Hi :)
I've never built musical instruments before but I think building a CBG would be fun. I plan building a three-stringed unfretted one. Even though this is a first time build and even though I have limited woodworking skills I want to build something nice and good sounding. I have a few questions and hope to get some help.
First there is the question of the bridge. I found this one on Ebay.
Is it any good? - And here is a really stupid question... how are the strings attached to this type of bridge?
My plan is to place the bridge at the middle of the soundboard to get the best sound and to cut two f holes on each side of the bridge. Does this plan sound reasonable?
Then there is the question of the fretboard. I'm planning on constructing the neck of mahogany and since I read somewhere online that mahogany was too soft for a fretboard I plan on adding an oak fretboard (oak is the only hardwood I can get that is just reasonably within the required thickness and width for a fretboard). I would like to add fret markers made of some kind of dark hardwood dowel (or another interesting material) but where can I buy such things?
For the construction I plan to make a heel on the neck and attach it to the box with glue and screws through an inner block of mahogany. I will use the back of the box for a soundboard since it should be more rigid. In this way I will avoid having to saw a hole in the box and risking it to be too wide for the neck.
As for finishing I don't know what would be the best thing to do. I have access to clear spray lacquer both something called "hobby lacquer" and something used for cars. What kind would be best?
I can imagine the fretboard would not need to be finished with anything but lemon oil so what is the best way of covering it while spraying the rest?
Finally I need to get a cigar box from somewhere. Preferably a Cuban (or otherwise 'exotic') vintage one from before they started to put those ghastly health warnings on them. Most sellers seem to be in the US which makes shipping and customs processing prohibitively expensive so I would be really happy if someone could point me to a seller in Europe that will ship to Denmark.
Replies
And if I were you, I would indeed take Chickenbone John up on his offer to come to visit you in Denmark. Indeed he is a top-notch CBG maker....but his 'real' talent is in his playing of the CBG! Watch his YouTube instructional videos....they are really informative. But if you watch (and listen) closely you will see his GREAT ability in actually playing the CBG well. The man should be on tour....he is that good.
kieta
Howdy Regicollis and welcome to this wonderful journey of CBG making.
HERE IS THE BEST ADVICE YOU WILL GET: Save yourself alot of grief, and do as many folks on here have done....get GittyMan's CBG-Making-Manual at www.GittyMan.com
Yes, you can learn a lot on these forums and on Youtube....but it is all bits-and-pieces....in GittyMan's book, it is all in one place....and at only $14, it is a no brainer!
Enjoy....
kieta
Regi, listen to John. He knows what he's talking about.
I've only made two and both times I used the "neck through" method. For a pick up I just glue a Piezo transducer to the inside top of the box. I also kept the neckstick free from contact with the top and bottom of the box. "I" think it allows for freer vibrations in the sound box.
Also I kept the opening surrounding the neckstick wider than necessary and used that as sound holes. The player can hear just fine but if you move five or six feet away you can barely hear it. Work's great for kids just learning and who just want to "bang away", when they get better they can plug into an amp.
Just how I do it, good luck.
Don't over-plan it..treat your first guitar as learning experience - it won't be perfect! I use sapele / mahogany for necks and fretboards, it works fine. For a first time I'd say make neck-through rather than heel & heel block neck. If you are worried at the prospect of simply cutting a hole in the box for the neck, you may find making a proper heel and neck joint rather tricky, so keep it simple. Likewise, if you make it as a through neck, use a simple floating bridge and anchor the strings in the end of the neckstick.
Or alternatively..find me somehere I can run a workshop in Denmark and I'll come from the UK and show you and another 20 people how to make cigar box guitars!!! Seriously, I already do this in UK, Germany, Belgium and Netherlands) and I'm trying to arrange something in Sweden, so Denmark would be on my route.