Built my first CBG by the old tried and true method on the plans page. I used tuners off an old electric and the strings sit extremely high using the 1/4" eyebolt bridge and 8/32" nut bolt method. The nut bolt actually won't even stay in place it's so high.
I was debating making an angled headstock to reduce the height or just putting some kind of shim on the bottom of the tuners. So is their a good angle for this to be cut?
Also using the 3 ft poplar makes the scale huge, is their a more preferred scale length? I calculated the scale using the stew mac calculator.
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Go to a guitar shop which has an honest to goodness luthier. Make a deal for strings (they all need strings, right?) and see if he has some junkbox tuners. You might not get enough, but it's worth a try. That link to windworld looked good for economy tunerts -- about 2 dollars each.
I've seen pairs of three tuners for guitar go locally for twenty dollars. (That's a righthand set of 3 and a lefthand set of three.) Every way I look at it, the tuners and strings are the most expensive parts.
If your student group is big enough, you might get a guitar manufacturer into "sponsering' your project with some supplies... just a thought, but I think it's happened before... Are there any guitar companies in your area?
the best,
Sam
Michael Pizza said:
Hi Wichita Sam, Like Michael I just started building. I will be teaching a class in the fall at the junior high level on how to build a CBG. My question is where can I find tuning pegs at a reasonable price? The students will pick up some of the cost, but I'm paying for most of the guitar. Any help would be appreciated.
Mike,
I found some on ebay that were reasonably priced. They are just like the "mid priced" in the link that Diane posted above and cost me $9.99 + $6.95 shipping using the "Buy it now" for 3 rights and 3 lefts. The seller also tossed in a set of strings and 2 picks for no additional charge.
I also picked up a set of 5 1980's Les Paul tuners for $15 at auction on ebay that are VERY nice. They went for cheap because it wasn't the full set of 6 but they are excellent. These will go on a future build when I know better what I am doing.
There are lots of cheap china made tuners on ebay if you do a search for tuners. They would probably be perfect for students.
Best of luck on your first build and as Wichita Sam says "Post some pics of your build"!
Michael Puckett
Michael Pizza said:
Hi Wichita Sam, Like Michael I just started building. I will be teaching a class in the fall at the junior high level on how to build a CBG. My question is where can I find tuning pegs at a reasonable price? The students will pick up some of the cost, but I'm paying for most of the guitar. Any help would be appreciated.
Hi Wichita Sam,
Like Michael I just started building. I will be teaching a class in the fall at the junior high level on how to build a CBG. My question is where can I find tuning pegs at a reasonable price? The students will pick up some of the cost, but I'm paying for most of the guitar. Any help would be appreciated.
Most players pick a scale lenght that is similar to something that they've played before... (Strat players like the 25.5" of a Fender electric, Martin players are more comfortable with 24.5, typical of Martin acoustics....) I've pretty much settled on 24" for fretless/slide CBGs for the shorter distances between slides (it's arbitrary, and works for me). Play around with it. The less you get trapped into thinking you have to do it "the right way", the more likely you will start to build what feels comfortable for you.
Here's an idea... build a fretless CBG with a movable nut. build on a long enough neck that maybe you can go all the way out to 30".... then just play with it.... slide the nut all the way down to as short as you feel like and play around with it... (just thinking, you may need to "capo" behind the nut to get a clean "string break" across it, preventing buzz)...
As far as what to build, I build to buyer's preference... if I'm 'just building" it's usually 24", but that's just me...
the best,
Wichita Sam
Michael Puckett said:
Wichita Sam,
Thanks for the Home Depot tip, I'll check mine and see what they have in stock. I have a friend with a nicely equipped wood shop that I think I can get some time in if I need it.
Regarding scale lengths.... I have been curious about how to select my desired scale length. I understand that common scales are around 24"-25". How do you determine what you want your scale length to be? Do you pick one and always build to it? Is it based on a certain sound you want to get? Or how you want your CBG to look?
Thanks for the Home Depot tip, I'll check mine and see what they have in stock. I have a friend with a nicely equipped wood shop that I think I can get some time in if I need it.
Regarding scale lengths.... I have been curious about how to select my desired scale length. I understand that common scales are around 24"-25". How do you determine what you want your scale length to be? Do you pick one and always build to it? Is it based on a certain sound you want to get? Or how you want your CBG to look?
Hi Michael, In my area Home Depot carries 1/4" thick maple, oak, aspen, poplar stock in 1/4 X 2 which would fit on a 1 X 2 neck blank... The oak and maple would be hard enough to out live the rest of a CBG... Ah, if I can't find 1/4" stock or want a different wood; ... I "rip" thicker stock on my table saw... and then dress it on my homemade small parts thickness planer...
