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Build idea! Phono-CBG?

Posted by Keni Lee Burgess on September 27, 2010 at 12:02pm in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts

This is Stroh Violin.

 

 http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa=1&q=stroh+violin&aq=0&aqi=g1&aql=&oq=Stroh+vio&gs_rfai=

 

Do you think it would be possible to do this to a CBG?

 

Current manufacturer and sound samples:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.kokatahiband.com/StrohviolUSNM.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.kokatahiband.com/strohviol.html&usg=__PmYzoe1TW-ew2SwkGNxjfJEMxL0=&h=481&w=329&sz=27&hl=en&start=5&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=aww9vBCjG_xc7M:&tbnh=129&tbnw=88&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dviolin%2Bwith%2Bhorn%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26tbs%3Disch:1

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Replies

  • Keni Lee Burgess October 1, 2010 at 6:23am
    Thank you Roosterman. I applaud your efforts to take on this challenge. Have you seen the Stroh uke pictures I posted on my page also? Weight really should not be a problem. Note how the uke has a stand to rest on your leg. A 4 string tenor guitar would be perfect. I would be fasinated if the tone sounded like a 78 RPM record being played on an old Victrola. Best Wishes for a successful build. Please keep me posted. Enjoy.
  • Roosterman October 1, 2010 at 4:27am
    I shall keep an eye out for a suitable horn and let you know when it is built.... :o)

    My mate has a violin like this. Its a modern copy, but still cost a lot of money. Sound wise its ok, but the real trouble is how heavy it is.
  • Keni Lee Burgess September 30, 2010 at 2:11pm
    Thank you Chester for sharing the pictures . A real nice find. Enjoy.
  • Chester Winowiecki September 30, 2010 at 10:08am
    Here's the pretty comprehensive photos of the stroh ukulele from the FRETS.COM site:

    http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Museum/Ukulele/StroviolsUke/strohuk...
  • Keni Lee Burgess September 30, 2010 at 7:53am
    I applaud your enthusiasm Mike, but I think this might be very technical to produce effectively. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy.
  • Keni Lee Burgess September 30, 2010 at 7:47am
    Check out picture and links:

    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/stroh-gramophone-guitar
  • Keni Lee Burgess September 30, 2010 at 7:35am
    Thank you Mark for your detailed comment. Being a big resonator guitar fan, mainly for reasons of volume and the unique resophonic sound created, I personally think this would offer a unique old time gramophone record tone. Even if it needs a boost from a piezo, the tone might be worth it. It certainly would not be easy to create one that actually functioned effectively. I think one of the main problems might be the difference bewtween a violin attack and a guitar attack. A violin bow drawn across the strings transmits a steady stream of vibrational energy. A guitar receives quick sharp strikes. Strumming might be possible. This very difference might be the killer. I understand your point of the basic aim of CBG. I'm a big fan of the pursuit of those who strive to build a quality simple instrument too. Resonator guitars are definitely in the shadow of standard guitars too. I thought I would put it out there for interest. There are many builders out there experimenting with different resonator cones. I always encourage builders to try to take their paper dreams into the physical world. Who knows what may come to light. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy.
  • Mark September 29, 2010 at 5:05pm
    It's definitely possible to build a guitar-type instrument working like a stroh-viol. I've seen descriptions and pictures of a "stroh-uke" and the following link should take you to a pic of a stroh guitar (although a lap steel type guitar not a regular one).

    http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/300U/464-10_inside.jpg

    As I see it, the real issues determining whether it's worth building a CBG version are complexity and sound quality.

    Complexity could be an issue because the bridge arrangements on these things weren't simple. It seems to me that part of the beauty of the whole CBG thing is in the simplicity of the instruments and the joy of getting great sounds out of something that's apparently crude. So a stroh-CBG seem to cut across that ethos. But if your take on CBGs is more about wacky and unconventional stuff for the sheer hell of it then this isn't a problem.

    Perhaps the real killer is sound quality. Would it sound any good? Obviously there's only one way to find out for sure but it would be a bummer to put loads of effort into a complicated instrument only to have it sound a lot worse than something much simpler. The main aim of the stroh-viol design was to project sound in a directional way and I fear that might have come at the expense of compromises in tonal quality. Obviously the ultimate decision about whether you like a sound is a subjective thing and maybe a stroh-guitar would give a novel and quirky sound that isn't like other guitars but is still worth having.

    I might have a go at one eventually but it's not high on my list of potential projects.
  • Mark September 29, 2010 at 4:43pm
    Famous last words!


    mike anderson said:
    i think that the hardest part ...is getting started, after that, it shouldnt be that hard.
  • mike anderson Blues Box Guitars September 29, 2010 at 3:58pm
    i think that the hardest part of this build,as with any build, is getting started, after that, it shouldnt be that hard.
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