hi My name is Tim and im from central arkansas. i have been seeing cigar box guitar on the net for a while and a few in person. and have been thinking of building for a while the original plan was to buy a 3/4 scale guitar and use the parts to build one.(to be honest i nearly baught a hanna montana washburn) then i decided i want to do somethign a little more traditional so i have decided to do a 4 string.
but i do have a couple of questions.
1. what are you guys using for frets. i know most dont but i would like frets and i can get fret wire but i would like something a little closer to home.
2 i keep seeing guitars with small maybe 2" sound hole with really cool looking chrome and screen or sometimes chrome with wholes drilled in. for the life of me i cant figure out whats being used there.
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Tim for sound holds I have used closet rod holders and glue a sink drain inside , fits perfect , also use brass canvas crommets . I think you have gotten the answer for the frets . For my first one I went fretless and just maked the frets with a sharpie to keep it simple . Welcome to the Nation , You'll be hooked in no time , if not already :-)
When i started to make my first CBG I was sure i wanted frets, but once i had it together I loved the sound and feel of it without. Of course you learn so much on the first build that you almost cant but help make another. Welcome to the club.
Yup to cotter pins. I use 3/32" x 2, clip them down to size and file the ends smooth before sticking them in a shallow slot I've cut in the neck with the miter box/saw. This gives the pin some seating and makes it more certain you'll line them up straight. I've used CA glue, but I'd suggest quick epoxy. Mine ping off now and then. Make them a tad shorter than the width of your fingerboard so you don't catch the ends while playing. You really can't file them down once they are in place. Well you can, but they'll likely come flying off and fall behind the workbench.
For me the pins don't fit entirely in the slot. One edge goes in and the other sits up on the surface of the neck. I've got some photos on my page of cotter pin fingerboards, both zinc-coated steel and brass. I'd steer away from stainless steel - they are way harder to cut.
Since you really can't file them effectively, you'll likely end up making the action of the strings a bit higher than optimal, to eliminate buzz. I have taken remedial action with a small file on a wayward fret with satisfactory results.
Wichita Sam said:
Welcome Tim.... I can tell you're already hooked...
If you want to not use real frets, I think the best option is cotter pin pieces The 1/2 round profile of a cotter pin leg had maximun flat surface for gluing...
sound hole trim can be anything you want..... you are probably seeing drain covers.... but, look at the thousands for pic here on the Nation... there are many, many ways to trim out soundholes....
Welcome Tim.... I can tell you're already hooked...
If you want to not use real frets, I think the best option is cotter pin pieces The 1/2 round profile of a cotter pin leg had maximun flat surface for gluing...
sound hole trim can be anything you want..... you are probably seeing drain covers.... but, look at the thousands for pic here on the Nation... there are many, many ways to trim out soundholes....
For sound holes I have recently been using lightbulb fittings, mostly for E27 but just got a heap of E40 fittings, which look really cool.
(Eis for Euronorm, number is for diaphram measurement in millimetres for the actual fitting from the light bulb itself).
thanks for all the great ideas i am still trying to get this all planned out in my head befor i start. this will give me some food for thought ot digest over the next few days.
Welcome to the forum. I think you have gotten your answers. Also, might want to do a search on fret. There are tons of options. toothpicks, wood burning, magic marker, spokes, goes on and on.
Hey Tim, my recent 3 string was my first fretted neck and I'm pleased with it. I used 1/16" brass rod from hardware/hobby shop. I copied positions from a "real" guitar , cut slots w/hacksaw, roughed up the "back" of them and used wood glue in the slots (applied w/ a hypo needle so I could control amount) and clamped it . At first a few came loose while filing them to shape, but after re-gluing those, I've had no more trouble. They all stayed in through the finishing sander/edge filing and play well. I've heard of using coat hanger wire, cotter pins, toothpicks etc. I like to keep it cheap/homemade, but will consider using regular fret wire next time. Lots of good info in here about how to use that as well, and lots of people to offer suggestions. Hope this is helpful and good luck w/ your CBG!
Replies
and thanks for the welcom
For me the pins don't fit entirely in the slot. One edge goes in and the other sits up on the surface of the neck. I've got some photos on my page of cotter pin fingerboards, both zinc-coated steel and brass. I'd steer away from stainless steel - they are way harder to cut.
Since you really can't file them effectively, you'll likely end up making the action of the strings a bit higher than optimal, to eliminate buzz. I have taken remedial action with a small file on a wayward fret with satisfactory results.
Wichita Sam said:
If you want to not use real frets, I think the best option is cotter pin pieces The 1/2 round profile of a cotter pin leg had maximun flat surface for gluing...
sound hole trim can be anything you want..... you are probably seeing drain covers.... but, look at the thousands for pic here on the Nation... there are many, many ways to trim out soundholes....
the best,
Wichita Sam
(Eis for Euronorm, number is for diaphram measurement in millimetres for the actual fitting from the light bulb itself).
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