Ken Vickerson > FomhorachSeptember 4, 2016 at 12:53pm
Cool paint job! I like the work on the bridge. I have some questions...what did you use for fret markers? How did you end up stinging it and what tuning are you using? If I build another of these beasts I will definitely be using a threaded truss rod. Let me know if you solve the string buzz problem. I think I'm going to let mine sit for a bit while I research some solutions. Congratulations and thanks for the photo. K
Fomhorach > Ken VickersonSeptember 4, 2016 at 5:09pm
Fret markers are pop rivets. I ended up stringing it with a bass string and three normal strings G1 D2 G2 D3. I raised the bridge on this so that the bass string with the long length had room to vibrate the other strings worked well enough to slant the bridge down to a normal height for the scale length. It was a tricky build and I would not recommend doing this without an adjustable truss rod. I had to take special considerations and sand a dip in the neck. This made fret leveling very difficult as it could not be done conventionally, it had to be done in triplets. It was a **** to work on. If I ever do this size of build again I will definitely put an adjustable truss rod in it. It will save so much effort and allow for after build adjustments. This scale length definitely needs it.
It turned out OK for me, but I would not sell this thing because it hasn't got the refinement that I would like if I was paying money to buy it.
That said.. It has a deep growing to it the same as you get with a distorted bass and rising to a sound like a bass tuned CBG using the bass strings from the set. It certainly is a monster CBG.
Heres some shots of the insides, sorry I can't show how I did this more clearly as it's nearing completion. Basically I took a 2cm x 4cm block and halved it, then cut out a channel to fit my tuners then put the two halves back together again. I hope you can make it out.
There's also a shot of how I fixed my strings to the top of the neck, not sure if I will build a spacer nut as the strings are pretty much fixed in place. To change strings you pull the pin out from the loops. Not a great design as you have to loosen all the strings just to change one but I was pressed for space and didn't want it too complicated.
Ken Vickerson > FomhorachSeptember 1, 2016 at 1:23pm
Thanks for the photos. I can see why you reinforced your neck. I just finished mine (photos posted) and I have a neck bowing problem. I used medium gauge strings and tuned it an octave lower so the strings were loose enough to meet the fret board without too much effort. I tuned it to G1D2G2 but I'm considering alternate tuning. It has a buzz on one string that I haven't located yet, it might be the piezo but I haven't reopened it yet to check. I was hoping that an oak neck would be strong enough to prevent the bowing, no such luck. Thanks for sharing your build with me, I'm learning a lot!
Fomhorach > Ken VickersonSeptember 1, 2016 at 4:02pm
I was wrong in the neck reinforcement. After I had set my frets and strung it up I found buzzing at the nut end of the build because the neck would not bow naturally. So I had to rip out my frets and sand the neck into having a bow. It has taken me ages to get this thing together. The delicateness of string vibration over the fretboard is a nightmare. And even with all the extra work I put into this it still has the odd buzz when played too hard.
I believe that this scale of instrument pushes the luthier skill level to its maximum. I found that even after sanding a bow into the neck that my fret fall off near the heel for the bass strings had to be quite harsh.
I'm looking at solutions still after all this work. Having such long strings needs quite a bit of thought to deal with the extra string vibration circumference when plucked.
My build was a long harsh learning curve dealing with this scale length, one that I will not repeat again until I learn more about neck curvature and after build adjustments, ie. Actual after build adjustments with an adjusble truss rod
Personally I would advise people against building such an instrument for quite a few reasons. For example, the fret spacing at the nut of the guitar is very wide and unless you have long fingers it will make playability difficult. That is just one.
Looking forward to seeing your photos, right now mine is in the finishing stage. Metallic blue with black (and glow in the dark coating) insides. I've still to build my electronics but it's all coming together nicely.. But .. Wow, this one was hard to build
I can't see any way of getting pictures onto this post, it seems pretty random on this website and it is extremely annoying. I will have to attach them at the bottom somehow.
I figured the best way to do this, considering string length, was to make it headless with the tuners at the tail stop. This would give me the best option to increase my overall scale length without having to use non-standared strings.
I embedded a 50cm long 3/4 x 3/4" aluminium T section bar down the length of the neck as I wanted a 3cm x 3cm D section neck where the nut is down to a 4cm x 3cm D section where the neck enters the body. This should give me a string spread of 8mm at the nut to roughly 11mm at the bridge. (Mine is 4 strings. I feel that it would need some reinforcement to prevent bowing.)
It isn't completed yet but I can tell just now that it's going to be a monster of a guitar to play with the first 3 frets having a spread of roughly 4&1/2 inches.
Pictures in the reply to this post when I can get them online.
