Questions On Basic Construction

Hello, I'm Dustan. Being my first post, bear with me if there's something wrong.

First off, i have already built 4 canjos. I'll post pics if I can, but my camera isn't currently working. My first canjo is a one string bean can type, and with absolutely nothing fancy. My second uses a small coke can (a mini-can, not the regular size) and, as a result, is very quiet. The next two are nearly identical, using slightely smaller bean cans (made for my two little brothers).

Now, so far all of these use thick fishing line for string, and an eye screw (if that's what it's called) for a tuner (all are one-stringed).

I am currently working on an Eichler (my last name) Stratocan (clever, huh?) which will be two stringed, using my broken guitar strings, and a large bean can for a sound resonator. Oh, and the two for my bros and this one all have a bridge at the top. All I have to do now is string it and drill the holes in the bottom for the srtings to go through.

My questions are:

1. Should I invest in actual tuners for these contraptions, or does an eye hook work just as well (albiet making it a bit harder to tune)?

2.As for frets, what's the best way to make them? I don't mean actual constructuion, I mean like how to know where to add them?

3. I've seen a canjo on here somewhere that has the can with the hole facing down, and the strings are connected to the inside of the can, rather than extending through it to be anchored to the body. Is that better than what I've been doing in any way?

4. Is there a better material for the strings that I haven't tried yet?

Thanks for any/all answers. I really appreciate your help!

Here are my responses to your 4 questions:

1.) For my canjos (which I don't build very much anymore in favor of CBGs), I usually used ukulele friction tuners which are easier to install as compared to geared tuners. The geared tuners have two axes to worry about: the axis of the tuning knob and the axis of the shaft around which the string is wound. With simple friction tuners like what come on ukuleles, the two are in line, so just drill a hole where you need it. Most people who try home made tuners quickly upgrade to manufactured tuners, which are a lot easier to use. These days, if I were to make a canjo again, I'd use open geared tuners. Now that I have more experience under my belt, they are not so hard to build a canjo around. Both kinds can be had fairly cheaply. C.B.Gitty usually has them and they advertise here on CBN.

2.) If you are new to fretting, build a canjo and use electrical tie-wraps, the kind that electrician use to dress up their wiring. Use the thinnest variety. You can move these frets up and down the neck to better tune your frets for better intonation. On different instruments, you may also want to experiment with different fretting schemes like diatonic (ala mountain and string dulcimers), pentatonic and bluescimer. Some people find them less intimidating than the 12TET chromatic fretboard that comes on a standard guitar, banjo, ukulele or mandolin.

Other materials you can use are bailing wire, cut nails (or even uncut nails), bamboo tooth picks or skewers (be sure to use polyurethane or some other varnish on them to toughen up the wood for better wear). Exacto-knives can cut fibrous bamboo fairly easily and cleanly. Generally, you want to cut a groove for each fret position using a fine toothed saw. A mini hack saw can be used in a pinch (can even file each side of the blade down a bit to get a narrower cut). Super glue or epoxy the the tooth picks or skewer pieces into place. With bailing wire, you usually bend the ends into a "staple shape" and drill holes on either end of the grove in the neck that you made for each fret position into which the legs of the bailing wire staple will go. Some people glue them in. If you do a good job, friction can be good enough to keep them in place. With canjos, you can even use real staples like what you get at the home building supply stores (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.). As you gain confidence in fretting instruments, you can start using real fret wire, which isn't that expensive, nor that difficult to install. Using real fretting wire and real tuners make your builds look that much more professionally built.

3.) The orientation of the can does not make that much difference. However, I prefer to have the open end facing the tail end of the stick as this shortens your scale length and gives you more room for your pick hollow (the area where you pick or strum your string(s)). On all my canjos, I fasten the tail end of the string to the tail end of the stick just because that's the way I learned how to build them. However, I have seen a couple with the string terminated on the bottom of the can after passing through the hole. I don't think it would make much difference, but I feel more secure with the string tied down to the stick and not risk it tearing a hole through your tin can when you tune it up (this is probably an unfounded fear). Also, on the canjo, this hole through the bottom of the can servers as your bridge and the scale length is the distance from your nut (fret 0) and this hole (bridge).Scale length is also called VSL (Vibrating String Length) and is a key measurement that you'll need when you run a fret calculator to build an accurate fret board (or fretted neck).

