My first CBG!!!

I put strings on it yesterday.

It's not as refined as it could be, but i'm happy with it's rough look. I didn't use any finish on it, because i liked the feel of the wood so much as as was working on it, that i wouldn't want to change it with something to glossy.

The box is rather small for it's scale (65cm), but it's all i had...

The box is mahogany, and i was lucky enough that my girlfriend's dad had a piece of mahogany among other pieces of wood, so i was able to use that to make the neck.

I added a simple set of piezos, but they have a nice metal cover, so i cut some slots in the top to resemble an electric guitar with two pickups.

One thing I learned from building it, is to NEVER be in a hurry to go on with the work. Twice i was hoping to get it done by night, and both times i ended up being overly nervous and messing things up.

Both times, when i went back to work on the guitar the day after, i got everything fixed and done, easy as pie...

I still might work on the action a bit, as it's a little to high for fingering, but it's ok for sliding (and i can't play slide, hahahahaha....).

Anyway, any advice, comments or criticism will be appreciated.

Very nice looking first build. The faux mag pups look kewl. They also may be a partial reason why you're not getting much volume while amped (although the main one is likely the lack of a preamp to boost the piezo signal). Here's how I'm reasoning: piezo's respond to vibration. Which means you need to give them something that vibrates to rest against. Cutting out the holes for the faux pup covers removes the vibrating soundboard at those points, meaning that minimal soundboard vibes are activating your piezo crystals. Also, while I like the look of the wrap-over bridge / saddle, that too may be contributing to your lack of volume. The saddle / bridge is right at the extreme edge of the box, where the soundboard does not vibrate much. All your plucked string energy is not being used to cause that box top to vibrate, which vibes would normally compress the air inside the box, as well as give your piezos something to work with, but is mostly traveling along the through neck. You might want to try installing a movable saddle / bridge about 1/3 the way in from the tail end of the box, and see if that doesn't boost your volume some. O' course, your intonation would then be off if this were a fretted build, but you can adjust for that while you're learning to play slide. Just some things to consider for build #2...

Replies

Tim LaFave September 7, 2012 at 10:43pm

Congratulations on your first build ... once you start, you can't stop! It's going to be hard to sleep, what with burning the "midnight oil" working on them, plus all those "free radical" ideas that will keep running around in your head 'bout how to tweek this one and how to improve the next one!
gabr1 September 7, 2012 at 6:09pm

I recorded what should be my version of number of the beast (Zwan version)...

As it turn out, the main problem is the computer mic. It sucks. I used an Olympus digital voice recorder i had, placed it next to the box, and it sounds much better, though it is still far from being a proper microphone. the CBG was unplugged, so this is the actual sound it has.

You can find the file on my profile, in the My music box.
Ron "Oily" Sprague September 7, 2012 at 7:27am

Very nice looking first build. The faux mag pups look kewl. They also may be a partial reason why you're not getting much volume while amped (although the main one is likely the lack of a preamp to boost the piezo signal). Here's how I'm reasoning: piezo's respond to vibration. Which means you need to give them something that vibrates to rest against. Cutting out the holes for the faux pup covers removes the vibrating soundboard at those points, meaning that minimal soundboard vibes are activating your piezo crystals. Also, while I like the look of the wrap-over bridge / saddle, that too may be contributing to your lack of volume. The saddle / bridge is right at the extreme edge of the box, where the soundboard does not vibrate much. All your plucked string energy is not being used to cause that box top to vibrate, which vibes would normally compress the air inside the box, as well as give your piezos something to work with, but is mostly traveling along the through neck. You might want to try installing a movable saddle / bridge about 1/3 the way in from the tail end of the box, and see if that doesn't boost your volume some. O' course, your intonation would then be off if this were a fretted build, but you can adjust for that while you're learning to play slide. Just some things to consider for build #2...
- gabr1 > Ron "Oily" Sprague September 7, 2012 at 8:15am
  
  Thanks, that's something to think about for the next one. As a matter of fact, you are right about the vibrations travelling along the neck a lot, they feel rather strong. But i'm guessing that might not be too bad, as the piezos are resting on the neck... Or is there something i am missing?
  
  The unplugged sound isn't that faint, so i think you might be right about the main reason for the faint amped sound being the lack of a preamp. Or maybe i simply shouldn't use the built in mic on my computer...
  - rusty case > gabr1 September 7, 2012 at 9:39am
    
    Oh Gosh!
    
    :-)
    
    I hope to learn how to make a recording of my CBG's... so I been reading a whole lot about audio and recording live bands and acoustic and mixing and DAWs and .... golly, it goes on forever!
    
    One thing I've learned is that the mic input on a computer is possibly the worst way to go!
    
    I've seen little here on CBN about home recording, so I might put up a post with a bunch of the resource material I've found, if anyone is interested in that sort of thing.
    
    Best
    
    rc
    - Sumner McLain > rusty case September 7, 2012 at 3:45pm
      
      post it up!
    - gabr1 > rusty case September 7, 2012 at 10:10am
      
      That would be great! I have no experience whatsoever with recording, so it would be useful to hear from anyone who does
rusty case September 5, 2012 at 11:14pm

Your CBG looks great and sounds excellent!

Good work!

It's been a few weeks now, since your post... gonna post a new mpeg file soon? :-)

Best

rc
- gabr1 > rusty case September 6, 2012 at 5:54am
  
  Thanks!
  
  I have been really busy, so there was no time for my cbg.
  - rusty case > gabr1 September 6, 2012 at 8:20am
    
    Oh Gosh!
    
    as I get closer to the river styx I can appreciate better how fortunate it is to have work, and help people with their needs.
    
    Perhaps that's why I have taken such a fancy to the CBGs... homebuilt, and utilitarian, perhaps coarse, and not delicate or perhaps expensive, like many guitars...
    
    A CBG can be built with our own hands, does not demand special care and can always be handy, to pluck a few strings spontaneously for a few moments of diversion, (or the working man blues).
    
    IMO you should keep it handy and play with it for at least a few moments each day.
    
    It will brighten your day, and you'll do better, for others! :-)
    
    Best
    
    rc

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