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[SOLVED] First license plate guitar, sounds horrible. Tips?

I started throwing together a LP build yesterday, and have got this far:

So... I've made a pretty sturdy box (3/4" thick pine) with a plywood base, and have the plate attached with 8 screws on the original mounting points and one at each corner. I haven't added the frets or indeed set up a nut (currently just a bone nut blank). I'm not expecting it to be loud but I'm planning to fit dual piezos in there eventually.

This is my first try at a bolt bridge, which looks cool for this style of guitar but seems to buzz pretty horribly all the way up the neck (but curiously not when played open...) - is there any special preparation that needs to be done to use of of these?

Break angle behind the bridge seems fine, certainly no less than I've successfully used in the past.

Also, I've tried with a wooden/bone bridge as I normally use too, and it seems to have the same problem. It sounds slightly less hideous with a slide. Think it'll sound better once the frets are in?

Any thoughts?

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on May 24, 2014 at 5:03am

hey!...that's not a Union Jack.....

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Permalink Reply by The Capo Kid on May 24, 2014 at 7:49am

Who said Union Jack ???

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Permalink Reply by Wichita Sam on May 24, 2014 at 9:33am

Either picture of a brit band needs a Union Jack plate, or...the picture accompanying a Confederate battle flag LP ought to be... errr...Duck Dynasty...or...???

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Permalink Reply by Sawbones on May 24, 2014 at 12:33pm

That's sweet!

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Permalink Reply by Sawbones on May 24, 2014 at 12:32pm

Looks cool,I started a doubleneck reso-plater,but its definetly on the back burner.I'd like to make a box like yours,I've got a bunch of old(60's)AZ plates.

I was wondering if you had a good frame if you could have a plate on the top and back.

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Permalink Reply by Richey Kay on May 24, 2014 at 6:44pm

[UPDATE #3]

I've recorded a short sound sample of the guitar's (almost) clean tone, I'm quite pleased with the sound but I think some new thinner strings and a higher tuning are a priority. I think it will sound pretty good with some distortion as well so I'll give it a try through my Line6 over the next few days. Thanks again for all your help!

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Permalink Reply by Richey Kay on May 24, 2014 at 6:50pm

...and I was also going to mention that I like the way some of the properties of the license plate come through even through a magnetic pickup, i.e. it sounds very different to a CB guitar. I think I might add a few more screws around the edge of the plate to cut down on some of the weirder bits of harmonic resonance I'm hearing :)

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Permalink Reply by BUGGY (C) on May 24, 2014 at 9:39pm

Sounds awesomely good to me
I would be happy with that
Try AEA but watch you sound board
Can take it as you go.
Martin bronze heavy acoustic strings
Are nice but noisey with a slide.
Lovin that tone. P.s it sounds way better than the one of the pic I posted.

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Permalink Reply by Richey Kay on May 24, 2014 at 9:51pm

Thanks Buggy. I'm going to go with FCF as even GDG is a little high for my vocal range. I don't (can't?) play slide and prefer lighter strings, as a rule.