The Boat Paddle Box -- The Traditional Stick Dulcimer Soundbox - Cigar Box Nation2024-03-29T11:49:42Zhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/the-boat-paddle-box-the?groupUrl=HMRB101&commentId=2592684%3AComment%3A838455&%3Bxg_source=msg_com_gr_forum&feed=yes&xn_auth=noSo much great info, thanks a…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2016-04-04:2592684:Comment:25614622016-04-04T07:29:38.350ZMurdoc_420https://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/Murdoc420
<p>So much great info, thanks a bunch.</p>
<p> Going to have to start on one of these right away (then source some veneers.. uggh they look expensive)</p>
<p>So much great info, thanks a bunch.</p>
<p> Going to have to start on one of these right away (then source some veneers.. uggh they look expensive)</p> Hi Rusty Case,
Thanks for sto…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-09-20:2592684:Comment:12519762012-09-20T04:16:57.661ZRand Moorehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore
<p>Hi Rusty Case,</p>
<p>Thanks for stopping by and reading my tutorial/how-to on paddle-box dulcimer construction. It's been a while since I read it, and I've built maybe a dozen more instruments since that first build. So, today I went back and added some updated information. If you scan through the document you will see occasional "UPDATE 9/20/2012:" in red which will point you to my new comments.</p>
<p>-Rand.</p>
<p>Hi Rusty Case,</p>
<p>Thanks for stopping by and reading my tutorial/how-to on paddle-box dulcimer construction. It's been a while since I read it, and I've built maybe a dozen more instruments since that first build. So, today I went back and added some updated information. If you scan through the document you will see occasional "UPDATE 9/20/2012:" in red which will point you to my new comments.</p>
<p>-Rand.</p> Excellent tutorial & how-…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-09-19:2592684:Comment:12518442012-09-19T23:51:03.027Zrusty casehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/rustycase
<p>Excellent tutorial & how-to !</p>
<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>rc</p>
<p></p>
<p>Excellent tutorial & how-to !</p>
<p>Thank you,</p>
<p>rc</p>
<p></p> Just an update...
I have bui…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-07-04:2592684:Comment:11612962012-07-04T06:47:19.338ZRand Moorehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore
<p>Just an update...</p>
<p>I have built several more "paddlebox dulcimers", most using a 50cm scale length. Three use 3.0cm x 0.5cm cherry trim wood, while one used 2.5cm x 0.5cm trim wood for a lower profile instrument (thinner neck, shallower sound box), and another used 3.7cm x 0.5cm trim wood (from a new supplier) that allows me to build deeper sound boxes, but these require more work trimming down the neck and headstock to 3cm (my typical neck thickness). The 3.7cm wide trim wood will…</p>
<p>Just an update...</p>
<p>I have built several more "paddlebox dulcimers", most using a 50cm scale length. Three use 3.0cm x 0.5cm cherry trim wood, while one used 2.5cm x 0.5cm trim wood for a lower profile instrument (thinner neck, shallower sound box), and another used 3.7cm x 0.5cm trim wood (from a new supplier) that allows me to build deeper sound boxes, but these require more work trimming down the neck and headstock to 3cm (my typical neck thickness). The 3.7cm wide trim wood will also let be experiment with 4 string designs in the coming months. Anyway, I have updated a couple drawings to show how you can build a 50cm VSL paddlebox dulcimer using just two 2.2m lengths of 3cm x 0.5cm trimwood. This size of wood is fairly easy to find in China (where I live 10 months of each year) and so, I assume, it won't be too hard to find in the rest of the metric using world.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>So, here they are..</p>
<p> </p>
<p> You can double click on the drawings to enlarge them.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240690047?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240690047?profile=original"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>Here's the second drawing...</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240690660?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240690660?profile=original"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>In addition to the fully laminated necks, I have experimented with one "solid core" neck made of some unknown hardwood (with two slats of cherry trim wood to form the sides of the neck and body) and it resulted in a really nice sounding instrument, maybe my best sounding instrument. So, I have two theories why this is. One reason is that this instrument has a 60cm scale length that better matches guitar string specs. The other reason is the solid hardwood neck. To prove out these ideas, I'll have to build some more 60cm paddlebox dulcimers. When I do, I'll update this discussion with drawings and what I find out from these experiments. I'll also work on perfecting my building techniques and skills. Oh yeah, here's a photo of that sweet sounding 60cm paddlebox dulcimer...</p>
<p> </p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240452286?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" target="_self" width="737" height="485"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240452286?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="737" height="485"></a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>-Rand</p>
<p> </p> Check out Habanera Hal's buil…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2012-01-10:2592684:Comment:9409952012-01-10T06:50:33.097ZRand Moorehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore
<p>Check out Habanera Hal's build photos and write-up of the 4 "Paddle Stick Guitars" he built simultaneously just this past October. Here's the <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/building-a-paddle-stick-guitar" target="_blank">link</a>. And here's a teaser...</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305769904?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305769904?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a></p>
