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Permalink Reply by Greg Potts on March 28, 2013 at 11:09am

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on March 28, 2013 at 12:32pm

no it doesnt really help at all imho.

next time don't brace the top at all, just brace the sides, the tin will brace the top plenty.  A nice tall bridge and corresponding neck angle helps a lot too.  I avoid cutting or altering the lid at all

 

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Permalink Reply by Daddy D on March 28, 2013 at 6:08pm

To test what Phrygian is saying, put some pressure on the strings behind the bridge and strum it. It looks like there is hardly any pressure on the bridge. You can move the bridge back to about an inch and a half from the back and play it too to test it. Your scale will be off, but it should sound better.

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on March 29, 2013 at 12:12am

Move your neck farther into the box all the way to your last fret so your bridge is nearer the edge of the tin. Then drill new thru holes for the strings and whack off the omit tail. That should put more pressure on the bridge and provide a more rigid part of the lid to resonate.

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on March 29, 2013 at 12:48am

if youre gonna pull the neck out dont stop there, splice a body end scarf join to create some pitch and make a taller bridge..

its not as difficult a job as it sounds, as long as you can access a bandsaw and you do have a bit of neck length to spare there.  Ive done this mod myself to improve a cbg, message me for more info if you like :)

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Permalink Reply by Greg Potts on March 29, 2013 at 11:56am

Can you show me an example of this? I think I know what you are suggesting, but a pic being worth 100 words and all, well you know...

Shortening the neck wouldn't hurt anyway, as it is right now it's about 1" too long for the Martin strings I have fitted.

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Permalink Reply by Craig Mayhem on March 29, 2013 at 3:07am

I like being a contrarian, so here I go...

A soundhole may help or it may not. On my lunchbox build I did some testing - opening the lid a bit and closing it, comparing the loudness. When closed the sound was a bit muffled. I added an soundhole and it was louder. 

I don't know much acoustic theory but it seems a soundhole gives the sound somewhere to escape. Subwoofer enclosures have a soundhole, so do acoustic guitars and such.

Your mileage may vary, though.

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Permalink Reply by Greg Potts on March 29, 2013 at 12:04pm

Hmmm.... perhaps I might consider drilling a circular grid pattern of 3mm holes in the back, like a speaker grille on an old radio or dashboard. Giving the box an opportunity to breath a bit *might* open up some of the muffled tones I am getting. And if not, I could always cover the holes with a sticker or two...

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Permalink Reply by Cigar Box Gus on March 30, 2013 at 2:06am

1. I've never put soundholes on a tin guitar (three string/unfretted) and they sound mighty fine (wired with piezos), but what others said: more string tension on the bridge is better.
2. That is a straight-up awesome tin you acquired there.

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