Richey Kay's Posts - Cigar Box Nation2024-03-29T06:25:25ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFennhttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/982887492?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blog/feed?user=200um97qg8axy&xn_auth=noHow to use grain filler for a smooth finishtag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2015-10-21:2592684:BlogPost:24179942015-10-21T07:00:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551838?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551838?profile=original" width="620"></img></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">I have always used oak for my necks, and at first I was always frustrated that no matter how well I sanded the wood, the oak's open pores meant that the finish was never completely smooth. After a bit of research I came across grain filler, and ordered a tin of Rustins.</span></p>
<p><img class="align-center" height="303" src="http://www.rustins.eu/images/grainfiller%20for%20web.jpg" width="303"></img></p>
<p>Grain filler is different from wood…</p>
<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551838?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551838?profile=original" width="620"></a></p>
<p><span class="font-size-4">I have always used oak for my necks, and at first I was always frustrated that no matter how well I sanded the wood, the oak's open pores meant that the finish was never completely smooth. After a bit of research I came across grain filler, and ordered a tin of Rustins.</span></p>
<p><img src="http://www.rustins.eu/images/grainfiller%20for%20web.jpg" class="align-center" height="303" width="303"></p>
<p>Grain filler is different from wood filler, which is used to fill larger voids in wood. It comes as a thick putty which you thin down with white spirit (mineral spirits) or turpentine to the consistency of cream. You then apply it to the grain of the wood and it does a pretty good job of filling in the pores. I use the 'natural' version for oak, but they do other shades for darker woods etc.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551975?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551975?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-center" width="500"></a>First off, get your neck sanded down as smooth as possible. I do mine up to 320 grit at this point. Then give the neck a wipe down with white spirit to remove the wood dust.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551925?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551925?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-center" width="500"></a>I apply the grain filler all over the neck with my finger, rubbing it lengthways into all of the pores. Once the whole neck looks done I leave it to dry overnight.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403552372?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403552372?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-center" width="500"></a>This is what you see after the grain filler dries out. At this point I just lightly rub the excess off the surface with my thumb until I see this:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403552929?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403552929?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-center" width="500"></a>The pores are now filled in. Now it's time to lightly sand again, starting at 220 grit and working up to 600. A quick rub down with white spirit again and you're ready to start applying finish.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553567?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553567?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" class="align-center" width="500"></a>As you can see, the grain filler does a really good job of blending in with the wood tones. </p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553981?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553981?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">The same neck after an additional 6 coats of Tru-Oil, then a final 1200 grit wet sanded coat a week later. Lovely and smooth! I hope this helps.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">-Richey Kay</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img alt="" src="http://i.imgur.com/b6D3WCI.jpg" style="max-width: 100%; min-height: 43px;"></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbgitty.com/gift-ideas/complete-fretting-starter-kit-tools-template-frets-guide-20-savings/"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553996?profile=original" width="620"></a></p>
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<p></p>How to level, crown and polish fretstag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2015-10-11:2592684:BlogPost:24110692015-10-11T09:23:20.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p>This is something I waited way too long to try. I never really had a big problem with frets buzzing, but having all of your frets perfectly level and polished is a wonderful thing.</p>
<p>There are numerous ways to approach this task, and please bear in mind that this way works perfectly with an instrument with a flat fretboard, whereas the technique would be a little different with a radiused neck.…</p>
<p></p>
<p>This is something I waited way too long to try. I never really had a big problem with frets buzzing, but having all of your frets perfectly level and polished is a wonderful thing.</p>
<p>There are numerous ways to approach this task, and please bear in mind that this way works perfectly with an instrument with a flat fretboard, whereas the technique would be a little different with a radiused neck.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553912?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553912?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>I ordered myself a fret crowning file from eBay. This one was around £25, and came complete with several grades of sandpaper from 800 to 2500 grit, a spring steel fretboard protector (to use while sanding) and a gummy rubber to clean the file. The file itself is concave and fits neatly over an individual fret, it is a diamond file and will give a good and smooth result quickly. They are custom made by a guy in the UK. Link <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181157197101?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT" target="_blank">here</a></p>
<p>To begin with, clamp the guitar down to you bench/table. I used some soft materials to prevent any scratches to the finish. I also masked off the pickups, so I didn't get any metallic dust in there.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983044581?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983044581?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Use a felt tip pen to draw a line straight across the tops of all of the frets. I used one of my daughter's Crayolas as they are easy to wipe off in case I slipped. This will be your reference point, as it will highlight any lower frets as you level them.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403557999?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403557999?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Levelling - this is the step that would differ if your fretboard had a radius (of course you can buy fret levelling files for this purpose, and I have heard of sticking sandpaper in your radius sanding block and using that). I ran the finer surface of my sharpening stone back and forth across the fretboard a few times, being careful to apply equal pressure. I carried on until all of the pen marks had gone.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403559121?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403559121?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Notice the flat tops on the frets. The two on the left side of the photo have had the pen line redrawn on them. Now it is time to recrown them.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403559704?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403559704?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>With the crowning file, a few passes across the top of the fret will bring back the original rounded top. You want to keep going until your pen mark is just a very thin line across the middle of the fret. One you're happy with it, time to polish them up.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403560579?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403560579?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>There are two ways to go about polishing the frets after crowning: Do them individually, using the spring steel fretboard protector and progressing through the grits (800, 1000, 1200, 1500, 2000, 2500) on each fret. This took <em>ages</em>! The second time I did this job I simply masked off the entire fretboard (leaving the frets exposed of course) and sanded the whole lot at the same time lengthways. This was much quicker, and I was happier with the result.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403560901?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403560901?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Once you're happy with the level of polish on the frets, all that's left to do is to gently brush away any metal filings and dust from the fretboard, and get the strings on. </p>
<p>And there we have it. Despite having no real issues before, the overall feel of the guitar is greatly improved. Of course, if you are experiencing buzz from uneven frets, this fairly simple process will make a huge difference.</p>
