Comment

Comment by Wichita Sam on November 27, 2014 at 2:58pm

Glenn, I think you're onto something.  Sounds a little (If I'm understanding it right) like an early On-String Willie diddley bow arrangement.... I've never understood the concept completely.  Seems like the can becomes a resonator for the neck/brige and not the string....  Anyway, good to hear from you. 

For all my CN friends... A guaranteed way to have a "Happy Thanksgiving" is to get busy giving thanks....  Blessings, Sam

Comment by Glenn Kaiser on November 26, 2014 at 7:38am

Probably been done, or is obvious to some of y'all, but I've an idea I must try. Bridge below and not in direct contact with can. Large enough hole in can string doesn't buzz against the metal.

Picture canjo laying flat in front of you, left-to-right- tuner left, right is the bottom where the can would be:

Create slight slot in stick for can but leave more than normal room (say total 2 inches) on stick below end of can for both bridge and string hole.

Next to can place bridge. Below that (to the right) drill string hole. Screw can into slot tightly. Drill the string pass-through hole in can bottom low/higher/middle of the can bottom, wherever you like.

Depending on what you want to try, the bridge height will determine where that pass-through hole in the can needs to be. Build bridge accordingly.

String it and know that you lose -some- vibration if bridge isn't inside the can... but if the can is tight enough in the slot, bridge perhaps made of hardwood and of course tightly glued in place, the vibrations move via bridge/neck/can anyway though they don't move via the metal can as they aren't quite as much in direct contact with it as when a bridge is placed inside the can (as I normally build mine).

Just thinkin'... Happy Thanksgiving folks! -Glenn

Comment by TN Twang on November 26, 2014 at 4:46am

About the center of the can and the high action:

I'm using crooked sticks that are cut so the center of the can lines up about 1/4 " higher than the fret tops. Action is good and sound is good--finding or making proper crooked sticks is a pain in the backside. Each stick has to be custom cut for the particular can unless I can rig some sort of adjustable cradle to permit fine tuning the string action. Working on that as we speak...

About the neck through the can:

It seems that most of the sound comes off the side of the can instead of out the open end. (Handbells also work this way.) I'm thinking "outside the can" and maybe I should use a wide board like Wichita Sam shows below to keep my fat gut from damping the side of the can. (Of course, if I had a wide board, then the neck could go through the can. Hmmm!)

Comment by Wichita Sam on November 25, 2014 at 1:58pm

errr, "an unmuffled sound"... typo, sorry

Comment by Wichita Sam on November 25, 2014 at 1:55pm

TN,

I think the only thing you give up as you move away from the center of the can bottom is a little volume.  I'm using a .025 guage brass wound string and it seems to like G above middle C (same G as you'd get on the third string of a6 string guitar).... It can be tuned as high as the C above that....You can string it with thinner (wound or solid) for a higher open note but with 2 octaves on the fret board, why bother?

Bear, you an do it with the neck in or neck out, string in the center or toward the edge.... personal preference. My reasoning is the neck outside the can helps hold the can off my body for an muffled sound.  I can see how it would work the other way.

Comment by David Bowes on November 25, 2014 at 9:58am

I might be missing the point, but if the hole is in the center then dose that not result in a high action.

David

Comment by TN Twang on November 25, 2014 at 2:44am

W Sam,

Beautiful work. I envy whoever is getting the gift.

2 questions:

Do you get a better (or worse) sound by attaching the string near the rim of the can? (I've been going to some trouble to attach in the center.)

What kind of string are you using on a short 14" scale and what pitch are you tuning to?

Thanks,

TN

Comment by Pete Turner on November 25, 2014 at 1:41am

Very cool!

Comment by Wichita Sam on November 24, 2014 at 1:48pm

So, the "recent" conversation about reversing the can's orientation to get the player an extended available scale made such goo sense, that I have to try my hand.

A couple hours later (minus drying time)....

Can's bottom is forward allowing a 14" (mandolin-like) scale length and two playable octaves.  The maple neck becomes a backbone for a pine mini-body.

The neck is finished in spray poly and the body in a translucent blue metal flake.

The neck is pretty standard 1x1 maple, economy tuner, banjo wire for frets, bass fret for nut.  1/4 dots cut from a blue guitar pick.

The business end shot reveals what few "secrets" this kind of build has.  Two screws (front and back) goes through can, neck and body to hold everything together.  Neck sets down in body in groove made by multiple passes through table saw.  And the neck is thinned under the can.  This allows the neck to be partially recess in grove and the string to be moved up away from the can edge.    If I were doing this build again I would increase this thinning to about half the thickness of the neck instead of just 3/16s of an inch.

This was a fun little project.  The intonation is good, ample volume and the body keeps the can from getting "muffled" against the player.  I guess I could even add a little string and sling it mandolin style while playing.  It is destined to be a stocking stuffer for someone in the family.  Hope you enjoyed.

Comment by Brown Water Jerry (Rice) on November 22, 2014 at 5:10am

Thanks TN.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• …
• 31
• Next ›
• Page