<p>Great job, Hal!</p>
<p></p>
<p>-Rand.…</p>
<p></p>
<p>Check out Habanera Hal's build photos and write-up of the 4 "Paddle Stick Guitars" he built simultaneously just this past October. Here's the <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/building-a-paddle-stick-guitar" target="_blank">link</a>. And here's a teaser...</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305769904?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305769904?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a></p>
<p>Great job, Hal!</p>
<p></p>
<p>-Rand.</p>
<p></p>
<p></p> Here's the photo of the simpl…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2011-12-10:2592684:Comment:9112212011-12-10T02:40:00.383ZRand Moorehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore
<p>Here's the photo of the simple wooden tail piece that uses a strategically placed cut nail to protect the edge of the sound box from being cut by strings under tension...</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305760027?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305760027?profile=original" width="423"></img></a> The other problem with placing the tail piece over the edge like this is that you can't stand the instrument up on it's tail end like you can if you instrument has the tail piece mounted on the sound…</p>
<p>Here's the photo of the simple wooden tail piece that uses a strategically placed cut nail to protect the edge of the sound box from being cut by strings under tension...</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305760027?profile=original"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/305760027?profile=original" width="423"></a>The other problem with placing the tail piece over the edge like this is that you can't stand the instrument up on it's tail end like you can if you instrument has the tail piece mounted on the sound board [and then anchored to the underlying tail block via the 2 screws (or to the neck on "neck almost thru" designs)].<br> -Rand.</p>
<p></p>
<p><br> <cite>Rand Moore said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/the-boat-paddle-box-the?groupUrl=HMRB101&#2592684Comment911171">
<div>
<div class="xg_user_generated">
<p>A couple more build details....</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> A couple more build details.…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2011-12-10:2592684:Comment:9111712011-12-10T02:08:04.358ZRand Moorehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore
<p>A couple more build details. For this new build I wanted a thinner neck for a 3-stringer as compared to the 4-stringer Sept. build, so I used a thinner hardwood core. On the latest build, I used 1"x1" hardwood for the core rather than the 1.5" x 0.75" poplar wood that I used on the unsuccessful September build. Using a solid piece of hardwood for the neck core saves a lot of labor in terms of building up a neck from 6 or 7 strips of trim wood as I did on my first paddle-box stick…</p>
<p>A couple more build details. For this new build I wanted a thinner neck for a 3-stringer as compared to the 4-stringer Sept. build, so I used a thinner hardwood core. On the latest build, I used 1"x1" hardwood for the core rather than the 1.5" x 0.75" poplar wood that I used on the unsuccessful September build. Using a solid piece of hardwood for the neck core saves a lot of labor in terms of building up a neck from 6 or 7 strips of trim wood as I did on my first paddle-box stick dulcimer.</p>
<p>Also, for both the September build and my latest build, the tail block was built up from three short lengths of trim wood, and this seems to work just fine. The tail block on my first paddle box build was over-engineered and is twice as thick as it needs to be. But, the thicker tailpiece allows me to round the corners nicely (or maybe the whole tail piece), whereas with a thin tail block I tend to end up with pointy corners.</p>
<p>That reminds me that I cut the angles on the tail block to be 70 degrees. To be sure, use a protractor when you try to dry fit the tail block to the head/neck/box-frame assembly. Also, instead of using nails to temporarily hold the neck block in place while gluing it up, I used a roll of gaze (that thin cloth used to bandage wounds) and that held it in pace pretty well. To tighten it up, I ran a ballpoint pen thru the cloth gaze and twisted it like a tourniquet. It worked pretty well, except for a few threads that got stuck t the glue ad to be cleaned up.</p>
<p>The tail piece is simply a 3 cm length of trim wood that I slotted with a small hack saw (once for each string) and screwed to the soundboard where it overlies the tail block for a solid anchor point. I used 3 guitar strings with the ball ends, but on other instruments I've used banjo strings with looped ends. When stringing up with banjo strings, I run a cut nail through the looped ends after stringing the3 strings thru the slots (holes) in the tail piece. I have also used this kind of tailpiece with nylon strings by tying figure-8 knots in end of the string. Sometimes, instead of placing the tail piece on the soundboard, I place over the edge on the broad face of the tail side of the sound box, making sure the screws anchor into the end of the neck on these "neck almost thru" design. When I do that, I need to protect the top edge of the sound box from being cut into by the strings under tension. This can be done with a piece of cut can, or better yet with a strategically placed nail. Let me see if I can find a photo to show what I'm saying...</p>
<p></p>
<p>-Rand.</p>
<p><br/> <cite>Rand Moore said:</cite></p>
<blockquote cite="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/forum/topics/the-boat-paddle-box-the?groupUrl=HMRB101&commentId=2592684%3AComment%3A911197&xg_source=activity&groupId=2592684%3AGroup%3A682317#2592684Comment911197"><div><div class="xg_user_generated"><p>Hi All...</p>
<p>Just an update... The September 4-Stringer project ...</p>
</div>
</div>
</blockquote> Hi All...