<p>-RK</p>How to fit a non-adjustable 'truss rod'tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2015-06-23:2592684:BlogPost:23372332015-06-23T05:27:11.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403542527?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403543324?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983046112?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403550662?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403542527?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403543324?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983046112?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403550662?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551038?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553587?profile=original" target="_self"></a>I thought I would share a technique with you which I picked up from a great builder who is not a member CBN. I think you can argue that a 3 or 4 string CBG doesn't really need any additional neck strength, but I've found myself making thinner necks recently, and I'd like to make sure they stand the test of time. I am also gearing up to have a go at making a 6 string from scratch so this is a technique I will need to learn sooner or later.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403542527?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403542527?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a></p>
<p>So, to do this you will need some mild steel bar. I got 3x13mm. A 4 metre length cost me about £4. The postage cost twice that but it was almost worth it to see the look on the delivery driver's face when he handed over a 4m long cardboard tube. You also need a router, and a bit of the correct width and depth for the bar.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403543324?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403543324?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>I used the parallel guide on the router to slide along the side of the neck to cut the channel. I used a high speed and 4 shallow passes to get the finished depth (which needs to be a tiny bit deeper that the width of the bar)</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983046112?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983046112?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>It fits. Now time to glue it in. I used epoxy with a long curing time. Getting the glue in the channel is quite tricky.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403550662?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403550662?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>I held the bar in place with clamps and left it overnight. Make sure you put something between the clamps and the neck so you don't glue them together!</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551038?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403551038?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>Once the epoxy had set I lightly sanded the surface to remove any residue.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553587?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403553587?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>Then just glue on your fretboard as usual and you have (hopefully) a super strong bow-resistant neck that you can shape a bit more aggressively than one without a strengthening rod.</p>
<p>Have fun!</p>
<p>RK</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>My experiments with a multi-scale fretboard (fanned frets)tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2015-04-17:2592684:BlogPost:22863712015-04-17T19:30:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/9761530291?profile=original" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><img class="align-center" src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/9761530291?profile=RESIZE_710x"></img></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403548029?profile=original" target="_self"></a>I've been meaning to have a go at this for a while. I have seen it done a couple of times before. As always, I don't consider this to be entirely my own work or research, but…</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/9761530291?profile=original" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/9761530291?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403548029?profile=original" target="_self"></a>I've been meaning to have a go at this for a while. I have seen it done a couple of times before. As always, I don't consider this to be entirely my own work or research, but rather a collaborative effort with others in the community. Let me share with you how I did it:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403546377?profile=original" target="_self"></a>The benefits of this technique are:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Improved ergonomics, indeed, the Novak guitars which famously used fanned frets were 8 string guitars. The fanned frets make the wider neck more comfortable to play.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">A different scale length for each string means that you have more control over individual string tension.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Last but not least, it looks cool. I'm not ashamed to admit that this is the main reason I wanted to try this!</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Making a fanned fretboard is certainly more involved, but not too difficult. The easiest way to explain how is that you want to measure the fret locations for a different scale length on either side of the fretboard. I measured the frets for a 630mm scale on the bass side and 600mm on the treble side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The other consideration at this point is where you want the two scales to meet, i.e. which fret will be at a right angle to the neck. I chose the 12th, but it is possible to chose the nut (zero), or any other fret if you wish. I marked out the frets on the bass side first, then positioned the ruler at the 12th fret and measured backward from there from the treble side.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">When cutting the frets, I marked them as usual with a pencil, then scored with a knife. When cutting the slots with my fret slotting saw I used wooden blocks clamped in place to get them as accurate as possible.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983045078?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/983045078?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"/></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">(Another very important consideration at this point is that if you are intending to taper your neck, mark the taper first, then the fret locations along where the final limits of the fretboard will be after tapering. It will not work the other way round! I had to make the fretboard twice, but fortunately I realised before I glued it) :-)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Is this making sense so far? This leaves us with a nut and bridge which will be on quite an extreme slant. This was tricky!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403546377?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403546377?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"/></a>Both cutting the nut to shape and filing the slots was a real pain. Took a couple of attempts.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">So that's about it really. This is the finished guitar:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403548029?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403548029?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"/></a>So, is it nice to play? Absolutely. I feels really natural, and not at all weird. Is it worth the effort for a 3 string? Sure, why not! Would I try it again? Yeah, probably, although there's nothing wrong with good old fashioned straight frets. This was the most fun I have had making a CBG in ages. I think its the fear factor - I spent the whole time thinking 'this might not work' :-)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Give it a go if you fancy a challenge!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Richey</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><img alt="http://i.imgur.com/b6D3WCI.jpg" src="http://i.imgur.com/b6D3WCI.jpg"/></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbgitty.com/fretting-supplies/fretting-tools/high-quality-fret-slotting-saw-18tpi-made-in-the-usa/" rel="noopener"></a><a href="https://www.cbgitty.com/gifts-under-100/essential-cigar-box-guitar-fretting-starter-kit-tools-templates-frets-guide-40-savings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img src="https://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/9761532263?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-full"/></a><a target="_blank" href="http://www.cbgitty.com/fretting-supplies/fretting-tools/high-quality-fret-slotting-saw-18tpi-made-in-the-usa/" rel="noopener"></a></span></p>How to taper a Cigar Box Guitar neck with hand toolstag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2015-03-26:2592684:BlogPost:22680782015-03-26T10:59:53.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403532208?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524591?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526263?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526984?profile=original" target="_self"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403532208?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524591?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526263?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526984?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403527864?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403530311?profile=original" target="_self"></a><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403531362?profile=original" target="_self"></a>I've been meaning to have a proper attempt at this for a while - all of my previous builds have used a straight neck and to be honest there's nothing at all wrong with that. A 3 or 4 string guitar doesn't really need a taper in order to be playable. I do however think a tapered neck looks more elegant, and it does feel nicer to play. I believe this would normally be done with power tools such as band saws and disc sanders. I try to do everything with hand tools. Here's how I did it:</p>
