parts, you might be short circuiting it. You can find this out quickly by removing the piezo from the guitar and just plugging it in by itself. And do check out the ground situation like Henry said.

As for the volume and action...If you don't have a slide try a small bottle or round piece of metal as a slide. Fretless playing with your fingers can sound cool but your fingers really dampen the sound and will never be as loud as a fretted neck or with a hard slide. Using a slide with higher action can really make a reso sing.
Outhouse Instruments May 10, 2010 at 8:19am

A pic or 2 would be worth a thousand words.
It sounds to me like you have too much bow in the neck from string tension.
What type of wood is the neck.
3mm doesn't sound bad ... 5mm really doesn't either , but it is quite high to be fretting. Should be fine with a slide.
Give us some pics ..... the whole thing, the neck, and a close up of the nut and bridge.

Matt
Douglas Eric Marsalis May 10, 2010 at 1:15am

Hey Henry. Thanks for the reply. Those diagrams are great.

I just remembered that I was directly in front of the amp when testing the sound. Is it possible that I was getting so much feedback or humming because I was so close to the amp? I don`t have an amp at home and had to go to the guitar shop down the street from my home. Again, excuse my IG-NANCE. I am a beginner with all of this.

Douglas
HENRY LOWMAN May 10, 2010 at 12:19am

I think your piezo buzzing problem might mean you didn't ground it to the 1/4" jack properly. Make sure your ground wire is on the inner circle...http://www.handmademusicclubhouse.com/group/tedsmadscientistlab/for..." target="_blank">http://www.handmademusicclubhouse.com/group/tedsmadscientistlab/for... these diagrams out. Good luck!...Ahhh, bloody hell! The page won't copy...ANYWAY, go to this site and check out the wiring diagrams section...sorry for the snafu...LOL! :-)

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