Well I got all my parts and I am working on setting up the neck for my cigar box guitar. I have marked my box for neck placement and I am now looking at where the bridge will go on the box lid. I have read that for good intonation you should be between 24.5 and 25.5 inches from the nut to the bridge. In measuring this it does not look right. Looking at the neck it does not seem like there is enough room from the box where they meet to the nut for proper fretting. Help I am feeling lost, and confused about this.
I also was wondering if the cigar box guitar could be set up like a tenor guitar. You know four strings tuned to an open tunning?
Replies
If somebody could speak clearly, blind could read by passing the fingers over the letters, if you want a bridge into the back of the box, the distance from the diapason, it's calculated based on the box, and the fingerboard length she's vary , 21 frets , in a box 30cm, bridge is often in the middle who can tell us how to put it into the back by shrinking the length of the fingerboard or putting a fingerboard bass to 38 inches, we're all curious and yet you say yes I understand even if you do not understand all his theories, then yes I move the bridge, until it sounds good if it sounds wrong in places, it does not matter, those who can not afford to pay a concert, do not hear the wrong note , they always clap in hands
thanks, will look into getting a metric ruler and testing out the formula.
paul
I watched a video ,,, and way he did it was to get a metric ruler.. i got one at home depot for 3.00,, was a 25 ft .
if u want a 24In ,,, place the end of the measure where u want the bridge to b ,,,then extend the measure to 60 cent..
clamp in down to ur neck .. then caluclater ,, .9439 X 60 equals ur first fret ,, then just keep mult by the .9439 .. do not clear ur cacl tween each measure..
what should happen is at 12th fret u will b at 30 ,, then to bridge will 30 .....
i was amazed how easy as ,,i too,struggled with this ... u can decide how long u want to make the neck in propetion to the box u using and apply this to each neck ,, i practiced on old scrap lumber to make sure it wrked and it surely does !!!!
if any help ,, i am new to this also and i am absorbing all the info these other guys have got ,, they know their s#@$
Paul
You want to lay out exactly where you will place your bridge with some room to be able to move the bridge around to adjust your intonation if need be. This is usually a very small measured adjustment from your measured 25.5 or 24.5 inch scale length measurement. You measure from the bridge to the nut and it really would help you to measure a Fender Strat with a 25.5" scale length because if your measure a real guitar you will instantly see how it is set up. A Fender Strat should be easy to find locally to measure. Many guy's use a threaded bolt and you can move it around a little to get perfect intonation without glueing it down (the string pressure will hold it down). I like the design where the bolt is placed near the end of the cigar box. When you look at several acoustic or electric guitars setup with perfect intonation you will notice the bridge usually ends up at an angle due to each string size needs to hit the bridge at different lengths to be in perfect intonation.
Once you decide on exact scale length and the exact placement of parts then you can use a fret calculator or fret guide to mark where to cut your fret slots.
Hi Paul. There seem to be all sorts of theories about this and that and the most often quoted here is "no rules". That can be both an advantage and a disadvantage of course. People here have made fine CBGs with both significantly longer and shorter scales than that.
First question. Have you already cut the neck or is that still open as far as length is concerned. If you have most of the major parts made it may be worth putting up pictures so that others can see (place a tape measure by the side to give a better indication of size).
Have you seen the plans on the Free Plans page? There should be more than enough there to reassure and inform you. Failing that come back with more questions. People here are very helpful. I have learned so much from this site and without it wouldn't have built one instrument. Good luck.