<p>(My usual disclaimer applies: I am by no means saying that this is the only way to do this, nor is this entirely my thoughts or my research. I consider everything I do a collaborative effort with everyone else in this community)</p>
<p>Another important consideration with job is the order in which these steps are taken - there are some steps which need to be taken whilst both the fretboard and the neck are still square and true - I can't imagine trying to mark or cut the fret slots after the taper! I suppose one could use a bevel gauge but I don't have one.</p>
<p>So, to begin with, I measured out the fret locations in exactly the same manner as I always do. I also marked the centre line down the fretboard and marked the locations of the marker dots.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524591?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524591?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>I made a couple of calculations at this point about string spacing. The neck blank was 42mm wide, so with a 12mm string spacing at the bridge there would be 3mm clearance from the string to the edge of the fretboard at either side (12+12+12+3+3=42mm). I decided to go with an 8mm spacing at the nut, as this is what I have on my 5 string banjo and it seems to work well. Therefore my total fretboard width at the nut would need to be 8+8+8+3+3=30mm I made a solid pencil line connecting the 2 points all the way down either side of the fretboard.</p>
<p>I decided to cut the fretboard to shape before gluing it to the neck, so that's what I did next:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526263?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526263?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>To do this I clamped the piece to my bench and used a Surform, then a block plane, then a file, then 80 grit sandpaper to get right up to the pencil line. I kept sighting down the line and lying the piece on a flat surface to check for consistency.</p>
<p>Once I was happy with this I glued the fretboard to the neck and left it clamped overnight. Once the glue had set it was time to start shaping the neck blank to fit the fretboard. I had a couple of ideas on how to approach this, but in the end I used my #2 and #4 Continental hand stitched rasps. They remove material quickly and accurately. If you try this with a crappy cheap rasp it may end in tears.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526984?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526984?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>I clamped the piece to my bench and carefully removed the wood from the neck to match the pencil line on the fretboard. Once I was happy with it I switched over to a flat file, then to sandpaper to smooth out the surface. At this stage I clamped the neck so it was sticking out from the bench so I could easily sight down it.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403527864?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403527864?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>The process of shaping the neck by hand took over an hour, so it certainly adds time onto a build. The following day it was time to shape the back of the neck. I am a lot more well versed at this so it was a little quicker. It was slightly trickier than shaping a straight neck, however.</p>
<p>As usual I used a spokeshave, rasps, files to do the rough shaping, then moved onto a long strip of 60 grit paper across grain (shoe shining style). Of course after this make sure to sand over everything with the grain so as not to introduce unsightly scratches. It all turned out pretty well:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403530311?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="500" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403530311?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>The next step was to move on to installing the frets, which was pretty much the same process as with a straight neck, only you will need to cut the fret wire at different lengths to fit the width of the neck.</p>
<p>I think it turned out pretty well!</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403531362?profile=original" target="_self"><img width="750" class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403531362?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024"></a>Thanks for reading! If you fancy a bit of a challenge, by all means give it a go.</p>
<p>Richey</p>
<p></p>
<p></p>4 tips to make a CBG play and sound bettertag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-12-18:2592684:BlogPost:21807822014-12-18T11:30:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Hi folks,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I thought I'd share a few of my tricks and techniques which I employ on my builds to make them sound and play better. Obviously to some of the more experienced builders out there these may seem obvious, but that aside these are all things I wish I knew when I began making these.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">1. The nut…</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Hi folks,</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I thought I'd share a few of my tricks and techniques which I employ on my builds to make them sound and play better. Obviously to some of the more experienced builders out there these may seem obvious, but that aside these are all things I wish I knew when I began making these.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">1. The nut</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">The nut is an extremely important part of any guitar's construction, and has a huge impact on the intonation and the clarity of the tone. All of my guitars are fretted so I set up my builds to play with fingers rather than slides. Some of these steps are unnecessary if you intend to only play with a slide.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', geneva;">My tips for nuts would be:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Use a hard material. I always use bone these days but a hardwood/corian works fine too</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">When you file the slots, do so at an angle down towards the headstock so that the string rests on only a tiny area right where the nut meets the fretboard. I use the same size small triangle file for all the slots and it works just fine.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">The 'break angle' at the nut is important - the strings need to slope downwards towards the tuners. This will help open strings ring true. Where possible wrap the strings around the bottom of the tuner shaft a few times before feeding them through the hole</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">When setting up intonation, use your tuner to ensure that if the open string plays a G, the first fret plays a G#. If the note sharpens when fretted, you need to make the slot deeper. Be careful not to go too far of you may get buzzing on the frets, which would effectively mean a new nut</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">When you are happy with the intonation at the nut, take the strings off and sand down the nut so that the strings are resting in a shallow, rather than deep, groove - I tend to find they ring out a bit better this way</span></li>
