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Comment by Joe Caruso on February 9, 2020 at 10:30am

Computer speakers - I researched this and came to the conclusion they will not work - they are specifically designed to work with the power levels proved by the computer. I have many myself just gathering dust.

Comment by MadGomer on February 9, 2020 at 10:10am

Question about speakers for you smart folks:  I have a set of computer speakers, those tall skinny ones (not really oval, but sort of) and was wondering how those would sound as an amp.  I have a tall skinny wine box, and thinking I could put a speaker on each side of it using one of Gitty's amp circuits to drive it.  Anybody use those speakers, or should I stick with something like a 4" round?

Comment by Terry Jantz on February 9, 2020 at 2:57am

So much info to wade through. Can someone pont me to a couple of specific broomstick hubcap builds step discussions  please.

Comment by Andy Dobbs on November 7, 2019 at 7:54am

I started out by making a 3 string Strumstick. A great primer for me when I got started. Good luck !

Comment by Mark Bliss on November 7, 2019 at 7:37am

To be honest with you Rich, that's probably a better approach in the long run anyway IMO.

It can be a hassle finding Cig Boxes in large enough sizes, and you get better choices in materials, thicknesses, etc.

I would suggest beginning with choosing an instrument type, (Number of strings, slide or fretted, etc) and a scale length. Design and build from there. 

Draw up a plan. I personally like to place my bridge at about the 1/3rd point, not centered. Design a headstock plan. Leave room between the closest tuner and the nut. I like about 1.5" factor in the tuner shaft length for your head thickness, and devise a plan to have some string break over the nut.

I use a combination of neck set angle (I like 3 deg.) and offset at the box to allow some room under the strings in the playing area. About a 5/8" tall bridge is a good starting point.

Draw a scale plan, top and side view and the ideas will begin to flow. 

Jealous of your access to Mahogany in Thailand!

Comment by Rich Butters on November 7, 2019 at 1:20am

Hi John Mark, thanks for the very in-depth response.  I live in Thailand so I cant get cigar box's and to import will be a 'nightmare' getting tobacco products through Thai customs.  I know there empty box's but the mention of cigars would raise a red flag

I will be building making my own boxes from Mahogany or Rubber Wood boxes and necks and fret boards

Thanks for the responses

Cheers

Rich

Comment by John Mark Perchalski on November 7, 2019 at 12:48am

One other thing to add, Rich, that I guess we all sorta know but maybe don't like to say out loud (at least not where the box on our workbench can hear us), focus on/remember or possibly that we all just take for granted:

There are gonna be mistakes (or happy accidents if you're a disciple of Bob Ross) and it's gonna be a learning process. I don't remember any of the videos I've watched that said 'Don't start with a rare hard-to-replace custom cigar box that you're gonna regret accidentally messing up.' but I'd say that's something to have a bit of a think about.

They aren't 'hard' to make -- folks made them by railroad tracks and campfires with scavenged tools from whatever was available, after all! But your second will probably be better than your first, and your tenth will probably be better than your ninth, and so on.

So you might want to save that rare fancy Louis XIV cigar box you bid-fought for up for $880 on eBay for a later project when you've got some confidence about how you'll handle the inevitable tool slips and sunk ships and have a better understanding of what exactly you want out of your 'dream' CBG and how to put it together. :)

I like Shane Speal's attitude about this: they're temporary things, they were never intended to be holy grail of musical instruments, they're not meant to sound 'perfect' (although our definition of 'perfect' probably changes a bit when we get hooked on the little darlings!), and you'll probably wear one out in a half-decade or so of heavy playing if you've got a heavy hand (he just posted a great video about the 'wear time' of MDF versus plywood tops).

But that doesn't mean you can't have a blast with them and all their little moles and freckles while they last. 

So don't get hung up on perfection too much (unless you're building a commission, perhaps). It'll strip a lot of joy out of the process.

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard given to any kind of crafter/artist was: 'Give yourself permission to fail, give yourself permission for things to not be perfect, embrace every mistake as a learning experience and every flaw in the work as a mark of character and love.'

Comment by Rich Butters on November 6, 2019 at 7:11pm

Hi Brian Q thanks for this.  I have the fret template and have watched the video

Cheers

Rich

Comment by BrianQ. on November 6, 2019 at 6:51pm

If you do go with the simple 23” Shane Speal standard slider:

if you scroll down there’s transcription?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pmzvfyOizV8&list=PLQoYJG1ht92f3gc...

then get this printable template for the fret placement: 

https://poormansguitar.com/template

Comment by Rich Butters on November 6, 2019 at 6:23pm

Hi All, thank you all for the advice.  The things I 'take away' from your feedback is:

• Enjoy yourseldf and just go ahead and build
• Use your first builds as part of the learning process
• Keep it simple but watch the online video's 
• Concentrate and focus on scale, intonation, and neck fitting
• Early mistakes?  Neck/fretboard height from the soundboard/box.  Paying attention to scale length (distance from nut to bridge) and fret placement within the scale.

Thank you to all

Rich

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