I could raise the angle slightly with a thicker bridge rod, but that would raise the strings further from the humbucker poles so probably I will leave it for now. These were built as gifts for my sisters as I mounted my Moms last licence plates on the backs so they could display them. They don't play guitar so I am sure these will hang as intended lol. Thanks for your thoughts on this and comments. John
I angle my neck down away from the box in order to gain some height to my bridge. And I keep the string tie down as low as possible to gain some break angle. I've made some mistakes with the break at the nut and at the bridge and found how much better the sound was when I made the alterations to fix the problem. Your guitars are way too nice to be wall hangers. Though hanging on the wall is a nice way to see them. They need to be played. Your work is very nice. Keep it up. ... Dave
Yeah, I think the break angle could contribute to this. Although all my other box guitars also have very little angle.
The boxes were 3" deep and I didn't have a good way to drill the holes through the box and neck so I just made a tailpiece. I like alot of frets clear of the box, but the tradeoff is less scale length to work with between the bridge and box edge. I think this lid is about 1/8 inch thick or so. I am just giving these away to family members for wall hangers anyway, but I would like to figure this out if I can. Thanks for the input. John
I think it is good to have the bridge well out on the soundboard. Yours are almost in the middle. The only thing that might be wrong about yours is the string angle from the tail to the bridge. It may be a very shallow angle. The greater the angle the more the bridge is pushed against the soundboard. The best place for the piezo is right under the bridge or below it toward the tail a little. I've not put a bridge right in the middle, but I do get mine well out onto the soundboard. The oak may be the problem if it is thickish. Oak sucks up vibration I've been told. The books say that Spruce, Mahogany, Cedar, and Walnut are the best soundboard wood and should be about 1/8 to 3/16 thick.
The thing I am stuck on is that these have a fine acoustic sound even with slightly
detuned string tension, but the piezos act like there is not enough "juice" going out to drive the amp. I think maybe the wiring? Maybe the brass bridge rod is too thin? Maybe bridge to close to middle of box?
just a bunch of guesses here, but these are good Crocker piezos, and both sound very similar.
so I think something is just not done correctly on my end. john
Thanks John, Nice to hear it works in use. I've made one uke with a maple soundboard and it was thickish as well. It didn't work well acoustic. I'm not sure a piezo will do much good with it. So far it just sits there and looks pretty. I may go wild and put metal strings on it and a mag pup. I think the wood matters. Even on electrics. My opinion mind you.... Dave
Hi Dave, I really can't really answer on the soundboard issue. I have never built a box guitar before.
The acoustic sound is real nice and deep but I am using 42 on down strings tuned in D or Eflat. The piezos sound weak/metalic, but I think that is not from the soundboard. I have other box guitars from other builders that don't have the good acoustic tone, but have better piezo sound. I think if anything the thickness of these might make more difference than the oak wood , but as I say I am an electric guy and a novice. Now the neck humbuckers sound fantastic, but I'm not sure the soundboard has anything to do with that. In hindsite I would have used electric bridge PUs , but I'm not done seeing what is going on with the piezos. John
Comments
I could raise the angle slightly with a thicker bridge rod, but that would raise the strings further from the humbucker poles so probably I will leave it for now. These were built as gifts for my sisters as I mounted my Moms last licence plates on the backs so they could display them. They don't play guitar so I am sure these will hang as intended lol. Thanks for your thoughts on this and comments. John
I angle my neck down away from the box in order to gain some height to my bridge. And I keep the string tie down as low as possible to gain some break angle. I've made some mistakes with the break at the nut and at the bridge and found how much better the sound was when I made the alterations to fix the problem. Your guitars are way too nice to be wall hangers. Though hanging on the wall is a nice way to see them. They need to be played. Your work is very nice. Keep it up. ... Dave
Yeah, I think the break angle could contribute to this. Although all my other box guitars also have very little angle.
The boxes were 3" deep and I didn't have a good way to drill the holes through the box and neck so I just made a tailpiece. I like alot of frets clear of the box, but the tradeoff is less scale length to work with between the bridge and box edge. I think this lid is about 1/8 inch thick or so. I am just giving these away to family members for wall hangers anyway, but I would like to figure this out if I can. Thanks for the input. John
I think it is good to have the bridge well out on the soundboard. Yours are almost in the middle. The only thing that might be wrong about yours is the string angle from the tail to the bridge. It may be a very shallow angle. The greater the angle the more the bridge is pushed against the soundboard. The best place for the piezo is right under the bridge or below it toward the tail a little. I've not put a bridge right in the middle, but I do get mine well out onto the soundboard. The oak may be the problem if it is thickish. Oak sucks up vibration I've been told. The books say that Spruce, Mahogany, Cedar, and Walnut are the best soundboard wood and should be about 1/8 to 3/16 thick.
Yeah, Weird science lol.
The thing I am stuck on is that these have a fine acoustic sound even with slightly
detuned string tension, but the piezos act like there is not enough "juice" going out to drive the amp. I think maybe the wiring? Maybe the brass bridge rod is too thin? Maybe bridge to close to middle of box?
just a bunch of guesses here, but these are good Crocker piezos, and both sound very similar.
so I think something is just not done correctly on my end. john
Thanks John, Nice to hear it works in use. I've made one uke with a maple soundboard and it was thickish as well. It didn't work well acoustic. I'm not sure a piezo will do much good with it. So far it just sits there and looks pretty. I may go wild and put metal strings on it and a mag pup. I think the wood matters. Even on electrics. My opinion mind you.... Dave
Hi Dave, I really can't really answer on the soundboard issue. I have never built a box guitar before.
The acoustic sound is real nice and deep but I am using 42 on down strings tuned in D or Eflat. The piezos sound weak/metalic, but I think that is not from the soundboard. I have other box guitars from other builders that don't have the good acoustic tone, but have better piezo sound. I think if anything the thickness of these might make more difference than the oak wood , but as I say I am an electric guy and a novice. Now the neck humbuckers sound fantastic, but I'm not sure the soundboard has anything to do with that. In hindsite I would have used electric bridge PUs , but I'm not done seeing what is going on with the piezos. John
Good looking pair. Nicely crafted. How does oak work as a soundboard? It is seldom used for such.
Maybe Honky Tonk Women, but currently Drop Tuned in D. thanks John