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First build and it's a kit - can I just cut it off?

Hopefully I've successfully uploaded some photos to illustrate my query and that somebody will understand what I'm trying to say.

My CGB kit from GME arrived today and I'm thinking that I just have to dock the neck so it is no longer a "through neck" so that then I can fix the ash tray bridge on top of box when it comes in the mail. GME were out of them so I got the kit minus bridge and ordered the bridge from MRWS. I assume the maker has left it open for me to choose 'cos he didn't have the bridge to include in the kit. I'm worried I'll bugger it up by chopping off bits I can't glue back on.

Ok, so I assume if I chop off the end where the strings would have been anchored I'll then have to chisel out the neck so that it's flush with the fretboard so that the neck closes. Yeah? That won't alter any magic formulae I hope.

Next query is re the humbucker pickup (that's also coming in the mail with the ashtray bridge): do I have to laminate/glue and clamp bits of wood to the underside of the neck that's inside the box so that I don't weaken the neck when I chisel out a housing for the pickup? Is it recommended to have it all shaped and coming out of the box for strengthening purposes or is it just cosmetic?

First build and first post, so I'm all over the shop trying to anticipate unfixable errors . . . and waffling, sorry. Plus there's the bonus of Xmas with some people being unavailable - such as the bloke who sold me the kit.

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Permalink Reply by Moritz Voegeli on December 20, 2016 at 1:57am

Greg hi, before you proceed try a drawing of your CBG how you want to realize it, seen from the side, with exact measures: this will resolve part of your questions, for the rest you will find some help here.

How did you end up with a scale of 484mm? Did you shorten the fretboard that came with the kit? On the photos, once there is a fret at the lower end of the fretboard, once not.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Hamilton on December 20, 2016 at 3:14pm

Hi Moritz, the scale of 484mm is as it came from the box with all the pencil markings from the maker of the kit for my benefit apparently. The missing fret is obviously an optical illusion and I only laid it out like that to try to illustrate what I'm on about.

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Permalink Reply by JL on December 20, 2016 at 2:38am

1) take a ruler and measure out where the bridge will sit on the box. if it will sit at about the 1/3 spot then you can chop it off easily. If you have less than 1/5 of the box remaining you will have problems trying to get the strings to anchor somehow, and might need the tail.

2) if you are going to chop out some space in the neck for a hummbucker, yes you should reinforce the neck, either add wood to the bottom or add wood to the sides.

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Permalink Reply by Lane Martin on December 20, 2016 at 9:41am

Did you build the fretboard, or did it come with frets and markers already installed?

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Permalink Reply by Greg Hamilton on December 20, 2016 at 3:03pm

Hi Lane, it came as per the photos attached (fretted and marked) all I need to do is to glue the fretboard to the neck. (darryl kernaghan commented that it is a short scale at 19", but obviously I wouldn't have a clue). The fretboard measures 12 1/4" or 32mm. What is the usual length for a CBG fretboard and/or neck?

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on December 20, 2016 at 11:01am

Greg, yes you can cut it as you say, keeping in mind that your bridge needs to be at 2x the distance of nut to 12th fret, you say this was a kit? It's a very short scale for a guitar, only 19".Was the box part of the kit or did you have to find that extra? The reason i ask is, it is not really a ready to assemble kit as is and needs to be modified as you say,as to the pick up fitting, a length of 40 x 19, or even 12 mm jarrah or tassie oak from bunnings glued and clamped underneath will stop it bowing, doesn't have to be full length, just 4 x what you chop out will be ok if joined well. Just a final thought, before you cut anything, confirm it is 242 mm from nut to 12th fret

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Permalink Reply by darryl kernaghan on December 20, 2016 at 4:02pm

Greg, you can also slide the neck forward, till the checkout gets outside the box, then cut the excess off the tuner end, but i,m not sure if your bridge can be in the right place then, if you can still get the 484 mm scale length with the bridge in a good position, that will save you thinning the neck at the front of the box. That would allow you to have the tuners a bit further from the nut as well.

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Permalink Reply by Moritz Voegeli on December 20, 2016 at 6:45pm

Greg hi, is this

http://guitarmakersemporium.com.au/product/cigar-box-guitar-kit-3-s...

the kit you bought?

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Permalink Reply by Greg Hamilton on December 20, 2016 at 6:48pm

Good bit of detective work there . . . that's the little bugger.

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Permalink Reply by Moritz Voegeli on December 20, 2016 at 7:10pm

I checked the description of your kit on the GME site: scale length is given there with 482mm which is unusually short for a CBG.

I'm still wondering whether there is a fret at the lower end of the fretboard or not, and how it comes that the double markers on the fretboard are below the 7th and not as usual below the 12th fret.

What about the strings you got with the kit: is there some information about their gauge [some values between 0.009 and 0.050]?

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Permalink Reply by Greg Hamilton on December 20, 2016 at 9:02pm

No string sizes given - just 8 strings in plastic ziplock bag. I thought the fretboard looked small when I unpacked it. Maybe I'll just head down to Bunnings (the hardware store) and buy a piece of 4' × 2"×1" and go through and fretless, very basic. The main reason I went for a kit is due to a lack of tools - hand or power. Btw is any PVA wood glue ok for CGBs or is the Titebond type I see in the video's preferred?

To quote William Bendix: "What a revoltin' development".

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on December 20, 2016 at 7:56pm

Greg,
DO NOT GLUE THAT FRETBOARD DOWN YET! THE FRET MARKERS ARE COMPLETELY BACKWARDS! THEY ARE WRONG!!! Get a refund, right now! Take it back. Really. Those fret markers are wrong; it looks like whoever installed them flipped the fretboard wrong ways, and installed the fret dots incorrectly. You won't be able to play this, unless you can completely ignore the fret markers.