Hey Cigar Box Nation, I have been lurking on the forums for months now and I have been encouraged to build some CBGs. I have built 4 acoustic/electrics with piezo pickups and I will be posting pictures of them shortly. I have my first two electric guitar builds, and I have a question. I barely know enough to ask this question, and would like to get the opinion of someone who has been there before:
I am trying to weigh the merits of using the same method of string termination that I used for my acoustic guitars on the electric guitars. I know that the saddles on electric guitars are adjustable, so that the intonation of the strings can be adjusted. I wanted to ask if anyone can tell me the difference between fixed/immobile saddles and adjustable saddles.
There is no question mark. Thank you and good night.
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Juju, will those be for sale on your website or have they already got homes to go to?
JUJU AKA SOUNDSSOGOOD said:
It's true that a one-piece moveable bridge, such as a bolt, implies a certain degree of compromise, but historically it's a compromise that's worked OK on a lot of guitars. It also fits with the cheap-n-cheerful, improvised construction philosophy that's at the root of the CBG scene. And remember, even the intonation compensation that's possible with separately adjustable saddles is a compromise to some extent.
I guess it comes down to personal preferences and playing style. If you're going to play chords where you're fretting up at the high end of the neck then independent saddles might be called for. Other styles will be fine with a simple bridge.
The fixed saddles will have approximate intonation. On a three string, you might have two right and one slightly out. On the adjustable saddles you can get it exactly dialed in. It depends on how picky you are, and if you're going to be playing higher up on the neck where it will become more obviously out of tune. I see an awful lot of CBG's with saddles going straight across, which is not even close.
Keep it up man, really nice work.
JUJU AKA SOUNDSSOGOOD said:
sorry mate i just have to keep pushing myself :) - cheers Michael
Those are excellent man! You have to stop making such cool stuff you are making the rest of us look bad.
JUJU AKA SOUNDSSOGOOD said:
Dan is right, a simple nut and bolt bridge can be very effective. If you don't fix it down and just leave the string tension to hold it in place then you can move it back and forward to adjust the intonation. Like this...
Dan Sleep said:
I know some folks look down their nose at them, but I have made quite a few bridges just using a 1/4 x 20 bolt with a nut on the end.
Quick and cheap.
That is awesome Soundsogood. I might have to try a hand at hand smelting.
Thank you Dan. I have seen those telecaster replica bridges, and I love them, but I was wondering how people who were not buying those bridges were doing it. I am probably going to pick some of them up in the future, but I wanted to build a CBG now!!! (To quote Veruca Salt, famed CBG builder.)
Thank you Chickenbone. That'll do.
hi Gary - i made them mate - cast alloy construction hand smelted in my back yard lol !
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