Very cool! The photos of the aluminum extrusion give me a better idea of how you reinforced the neck. How did you mill a space for it? I like the idea of tuners at the bottom and would like to see a photo of their position on the interior. How's play?
Replies
Finished eventuality.
Thank God.
FB_IMG_1472985934276.jpg
Cool paint job! I like the work on the bridge. I have some questions...what did you use for fret markers? How did you end up stinging it and what tuning are you using? If I build another of these beasts I will definitely be using a threaded truss rod. Let me know if you solve the string buzz problem. I think I'm going to let mine sit for a bit while I research some solutions. Congratulations and thanks for the photo. K
Fret markers are pop rivets.
I ended up stringing it with a bass string and three normal strings G1 D2 G2 D3. I raised the bridge on this so that the bass string with the long length had room to vibrate the other strings worked well enough to slant the bridge down to a normal height for the scale length.
It was a tricky build and I would not recommend doing this without an adjustable truss rod. I had to take special considerations and sand a dip in the neck. This made fret leveling very difficult as it could not be done conventionally, it had to be done in triplets. It was a **** to work on. If I ever do this size of build again I will definitely put an adjustable truss rod in it. It will save so much effort and allow for after build adjustments. This scale length definitely needs it.
It turned out OK for me, but I would not sell this thing because it hasn't got the refinement that I would like if I was paying money to buy it.
That said.. It has a deep growing to it the same as you get with a distorted bass and rising to a sound like a bass tuned CBG using the bass strings from the set. It certainly is a monster CBG.
Heres some shots of the insides, sorry I can't show how I did this more clearly as it's nearing completion. Basically I took a 2cm x 4cm block and halved it, then cut out a channel to fit my tuners then put the two halves back together again. I hope you can make it out.
There's also a shot of how I fixed my strings to the top of the neck, not sure if I will build a spacer nut as the strings are pretty much fixed in place. To change strings you pull the pin out from the loops. Not a great design as you have to loosen all the strings just to change one but I was pressed for space and didn't want it too complicated.
20160826_150918-01.jpeg
20160826_150942-02.jpeg
20160826_152356-01.jpeg
I was wrong in the neck reinforcement. After I had set my frets and strung it up I found buzzing at the nut end of the build because the neck would not bow naturally. So I had to rip out my frets and sand the neck into having a bow. It has taken me ages to get this thing together. The delicateness of string vibration over the fretboard is a nightmare. And even with all the extra work I put into this it still has the odd buzz when played too hard.
I believe that this scale of instrument pushes the luthier skill level to its maximum. I found that even after sanding a bow into the neck that my fret fall off near the heel for the bass strings had to be quite harsh.
I'm looking at solutions still after all this work. Having such long strings needs quite a bit of thought to deal with the extra string vibration circumference when plucked.
My build was a long harsh learning curve dealing with this scale length, one that I will not repeat again until I learn more about neck curvature and after build adjustments, ie. Actual after build adjustments with an adjusble truss rod
Personally I would advise people against building such an instrument for quite a few reasons. For example, the fret spacing at the nut of the guitar is very wide and unless you have long fingers it will make playability difficult. That is just one.
Looking forward to seeing your photos, right now mine is in the finishing stage. Metallic blue with black (and glow in the dark coating) insides. I've still to build my electronics but it's all coming together nicely.. But .. Wow, this one was hard to build
I'm nearing completion of mine.
I can't see any way of getting pictures onto this post, it seems pretty random on this website and it is extremely annoying. I will have to attach them at the bottom somehow.
I figured the best way to do this, considering string length, was to make it headless with the tuners at the tail stop. This would give me the best option to increase my overall scale length without having to use non-standared strings.
I embedded a 50cm long 3/4 x 3/4" aluminium T section bar down the length of the neck as I wanted a 3cm x 3cm D section neck where the nut is down to a 4cm x 3cm D section where the neck enters the body.
This should give me a string spread of 8mm at the nut to roughly 11mm at the bridge. (Mine is 4 strings. I feel that it would need some reinforcement to prevent bowing.)
It isn't completed yet but I can tell just now that it's going to be a monster of a guitar to play with the first 3 frets having a spread of roughly 4&1/2 inches.
Pictures in the reply to this post when I can get them online.
Sorry these pictures got reversed, android tablets and this website act like sodium and water sometimes.. Things get a bit crazy.
The bridge and string tree will just repeat something like my last build (a baritone ukulele)
Something similar to this but I think I will carve a bridge out of hardwood and top it with a fret (or a nail or something)
Very cool! The photos of the aluminum extrusion give me a better idea of how you reinforced the neck. How did you mill a space for it? I like the idea of tuners at the bottom and would like to see a photo of their position on the interior. How's play?
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