</ul>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403522684?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403522684?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">2. The bridge</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Much like the nut, the bridge is very important for both intonation and allowing the strings to ring out as they should.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I use a floating bridge for all of my builds, as they are super easy to set up and I like the way they look. There is good information on setting bridge intonation all over the internet so I won't go into that here. My tips for bridges:</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">As with nuts, hard materials will transfer sound better than soft ones. I use bone and hardwood for mine. I made a blog post on how I make them <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-banjo-style-bridges" target="_blank">here</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I make the slots for the strings to sit in using a small triangle file. They are very shallow, with the break angle towards the tailpiece holding them firmly in place</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I sand my bridges to a point at the top - this way the string is only resting on a very small area at the top. If the string is sitting on a flat surface this can cause buzzing</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I tend to find bridges with a smaller amount of surface area contact with the soundboard (or cigar box lid) sound better (but please don't ask for the science behind this!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">You may have noticed my bridges are rather high (this one is 3/4" tall) - see number 3.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403523594?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403523594?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"></a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">3. Back angle</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I started using a back angle on the neck on roughly my 12th build. The difference in playability compared to a straight neck is huge. It is actually quite easy to achieve and well worth a try.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">As you can see, using a back angle on the neck allows for a much higher bridge, and the action stays nice and low all the way up the neck.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Imagine that the neck is resting on 2 blocks, which are at either end of the box. Make the block at the front of the box slightly lower than the one at the tail, and you have a back angle. Easy! The tail block on this guitar is 10mm taller than the front one.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">If you're a bit more of a perfectionist you can cut the blocks at an angle to the neck rests flat on them (recommended)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Coupled with having the fretboard sitting higher than the box, you will achieve low action and a good amount of clearance between the strings and the soundboard, making the guitar easier to play with fingers or a pick.</span></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524397?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524397?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"></a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">4. String gauge</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Although it is standard CBG building practice to use strings 3,4 & 5 from a 6 string set, I have found better result using strings at equal tension, which is probably more important on instruments without truss rods to prevent the neck warping over time. I also find equal string tension easier to play.</span></p>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I use the <a href="http://www.mcdonaldstrings.com/stringxxiii.html" target="_blank">MPUSTC String Tension Calculator</a> to work out which strings I need for a particular build. It's easy to use; just enter your scale length and tuning and it does the calculation for you</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">For this build I used GDG tuning, and went for 44,28 and 20w, with each string having a tension of between 10.4 and 10.8kg over the 630mm scale length. I tend to find anything below 9kg to sloppy, and over 14kg too tight</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I also find that using equal tension makes setting the intonation at the bridge much easier. I usually manage to achieve close to spot on intonation at the 12th fret</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">If you want to give equal tension a try, just go to your local guitar shop and ask for the individual strings you need. If anyone's going to understand your needs, it will be a fellow guitar geek!</span></li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526296?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403526296?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-center"></a></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Well, I hope this is of some help to those of us just starting out with this rewarding hobby. I suppose my best tip would be not to think too much about it, otherwise you'll end up like me :(</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Cheers!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Richey</span></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>
<p></p>How I make my necks - part 3tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-07-17:2592684:BlogPost:20538822014-07-17T06:00:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks" target="_blank">Part 1</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks-part-2" target="_blank">Part 2</a></p>
<p>So up until this point, we have the basic shape of the neck, and the fretboard is as good as done. This would be a good time to level, crown and polish the frets, if you wish. I wrote a 'how to' on that…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks" target="_blank">Part 1</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks-part-2" target="_blank">Part 2</a></p>
<p>So up until this point, we have the basic shape of the neck, and the fretboard is as good as done. This would be a good time to level, crown and polish the frets, if you wish. I wrote a 'how to' on that <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-level-crown-and-polish-frets" target="_blank">here</a>:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516775?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516775?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>This would be an ideal time to take another look at your cigar box, and cut the neck to fit neatly inside. In the below picture, I have marked out the cut on the neck to fit under the lid of the box, and allowed for room below the pickup:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517383?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517383?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Once I have made several small cuts down to my markings, I flip the neck on its side and pop the material off with a sharp chisel. Don't go right down to the line, though - it's easy to make a mistake and remove too much material. I use a rasp, file and sandpaper to neaten things up. Notice the angle on the line - this is to allow for the 'back angle' on the neck.</p>
<p>Now it's time to get sanding. I start with 80 grit, and work all the way up to 320 for the whole neck and headstock. Once I'm satisfied with it, I give the neck a rub down with white spirit (mineral spirits) to remove the wood dust. This will also highlight any scratches or imperfections. If you see any...yep, more sanding:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403518079?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403518079?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>At this point, it would normally be time to start applying finish. However, I like to use oak for my necks, so I find it necessary to use grain filler to smooth over the pores of the wood, and get a smooth finish. I wrote a blog post about the process <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-to-use-grain-filler-for-a-smooth-finish" target="_blank">here</a>. This adds a few more hours onto the process, plus you need to sand again, starting from 220 grit up to 600. For the end result, its worth it!</p>
<p>The below picture shows a grain-filled neck, with the first coat of Tru-Oil.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403518096?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403518096?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Nowadays I use Tru-Oil on all my necks. It's difficult to work with, compared to Danish etc, as it dries so fast. Here are my Tru-Oil tips:</p>
<p>1. Store the bottle upside down - you <span style="text-decoration: underline;">do not</span> want the lid to sieze up! </p>
<p>2. There is a foil cover on top of the bottle. <span style="text-decoration: underline;">Do not</span> take it off - just make a little hole to squeeze the oil out of. This stuff dries very fast when exposed to oxygen.</p>
<p>3. Work on an area at a time. I apply Tru-Oil to the neck and headstock separately.</p>
<p>4. Wipe the oil on with a lint free cloth, give it about a minute and gently wipe off the excess with a clean cloth</p>
<p>5. I wait 12 hours between coats. If you live somewhere warmer than Manchester (not difficult), you might be able to get away with less.</p>
<p>6. Every second coat, I (very) lightly rub the surface with dry 600 grit sandpaper. Give it a wipe down before applying the next coat.</p>
<p>7. I generally do about 8 coats of Tru Oil. Apparently you can get a mirror shine if you do about 40, then polish, but who has time for that?!</p>
<p>8. About a week after the last coat, I wet sand with 1200 grit and Tru-Oil, then quickly buff it out for a silky smooth feel.</p>
<p>This is what you come out with:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519281?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519281?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>So there you have it - a finished neck. Here are some completed pictures of the guitars these necks were made for.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403520526?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403520526?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403521630?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403521630?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403523277?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403523277?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524376?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403524376?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>I hope this has been of some use.</p>
