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Setting out from the beginning - Resonator 6 String

Posted by Rob on April 18, 2017 at 3:27pm in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion

Hey all,

So I have decided what I am going to build, a resonator 6 string :)

I have bought my neck and cone... And I am ready to get started.

Silly question.... where do I start?!

I guess I need to fit my neck first to then find the correct centre for my cone?

Can anyone point me in the direction to help me setup? I am mega keen, just need to start in the right place...

Thanks

Rob

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Replies

  • Rob April 26, 2017 at 5:05am

    Making really good progress but need to decide on a neck pickup...

    What will give me a really creamy warm neck tone?

    I am fitting a blending pot and a Piezo so I can control it....

    :)

  • Dave Hutch April 20, 2017 at 3:51am
    Hi Rob, I'm just starting my first reso 6 also. I've got the cone and started a plan on a3 paper. This is the first time I've made a plan on any build, usually just making it up as I go along, but definitely seems easier to have something visually to work with.
  • JL April 19, 2017 at 9:27am

    step 1 is always a dry layout on your work table to make sure you have enough box and not end up with the bridge sitting 2" beyond the end of the box, :-)

    • Rob > JL April 19, 2017 at 1:53pm

      Haha, I should be safe there...

      I am more thinking about how far in I want the neck to sit etc...

  • Tom T April 18, 2017 at 6:25pm

    Great idea! I love  resonators  and have designed  and built two  six  stringers.

    If you have a  neck and a  body (box?), then it  is critical  that you get the position of  the resonator (biscuit) sorted  out so  your  scale  is  correct.

    Is  your neck a bolt on? if so, you  may be able to "nudge"  it a little if necessary to  get the  intonation  correct. That being said, you really want to get the  scale length as close  as possible before  any  tweaking.

    As noted in  another post, you  will do well to  add a little to your scale length (around 1/8") usually works  well. If your scale is  25", then make the distance  from the nut  to the middle of the  biscuit 25 1/8". You can fine tune by rotating the biscuit  slightly  to  get  intonation  perfect. Another trick is to not drill  the biscuit and screw it  to the cone  until  you  have set intonation and know exactly where the biscuit needs  to be.

    The  thing about resonators is  getting the intonation  correct. The  rest of the build  is  pretty straight forward. 

    Keep us  posted with  photos.

    306613065?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024

    • Rob > Tom T April 19, 2017 at 3:49am

      Thanks Tom,

      You shared my concerns and what advice you gave was just what I needed to start attacking my box with saws.... lol

      I need to lay it all out, measure up and roughly fit the neck, then cut for the bowl too and before drilling the bolt on, make sure its well aligned!

      Any other advice is very welcome :)

      My plan for this is like a guy Taff did, have a piezo and a pickup so I can blend between the two... :)

      Rob

  • Rob April 18, 2017 at 4:39pm
    So do I fit my cone to my box first and then cut out for my neck? ( paper draft first...)

    And make tge distance from nut to bridge 3mm longer? :)
  • Moritz Voegeli April 18, 2017 at 4:08pm

    Start with a draft on paper with the exact measures, place the cone first, add the neck, with nut to bridge twice the distance nut to 12th fret, and add 3mm or 0.12" to get the corrected scale length.

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