3rd Built, but First CBG Bass...

Posted by Brian Revels on October 22, 2013 at 9:06am

Hey Guys,

Before I get started with my build I have some questions about the box and bracing. I am seeing a few built out of paper covered boxes.  How do you brace the box enough and keep the lid shut on top (to keep the lid from warping or pulling up)?  

I have a Rogue 4-String Bass (I know this is a Peavey, but my Rogue looks just like it... http://s3.amazonaws.com/usedimg/UP413002117435.jpg). It has a decent sound (double pickup, tone push-pull pot, and volume).  I haven't been able to sell it, so I thought to make something with it. I have a larger Punch cigar box (like this one: http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mlHqz_zm6a3ZHieC7qT8oig.jpg).

The neck will just bolt on, along with the rest of the hardware.  I am just trying to wrap my brain around a way to keep the box and lid from buckling under string tension.

Thoughts and suggestions?

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Replies

  • Brian Revels October 23, 2013 at 8:06am

    So, really the bracing of the box is the least of my concern from what you guys are saying?  That's my biggest concern thinking about it.  I am just trying to think of ways to keep the box from buckling from the tension.  The box I have is a decent size and I think I can bolt the neck on far enough into the box that the frets and intonation will be true.  I just don't know how some of these folks are getting away using a paper covered box like mine.

    • Jim Dickison > Brian Revels October 23, 2013 at 8:21am

      One possibility is to completely fill the box with a solid block of wood. Then you can just treat it as a solid body guitar. 

      Or, you could have a central block that extends through the body from the neck attachment to the bridge. 

      What you don't want to do is just bolt the neck to one end of the box and the bridge to the other... that would just be asking for trouble!

    • Brian Revels > Jim Dickison October 23, 2013 at 9:31am

      That's exactly what I am thinking...  I am thinking of using Oak to basically go through the box with in the middle.  Then bolt the neck on through the back of the box, through the center piece.  Then bolt the bridge through the top of the box into that same piece of wood in the center.  

      I am thinking I will need two additional pieces of oak at the front and back of the box to fasten the lid down to at the corners.  I am thinking it would look like a big capital "I" (eye) inside the box.  I may need to figure out some sort of access door on the back, in case anyone ever needs to get in to rework/fix the electronics.

      I guess I need to just make it, and stop worrying about it.  I just wasn't sure if there were any tried and true words of wisdom, or ways to do it.   Thanks for the replies eK and Jim.

    • Jim Dickison > Brian Revels October 23, 2013 at 5:58pm

      Good luck! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with!

    • eK > Brian Revels October 23, 2013 at 12:46pm

      Another possibility is to construct a sufficiently strong and braced box from scratch - and then attach a real cigarbox top of the same dimensions to it. I've seen that done before. Looks like the real thing without the worries. Especially since most cigarboxes use thin and mostly lightweight wood. Not something that plays too nicely with the pressure and tension of bass strings.

      But I still think the solid block inside or a neck through design would be your safest bet. Last thing you want is your bass buckling when you're playing it. It's hard to convey why. But anybody who ever had a bass string unexpectedly let go on them while they were playing can tell you it's not too pleasant an experience. :-))

      Luck with your build.

  • Jim Dickison October 22, 2013 at 6:07pm

    So... here's why you don't see many CB basses made from commercial bass guitar necks:

    306167369?profile=original

    You're going to need a cigar box at least this long. Not impossible to find... but not that easy, either!

    If you look at the picture that Tony Brown attached, you'll see that where his neck meets the body is probably much further down the neck, meaning he could use a smaller box...

    • eK > Jim Dickison October 22, 2013 at 11:01pm

      Not necessarily.

      You can technically attach the neck at any fret position as long as the distance between the bridge and the nut is correct for the scale of the installed frets. Commercial necks either use a 34" or 30" scale.

      For example, the old Danelectro Longhorn Bass kept the entire fretboard clear of the body on that instrument:

      306165219?profile=original

      It would probably be easiest to glue up a "through the body" neck blank (where the wood is extended for the full length of the neck scale) and go from there. With a "through body" neck, you could fit a box of virtually any dimension around it with no worries. Carvin sells them although they're not cheap. Info here.

      Looks like this:

      306165182?profile=originalYou could always glue up your own and save some money. A quick Google search will point you towards info and suggestions on how to do it yourself. Here's one to get you started: link here.

    • Jim Dickison > eK October 22, 2013 at 11:51pm

      True, you could extend some kind of neck attachment device out from the box. 

      Even on that Danelectro, the body extends out to about the 18th fret. or so, on the back.

    • eK > Jim Dickison October 23, 2013 at 9:15pm

      Exactly right. You can see what they did here:

      306163056?profile=original

    • Jim Dickison > eK October 24, 2013 at 2:27pm

      Love the Danelectro Longhorn short scale bass! I've never touched one, but I have the plans and many of the parts to build one... It's on my extended future projects list! 

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