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Body size fun

Posted by Jataomm on July 27, 2009 at 5:12pm
So, I got started on my cbg today: begining with making the box. I had some poplar for the sides and ply for top and bottom. I just had a guess at size and thought "oh, 12" by 18" seems like a good size... Now, if I want a scale length on 25.5" I need about 14" of neck in order to be able to reach the octave with the slide. The bridge will sit about 12 inches into the box leaving 6 inches further to the end, and then another 1" to where I had originally thought I was going to mount the strings... It's not going to happen. First, 7" of string before the bridge is just going to look daft, second, I measured with a string and it won't (comfortably) reach the pegs :-/ So, I'll be looking to mount the strings somewhere 'within' the box. My current thought is that I'll leave the neck touching the top just behind the bridge, drill through and hold the strings using traditional pegs, like my acoustic guitars: wholes in top will be slightly wider so pegs will be held in the poplar neck. (I even thought of cutting a rectangular hole in the top and leaving a section of neck proud in the gap (flush with the top).) The alternative, which I've considered, is to use a hinge or some bent metal screwed into the poplar through the top and mount the strings in that. Any thoughts? (beside the obvious: "you idiot, you should have thought about the measurements beforehand")

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Replies

  • Ben July 28, 2009 at 9:56am
    Hey man, having the strings terminate in the top of the guitar will put alot of upward tension on the top (might need bracing, etc.). Have you thought about drilling holes in the top of the box where you want the strings to come through, then drilling holes in the back that line up so you can just feed them through from there? I suspect that the tension may require a brace of somesort on the inside but at least then the top still rings freely. Another suggestion would be fashioning a trapeze style tailpiece. There is a type of paperclip called a "bulldog" that can be easily taken apart and have holes drilled in it. I've got one on one of my latest builds but it's screwed down instead of suspended. Hope this helps!
  • Jataomm July 28, 2009 at 3:15am
    Yes, it had also crossed my mind, I just hate tearing things apart which I've made ;-)
    I have the boards cut to size too, but again, it's just a case of cutting in the end.
    I'm sort of intrigued to find out how this plays now, and then maybe make a smaller one afterwards.

    Paul Doug said:
    If you have only built the frame, what would be hard about cutting it down some? It's only 4 pieces of wood, right? I'd cut it down to around 12" X !0", I'm think'n. Just my thoughts.
  • Paul Doug July 27, 2009 at 11:04pm
    If you have only built the frame, what would be hard about cutting it down some? It's only 4 pieces of wood, right? I'd cut it down to around 12" X !0", I'm think'n. Just my thoughts.
  • Jataomm July 27, 2009 at 9:16pm
    It is indeed a large box and definitely part of the learning curve lol. Still, nothing lost :-)

    Since I'm planning to play it slide I was reckoning on a bridge height that will make pins reasonable (I note on an acoustic there's only slight raise).

    I'll try to photograph it before I do more, and when it's finished so you can all join me in a good chuckle :)

    I was wondering whether to make it electric or not, but at this size I think I may keep it acoustic...

    J

    soundssogood said:
    wow Bro that's one large box ! - hey dont dispare we all do it - it's all part of the learning curve !
    you mentiond using bridge pins that's what i'd do they look cool and you can place them right where you need them - if the box is gonna be glued shut bridge pins are ideal , or another option would be to make a tailpiece but start it off 2-3inch from the bottom of the box , other ideas would be a little l shaped bracket with the string holes drilled in it , screw the bracket to the box
    whatever you choose to do try and keep the strings as low as you can so you have a break point over the bridge or you will need a string tree to pull the strings down to give tension over the brige
    hope this helps
    juju.
  • JUJU July 27, 2009 at 6:09pm
    wow Bro that's one large box ! - hey dont dispare we all do it - it's all part of the learning curve !
    you mentiond using bridge pins that's what i'd do they look cool and you can place them right where you need them - if the box is gonna be glued shut bridge pins are ideal , or another option would be to make a tailpiece but start it off 2-3inch from the bottom of the box , other ideas would be a little l shaped bracket with the string holes drilled in it , screw the bracket to the box
    whatever you choose to do try and keep the strings as low as you can so you have a break point over the bridge or you will need a string tree to pull the strings down to give tension over the brige
    hope this helps
    juju.
  • Jataomm July 27, 2009 at 5:44pm
    Yeah, but I'd alrady built the frame by the time I thought about this ;-)

    Still, I should get a reasonable volume from it...

    Roger Morin said:
    Well I am not much of a builder myself but most cigar boxes are around 6"X 8" and the biggest is around 81/2 X 12" a nice size would be around 91/2 X 8".
  • Roger Morin July 27, 2009 at 5:39pm
    Well I am not much of a builder myself but most cigar boxes are around 6"X 8" and the biggest is around 81/2 X 12" a nice size would be around 91/2 X 8". As for the actual building look at the plans page it's all laid out for you. Take a good look at some of the simple builds that are posted in the photos. It's really simple to build your first cigar box guitar. After that it's really what you want to add to it.
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