Hey folks. This is my first build. I have no idea what I'm doing. I went to a tobacco shop today looking for a box. The guy acted like he didn't know what I was talking about. Not sure what that was about.
Anyway, I need a few questions answered from the experts before I can start.
1) Where do a get a box? Online? Store?
2) What size box should I get?
3) I was going to follow the free plans on this site for my first build, is this a good place to start or are there better instructions somewhere else?
4) Everything in the plans seems pretty straight forward except for the fret board layout. What is the deal with neck length and fret spacing and fretted vs. fretless?
5) Lastly, when it comes to sound, is acoustic or acoustic electric more desirable? And are there good instructions out there on adding a pick-up and volume knob?
Thanks for the help folks. I play multiple stringed instruments and am a hobbyist carpenter but I have never attempted to build and instrument before. Any help at all would be very much appreciated.
Thanks again,
J.D.
Replies
Hey Hey, This is Stovepipe.
My last build I documented so it could help other builders, the link is here....
https://www.facebook.com/stovepipe.perkins/media_set?set=a.82709618...
See you guys out on the road...
www.knockkneedsally.com
Don't bother. 3 or 4 strings with light or extra light strings .... you don't need it.
Heck, I know a guy who builds basses w/out truss rods.
AFKAM
Hey AFKAM,
What's the word on trussrods?
JD
Artist Formerly Known as Matt said:
One caution for Reade,
Calculating the fret position that way is fine, but dont measure each step from the last fret, always measure each one from the nut, adding the results of your calculations. Otherwise any small error will stack up and multiply, and by the end you can be far off enough to render your fretboard useless.
Most find it far easier and less prone to error to use a fret position calculator that just gives the position of each for your desired scale length.
If anyone doesnt understand this, start here:
http://www.stewmac.com/scalelength.html
You will find a brief explanation of scale length, its effects, and links to more information and a fret position calculator.
*Tip: One common mistake is to assume that an existing scale length can be easily determined by measuring from the nut to bridge. Since the bridge position is commonly "compensated" for the slight changes that occur when fretting and such, this can create errors. The true scale length can be determined by measuring from the nut to fret 12, and doubling that measurement.
Hope that helps someone!
Mark
J. D. English III said:
Or a "Smoke Shop", these days they're likely selling weed & weed related stuff.
(-_-) zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz................. (°_-) urp... wha... ? ...zzzzzz......
Im new to this as well. I spent a lot of time looking around on YouTube at the way others build there CBGs. I found lots of good info. The frets, I found a guy that goes by the name of "Uncle Crow" on You tube and he builds his CBGs with the neck on top of the box. Everyone has there own style, there are no rules to how you build your CBG. Uncle Crow has a lot of good information. The length of the neck dosent realy matter its up to you and what your comfortable with. The placement of the frets depends on the distance between the Bridge and the Nut. He mesures his in Centimeters. With the 0 at the bridge and the high numbet at the nut you take the high number and multiply that number by .9439 the number you get will be the first fret line. Repeat the process with each number you get and that will be the next fret line. For example the distance could be 59 cm.
59 X .9439 = 55.69 55.7 cm.
55.69 X .9439 = 52.56 52.6 cm.
52.56 X .9439 = 49.61 49.6 cm.
Just keep going until you have your frets all marked or you run out of room.
I hope this helps. Like I said I am also very new to this. I have built my first CBG, a Diddly Bow, and a 2 string Guitar useing a Altoids metal mint box. I am working on building some Canjos for my son and some of his friends. Check out YouTube there are a lot of cool videos that will help decide what works for you. Good luck with your build! have fun and don"t over think it.
Reade
Long thread, I guess I'll join the fun. Box', take waht you can get. I have not paid more than .25 for mine and I'm picky at what I take at that price (el Cheapo). I love the paper covered ones, fiber or plywood I seem to be able to get them to sound good, both are different though. Telling them they are for cigar box guitars has not hurt me any, those shops give them to me, I guess they like the idea there box's are being made into something other than a purse. For the size, the bigger the face (soundboard) the better, but there are always eccecption, Macanudo portofino are an odd size and they sound great!
Tuners, buy real ones, you will be happier in the end. Gitty's stuff is all good, get it all at once, save time and shipping over shopping on Ebay (awaiting my compensation Ben)
Make your first one simple and learn from any mistakes, the second will be much better, then the third, fourth etc. Good luck and post pics.
If you can wait, CB Gitty will be your one-stop shop. Other-wise Radio Shack will be the place to get a jack and piezo. Or you can find busted radios, etc. to rob the jack from and get the piezo from a smoke detector ( NOT the one on your ceiling) , kids noisy toy, or an old, cheap alarm clock.
I prefer acoustic strings .... warms up the sound a bit, the electric can be a bit tinny, banjo-y sounding.
I would go with extra lights. Lights would be OK, but I wouldn't use anything bigger without a trussrod.
Wiring is simple. As long as you have a piezo that already has wires on it, put on on one tab of the jack, one on the other. Doesn't matter which goes where.
Missed this weekend, I hope you fared well thru the bad weather.
AFKAM
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