I made my first CBG and enjoy it a lot. Cherry scarfed neck, cedar Oliva box, piezo and a sweet $15 amp from Goodwill.
Now I'm on a quest for the elusive good-sounding acoustic. I've read "use a bigger box" whenever the concept is mentioned. So noted, but there must be some ways to enhance the paltry cedar vibes through the air. Could someone point me to any pertinent info source?
Thanks from Escondido
WIshing you all a cozy autumn.
Replies
Hi Stan, it's good to hear folks talking about acoustic tone, and taking the time and effort to achieve a good balanced tone. I have written about the subject many times over the years, but I can't find the posts on here very quickly. It is always good I think to have fresh input from members, so if you can't find past posts on the subject I'll be back. Hahaha.
When I was first asked to build a Cigar Box Guitar for a customer I had never seen or heard one. My first thought was [I was already building full acoustic guitars] tone and volume, how do I get that out of a cigar box, and how would I get it consistently as getting the same box, if I found one that worked well, would be next to very unlikely. So I decided to build my own boxes. I experimented with different dimensions and materials until I was happy. What I had to settle for was the best response I could get from a "box" with all its limitations. I could not compare it to the acoustic response of a full-size guitar. I built three cbgs before settling on one for this customer.
How did I know I was on the right track? The customer told me that now he has to play that CBG in a room further down the hall as his wife complained it's too loud.
I have been accused at times, of "over-thinking things, it's only a box", my thoughts were yes it's only a box but it's got my name on it. If you would like to hear a box guitar that I built following the basic rules of guitar building being played, you could go to my business Facebook page, where here's a video or two. Search Taffy Evans Handmade Guitars.
Brian Q's suggestion is good, to read up on acoustic guitar acoustics, The cbg I built using all the "rules" even tone timbers and the sound hole size, bridge height, and bracing, sounds great. If I can find more details I'll be back.
Oh! its summer coming here.
Taff
Thanks for the info, Taff.
My goal is a three-string guitar made with common(ish) materials that sounds alive.
I applied for a FB account to check out your work. Finally a reason to join that herd!
Perhaps my penchant for twoodford vids has fired me up to make my own body, and your insight is appreciated.
Read up on bracing, back & soundboard bracing along with wood type are the core of acoustic volume? Also, the bottom side of the box is thinner & vibrates a lot easier than the top? Cheers!
Thanks Brian.
I'll do just that and expand my search to the luthier sources. I guess boxes are to be built.