4.) In my opinion, the best strings for a canjo are banjo strings, the thinner strings from a guitar or the thinner strings from a ukulele. I have not tried weed-whacker line or fish line. If you are just starting out and don't have your calluses built up on your finger tips yet, then I'd recommend ukulele strings or nylon strings for classical guitars. They are a lot easier on the finger and produce a mellower sound.

-Rand.

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Rand Moore April 8, 2011 at 11:04pm

I re-read your post and another idea popped into my head. In your original post, you said: "Oh, and the two for my bros and this one all have a bridge at the top. All I have to do now is string it and drill the holes in the bottom for the strings to go through."

Is your can resonator oriented in parallel to the neck or at right angles? If it is oriented in parallel (along the same axis as the neck) like the original canjos, then you won't need a bridge. The bridge will be the little hole that the the string passes through on the "bottom" of the can.

However, if your can is oriented at a right angle to the neck, then you will need a bridge. A bolt and nut, like what are used on cigar box guitars (CBG) should work fine for a bridge in this case.

For more ideas, look at the photos in this discussion group. Good luck with your builds.

-Rand.
Rand Moore March 27, 2011 at 6:42am

Here are my responses to your 4 questions:

1.) For my canjos (which I don't build very much anymore in favor of CBGs), I usually used ukulele friction tuners which are easier to install as compared to geared tuners. The geared tuners have two axes to worry about: the axis of the tuning knob and the axis of the shaft around which the string is wound. With simple friction tuners like what come on ukuleles, the two are in line, so just drill a hole where you need it. Most people who try home made tuners quickly upgrade to manufactured tuners, which are a lot easier to use. These days, if I were to make a canjo again, I'd use open geared tuners. Now that I have more experience under my belt, they are not so hard to build a canjo around. Both kinds can be had fairly cheaply. C.B.Gitty usually has them and they advertise here on CBN.

2.) If you are new to fretting, build a canjo and use electrical tie-wraps, the kind that electrician use to dress up their wiring. Use the thinnest variety. You can move these frets up and down the neck to better tune your frets for better intonation. On different instruments, you may also want to experiment with different fretting schemes like diatonic (ala mountain and string dulcimers), pentatonic and bluescimer. Some people find them less intimidating than the 12TET chromatic fretboard that comes on a standard guitar, banjo, ukulele or mandolin.

Other materials you can use are bailing wire, cut nails (or even uncut nails), bamboo tooth picks or skewers (be sure to use polyurethane or some other varnish on them to toughen up the wood for better wear). Exacto-knives can cut fibrous bamboo fairly easily and cleanly. Generally, you want to cut a groove for each fret position using a fine toothed saw. A mini hack saw can be used in a pinch (can even file each side of the blade down a bit to get a narrower cut). Super glue or epoxy the the tooth picks or skewer pieces into place. With bailing wire, you usually bend the ends into a "staple shape" and drill holes on either end of the grove in the neck that you made for each fret position into which the legs of the bailing wire staple will go. Some people glue them in. If you do a good job, friction can be good enough to keep them in place. With canjos, you can even use real staples like what you get at the home building supply stores (Home Depot, Lowes, etc.). As you gain confidence in fretting instruments, you can start using real fret wire, which isn't that expensive, nor that difficult to install. Using real fretting wire and real tuners make your builds look that much more professionally built.

3.) The orientation of the can does not make that much difference. However, I prefer to have the open end facing the tail end of the stick as this shortens your scale length and gives you more room for your pick hollow (the area where you pick or strum your string(s)). On all my canjos, I fasten the tail end of the string to the tail end of the stick just because that's the way I learned how to build them. However, I have seen a couple with the string terminated on the bottom of the can after passing through the hole. I don't think it would make much difference, but I feel more secure with the string tied down to the stick and not risk it tearing a hole through your tin can when you tune it up (this is probably an unfounded fear). Also, on the canjo, this hole through the bottom of the can servers as your bridge and the scale length is the distance from your nut (fret 0) and this hole (bridge).Scale length is also called VSL (Vibrating String Length) and is a key measurement that you'll need when you run a fret calculator to build an accurate fret board (or fretted neck).

4.) In my opinion, the best strings for a canjo are banjo strings, the thinner strings from a guitar or the thinner strings from a ukulele. I have not tried weed-whacker line or fish line. If you are just starting out and don't have your calluses built up on your finger tips yet, then I'd recommend ukulele strings or nylon strings for classical guitars. They are a lot easier on the finger and produce a mellower sound.

-Rand.

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Can Jo Consortium

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