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Newbie starts with a canjo

Posted by Mberglo on March 12, 2009 at 9:02pm
While researching canjo building techniques (daughter's science project), I came across the cigar box guitar. I remembered seeing Microwave Dave play one (turns out to be a Purgatory Hill Harp) and I decided I need to make one. Anyway, we bought enough tuners to make the canjo and a three string CBG, and I just bought my neck material, red oak neck with poplar fretboard. I now need to find a cigar box or three. I look forward to learning the details here and contributing when I can. Here are some pics of the canjo we built. My daughter really enjoys it and is now interested in learning to play the guitar.

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Replies

  • Zeb April 28, 2009 at 6:21pm
    This reminds me of a Music Maker Kits Strumbly.(www.harpkit.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Cod...) You can buy the kit for under $100 .
    (www.strumstick.com/)The strumstick is similar. I'm going to say more options and refinement. More options like pick ups etc. They also have music you can down load. Chuck
  • Roger Martin April 28, 2009 at 6:03pm
    I've just about switched completely to screws,for my 1 stringers.I use slotted when I can find them and Phillips when I cant. With phillips I file a slot into the screw for the string to properly lay into,making sure there are no sharp areas to cut the string and I try to angle the screw to the tuners.
  • David Beede April 28, 2009 at 4:11pm
    What's known as the "zero" fret - a fret placed where the nut would normally be, can circumvent a lot of issues regarding action and set up. Then how you guide the string to your tuner is less critical. you can even have a carved out slot or a saw kerf that makes the string track to the tuner. As long as there is enough angle to the string as it leaves the "zero" fret, buzz should be no problem. Screws can cause a string to buzz. Here's a sample on one of my octave dulcimers.

  • Mberglo March 13, 2009 at 9:12am
    Yes, the nut is just a sheet metal screw. I used a slotted one, but I've seen them with phillips heads. After I build my first 3 string CBG, I want to build a 3 string mountain dulcimer, which is played like the video you posted.
  • Blkbird March 13, 2009 at 12:36am
    Nice Canjo!

    Is that a regular screw for the nut? I haven't been able to find any clear cut instructions on the net, but I've been aching to build one ever since I saw oldmanparatrooper play. I'll try to embed the video below. Thanks for sharing and have fun building the cbg.

    Bob

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