I do fretboards on the bench. Decide on a scale length.... decide where the nut is going (off the headstock end of the neck or onto the neck, a "zero fret" maybe?)... decide on scale length... go to http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator... mark of the frets... cut the fretlines... install the frets... "dress the frets"... glue finished fretboard to neck... finish stain the neck and fretboard as one unit... voila' you are done!!! Yes, building is addictive, because it affirms that we are creative people and don't have to depend on some distant source to have things that make us happy... Welcome to the brotherhood of happily addicted CBG'ers... the best, Wichita Sam
Michael Puckett said:
Wichita Sam,
Yep, next build I'm gonna try frets and fretboard. Next build? It's like a darn addiction isn't it?
A couple questions regarding fretboards. How do you produce one? I haven't seen quarter inch thick stock. Do you just plane thicker stock down? And if so, do you use hand tools to plane the stock down to the right thickness? And how does adding a fretboard eliminate the 2nd level of relief under the top?
I have already posted a couple of pics of my build in progress. I'll definitely post some when it's done. Yesterday was a trial fit and sound check. What a kick hearing your first build come to life!
Michael Puckett
Wichita Sam said:
Michael,
A string tree is a good "fix"... I've done it for that reason more than once, but it's also a good design feature to have in your kit of ideas. Even though adding a fret board seems a bit of bother, for the extra effort you get... a stronger neck... a possibility of adding a different wood to add interest in the look... the ability to add frets "off the guitar" then glue the fretted board to the neck... and not having to have two levels of reliefing in the neck under the top (again a stronger neck)...
Replies
Wade said:
Diane said:
I've seen pairs of three tuners for guitar go locally for twenty dollars. (That's a righthand set of 3 and a lefthand set of three.) Every way I look at it, the tuners and strings are the most expensive parts.
If your student group is big enough, you might get a guitar manufacturer into "sponsering' your project with some supplies... just a thought, but I think it's happened before... Are there any guitar companies in your area?
the best,
Sam
Michael Pizza said:
I found some on ebay that were reasonably priced. They are just like the "mid priced" in the link that Diane posted above and cost me $9.99 + $6.95 shipping using the "Buy it now" for 3 rights and 3 lefts. The seller also tossed in a set of strings and 2 picks for no additional charge.
I also picked up a set of 5 1980's Les Paul tuners for $15 at auction on ebay that are VERY nice. They went for cheap because it wasn't the full set of 6 but they are excellent. These will go on a future build when I know better what I am doing.
There are lots of cheap china made tuners on ebay if you do a search for tuners. They would probably be perfect for students.
Best of luck on your first build and as Wichita Sam says "Post some pics of your build"!
Michael Puckett
Michael Pizza said:
http://www.windworld.com/products/tuningmachines.htm and probably elsewhere, too.
Like Michael I just started building. I will be teaching a class in the fall at the junior high level on how to build a CBG. My question is where can I find tuning pegs at a reasonable price? The students will pick up some of the cost, but I'm paying for most of the guitar. Any help would be appreciated.
Mike
Most players pick a scale lenght that is similar to something that they've played before... (Strat players like the 25.5" of a Fender electric, Martin players are more comfortable with 24.5, typical of Martin acoustics....) I've pretty much settled on 24" for fretless/slide CBGs for the shorter distances between slides (it's arbitrary, and works for me). Play around with it. The less you get trapped into thinking you have to do it "the right way", the more likely you will start to build what feels comfortable for you.
Here's an idea... build a fretless CBG with a movable nut. build on a long enough neck that maybe you can go all the way out to 30".... then just play with it.... slide the nut all the way down to as short as you feel like and play around with it... (just thinking, you may need to "capo" behind the nut to get a clean "string break" across it, preventing buzz)...
As far as what to build, I build to buyer's preference... if I'm 'just building" it's usually 24", but that's just me...
the best,
Wichita Sam
Michael Puckett said:
Thanks for the Home Depot tip, I'll check mine and see what they have in stock. I have a friend with a nicely equipped wood shop that I think I can get some time in if I need it.
Regarding scale lengths.... I have been curious about how to select my desired scale length. I understand that common scales are around 24"-25". How do you determine what you want your scale length to be? Do you pick one and always build to it? Is it based on a certain sound you want to get? Or how you want your CBG to look?
Michael Puckett
I do fretboards on the bench. Decide on a scale length.... decide where the nut is going (off the headstock end of the neck or onto the neck, a "zero fret" maybe?)... decide on scale length... go to http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator... mark of the frets... cut the fretlines... install the frets... "dress the frets"... glue finished fretboard to neck... finish stain the neck and fretboard as one unit... voila' you are done!!! Yes, building is addictive, because it affirms that we are creative people and don't have to depend on some distant source to have things that make us happy... Welcome to the brotherhood of happily addicted CBG'ers... the best, Wichita SamMichael Puckett said:
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