This is the box I hope to use for my 1st CGB project. Unfortunately, there are compound curves to the sides, so I am not so sure how easy any cuts will be for the neck or tail piece. I just liked the looks of this box, so it may not be as functional to make into a CBG as I had hoped.
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Bridge height is going to depend on how high the fret board sets, nut height (groove depth?) and how much neck angle you build in. Spacing of strings depends on width of neck. I try to set the outer strings 1/8 to 3/16 from the edge, and then space strings equidistant within those outer strings. Most of my gits use acorn nuts and bolts for bridges, and I just let the string sit on top of the grooves, even though the grooves are oriented opposite of what you want for a compensated (angled) bridge. It still works fine. Left-hand thread bolts would work great, but they are expensive, and difficult to find. I use whatever combo of nuts, bolt, and shims that raises string to desired action, checking fit with a scrap guitar string, sitting in nut groove. Place bridge-tighten string-check fit-loosen string-remove bridge. You need to have nut grooves very close to desired depth in order to check fit of bridge. It's important that you fully tighten string to get a good look at the action, relative to bridge selection/trimming/shimming and nut groove depth.. Having said all that, just about anything that gives you the desired string height can be used for a bridge Not difficult, just requires attention to detail. If you are using a bolt for a nut, then you will have to sink it deep enough into the neck to lower the strings to desired action.
If it were my build, I would put a pick-up in it. Piezos are inexpensive, and easy to wire. Magnetic pick-ups are a little more involved, but still not hard to deal with. If you don't wish to solder, you can buy pre-assembled harnesses (for either style) that just require you to drill the holes in the box.
You will need a drill for this project, but everything else can be done by hand. Just takes more time than using power tools.
This is only what works for me...there are plenty of others here, with more experience and skill, than me, who probably do things differently.
As for the photo limit...only 100 photos show on the slide show on the home page, at a time. If everyone were allowed to load unlimited numbers of photos, there wouldn't be much variety on the slide show and/or nothing would remain on the show for very long, before vanishing into the archives. You can always direct readers to your homepage to view more photos.
Measurements obtained at the bottom of the box seem to come in at 10 1/8" X 6 1/2" X 2 1/16". I wish the sides of the box were wider and perhaps overal size was box was on the 7" X 11 1/2" X 2" size, but I can't change that at this point. Yes. a neck-through may work well. I have a fretted neck on order and can't wait to get it to see if it looks right of not with this specific piece hanging on it. In looking at some nuts and bridges, I have seen some dominoes in use with the pick up and I like the looks of such, but I also have found a metal piece at a local hardware store that sure looks like it could be trimmed down to work as a bridge. It is high as it is, but looks like it could be trimmed pretty easily and made to work. Not sure what it went to, but it comes in a pair and is really cheap, so I may return there and check it all out for myself. It is painted or powder coated black and I am not so sure black will go well with the artwork and color of this box or not. I am thinking that brass may look better in the long run.
Believe me I am taking my time before touching the thing with the intent to modify or cut into. I want it to work out and not be as flawed as I can do by getting into too big a hurry. I don't get paid until mid-month, so many of the items I am holding on a wish list will have to wait on my cash flow to start up again. When I get the neck in, I can actually tell more as to matching the countour of the box with a fret board as you said. I saw that someone has used spent .22 rounds as markers for the neck. That was a cool idea to me, but may be something to table and think about for a future build. On my first one I am hoping to not get so complex that I screw up the thing in adding too much right away.
Like say, my shop skills are about as good as a wild, poop-tossing monkey. I just burned the motor to my battery operated drill in using a paddle bit last night. I am probably going to slow down in getting this project going, as I don't want to get too far ahead of myself in the process. Wish I could add more photos than just 10 per day, as I have several others and will continue to post as I go along.
Thanks to everyone for the help, insight and banter regarding this.