<p>-Richey Kay</p>How I make my necks - part 2tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-07-17:2592684:BlogPost:20538742014-07-17T05:30:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks" target="_blank">Part 1</a></p>
<p>OK - so we're ready to start shaping the headstock. The first job is to mask off the wood, then draw the design. I've also measured and marked out where I want the tuners to be.…</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516164?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516164?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600"></img></a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks" target="_blank">Part 1</a></p>
<p>OK - so we're ready to start shaping the headstock. The first job is to mask off the wood, then draw the design. I've also measured and marked out where I want the tuners to be.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516164?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516164?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403522647?profile=original"></a></p>
<p>The headstock is now pretty much done. I cut out the rough shape with a coping saw, then use half round rasps, files and sandpaper to neaten things up. I use a Dremel with a barrel sander to work on the curves.</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516862?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516862?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Now it's time to drill out the holes for the tuners. I prefer to do this after shaping the headstock, just in case I slip up and need to radically change the design! Again, this job would be much less of a headache with a pillar drill, but I make do with what I've got :)</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517348?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517348?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>The shaping of the neck begins. First of all I mark a line down the centre of the neck, and another down each side about 3mm below the fretboard. This indicates the material to be removed. The first job is shaping the 'shoulders' where the headstock meets the neck with a half round rasp:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403518165?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403518165?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Then on to the 'heel' where the two pieces of the neck meet. Again, using a half round rasp - take it slow, a rasp can remove a lot of material in a short time:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519075?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519075?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Then I move on to the spokeshave. Get the neck securely clamped, then take off equal amounts of material from either side, making sure to stay within your markings. Once I'm happy with the basic shape, I use the spokeshave to run straight down the centre of the neck to remove a little thickness. Just a little is all that's needed - mainly to blend in the headstock transition, and give the neck a gentle taper:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519908?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519908?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>Then I round everything over with the rasp, followed by a cross cut file, making sure that the scratches made by the previous tool are all gone. I then take a long strip of 60 grit (a sanding belt is good too) and run it up and down the neck using a 'shoe shining' approach - this is effective for both removing file scratches and ensuring a nice rounded profile to the neck. Just make sure you sand with the grain afterwards with the same paper to remove any cross-grain scratches!</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403520644?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403520644?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p></p>
<p>As a recap: I recently made this video, which shows my technique for shaping a CBG neck (sped up to double speed)</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0htcvV1SOX0?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe> </p>
<p>Once I'm happy with the basic shape of the neck, I turn my attention to the fretboard. I gently squeeze the mother of pearl inlay dots into the holes with a dab of superglue, then file them down a little, before using 120 grit sandpaper to get them flush with the board. I sand the fretboard down to 320 grit, then apply finish. I find it much easier to get a good finish on a fretboard before the frets are in than after. After a couple of coats of oil, an hour apart, I wet sand with oil and 600 grit wet & dry to get a nice smooth, polished surface on the fretboard. I then use a utility knife to scrape the dust and oil gunk out of the slots before adding the frets:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403521484?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403521484?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>I then use a resin mallet to hammer in the frets. A few tips on this:</p>
<p>1. Hammer in the fret wire from the centre outwards</p>
<p>2. Cut the fret wire after you've hammered in into place</p>
<p>3. If you aren't able to hammer the fret wire in place (one side is raised, for example), first check your slot is deep enough. If it is, use a soft jaw clamp to hold the fret in place and move on to...</p>
<p>4. Once the fret wire is seated to your satisfaction (i.e. flat across the surface of the fretboard), allow a small bead of superglue to wick into the bottom of the fret slot on either side. This should keep things steady while you dress the ends:</p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403521632?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403521632?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p>When dressing the fret ends, I use a good quality flat file and simple run it lengthways up and down the sides of the neck, first at an angle, then flat. This gives a consistent bevel on the sides of the frets, and takes those sharp edges off. Keep checking with your fingers until they've all gone. I finish up the job with sandpaper, starting at 80 grit and going up to 600. The fret ends should now be super smooth, and the higher grade sandpaper will give a bit of polish to the fret ends.</p>
<p>A fret end dressing file is useful to take off the tiny sharp bits on the corner of the frets. I think I saw someone mention using an emery board to do this. I haven't tried it but it sounds a good idea!</p>
<p>On to <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks-part-3" target="_blank">part 3</a>!</p>
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<p></p>How I make my necks - part 1tag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-07-17:2592684:BlogPost:20538692014-07-17T05:30:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I don't claim to have invented this design, but here's how I make a robust neck through with a heel, leaving plenty of space under the lid for pickups/bracing etc. <span>There are plenty of ways to go about this, and no right or wrong way. However this design helped me overcome a number of obstacles in my early builds.</span> I will skip over quite a few basic aspects of CBG building so it might be an idea to have a grasp of scale lengths etc.…</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">I don't claim to have invented this design, but here's how I make a robust neck through with a heel, leaving plenty of space under the lid for pickups/bracing etc. <span>There are plenty of ways to go about this, and no right or wrong way. However this design helped me overcome a number of obstacles in my early builds.</span> I will skip over quite a few basic aspects of CBG building so it might be an idea to have a grasp of scale lengths etc. first.</span></p>
<p><font face="helvetica">This article is not aimed at seasoned builders, but rather those who were just starting out. Or even more specifically, myself about 3 years ago when I started making these!</font></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403515062?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403515062?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519942?profile=original"></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The only thing this diagram doesn't show is 'back angle', which I use on all of my builds to improve ergonomics. Just imagine the block at the front on the box is lower than the one at the back. It's that simple, and can make a big difference to how well a guitar plays. This, along with some other tips is covered in another how-to <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/4-tips-to-make-a-cbg-play-and-sound-better" target="_blank">here</a>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So - you need a 1 metre length of hardwood, and a separate fretboard (6.5mm/1/4"). Cut the neck blank into 2 pieces. This will depend on the kind of box you are using. You want the upper piece to extend into the box by about 100mm, and the lower piece to extend roughly 40-50mm from the front of the box, creating an overlap of roughly 6"/150mm (see the picture above). You can use whatever headstock design you prefer, scarf etc.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">The first job I do is cut and glue up the scarf joint. I cut the scarf using a jig and a big chop saw. Along with the Dremel and drill, these are the only power tools I use to make necks.