I'm wanting to build a bass CBG any advice???

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Permalink Reply by Ishmaelprophet on July 29, 2009 at 9:36am

Ishmaelprophet said:

How many strings do you want to use? I would use a fret board of some sort to make it stronger I used a
mag pickup but a piezo might be more CBB ish I also use only two strings but thats all a bass really needs...lol
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/2592684:Photo:84722?context=user
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/2592684:Photo:84728?context=user
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/2592684:Photo:84726?context=user
http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/2592684:Photo:84724?context=user

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Permalink Reply by Tallman Ben on July 29, 2009 at 9:56am

Love the pictures mate, it looks quality. Whats it like to play?

I was wanting to use 4 strings and it to be fretless. I was wanting it to be like a standard issue bass, only in Cigar box form, if you know what I mean.

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Permalink Reply by Ishmaelprophet on July 29, 2009 at 10:14am

thx I could not be happyer with the way it plays and the sound
Im no pro but if you want to use 4 strings you might want to use weed wacker string. I think normal bass strings
will fold the neck with out a truss rod. I would still put on a fret board if only to lower the action. I made mine
out of laminate flooring cut to size Its a vary nice hard playing surface.

Tallman Ben said:

Love the pictures mate, it looks quality. Whats it like to play?

I was wanting to use 4 strings and it to be fretless. I was wanting it to be like a standard issue bass, only in Cigar box form, if you know what I mean.

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on July 29, 2009 at 10:58am

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/p7080001-1?context=user

This one uses a red oak neck (1x2) and a fret board. Its a 30" scale with the three smallest bass strings. Tuned A,D,G, the neck seems to be holding up fine. Piezo pup, and it does sound like a bass. The strings are a set of Musician's Friend electric bass strings that I got for 7 bucks.

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Permalink Reply by Tallman Ben on July 29, 2009 at 11:12am

Looks sweet jkevn. I might go down the 3 string road, used to play a 3 stringed bass in a rock band when I was in my teens, not through choice, I couldn't afford a new set. Or might try a set of really low gauge and see how it goes.

By the way, whats a weed wacker? I'm from England, is it like a strimmer?

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Permalink Reply by Ishmaelprophet on July 29, 2009 at 11:31am

Weed Wacker = http://www.neparental.com/images/WeedWacker_2.jpg

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Permalink Reply by Jkevn on July 29, 2009 at 1:10pm

As is common with most builds (at least mine), Pieces get gathered and then the decision is made to build "sumthin". My uncle really loved my dad's 3 string CBG, but, he only plays bass. Part of the reason he got 3 strings is my belief that a CBG should not just be a regular instrument that is a different color or what not. It should take a little ingenuity and adaptation to play as well as build, may be misguided but my thought all the same. My Dad has played guitar since he was a kid, and does it without thinking, he spends hours plucking at this 3 stringer in open G. His playing sucks, but he gets a kick out of it. The bass is tuned like the three small strings of a regular bass, but it will take a lil thinking to get over missing #4, I hope he gets a kick out of it too.

I had no issues with tension warping the neck, other builders have used heavy gauge guitar strings, and string trimmer line from weed-eaters, the list goes on...

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on July 29, 2009 at 5:53pm

I like your thought process.... the lamination will increase the strength, especially since in most cases it will put the grain on edge... even more so it you make sure to run the grains in opposite directions.

The warning is to trim that neck the least possible... Four big ole' bass strings can really do a number on that neck.

the best,

Wichita Sam



tinyguitars said:

My advice for a super strong neck is to use TWO pieces of that oak glued together, making a 2x2 which will probably be 1.5x1.5". This is what I began doin with poplar almost from the beginning. This way you can use the edge of the boards as the fretboard instead of the face of the board, making the whole rig incredibly strong. You can then carve or cut away what is not needed and you can also carve out the headstock and heel without any sort of scarf joint or glueing on more wood. You can also add a fretboard to this and have a neck that is pretty much indestructable! God bless!

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Permalink Reply by Jeff on July 29, 2009 at 9:57pm

This also works for guitar necks. I'm making my first CBG and I took two pieces of 2x.5" oak so I would have a true 1" thick neck. I ended up putting a router to the back to round it off and it came out great. I currently just laminated on a 1/4" piece of oak to the top for the finger board and to allow a somewhat of an angle from the headstock. so far, so good & cant wait to get it finished!

tinyguitars said:

My advice for a super strong neck is to use TWO pieces of that oak glued together, making a 2x2 which will probably be 1.5x1.5". This is what I began doin with poplar almost from the beginning. This way you can use the edge of the boards as the fretboard instead of the face of the board, making the whole rig incredibly strong. You can then carve or cut away what is not needed and you can also carve out the headstock and heel without any sort of scarf joint or glueing on more wood. You can also add a fretboard to this and have a neck that is pretty much indestructable! God bless!

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Permalink Reply by Tres Seaver on August 16, 2009 at 2:26pm

Ben, my son and I did a CBB "doodle bass" using weed-whacker line:

http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/albums/doodle-bass

We just fiddled with it yesterday (more pix coming soon);

- replaced the low E string with a .105" cord

- added a piezo pickup (inside the box under the bridge)

- Added "ebony" stain to the box

- Cut soundholes

- Glued it shut

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