Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Noisemaker59 on May 22, 2010 at 12:12pm

Welcome to your new addiction! In answering you questions,,,here's my 2cents:

1) For me, I like the thin wood type boxes when doing acoustic only and piezo equipped. Ideal dimension...since there are NO RULES! here, it's up to you. I like some that are around 9 1/2" x 7" x 1 3/4"...give or take a little.

2) I think poplar is suggested as it is easier to work with (softer wood). My first 6 builds were pretty much done by hand, saws & files...so poplar was the neck of choice. Oak is stronger of course as it is a hard wood. I did one CBG by hand that has an oak neck....took alot of energy to file out the slot under the box lid!

3) As for tuners, I search ebay for deals. Here's the lastest find :

http://cgi.ebay.com/No-Name-Guitar-Tuning-Keys-New-/140408679607?cm...

I sure someone else will chime in with additional info. Good luck & please post your CBG when you are done!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on May 22, 2010 at 3:39pm

Huzza!

Noisemaker said:

Welcome to your new addiction! In answering you questions,,,here's my 2cents:

1) For me, I like the thin wood type boxes when doing acoustic only and piezo equipped. Ideal dimension...since there are NO RULES! here, it's up to you. I like some that are around 9 1/2" x 7" x 1 3/4"...give or take a little.

2) I think poplar is suggested as it is easier to work with (softer wood). My first 6 builds were pretty much done by hand, saws & files...so poplar was the neck of choice. Oak is stronger of course as it is a hard wood. I did one CBG by hand that has an oak neck....took alot of energy to file out the slot under the box lid!

3) As for tuners, I search ebay for deals. Here's the lastest find :

http://cgi.ebay.com/No-Name-Guitar-Tuning-Keys-New-/140408679607?cm...

I sure someone else will chime in with additional info. Good luck & please post your CBG when you are done!

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matt Jones on May 22, 2010 at 5:17pm

Jack - I just finished my first build last week - a tenor ukulele (see my thread in this forum). I'm on to my second build which is a 3-string cbg. I am using poplar for the necks and it is really easy to work with. Shaping it with a rasp works great and I smooth it out with 100 and then 220 grit sandpaper. I don't *think* you'll have much bowing issues with poplar.

A couple thoughts based on my first build - as they say pretty much anything goes. I looked at a lot of different styles and configurations and kind of built it in my head before starting. One mistake I made on the uke was I glued the entire length of the neck to the underside of the box lid. After stringing it up I realized my mistake and made the adjustment on my current build. I can't comment on box size or wood thickness as I don't have enough experience in the area. You mentioned you aren't installing frets but don't be hesitant to install frets. The first time around was a little hairy but I finished the latest fretwork today and it went much better.

Oh and noisemaker - thanks for the link to those tuning keys! I was looking for something similar earlier today and came up empty. I just ordered some.

matt

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Jack Reed on May 22, 2010 at 6:49pm

Thanks for your insight guys!

Got me a set of those inexpesive machine heads tonite too!

Matt, why was glueing the neck to the underside of the box a mistake? I was under the impression this would more effectively conduct vibration to the box, thereby amplifing the sound and exciting the pickup better.

Also , what do you guys use for a good nut and bridge? I would like to use something besides a bolt for asethetic(sp?) reasons.

JR

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dave Breault on May 22, 2010 at 11:36pm

As far as gluing the neck to the box, there will be lots of debate on that. There are builders on this site, myself included who glue the neck to the lid, and others who do not. I understand their rationell since the volume is generated via the vibration created by the top surface. There fore, thinner woods with less restriction to movement are best for the tops. I have acheived very satisfying acoustic volume with my method and the ease of construction it allows will lead me to continue doing it this way. It is really up to you. Try one of each an you'll quickly know which is best for your building and playing style. As far as bridge and nut materials go, many use bone, I like antler and purpleheart. I've also started using 3/8" copper tubbing for bridges. Bottom line, have fun with the process!

Jack Reed said:

Thanks for your insight guys!

Got me a set of those inexpesive machine heads tonite too!

Matt, why was glueing the neck to the underside of the box a mistake? I was under the impression this would more effectively conduct vibration to the box, thereby amplifing the sound and exciting the pickup better.

Also , what do you guys use for a good nut and bridge? I would like to use something besides a bolt for asethetic(sp?) reasons.

JR

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on May 23, 2010 at 2:28am

I usually screw the necks to the box. Easier to remove and work on later.

-WY

Jack Reed said:

Thanks for your insight guys!

Got me a set of those inexpesive machine heads tonite too!

Matt, why was glueing the neck to the underside of the box a mistake? I was under the impression this would more effectively conduct vibration to the box, thereby amplifing the sound and exciting the pickup better.

Also , what do you guys use for a good nut and bridge? I would like to use something besides a bolt for asethetic(sp?) reasons.

JR

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brendan deVallance on May 23, 2010 at 5:12am

My neck is glued to the box lid and I think it still sounds pretty good, but on the new one I'm making I plan to make it more free floating, just glue at the top and bottom areas of contact. I Also recommend oak for the neck. It allows for greater tension of strings, but it can be difficult to work with. I just use wood for the bridge and nut. I love the look of the bolts, but I fear it would deaden the sound a bit. I plan on experimenting with the current one I have in the works to see if this is really true or not.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Matt Jones on May 23, 2010 at 9:53am

I should have been more clear about the gluing. With the build I'm doing now I plan on doing more of what Brendan describes. I would not call it a mistake, but I glued the entire length of the neck area under the lid directly and it seemed to deaden the resonance of the top, so I am trying a little different approach by notching most of the area below the top and leaving around 3/4 inch on either end for the lid to be glued.

I never considered screwing the neck in place but may give that a shot in the future.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Tracy Kennedy on May 23, 2010 at 12:54pm

Box choice will vary greatly depending on what available. So there is no real answer, everyone has their own ideal size. My choice is bigger is better.

Poplar is generally recomended cause it s the cheapest hardwood most commonly available Second choice Oak and 3rd choice Maple. All 3 choices can be found at Lowes and Home Depot.

I source my tuners for about $6.50 for PING Presision 3 on plate design from my local Buddy Roger's Music store. Here soon C.B. Gitty will be stocking a supply of individual open gear tuners for about $10 for 6 tuners. I believe he will supply them will ferruls and mounting screws as well or available seperately.

SIDE NOTE:
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees (more strictly speaking non-monocot angiosperm trees). It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.

Hardwood contrasts with softwood which comes from conifer trees, which usually are not broad-leaved. Hardwoods are not necessarily harder than softwoods. In both groups there is an enormous variation in actual wood hardness, with the range in density in hardwoods completely including that of softwoods; some hardwoods (e.g. balsa) are softer than most softwoods, while yew is an example of a hard softwood. The hardest hardwoods are much harder than any softwood. There are about a hundred times as many hardwoods as softwoods.

• ▶ Reply