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">To glue up the scarf, I clamp the two pieces of the neck to the bench and then apply a clamp at the joint. If it slips, move the pieces back and try again. You want to get this right. Some people swear by sprinkling a little salt on the glue to stop it slipping. I haven't tried it myself. Once the glue has fully cured I slice off some material from the top side to bring the thickness of the headstock down to about 15mm.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516013?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516013?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">While this is drying, time to take a look at the fretboard:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516700?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403516700?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600"></a>So at this point I've marked the frets using a metre ruler and <a href="https://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator" target="_blank">Stew Mac's Fret Calculator</a>, scored them with a knife and they're ready to slot. It is worth investing in a purpose made fret slotting saw and mitre box for this job. I've drawn a centre line and marked across the frets diagonally to place the marker dots. Carefully drill them out to the required depth. This would be much easier with a pillar drill but I don't have one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517289?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517289?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a>Once the fret slots are cut, I taper the fretboard. This step is completely optional, but since trying it I have found it impossible to go back to square necks. If you want some tips on doing this, I wrote a 'how to' <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/m/blogpost?id=2592684:BlogPost:2268078" target="_blank">here</a>. Once you're happy with the shape of the fretboard, you can add your side dots, if you wish.<a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403520917?profile=original"><br></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517505?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517505?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></span></p>
<p>In the below picture, I am gluing all of the remaining parts of the neck together; the fretboard, the lower portion of the neck that runs through the box, and the headstock 'wings' which will allow me to get a bit more creative with the design. These are made from fretboard scraps. </p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517997?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403517997?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></span></p>
<p>I leave the neck in the clamps for 24 hours. I know many people would say this is unnecessary but I prefer to err on the side of caution. This is what it looks like after taking the clamps off. In this picture I have already used my mitre box to create a 'slope' where the two neck sections meet which will be the basis of the heel.</p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519026?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519026?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></span></p>
<p><span>...and after tapering. Again, this is an optional step, and there is a 'how to'</span><span> </span><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/m/blogpost?id=2592684:BlogPost:2268078" target="_blank">here</a><span>.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519952?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403519952?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="600" class="align-full"></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: helvetica;">So here's the neck so far. Time to get shaping - in <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/how-i-make-my-necks-part-2" target="_blank">part 2</a>!</span></p>
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<p></p>How I make my banjo style bridgestag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-06-22:2592684:BlogPost:20297852014-06-22T08:00:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Lots of people seem to like the bridges I make for my builds, and I've often said they're quite simple to make. It's not really my design - it's similar to a banjo…</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Lots of people seem to like the bridges I make for my builds, and I've often said they're quite simple to make. It's not really my design - it's similar to a banjo bridge and there are a few other builders on CBN who use similar bridges. I've been meaning to do a how-to for a while, so here we go:</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403507787?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403507787?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a>I start off with a bit of scrap wood, most likely an offcut from the fretboard. For these two I am using walnut and maple, but any hardwood is fine. The little bone pieces are from a 80x10x3mm bridge blank which I cut into 4 pieces. I mark the bridge's full length, then mark where to drill to make the slope on the top and the 'arches' on the bottom. I work out the height the bridge needs to be first, then subtract the 3mm for the bone and mark it out on the wood.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403508464?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403508464?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a>I carefully drill out the holes with the piece clamped to a scrap of wood to prevent tear out.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403509218?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403509218?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a>Now the bridges are cut out and are beginning to take shape. Next the bone pieces are glued onto the tops of the bridges. I use superglue for this.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403510356?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403510356?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a>The bone is glued on and the tape is removed. Time for some sanding.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511059?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511059?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a>I clamp a piece of 60 grit sandpaper to my bench and sand the bridge at an angle to blend the bone and wood, and to make a 'sharp' peak along the top of the bone. This is also handy for flattening the bottom of the bridge. the curves are done with the rounded corner of a sanding block.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511856?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511856?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a>These are both finished now after being sanded to 180 grit.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403512448?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403512448?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500"></a>A few coats of Danish oil and they're done! Measure the string spacing you want to use and carefully file some shallow grooves with a triangle needle file.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403514195?profile=original" target="_self"><img src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403514195?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="500" class="align-full"></a></p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Of course there is plenty of opportunity for individual expression with this design. In the photo above I doubled up the thickness, so the blank was 1/2" thick, and used half a bone nut blank. I also went without the centre 'foot'.</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">I hope this has been of some use!</p>
<p style="margin: 0px 0px 0.5em; color: #000000; font-family: Arial,'Helvetica Neue',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">-Richey Kay</p>Guitar #10 rebuilttag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-02-16:2592684:BlogPost:18965622014-02-16T10:58:46.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">This was my 10th guitar, and my first serious attempt at a 4 stringer:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403509171?profile=original" target="_self"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403509171?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></img></a> I was never really happy with it: the box I had made (out of 6mm ply and 3mm sapele for the soundboard) was big and a bit unwieldy, I had also originally intended to have only 9 holes on either…</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">This was my 10th guitar, and my first serious attempt at a 4 stringer:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403509171?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403509171?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a>I was never really happy with it: the box I had made (out of 6mm ply and 3mm sapele for the soundboard) was big and a bit unwieldy, I had also originally intended to have only 9 holes on either side but unfortunately a beer and drill related accident meant I had to add more to make it symmetrical.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I also had a couple of problems with this guitar - the neck was not secured well enough to the box and there was some uplift on the neck. Not a bow in the wood as such, but it was making the action uncomfortably high. I also managed to leave it leaned against an external wall in very cold wet weather, and the damp made the soundboard all spongy and raised the grain on the neck. You could say I had some bad luck with this build.