Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ken farmer on February 19, 2010 at 3:00pm

I recommend taking a look at baritone ukuleles: they're the same as a tenor guitar with the top four strings of a normal guitar (DGBE), and only have a scale length of about 19".

My youngest son learned guitar by starting on the baritone ukulele when he was 8. The nylon strings, short scale and general small size made it a great starter instrument. And he could pick up a regular guitar at any time and play that, though until he hit 12 they were just too big & awkward.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by stan bryars on February 20, 2010 at 7:42am

I have actually been looking at the baritone ukes

After little research I found that that is almost what my first attempt was

I have a 19" scale something on the table now, maybe that one will get 4 strings

Also going to be making my son an American balalaika if I can find the appropriate tuners

He is finally getting into quirky instruments

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by stan bryars on February 20, 2010 at 7:51am

I had to remove all tobacco reference from the box so she could take it to school for show and tell , but at the same time had to give some sort of reference to the history of what it was
I was looking for some ideas on the site and found that picture and her mother had worked for Disney for 15 years

So I tried to make Mickey's guitar and put the picture in there to give the reference.make it schoolable and give it some sort of finished look

I copied the picture with my printer on white paper but it was too bright and took away from the vintage look I was going for so I sprayed it with an aerosol stain to age it , Golden pecan I think
I didn't realize when I glued it in that the image had bled through and I glued it in backwards
It was too late to remove it and it gave the old faded image I needed anyway

I'm going to be making a few more like that with different images in the sound hole

I'm working on one for a retired marine now

MichaelS said:

I love it!! Big fan of Mickey myself. How did you transfer the image onto the inside of the box? Could she be any happier?

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by stan bryars on February 20, 2010 at 7:55am

Diane,
I just finished my first 17 inch
I was doing it for a friend but liked it so much I decided to keep it myself
Then Mom saw it and claimed it, so i have to do some more

perfect back packer or truck guitar

I'm also using your building method of using 1/2 x 2" with a 1/4" fretboard for the most part
Adds to the cost of building a little but speeds up the process eliminating the need to cut the slot for the box

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rick Martin on February 22, 2010 at 5:29am

That Mickey transfer image is great! What a fantastic idea. I'll bet she is so proud of her new instrument.

stan bryars said:

Finally got to give it to her last weekend

Wasn't able to show her anything because there were too many new people and kids around her, but then I can't play anyway

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by stan bryars on February 27, 2010 at 7:59am

Some thing have to be done to be understood

I could not fully understand how a 23 inch stick would be too long for a 9 year old, much less a grown woman
Then I built one on that scale
It's not the length of the stick but the spacing of the frets

I am a 6 foot tall man with fairly normal sized hands and this is now my preferred length

Diane in Chicago said:

Yes. I have the hands of a child, and I prefer to play 15" and 17". Even 19" is pushing it for me.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Claude on February 27, 2010 at 2:49pm

Thank you very much Diane, I too am making some of these 3 string diatonic cigar box, you can't play a wrong note, instruments. Mine are for some children with autisim, music therapy is important, but playing music is pure gold for them, and this is success. Your comments about the scale help me GREATLY! You're great, thanks. Palo

Diane in Chicago said:

Yes. I have the hands of a child, and I prefer to play 15" and 17". Even 19" is pushing it for me.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Claude on February 27, 2010 at 2:53pm

Hi Stan,
Thanks for posting this, it helps me out also. By the way, a real good fret calculator is at Stew-Mac ('spensive stuff for stringed instruments, the fret calc is free! yahoo) here's the url: http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator and it does several types of instruments including Dulcimer. You did a great job and that little ladies face is a testament to what a nice thing you did, way to go! (I have no financial or other interst in Stew-Mac, just knew about the Fret Calc and have used it).

stan bryars said:

Some thing have to be done to be understood

I could not fully understand how a 23 inch stick would be too long for a 9 year old, much less a grown woman
Then I built one on that scale
It's not the length of the stick but the spacing of the frets

I am a 6 foot tall man with fairly normal sized hands and this is now my preferred length

Diane in Chicago said:

Yes. I have the hands of a child, and I prefer to play 15" and 17". Even 19" is pushing it for me.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Diane in Chicago on February 27, 2010 at 5:00pm

Wow, that is a great thing! Please post pictures of the instruments when you're done.

Claude said:

Thank you very much Diane, I too am making some of these 3 string diatonic cigar box, you can't play a wrong note, instruments. Mine are for some children with autisim, music therapy is important, but playing music is pure gold for them, and this is success. Your comments about the scale help me GREATLY! You're great, thanks. Palo

Diane in Chicago said:

Yes. I have the hands of a child, and I prefer to play 15" and 17". Even 19" is pushing it for me.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by ken farmer on February 27, 2010 at 5:17pm

Stan,

What slot & method are you referring to here?

stan bryars said:

Diane,
I'm also using your building method of using 1/2 x 2" with a 1/4" fretboard for the most part
Adds to the cost of building a little but speeds up the process eliminating the need to cut the slot for the box

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by stan bryars on February 27, 2010 at 7:31pm

Instead of using a piece of 1x2 and then cutting out the slot in the neck for the box top to fit in
I'm using a piece of 1/2 x 2 running that through the box and then gluing a piece of 1/4 x2 fret board to that, another piece under the head stock and then taking a piece of the little pieces of wood that come in the box and gluing it to the tail piece so that it is flat with the box top, on some of my builds

On others I'm now just using a table saw to cut the stick flat from the tail to where the box top sits and then gluing the piece of wood on the tail piece

I like it better when the fretboard is fairly high sand the tail is flush with the box
I find it easier to fit a bridge that way with he material I like to use

Diane had posted something about that on the Yahoo group awhile back
Works great for a power tooless build

ken farmer said:

Stan,

What slot & method are you referring to here?

stan bryars said:

Diane,
I'm also using your building method of using 1/2 x 2" with a 1/4" fretboard for the most part
Adds to the cost of building a little but speeds up the process eliminating the need to cut the slot for the box

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by stan bryars on February 27, 2010 at 7:34pm

Thanks for the link
That one is exactly what i was looking for


Claude said:

Hi Stan,
Thanks for posting this, it helps me out also. By the way, a real good fret calculator is at Stew-Mac ('spensive stuff for stringed instruments, the fret calc is free! yahoo) here's the url: http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator and it does several types of instruments including Dulcimer. You did a great job and that little ladies face is a testament to what a nice thing you did, way to go! (I have no financial or other interst in Stew-Mac, just knew about the Fret Calc and have used it).

stan bryars said:

Some thing have to be done to be understood

I could not fully understand how a 23 inch stick would be too long for a 9 year old, much less a grown woman
Then I built one on that scale
It's not the length of the stick but the spacing of the frets

I am a 6 foot tall man with fairly normal sized hands and this is now my preferred length

Diane in Chicago said:

Yes. I have the hands of a child, and I prefer to play 15" and 17". Even 19" is pushing it for me.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page