This is build #5. I decided to make a 22" scale resonator. First zero fret too, which works great! Pickled white oak fretboard. Position markers stamped out of celluloid pearloid guitar picks with paper punch.
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The celluloid guitar pick position markers were glued in with carpenter's glue- which seems to set up in 10 minutes and holds everything. I have used different color celluloid guitar picks in the past, and they work great- just a small indentation with a Forstner bit is all it takes. Regarding the build, I have been an artist for my whole career, so I always try to 'design' what I build and move the colors and design elements around. I see other builders on cigarboxnation do it naturally. The BEST thing about this box is the first use of the zero fret! When I used Atchison's included bridge with the resonator, I found it to sit too high, so I lowered the action with a bone nut bridge and it worked out great. I INSIST that my boxes have to be playable up the neck- even without a truss rod! I also am dropping the neck running thru the body as Charles Atchison suggests, so that the top can vibrate more. He even suggests trying a sound post between the top and bottom like violinists use, which I will try in the future. As a childhood violinist, it makes a lot of sense to me!
Beautiful resonator, Ernest! There's a reso on my radar as well, having picked up a couple Atchison reso cones recently. Not sure what if anything I'll use as a cover plate. Yours came our very clean looking! I have been buying 'fake inlay' markers on ebay, which function pretty well. Did you just superglue yours in place on the surface, or inlay them? Well done!
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The celluloid guitar pick position markers were glued in with carpenter's glue- which seems to set up in 10 minutes and holds everything. I have used different color celluloid guitar picks in the past, and they work great- just a small indentation with a Forstner bit is all it takes. Regarding the build, I have been an artist for my whole career, so I always try to 'design' what I build and move the colors and design elements around. I see other builders on cigarboxnation do it naturally. The BEST thing about this box is the first use of the zero fret! When I used Atchison's included bridge with the resonator, I found it to sit too high, so I lowered the action with a bone nut bridge and it worked out great. I INSIST that my boxes have to be playable up the neck- even without a truss rod! I also am dropping the neck running thru the body as Charles Atchison suggests, so that the top can vibrate more. He even suggests trying a sound post between the top and bottom like violinists use, which I will try in the future. As a childhood violinist, it makes a lot of sense to me!
Beautiful resonator, Ernest! There's a reso on my radar as well, having picked up a couple Atchison reso cones recently. Not sure what if anything I'll use as a cover plate. Yours came our very clean looking! I have been buying 'fake inlay' markers on ebay, which function pretty well. Did you just superglue yours in place on the surface, or inlay them? Well done!