Just an update...…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2011-12-10:2592684:Comment:9111972011-12-10T00:54:03.373ZRand Moorehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore
<p>Hi All...</p>
<p>Just an update... The September 4-Stringer project came to a abrupt halt after I screwed it up by trying to add a fifth string to the side of the neck to make it into a 5-string paddle box banjo. I have since recycled the frets and tuners, etc. and threw out the rest (except the head and top of the neck so I'd have a good example of a nice scarf joint; maybe for teaching down the road).</p>
<p>Since then, I built another paddle box stick dulcimer that features 3-strings, a…</p>
<p>Hi All...</p>
<p>Just an update... The September 4-Stringer project came to a abrupt halt after I screwed it up by trying to add a fifth string to the side of the neck to make it into a 5-string paddle box banjo. I have since recycled the frets and tuners, etc. and threw out the rest (except the head and top of the neck so I'd have a good example of a nice scarf joint; maybe for teaching down the road).</p>
<p>Since then, I built another paddle box stick dulcimer that features 3-strings, a slotted headstock (no scarf joint), a 1x3 set of open geared guitar tuners, and a 3-octave diatonic fretboard (frets 1-14, plus 6.5 and 13.5). The scale length is 60cm (just short of 24"), so for me it is a long fretboard and so, its a bit more difficult to play as compared to my usual 50cm (about 20") VSL stick dulcimers. However, it produces uncommonly sweet sounding notes, so I may build some more long necks to see if sweet sounding notes is a characteristic of long strings, or was this build just a fluke. Here's a photo of it that compares it against the standard McNally strumstick and my first paddle-box stick dulcimer.</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240452533?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="737" height="442"><img class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/240452533?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="737" height="442"></a>My new instrument is shown in the middle. If you want to read more about it, visit <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore" target="_blank">my CBN personal page</a>.</p>
<p></p>
<p>-Rand.</p>
<p></p> Great work and very instructi…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2011-11-05:2592684:Comment:8806022011-11-05T04:40:45.654ZLen Davidsonhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/LenDavidson
<p>Great work and very instructive. I have been making lap steel CBGs and this has given me an idea for making a weisenborn style guitar.Thanks</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Great work and very instructive. I have been making lap steel CBGs and this has given me an idea for making a weisenborn style guitar.Thanks</p>
<p> </p> Hi Hal.
Let us know how you d…tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2011-09-27:2592684:Comment:8384552011-09-27T17:03:42.554ZRand Moorehttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RandMoore
<p>Hi Hal.</p>
<p>Let us know how you do your bolt on neck, photos too! I usually mess up when I try making a bolt on neck. Usually I get either a bowed up neck at the neck-box junction when I try to tune the instrument the first time, or I get a bad "downward slant angle" so my action is either too high or too low. I think they (bolt on necks) are a lot more work than they are worth, especially on a small box that has to have additional bracing added to better support the neck/box joint. I…</p>
<p>Hi Hal.</p>
<p>Let us know how you do your bolt on neck, photos too! I usually mess up when I try making a bolt on neck. Usually I get either a bowed up neck at the neck-box junction when I try to tune the instrument the first time, or I get a bad "downward slant angle" so my action is either too high or too low. I think they (bolt on necks) are a lot more work than they are worth, especially on a small box that has to have additional bracing added to better support the neck/box joint. I guess I need more research and practice making them.</p>
<p>As far as tuners, I would recommend geared tuners. Ukulele friction tuners are hard to tune compared to geared tuners. Geared tuners offer what amounts to "fine tuning" as compared to friction tuners. They are not that much more expensive if you shop around (like C.B Gitty's).</p>
<p>As far as shorter scale lengths, I think they are great, especially on diatonically fretted instruments. Most of mine have a 50cm (about 20") scale length. On my current project, the scale length will be 60 cm (23 & 5/8") scale length. This should give me some idea if I like longer (24") scale length instruments.</p>
<p>Well, keep us informed on how your project progresses and turns out.</p>
<p>-Rand.</p>