Questions: What is the average height of the bridge on one of these CBGs? What is the general spacing of strings on the bridge for a 4 string setup? On the bridge, are the slots for the strings generally filed into place or are they drilled or cut in some manner?
my .02...I would build it as a neck-through, so that I could make straight cuts into the sides of the box. If you make nice, clean cuts to match the rectangular profile of a 1x2, for example, the compound curves shouldn't be an issue. I would put a fret board on top of the neck, but first I would file the underside of the fret board to match the contour of the top of the box
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Bridge height is going to depend on how high the fret board sets, nut height (groove depth?) and how much neck angle you build in. Spacing of strings depends on width of neck. I try to set the outer strings 1/8 to 3/16 from the edge, and then space strings equidistant within those outer strings. Most of my gits use acorn nuts and bolts for bridges, and I just let the string sit on top of the grooves, even though the grooves are oriented opposite of what you want for a compensated (angled) bridge. It still works fine. Left-hand thread bolts would work great, but they are expensive, and difficult to find. I use whatever combo of nuts, bolt, and shims that raises string to desired action, checking fit with a scrap guitar string, sitting in nut groove. Place bridge-tighten string-check fit-loosen string-remove bridge. You need to have nut grooves very close to desired depth in order to check fit of bridge. It's important that you fully tighten string to get a good look at the action, relative to bridge selection/trimming/shimming and nut groove depth.. Having said all that, just about anything that gives you the desired string height can be used for a bridge Not difficult, just requires attention to detail. If you are using a bolt for a nut, then you will have to sink it deep enough into the neck to lower the strings to desired action.
If it were my build, I would put a pick-up in it. Piezos are inexpensive, and easy to wire. Magnetic pick-ups are a little more involved, but still not hard to deal with. If you don't wish to solder, you can buy pre-assembled harnesses (for either style) that just require you to drill the holes in the box.
You will need a drill for this project, but everything else can be done by hand. Just takes more time than using power tools.
This is only what works for me...there are plenty of others here, with more experience and skill, than me, who probably do things differently.
As for the photo limit...only 100 photos show on the slide show on the home page, at a time. If everyone were allowed to load unlimited numbers of photos, there wouldn't be much variety on the slide show and/or nothing would remain on the show for very long, before vanishing into the archives. You can always direct readers to your homepage to view more photos.
Measurements obtained at the bottom of the box seem to come in at 10 1/8" X 6 1/2" X 2 1/16". I wish the sides of the box were wider and perhaps overal size was box was on the 7" X 11 1/2" X 2" size, but I can't change that at this point. Yes. a neck-through may work well. I have a fretted neck on order and can't wait to get it to see if it looks right of not with this specific piece hanging on it. In looking at some nuts and bridges, I have seen some dominoes in use with the pick up and I like the looks of such, but I also have found a metal piece at a local hardware store that sure looks like it could be trimmed down to work as a bridge. It is high as it is, but looks like it could be trimmed pretty easily and made to work. Not sure what it went to, but it comes in a pair and is really cheap, so I may return there and check it all out for myself. It is painted or powder coated black and I am not so sure black will go well with the artwork and color of this box or not. I am thinking that brass may look better in the long run.
Believe me I am taking my time before touching the thing with the intent to modify or cut into. I want it to work out and not be as flawed as I can do by getting into too big a hurry. I don't get paid until mid-month, so many of the items I am holding on a wish list will have to wait on my cash flow to start up again. When I get the neck in, I can actually tell more as to matching the countour of the box with a fret board as you said. I saw that someone has used spent .22 rounds as markers for the neck. That was a cool idea to me, but may be something to table and think about for a future build. On my first one I am hoping to not get so complex that I screw up the thing in adding too much right away.
Like say, my shop skills are about as good as a wild, poop-tossing monkey. I just burned the motor to my battery operated drill in using a paddle bit last night. I am probably going to slow down in getting this project going, as I don't want to get too far ahead of myself in the process. Wish I could add more photos than just 10 per day, as I have several others and will continue to post as I go along.
Thanks to everyone for the help, insight and banter regarding this.
Questions: What is the average height of the bridge on one of these CBGs? What is the general spacing of strings on the bridge for a 4 string setup? On the bridge, are the slots for the strings generally filed into place or are they drilled or cut in some manner?
my .02...I would build it as a neck-through, so that I could make straight cuts into the sides of the box. If you make nice, clean cuts to match the rectangular profile of a 1x2, for example, the compound curves shouldn't be an issue. I would put a fret board on top of the neck, but first I would file the underside of the fret board to match the contour of the top of the box