I've wanted to build a license plate guitar since I first started researching how to build a CBG last year. After thinking through my approach, I made this 4 banger (my 1st 4 string) over the course of 3 days. It was built with a hand saw, miter box, power drill, Dremmel, wood glue, & sand paper. :) I used a uke bridge with a rod piezo pickup ($6 total cost!). Had to drill a hole through the plate to run the piezo lead through to the preamp. This preamp is amazing! It only cost $10, and I will never build another piezo guitar for myself without a preamp. Huge improvement on output and tone.
Read more…
Janis thanks a bunch for this info. I've done carpentry work but I'm a newbie on making CBG's. I like your idea of using a stand alone preamp so I can use it on other gits. Thanks for documenting your build and the photos. You gave me a great big head start so I can't wait to begin.
And here's some info on the preamp. You can always build an outboard preamp box instead of building it into the guitar so that you can use the box with multiple guitars. I've switched to that approach for rod piezo builds that I'm going to keep for myself. Here's my standalone preamp box. The preamp in this one is pretty nice.
Bob, I'm sure you'll knock it out of the park on your 4 string LPG! I'm happy to share anything that has worked for me here because you guys help me a lot.
I have modified this build quite a bit since my original post.
When I built this one I didn't use any power saws - only a hand saw. So I used poplar for the neck because it's much easier to cut. It started bowing some. After I started installing frets, I decided to overhaul this for several reasons. I have built myself 2 other 4 string LPGs with mag pups, and I really wanted to make a fretted chugger (2 string) build because I dig my slider chuggers. Anyway.... I rounded the back of the neck more, fretted it, took it down to 2 strings, and built a custom bridge to house the piezo rod to lower the height and get the action down for fretting.
The bridge is made of thin aluminum bar on the bottom to give a solid, smooth base for the rod to sit on. Then I used skinny threaded rod to sort of create side walls to surround the piezo rod. The threaded rod is just slightly taller than the piezo rod. Then I put a length of brass rod on top of the piezo rod for the strings to ride over. The threaded rods keep the brass rod from rolling off. I tried to use solder to attach the threaded rod to the aluminum, but it didn't work. I ended up using 2 part epoxy which worked well. This bridge was sort of a prototype, and I have switched to using plain steel rod instead of threaded rod. I'm able to cut the aluminum, steel rod, & brass rod with bolt cutters then sand the ends. The result gives great, clear tone from the rod piezo.
Janis, this a very clean looking build. I'm ready to start on my first license plate 4-string and I hope you don't mind that I copy your through neck design and using a rod piezo pup. Thanks for the advice of using a preamp and thanks for sharing your photos/vids (and playing). I look forward to them.
Comments
Janis thanks a bunch for this info. I've done carpentry work but I'm a newbie on making CBG's. I like your idea of using a stand alone preamp so I can use it on other gits. Thanks for documenting your build and the photos. You gave me a great big head start so I can't wait to begin.
And here's some info on the preamp. You can always build an outboard preamp box instead of building it into the guitar so that you can use the box with multiple guitars. I've switched to that approach for rod piezo builds that I'm going to keep for myself. Here's my standalone preamp box. The preamp in this one is pretty nice.
I hope this helps some. :)
Bob, I'm sure you'll knock it out of the park on your 4 string LPG! I'm happy to share anything that has worked for me here because you guys help me a lot.
I have modified this build quite a bit since my original post.
When I built this one I didn't use any power saws - only a hand saw. So I used poplar for the neck because it's much easier to cut. It started bowing some. After I started installing frets, I decided to overhaul this for several reasons. I have built myself 2 other 4 string LPGs with mag pups, and I really wanted to make a fretted chugger (2 string) build because I dig my slider chuggers. Anyway.... I rounded the back of the neck more, fretted it, took it down to 2 strings, and built a custom bridge to house the piezo rod to lower the height and get the action down for fretting.
The bridge is made of thin aluminum bar on the bottom to give a solid, smooth base for the rod to sit on. Then I used skinny threaded rod to sort of create side walls to surround the piezo rod. The threaded rod is just slightly taller than the piezo rod. Then I put a length of brass rod on top of the piezo rod for the strings to ride over. The threaded rods keep the brass rod from rolling off. I tried to use solder to attach the threaded rod to the aluminum, but it didn't work. I ended up using 2 part epoxy which worked well. This bridge was sort of a prototype, and I have switched to using plain steel rod instead of threaded rod. I'm able to cut the aluminum, steel rod, & brass rod with bolt cutters then sand the ends. The result gives great, clear tone from the rod piezo.
Here's the new version.
Janis, this a very clean looking build. I'm ready to start on my first license plate 4-string and I hope you don't mind that I copy your through neck design and using a rod piezo pup. Thanks for the advice of using a preamp and thanks for sharing your photos/vids (and playing). I look forward to them.
Nice descriptions too. Much appreciated.
Super nice.