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I think I've screwed up, advice please.

This is my first build and I think I have messed it up already. I am using a Romeo & Juliet box and have just cut the slots to fit the neck, used a razor saw and needle file and it fits really snug, so far so good.

I then closed the lid and realised that it closed just as it's meant to. I realised that I had measured the depth of my neck cuts with the lid open and box face down on the table, If I had left the lid closed it would have meant I had to cut a piece out of the neck to allow the box lid to close and so have the top of the neck sitting flush with the top of the box, I hope this makes sense. I now have a neck that fits beautifully but a slight lip or step from the top of the box to the top of the neck that equates to the thickness of the lid.

My question is will this affect my being able to use this to learn to play slide? It was meant to be a fretless 3 string, I am hoping that I can compensate for what I see as a screw up in some way, have I ruined it beyond use, or does it matter at all?

If it was to have a fret board added this would probably even things up, but this was always meant to be a low budget try out to see if I could actually build one so I'm not about to spend any more money on it, now I'm pretty mad with myself for making such a stupid error.

Any advice gratefully received. Thanks guys

Midge

Lincoln, UK

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Mr.C on April 14, 2013 at 8:18am

Post some pic probly not that bad

Permalink Reply by Hep Cat on April 14, 2013 at 8:45am

I will take a couple of pics when I get it finished, nothing special, but I made it and if I can get any kind of sound out of her I'll be more than happy. I'm not going to use any kind of pick up in this one, and hope she'll work acoustically?

Midge

Permalink Reply by Hep Cat on April 22, 2013 at 9:13am

Well it's taken me around 10 days and it's far from perfect, but my first CGB is finished. I am having some issues with tuning to open G. I am very confused by the G tunings, one being an octave higher than the other? Does this mean that one must be G and the higher one G# ?

I seem to have way too much tension on the top G string, in fact I was afraid of snapping it. I was beginning to get frustrated with myself so gave it up for today. I also feel that my strings may be too high?

Tried to use a slide for the first time but the less said about that the better, in a word Awful.

Midge

Permalink Reply by Tim LaFave on April 23, 2013 at 4:34am

If you use an electronic tuner, you will get your g strings tuned correctly. What is meant by an octave higher is best explained by going to a keyboard, play a g note around the middle of the keyboard, then play that same g an octave higher. No, it is not g#. If your strings are too high, you will likely need to lower the height of your bridge. You should do this in small increments, and keep checking the strings after re-tuning. If you get your bridge too low, you may encounter "fret-buzz", which is a whole new headache!