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I worked on a couple of other projects for a while and came back to this one, with the intention to rebuild the box. I started by making a pickup for it:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403510247?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403510247?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450"></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Well, I made a couple of pickups... the one on the right is obviously the one for the 4 stringer. I used a scrap of oak from the fretboard for the top of the bobbin. 6400 wines of 42AWG and alnico 5 magnets. I was going for a nice mellow tone on this one so I didn't want to overwind.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I had a couple of pre-made plain craft boxes left over so I planned to use on of those. The only problem is they don't sound good (very thick lid etc). I planed off the original lid and made a new one out of the same solid sapele stock I used for the original. I used a bit of Rustin's walnut stain on the box to make it look a bit more interesting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511066?profile=original"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511066?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">This pic shows the underside of the soundboard. I glued two 100mm strips together and used 5x6.5mm spruce strips for the bracing. The hole at the top is for the pickup. I added a scrap of 6.5mm thick sapele to act as extra support under the bridge to counter the extra tension of 4 strings.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I glued the new lid on, attached the neck (very securely) to the bottom of the box and finished everything with a few coats of Danish oil.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511141?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403511141?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a>...and that's the finished article; 4 strings tuned GDgb, 4 pole pickup, volume & tone control.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403512066?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403512066?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450"></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Sound holes - just 6 this time, I used 6mm inside diameter grommets from a leather craft supplier on eBay. You might notice the magnets are a bit wonky on the pickup. Not intentional! Sounds fine though.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403512654?profile=original"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403512654?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="450"></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">The bridge is made from a scrap of oak from the fretboard and a tiny strip of bone from a guitar saddle blank (I get 4 CBG bridges from one blank). I just use a drill to make the bridge 'arches' and sand it to a point. Volume (A250k) and tone (B250K) control with a .047uF Sprague Orange Drop capacitor. The tailpiece is a bit of sapele with a piece of brass sheet glued to it. The string ferrules are bike spoke nipples. The copper plate is connected to the ground on the back of the volume pot.</span></p>
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<p><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403513700?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403513700?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="350"></a></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I loved working with sapele for this neck. Compared to oak it cuts like butter with a spokeshave and smells lovely. I'll definitely order some next time!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">To make this headstock I cut a section out of the top of the neck blank and glued it to the bottom, then shaped it with rasps and sandpaper.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">That's it. Now I can get back to playing it!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Rick</span></p>My continued adventures in pickup buildingtag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-01-12:2592684:BlogPost:18559522014-01-12T20:30:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">If you haven't read the last instalment:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/my-first-2-weeks-of-pickup-building">http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/my-first-2-weeks-of-pickup-building</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">...so, the problem I was left with was that I hadn't grounded the strings and both my tailpiece and…</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">If you haven't read the last instalment:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/my-first-2-weeks-of-pickup-building">http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/my-first-2-weeks-of-pickup-building</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">...so, the problem I was left with was that I hadn't grounded the strings and both my tailpiece and bridge are made of wood (and bone, neither great conductors!)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I decided to go for a pretty drastic solution. Here is the problem:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501254?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501254?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a>I took the strings off and took a saw to to the tailpiece... Here is my solution:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501957?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501957?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">This is part of a hanging fixture ( one of the advantages of working in a department store, few though they are), I used a Dremel to cut it to the right size and drilled a few holes to mount it to the back of the guitar and 3 to hold the string ferrules. I have used bike spoke nipples for these. At 20p each at my local bike shop they're a lot cheaper than real string ferrules!</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">The idea was to solder a wire to the inside of the tailpiece and connect it to the ground on the back of the volume pot. What I hadn't considered is that it's bloody difficult to solder to stainless steel. I didn't have any flux to hand so I cheekily superglued a strip of copper foil tape to the tailpiece and soldered the wire to that... hopefully this will work!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403502550?profile=original"><img class="align-right" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403502550?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">So here's the new tailpiece. I actually never liked the original so wasn't too sad to see it go. The sound still seems to be just as nice so I'll take that as a success...</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I soldered the wire onto the back of the pot and checked all the connections. I plugged it in and the loud continuous buzzing had all but gone! I now had a slight buzzing which went away when I touched the strings... after sending myself mad Googling this for a couple of hours I found a lot of conflicting advice, mainly:</span></p>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">The guitar is not grounded properly</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">The guitar <em>is</em> grounded properly, and it is your body causing the interference. The hum goes away when you touch the strings because you complete the ground loop</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">The guitar is wired correctly, but the soldering job is bad</span></li>
</ol>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Now I'm perfectly ready to accept that I'm not very good at soldering, as I have no previous experience with it. However I figure that if everything works, the soldering should be fine, right?</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I eventually decided to believe number 2. I noticed that there was very little hum when I left the guitar in the middle of the room, and stood away from it. I also noticed that not having my amp plugged into a socket with a PC, Laptop and a baby monitor made a big difference. If anyone reading this has any other ideas I'd love to hear them!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">So, I still had one last trick up my sleeve - my copper foil tape. I thought I'd give it a try on one of the new pickups I made following (I thought) Bob Harrison's suggestion.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403503509?profile=original"><img class="align-left" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403503509?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a></span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">So I have potted the coil, wrapped it in a few layers of plumbers' tape, and then wrapped in a layer of copper foil. I then ran a jumper lead from the ground connection (start of the coil) and connected it to the foil. I also used a little lump of solder to seal the foil shut in case the glue deteriorates over time.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Somewhat foolishly, I whacked the pickup in the guitar without checking it first... when I plugged it in, it didn't work. No signal, some buzz, but definitely no sound coming from the strings. Without really bothering to figure out why, I took it out and removed the copper foil (trying to grasp electronics by this point was making my head hurt). After ruminating on this over the last couple of days, I think that maybe I shouldn't have connected the ground wire to the foil <em>and</em> the start of the coil. If the ground is the path of least resistance, maybe I have just forced the current directly to ground... again, any feedback on this would be appreciated!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Sure enough, after removing the foil and the jumper lead, the pickup worked again. I strung it up, closed the access panels and called it a day. Some noise, perhaps, but hardly too offputting for a first attempt!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403504411?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403504411?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="750"></a>So there it is! Reasonably happy with it - will post some vids soon. Next step is to start messing around with tone pots and capacitors!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">...and here's a video - let me know what you think!</span></p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_GqUOX6sR1I?wmode=opaque" frameborder="0"></iframe> </p>My first 2 weeks of pickup buildingtag:www.cigarboxnation.com,2014-01-09:2592684:BlogPost:18516582014-01-09T07:30:00.000ZRichey Kayhttps://www.cigarboxnation.com/profile/RickFenn
