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Paper or Wood?

Hello all,

I'm now up to my 5th CBG and fell into a nice lot of boxes to work with. I have some wonderful Fuentes boxes that are wood with paper labels. The CBGs I have built so far have all been solid wood with no labels and they sound great! I was just wondering though..... would the paper covering on the boxes damp vibrations?

My Oliva and 1960 boxes just ring like a bell when strummed. When you tap the paper covered boxes they just seem to be a bit "dead" but I'm wondering if it might not be my imagination. I love the artwork on the paper covered boxes but my affinity to wood is pulling me that way.

Any thoughts on that?

Gene

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Permalink Reply by Bad Wolf on January 20, 2013 at 3:56pm

i think they do sound different but not in a bad way. the paper box one that i built actually has a more fuller sound then the wood boxed one. id say just build a paper box one and see how you like it

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Permalink Reply by Gene Robinson on January 20, 2013 at 4:22pm

I suspected it would have to have some effect. Little changes to a sound box can add up. I will build one (or more!) from the Fuentes boxes because I have a few and I do like the artwork. However, I think since I have an Old Lowe reso cone in hand and a fresh shipment of tiger stripe and birdseye maple, that will be my next build. That being said, I guess I could just start couple of necks, huh? :)

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Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on January 20, 2013 at 8:47pm

Don't over-think it, just make them. After making nearly 500 guitars, I never know what the next one will sound like, and that's half the fun.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on January 20, 2013 at 11:43pm

Right on

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Permalink Reply by Don McCann on January 22, 2013 at 8:26pm

I totally agree. I used to build street rods and still do custom bikes and to me the most exciting time with them and CBG's is when you take the first "test drive/ride. The CBG's always sound different from one another but they all sound good and then every once in a while you'll get one that sounds amazing.

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Permalink Reply by Gene Robinson on January 21, 2013 at 2:46am

Good advice. I'll just go for it and let the chips fall where they may!

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on January 21, 2013 at 3:13am

Gene,

Since you have more than one paper covered box, build two. Strip the paper off one. See if they sound different to you.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on January 21, 2013 at 7:35am

It's not science, it's magic

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Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on January 21, 2013 at 9:42am

I think the thickness of the box will have more effect on sound than if it has paper on it or not. A thin paper covered wood box should produce more sound than a thick non covered one. A lot of them that have paper may not be wood at all but some kind of cardboard. All of the Fuente boxes I find anymore are like that. That being said, I usually remove paper inside the boxes when I can and always remove any of the thick fabric or velvet like material they sometimes have inside. But like the Kid says, it magic really!

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Permalink Reply by Gene Robinson on January 21, 2013 at 10:18am

Agree on all counts! It's magic, and the experiment should begin. I will try some of these Fuentes boxes and see what they are really made off. If it's a paper material - bummer - I like wood. A lot.

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on January 21, 2013 at 11:44am

The magic of music.

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Permalink Reply by Thomas "Duck" Petry on January 22, 2013 at 4:32am

I have built wood boxes and paper and find the sound can be great from both. My favorite so far is a larger paper box, a "Partagas Gigante" that has a wonderful voice. I stripped the paper from the inside of the box because it made it easier to glue blocks to the inside to screw the lid down.