So I've been making noise on my orriginal frettles guitar for a while now , don't know if I'm getting better but the dog has stopped howling. Meanwhile I have been working on 2 fretted instruments both 25 inch scale. The first is a conventionally fretted with a piezo and a Gitty Bucker ( currently out of stock ) this is holding up other parts as I only want to order once.
The second will be diatonic fretting like a strumstick . Now the questions Do I go with strumstick type strings or guitar ? what strings for GDG or DAD tuning ( I'm leaning guitar).
Wondering about a pickup, thinking single coil in addition to a piezo reccomendations please ( pickup and strings )
If I decide to remove all the paper from the outside of a box to finish it naturally what is the best method?
Thanks in advance
Frank
Replies
I've tried everything you could think of stripping boxes including wetting with solvents & heat guns, but it actually makes for a lot of work! Not to mention that you could also weaken the glue holding it together! The best way is to scrape off as much as you can with a razor blade, then use 80 grit to sand, but you'll want to switch to 100/120 grit when you get close to bare wood so you don't gouge any low spots into it. If you're gonna use an electric sander 80 grit will probably be too rough to start with, maybe 100 grit? One of the reasons I don't like to take the paper off my boxes is because they often have voids & cracks in the panels as well as gaps between joints?
String info for DAd:
https://www.cigarboxguitar.com/knowledge-base/open-d-dad-tuning-on-...
String info for GDg:
https://www.cigarboxguitar.com/knowledge-base/open-g-gdg-tuning-on-...
Hi, if you go to the Shop heading above and go to the string section, the gauges of different sets are listed. I would experiment without knowing what type of glue was used. Cheapest to start with is water [hot, warm, or cold?], Metholated spirit, or some other solvent.
Cheers Taff
Frank, for my 2 cents I'd say strings depend on the tone and overall sound you're wanting from the git. Guitar strings have a fuller (think mids and low-end) tone while strings for dulcimer or banjo will be thinner, also easier on the fingers for say, the strumstick and that's how I'd do them, git strings on the git, dulci or banj. type for the stick. Gitty's pickups are great, I have several of them on my various cgb's and found-object gits but also piezos on a lot of my various (wood, tin, etc.) bodied gits, mostly diddley bows, 3 and a few 2 stringers. What you'll find here in the nation are a TON of various pickup approaches including piezos of course. The other thing I'd add is placement of the piezo is really imporant. Mostly we place them under the top of the wood or cardboard or composite boxes directly under the bridge -but not always! There's more to it, but if you check pics you'll see various covers over 'em and piezos affixed in varoius places. I find the "sweet spot" on each box (talking piezo now) before gluing and/or taping it in place as I find it's different depending on the box. I'll leave finishing q. to others. Have fun!! -Glenn