I posted a question about mounting a magnetic pickup inside the cigar box without cutting a hole through the lid. As I saw it, this setup offered a number of advantages, one being the box top didn't get chopped up.
Well, I couldn't let it go so where is my update.
I made mounts for both a single wound and mini humbucker. This set the pickups on springs so it could slide up and down.
The pickup mount is then attached to the neck assembly with a single screw.
Since there is no hole in the box lid, the single screw allows the pickup to be easily moved up and down the neck or angled to enhance certain strings.
With the cigar box lid installed the pickup presses directly against the box top under spring pressure.
So, how does it work? While the guitar is not completed, I couldn't resist stringing it up with a couple of strings and attaching it to my amp via some jumpers. I fired up the amp and turned the volume to the same position I always use. Then the moment of truth.
I picked a few notes and was rewarded with a familiar tone from my amp. I haven't recorded any tracks on Audacity to compare, but just listening, I think the volume is every bit as strong as my regular player. I guess a magnetic field just isn't impressed by a little cigar box top.
This is really encouraging. I can have the warm sound of a magnetic pickup without having to cut up the box top. I can also drive my self crazy trying different locations and angles of the pickup. Should keep me busy and confused for months. I'll pass along any interesting findings as I get her finished and playing.
Tags:
OMG! Don't be giving me ideas. Maybe a variation on a Vibrato lever..............oooooooooh
Now if you got hold of some threaded stud,mounted a hand wheel on the end sticking out of the tail end of the guitar, a captive nut in your pick up mount,a pivot above the nut,lever out of the side of the box,hey presto !!
SORRY!!!
I like it, Fred. Make it a steam-punk setup. Your idea would work, you know.
Seems to me you could just use hot melt glue to stick the pickup to the lid (assuming you knew which position you wanted it in beforehand).
Why take the simple solution when you can Rube Goldberg it..............
Assembler? Haven't heart that term since 1985. Do you think I could use a short un-compiled line of code instead?
On the other hand, maybe I should crawl back under my rock.
This is totally awesome! Opens up a whole new world of cool.
I think you hit on a show-stopper idea. Let everyone see your little homemade guitar and think it's cute, then fire up the amp, put in some distortion and blow them away. I love the idea!
It's Alive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got the mag-in-the-box guitar put together this afternoon. It's a slider. Those fret looking things are actually pieces of small diameter piano wire flush mounted on the fret board. Provides easy to see fret marks and the hardness of the piano wire does provide a bit more sustain when I finger a string. The tapered neck is something I just wanted to try. I like the feel of it.
I'm still fiddling around with the action height. I have a lot of different diameters of piano wire and have tried several different sizes in the zero fret.
Now that it's assembled, I can do some comparisons of pickup volume between it and my regular player with the same pickup. Initially, I think that the mag-in-the-box is about 15~20% less loud than the regular player. This is based on where I have to set the volume knob to get the same sound from both.
I put the pickup 3 1/2" from the bridge, but think it will sound warmer around the 4" mark.
While there is still a lot of sorting out to do, I'm pretty pleased so far. The volume is totally acceptable as is. I may try the metal plate suggestion to see if it actually adds volume.
This one should keep me off the streets and busy for many weeks to come.
Thanks for all the suggestions posted in response to the original idea.
picked up some nice 10 mm round magnets today at Home Depot. Though I would try the magnets on the outside of the box suggestion posted earlier here.
Well I sat a magnet on the box top in the area where the pickup was located and it instantly found the pickup and positioned itself. I did the same two more times and had a magnet under each string.
Turned on the amp and gave it a try. Wow! It really added to the volume from the pickup. I mentioned that I had lost maybe 15`20% of the volume I got from the same pickup mounted through the box in the conventional way. I gained every bit of that lost volume back with the magnets, maybe a bit more.
The nice thing is that I can still move the pickup up and down the neck and just reposition the magnets when I do. Cool.
Another thing I noticed is that if I use strings a bit heavier than the small ones that came with the pickup, the spring pressure alone will hold the pickup in place. No need for the mounting screw. With this setup I can switch from a single wound pickup to the mini-humbucker in about five minutes. Since I soldered an audio jack To each pickup, I just unscrew the audio jack and slide the pickup from its location between the neck and box lid.
The magnets are about 3 mm (1/8") thick. Off the wall stuff from HD.
Like I mentioned, they stick to the box top when they find the pickup poles.
I figure that they become, electrically speaking, an extension of the pickup poles. When the strings are plucked, they disturb the field of new magnets just as they do the pickup poles. Since they are closer to the springs the effect is stronger. Functionally, I think it's like moving the pickup closer to the strings.
Interesting stuff.
Please do. I think there is something here. Just not sure what.
Started by Southern Ray in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by A.D.EKER 14 hours ago. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Rich Butters in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Crazed Fandango yesterday. 4 Replies 0 Likes
Started by J. D. Woods in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods on Saturday. 7 Replies 1 Like
Started by Nomad Jack in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by J. D. Woods Apr 17. 7 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Moritz Voegeli in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 14. 6 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Timothy Hunter in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Apr 10. 14 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Tom T in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 9. 9 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Apr 4. 7 Replies 1 Like
Started by Timothy Hunter in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 27. 1 Reply 2 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 10. 1 Reply 3 Likes
Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by BrianQ. Mar 9. 4 Replies 3 Likes
Started by Ghostbuttons in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Timothy Hunter Mar 9. 5 Replies 1 Like
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 8. 6 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Ken I in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Brian partington Mar 8. 8 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Southern Ray in Cool gear discussion - that's not cigar box related. Last reply by Southern Ray Mar 6. 5 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Taffy Evans in Other stuff - off topic, fun stuff, whatever. Last reply by Taffy Evans Mar 5. 4 Replies 2 Likes
Started by Justin Stanchfield in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Carl Floyd Mar 1. 15 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Joe in Performances, How to Play, Lessons, Concerts. Last reply by Carl Floyd Feb 29. 13 Replies 0 Likes
Started by Chance in Building Secrets, Tips, Advice, Discussion. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 22. 12 Replies 1 Like
Started by Cigar Box Nation in Feature Articles. Last reply by Southern Ray Feb 21. 2 Replies 4 Likes
Posted by Vlad on March 31, 2024 at 11:48pm 0 Comments 1 Like
Posted by Vlad on March 6, 2024 at 2:32am 5 Comments 2 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 28, 2024 at 2:09pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by billy jones bluez on February 17, 2024 at 11:00pm 0 Comments 0 Likes
Posted by Vlad on February 11, 2024 at 1:06am 1 Comment 1 Like
June 2, 2024 from 11am to 1pm – BeeZr Gastropub
0 Comments 0 Likes© 2024 Created by Ben "C. B. Gitty" Baker. Powered by
Cigar Box Nation is presented by C. B. Gitty Crafter Supply, your one-stop-shop for Cigar Box Guitar parts and accessories!