Posted by James A OBrien on December 10, 2013 at 10:02pm
I started building a guitar from an Ashton box and ran into some problems tuning. When I started to tune the guitar the box began to crack , therefore never getting the proper tune.
I admit, I was using a lot of spare parts to create this build. For example the tail piece is from scrap I had lying around. What could I have done differently? I chose this box for its depth and acoustics, I fear I will have to find another.
I'm looking for advice, should I have bit the bullet and gotten some parts rather than makeshift the tailpiece?
Thank you, james
By the looks of the photo (correct me if I am are wrong) you don't seem to have any bracing under the neck and tail piece. Does the tailpiece connect straight to the back of the box? if this is the case then that could have been the cause of the box cracking.
What I would do is place another piece of timber (same dimensions as your neck) and glue it under the neck which then travels through the box and connects with the tailpiece. This then enable the box to have far less stress placed upon it. See pic below:
You are right, and that's what I figured. I have two questions about the guitar you show in the photo. Does the timber going through the body with the sound hole, effect the acoustics of the guitar? Does it make it less loud, than having no timber (I know it seems the only option is to have the timber through the body).
The other question is where did you get the hardware which holds the strings attached to the top of the box?(pictured in your photo)
Thanks James
Marty O > James A OBrienDecember 11, 2013 at 5:31pm
Hi James
The guitar is not as loud as I thought it would be but I am not sure if it was the timber that the box is made out of or if the timber running through the box limits the sound. The timber/heel doesn't touch the soundboard so it might be more the quality of the timber.
The bridge was made by me (I first saw them on Wayne Bigler's CBG's)…it is basically a piece of aluminum from the hardware store and have have taken some fender style saddles of some 6 string bridges. I bought about 6 Telecaster style bridges from China and used the saddles to build my own bridges.
So I purchased those fender style saddles, but what is the metal, bracket type piece you attached them with. Do you remember the technical name of this piece of hardware you purchased at the hardware store? I'm assuming it has to have the three holes in order to install the three saddles properly. Can you point me in the specific direction?
Thanks
James
Marty O > James A OBrienDecember 15, 2013 at 7:42pm
It is called aluminum angle…it is a piece of aluminum measuring 40 mm x 12 mm x 600 mm (cut off a piece about 45 - 50 mm wide…I made about 14 in one go….bought 7 tele style bridges from China)
1. You will need to drill 10 holes your self into the aluminum
a. 4 into the base of the bridge to screw it onto your box firmly
b. on the end you will need to drill 3 holes (if it is a 3 string CBG) to insert the saddles
c. you will now need to insert 3 small holes for the strings to go through…this can be done at the end of the bridge directly under where the saddles attach to the bridge (I prefer this way as it is easier to create) or you can put the 3 holes directly beneath where the saddles lie (this way you will then need to drill holes through your box…some say it gives you a better sound but I don't know)
Hope this helps…also, I live in Australia so sorry about the metric measures
Replies
What Marty said. You need some structure between the neck and tailpiece. The empty box doesn't have enough strength.
That's why most simple builds use the neck through the box style of build.
By the looks of the photo (correct me if I am are wrong) you don't seem to have any bracing under the neck and tail piece. Does the tailpiece connect straight to the back of the box? if this is the case then that could have been the cause of the box cracking.
What I would do is place another piece of timber (same dimensions as your neck) and glue it under the neck which then travels through the box and connects with the tailpiece. This then enable the box to have far less stress placed upon it. See pic below:
Hope this helps,
Marty
CBG037.jpg
You are right, and that's what I figured. I have two questions about the guitar you show in the photo. Does the timber going through the body with the sound hole, effect the acoustics of the guitar? Does it make it less loud, than having no timber (I know it seems the only option is to have the timber through the body).
The other question is where did you get the hardware which holds the strings attached to the top of the box?(pictured in your photo)
Thanks James
Hi James
The guitar is not as loud as I thought it would be but I am not sure if it was the timber that the box is made out of or if the timber running through the box limits the sound. The timber/heel doesn't touch the soundboard so it might be more the quality of the timber.
The bridge was made by me (I first saw them on Wayne Bigler's CBG's)…it is basically a piece of aluminum from the hardware store and have have taken some fender style saddles of some 6 string bridges. I bought about 6 Telecaster style bridges from China and used the saddles to build my own bridges.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Chrome-Guitar-Bridge-65mm-6-Saddle-For-C...
Hope this helps
Marty
So I purchased those fender style saddles, but what is the metal, bracket type piece you attached them with. Do you remember the technical name of this piece of hardware you purchased at the hardware store? I'm assuming it has to have the three holes in order to install the three saddles properly. Can you point me in the specific direction?
Thanks
James
It is called aluminum angle…it is a piece of aluminum measuring 40 mm x 12 mm x 600 mm (cut off a piece about 45 - 50 mm wide…I made about 14 in one go….bought 7 tele style bridges from China)
1. You will need to drill 10 holes your self into the aluminum
a. 4 into the base of the bridge to screw it onto your box firmly
b. on the end you will need to drill 3 holes (if it is a 3 string CBG) to insert the saddles
c. you will now need to insert 3 small holes for the strings to go through…this can be done at the end of the bridge directly under where the saddles attach to the bridge (I prefer this way as it is easier to create) or you can put the 3 holes directly beneath where the saddles lie (this way you will then need to drill holes through your box…some say it gives you a better sound but I don't know)
Hope this helps…also, I live in Australia so sorry about the metric measures