first build log.

Hi everyone, my name is tim.

I have been playing guitar on and off ( mostly off tune) since i was about 13 when my step father found a handmade guitar under someones house when he was installing telephones back in 1973.

I have seen Cigar Box Guitars around over the years and always wanted to have a go with one. So i figure now is the time to start and after reading through the forums here and a intensive 3 week google self education binge it time!

I am going to start with some plans and ideas for the build. So here goes. Some/most of these ideas i have borrowed from this site so if i ever forget to mention who's idea i am pinching please forgive me.

I have 1.2M 40mmx18mm Tasmanian oak for the neck. i also have a 1.2M 40mmx8mm piece for fret boards.

I am going to use Wayfinders split pin fret method . I have some found booker rod cutoff i can use for the bridge and i will use a 5 or 6mm bolt for the nut. I am going to use a 600mm scale length 3 string instrument.

this is the box i have

this is a PDF of the headstock design

Headstock%20plan%20CBG%20first%20build.pdf

any ideas or better ways to do things Please feel free to let me know i am a very open and helpful person. Looking forward to payback all the knowledge i have gained from this wonderful site.

I used super glue Timothy and the best method I found was as follows. Mark out your fret positions. Doesnt matter what with but what is important is that you dont mark across the entire width of fretboard. Only place your fretline in the middle. Otherwise when you lay pins down and you have few mm of fretboarf showing either side of pin you will see scribed or pen marks where u marked frets. Establish width of pins and halve it. E.g if pin is 3mm wide then take 1.5mm. Starting from fret 1 (Don't start at last fret at box end.) Lay a metal straight edge 1.5mm below your fretline. Run a bead of glue along fret line that is width of your pin. Lay pin on glue and pull it snug against your straight edge. Place thumb on pin. Wait a few secs and then gently remove straight edge. Wipe any excess glue off straight edge and along fret being carefull not to dislodge it. Fret centre will now be positioned directly over your marked fret line. Repeat till done all frets working downwards towards box. Make sure to wipe any glue off straight edge before doing each fret. Now this is important. I think you will find this method works good and you will become like a well oiled machine doing it. Trying to place pins on without a straight edge will leave som pin centres not directly over fret lines and some not straight. A refinement of this method is not to worry bout placing square half pin thickness beloe fret line. Just place square along bottom edge of marked fret line and run glue bead aling line and use same technique to position. The important thing with this refinement is that in calculating scale lenghth and bridge position the width of your fret line multiplied by the number of frets will mean your bridge position will be an inch or so foreward.

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Comments

Jonno September 3, 2016 at 7:57pm

Pps. Personally I prefer method of just placing straight edge below bottom edge of marked line. With the other way of positioning square half pin width below marked line you must ensure marks are whisper thin. Otherwise line thickness will throw things out. My advice also is to do nothing to prep your box till you have fretboard done. Once fretboard is done you will know exactly where to positiion it in your neck to achieve wherw you want bridge to be. You dont wanna find you got a neck and fretboard done but the bridge is beyond or too close to rear of box. So 1.Do fretboard. 2. Place it on lenght of wood you have for neck and then ascertain where bridge will then be my moving fretboard up or doen neck piece. I would suggest a bridge around 40mm from box end. The further the bridge from box end the more banjoey the sound. So you can then mark position on neck to glue fretboard. And then prep box. You dont wann cut a sound hole in box only to find your bridge is right on top of it. Im a noob too. But I have learned from the mistakes of preppin box with holes etc before establishing bridge placement.
Jonno September 3, 2016 at 7:38pm

P.s. Wayfinder recommends putting a small drop of glue or epoxy on either side of oin once you have them glued in place. One downside of gluing frets on is glue stains. A very fine steel wool (Bunnings paint section) works good. Dont use nail polish remover or acetone for glue stains as it might dislodge your frets. After you are all done you can use acetone to get any glue off your square or rule ( you will need to use a thinner straight edge for your last few frets as a metal square might be too wide) Hope you find this helpful. I did a few bung glues trying to judge placement by eye and no straight edge. Chees. Jonno
Jonno September 3, 2016 at 7:28pm

I used super glue Timothy and the best method I found was as follows. Mark out your fret positions. Doesnt matter what with but what is important is that you dont mark across the entire width of fretboard. Only place your fretline in the middle. Otherwise when you lay pins down and you have few mm of fretboarf showing either side of pin you will see scribed or pen marks where u marked frets. Establish width of pins and halve it. E.g if pin is 3mm wide then take 1.5mm. Starting from fret 1 (Don't start at last fret at box end.) Lay a metal straight edge 1.5mm below your fretline. Run a bead of glue along fret line that is width of your pin. Lay pin on glue and pull it snug against your straight edge. Place thumb on pin. Wait a few secs and then gently remove straight edge. Wipe any excess glue off straight edge and along fret being carefull not to dislodge it. Fret centre will now be positioned directly over your marked fret line. Repeat till done all frets working downwards towards box. Make sure to wipe any glue off straight edge before doing each fret. Now this is important. I think you will find this method works good and you will become like a well oiled machine doing it. Trying to place pins on without a straight edge will leave som pin centres not directly over fret lines and some not straight. A refinement of this method is not to worry bout placing square half pin thickness beloe fret line. Just place square along bottom edge of marked fret line and run glue bead aling line and use same technique to position. The important thing with this refinement is that in calculating scale lenghth and bridge position the width of your fret line multiplied by the number of frets will mean your bridge position will be an inch or so foreward.

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