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I decided before Christmas I wanted to have a go at making my own magnetic pickups, and put it on my to-do list for the new year. I studied this guide <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-A-Guitar-Pickup/">http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-A-Guitar-Pickup/</a> extensively and ended up taking inspiration from a few other sources to come up with a design, here is the process:…</span></p>
<p></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I decided before Christmas I wanted to have a go at making my own magnetic pickups, and put it on my to-do list for the new year. I studied this guide <a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-A-Guitar-Pickup/">http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-A-Guitar-Pickup/</a> extensively and ended up taking inspiration from a few other sources to come up with a design, here is the process:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I ordered a 500g spool of 42awg (0.063mm) copper magnet wire from Brocott's (UK supplier) and a couple of packs of alnico 5 rod magnets (5x19mm) on eBay. I had some 3mm sheets of sapele so I figured I would use this for the bobbins.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501232?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501232?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a>These were the first 2 bobbins I finished, I fixed the magnets flush with the top and bottom with a dab of superglue and drilled 2 holes for the start and end of the wire. It is really important to sand the inner surfaces of the bobbins completely smooth and free of any tiny burrs as the wire will get caught. Best case scenario you'll have to unwind several hundred turns, worse case the wire will break and you'll have to start over.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501476?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403501476?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a>This is the winding jig I made. I did try a sewing machine first but I felt that I didn't have enough control. This is just a hand-cranked drill clamped to a desk, with a block of wood fixed to a dill bit. I attached the bobbin with an adhesive pad. One turn of the handle is about 4.2 turns of the bobbin, so I would do 50 turns, check for any tangle or loose winds, then do another 50 and mark a tally. When I had done 19 x 100 revolutions of the handle, I had roughly 8000 turns on the bobbin. This took about 30 minutes altogether.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I then decided to make a hole in the soundboard of one of my guitars to check for the fit. I use a neck-through design so I also needed to chisel out a recess for the bottom of the pickup to sit in.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I used a drill to start the hole, then fed a coping saw through to cut it out, then sanded etc. I then realised I hadn't thought of how to mount the pickup, and after looking at pages of pickups on Google images, I decided to start over and go for a top-mounting design. (Thanks to Mr. Crocker - an endless source of inspiration!)</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403502432?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403502432?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a>These were mark 2. I made the tops of the bobbins larger than the bottom, so I could screw them into the soundboard through the top, covering up the hole for aesthetic and acoustic reasons. I also replaced the holes for the start and ends of the coil with small screws. I used steel screws for these but I do not recommend it - it is very tricky to solder onto them - as you can see:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403502682?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403502682?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a>Hmmm... not looking too great. Soldering was very difficult as I needed to melt off the enamel coating on the copper wire before the solder would stick. However I checked the connections by attaching a jack and plugging it in and it did work! Next step was potting.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403504034?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403504034?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a>This is a double boiler I constructed to melt the wax. I put about 600g of parrafin wax pellets into a kilner jar, placed a block of wood underneath so the jar was not in contact with the heat source and lashed the top of the jar to the sides of the pan with rubber bands. I filled with water up to about 1" from the top level of the wax and used a meat thermometer to gauge the temperature (which needs to be about 65c). I should add that I have an electric hob, and I think this process would be quite dangerous with an open flame. (This is so far the only advantage to an electric oven I have ever found).</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Once the wax had all melted, I wrapped the lead wires from the pickup around a screwdriver and rested it on top of the jar, so the pickup was suspended in the middle, not touching the sides. The idea here is to wait until the bubbles stop rising and the coil will be saturated. I should add that the wood I used also took in wax - and bubbles came off that too. I have it about 20 minutes, took it out, wiped the excess from the bobbin and let it cool. I then wrapped round some PTFE plumbers' tape to protect the coil.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Then it was time to wire it up and put it in the guitar:</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403504878?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403504878?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a>As you can see, I attached the pickup with 4 small screws. The clamps are there because I had to re-glue the lid on the box.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I then strung it up and plugged it in.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Hmm... not much volume, and lots of buzzing. I replaced the bridge with a pencil, to make it much lower, and the sound was louder - the pickup was too far from the strings. I also had not grounded the strings (which is a whole other problem as my bridge and tailpiece are both wood. Back to the drawing board again!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><img class="photo-loaded" alt="Pickup Vol Tone Jack" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/258819563?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="360" height="600"></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">As you can see from Ted's diagram, the ground wire needs to connect the pot with the strings. I am planning to replace my wooden tailpiece with a metal one.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;"><a target="_self" href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403505219?profile=original"><img class="align-full" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/403505219?profile=RESIZE_480x480" width="400"></a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">This is the new pickup I made last night. As you can see the top of the bobbin is much thicker, 6mm this time (an offcut from a sapele fretboard). The termination screws are now brass, so will be easier to solder. I also used a craft knife this time to scrape off the enamel coating, so soldering should be much easier. My next step is to pot it in wax and then wrap it with some copper foil tape, which just arrived yesterday. I will solder a wire from the ground on the pickup to the outside of the copper tape (thanks Bob Harrison for this tip). This combined with grounding the strings should have much better results, so fingers crossed.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">I'll let you know how it goes!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">Rick</span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,geneva;">[Part 2 here now: <a href="http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/my-continued-adventures-in-pickup-building">http://www.cigarboxnation.com/profiles/blogs/my-continued-adventures-in-pickup-building</a>]<br></span></p>