i am just starting out on making a 3 stringed cbg... well i am starting to think about it rather than starting to make it i have no concerns about the body or electronics only about the neck 

 

my plan at this point is to have a string ( low E i imagine) running down a groove on the back of the neck

1 end anchored to the base of the neck ( near the body ) and the other end connected to a normal machine head ( inverted ) pointing the wrong way. as it tightens the theory is the rear string under tention

will pull back any curving of the neck created by the 3 'front' strings 

has anybody tried this idea ...and does anybody think it will work 

 

carl

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Quite correct. Sorry. I forgot to say that this assumes that you are trying to totally counteract the tension of the strings. But back to the other point for a moment. Since hundreds and hundreds of guitars have been built without this ever being a problem the main issue seems to be that such a remedy would only be needed if a really unsuitable type of wood was to be used for the neck.

The question occurs to me. Are you suggesting this because you think it is needed (there certainly seem to be enough voices suggesting that it isn't) or because you just want to build a guitar with this "counter tension mechanism" in it. If the second one is the answer I hope you take lots of photos, because I am sure it will look really interesting.

Good luck either way.

carl said:

may be its to simplstic but the way i see it is if u have a tent with 3 guy ropes on 1 end and 1 guy rope on the other ( even if the ropes were at diff angles say 30 degrees and 60 degrees the single guy rope would still produce an effective counter acting force even if it were not perfect it will still b better to have that single guy than not to have it ..... but i value your constructive view on this matter thank u .... regards 

My guess, if you do build it anyway (despite the chorus of voices, mine included, saying it ain't necessary if you select the proper neck wood), is that you'll have a low E sympathetic drone string. Kinda like a sitar, or various types of harp-guitars that have been built over the last 100 or so years.

Which might be quite cool sounding on certain songs.

Look, no rules! Do it because you just think it's a neat idea. Play a song with it. Post the mp3 or video of it being played. Let us naysayers marvel at your ingenuity. Git buildin' and playin'!

sure i idea is too innovate , add something, too progress....... and if i could make a neck not much thicker than a fret board

for the price of an e sting that would b worth lookin at  

Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw said:

Quite correct. Sorry. I forgot to say that this assumes that you are trying to totally counteract the tension of the strings. But back to the other point for a moment. Since hundreds and hundreds of guitars have been built without this ever being a problem the main issue seems to be that such a remedy would only be needed if a really unsuitable type of wood was to be used for the neck.

The question occurs to me. Are you suggesting this because you think it is needed (there certainly seem to be enough voices suggesting that it isn't) or because you just want to build a guitar with this "counter tension mechanism" in it. If the second one is the answer I hope you take lots of photos, because I am sure it will look really interesting.

Good luck either way.

carl said:

may be its to simplstic but the way i see it is if u have a tent with 3 guy ropes on 1 end and 1 guy rope on the other ( even if the ropes were at diff angles say 30 degrees and 60 degrees the single guy rope would still produce an effective counter acting force even if it were not perfect it will still b better to have that single guy than not to have it ..... but i value your constructive view on this matter thank u .... regards 

Try this idea for a guitar not much thicker than a fretboard - the most minimalist ( if that makes sense) guitar design yet:

http://www.gittlerguitar.altervista.org/

Good luck with your build; we're all actually, mostly, really nice people hereabouts, but we're also artists, musicians and craftsmen of sorts, who can get passionate about these yittle git-boxes.

You know what dealing with that's like ;-)

looks good not sure how it would play .... but will be makin a cbg..... makin a start this weekend and for sure i will try and innovate in some way.... most ideas wont work but some will .. just as i benefit from the innovators that have gone before ill try to add to that body of knowledge in the best way i can ,,,,, thank you for your comments  

Oily "Strat-O'-Nine-Tales" Fool said:

Try this idea for a guitar not much thicker than a fretboard - the most minimalist ( if that makes sense) guitar design yet:

http://www.gittlerguitar.altervista.org/

Good luck with your build; we're all actually, mostly, really nice people hereabouts, but we're also artists, musicians and craftsmen of sorts, who can get passionate about these yittle git-boxes.

You know what dealing with that's like ;-)

The next question, which probably can't be answered until you or someone else builds an instrument with an ultra-thin neck, is does it feel as/more comfortable to play when compared to something more conventional? Does it give the same or even more control? Good luck with it.

Just a thought regarding sympathetic strings. If it is to have a function as a string vibrating in response to the playing then it has to be able to vibrate without buzzing. If it isn't it needs to be damped in some way. What about tuning? Lots of fun with that idea.

the plan is that it wont function as a string ( but that might be an idea to look into ) but will rest in a groove running down the back .... the truth is i have no idea how well it will work but might b fun finding out 

 

6 strings...... 4 on the front 2 on the back using back-to-back fret boards ..... now theres an idea lol 

Roadkill a.k.a. John Maw said:

The next question, which probably can't be answered until you or someone else builds an instrument with an ultra-thin neck, is does it feel as/more comfortable to play when compared to something more conventional? Does it give the same or even more control? Good luck with it.

Just a thought regarding sympathetic strings. If it is to have a function as a string vibrating in response to the playing then it has to be able to vibrate without buzzing. If it isn't it needs to be damped in some way. What about tuning? Lots of fun with that idea.

You might need some kind of bridge in the middle to create the back bending you are looking for, this may make the tension pull in the right way to counter act the 3 front strings like a stress bar does. I hope this makes sense.

How about a bass guitar string on the back?

This exactly the principle that a conventional trussrod works on, as this will give some proper mechanical leverage to the tension exerted by the rear - mounted string. Having said that, this is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. A couple of days ago I built 16 three string guitars with a group of schoolchildren, using really low grade 1 X 1 1/2" softwood, the necks don't bend  - I've  made hundreds of these in school programs, and hundreds of my own guitars with no trussrods, never had one come back with complaints of a bent neck.


MichaelS Country Boy Guitars said:

You might need some kind of bridge in the middle to create the back bending you are looking for, this may make the tension pull in the right way to counter act the 3 front strings like a stress bar does. I hope this makes sense.

John, I agree fully that its not needed, but if he really wants to do it it should be functional.  I use Black walnut for my necks and I think 6 strings would hard have a time flexing them.

Plus, a bit of bow is not all bad, helps with string buzz. 

ChickenboneJohn said:

This exactly the principle that a conventional trussrod works on, as this will give some proper mechanical leverage to the tension exerted by the rear - mounted string. Having said that, this is a solution to a problem that doesn't exist. A couple of days ago I built 16 three string guitars with a group of schoolchildren, using really low grade 1 X 1 1/2" softwood, the necks don't bend  - I've  made hundreds of these in school programs, and hundreds of my own guitars with no trussrods, never had one come back with complaints of a bent neck.


MichaelS Country Boy Guitars said:

You might need some kind of bridge in the middle to create the back bending you are looking for, this may make the tension pull in the right way to counter act the 3 front strings like a stress bar does. I hope this makes sense.

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