Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on March 26, 2016 at 7:35am

Tot tune it to GDg, you'll need the A ( tuned down a whole step to G), the D, and the G string - these are the middle strings of a 6-string set.

As far as scale length goes, that's personal preference from a playability standpoint. If you have longer arms, then a 25" scale may feel comfortable to you; otherwise, the 24.75" scale may suit you better.

You might want to try metal or bone nuts and saddles. Nice looking simple build.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JP Lace Master on March 26, 2016 at 11:35am

thank you, I try to keep my builds simplistic, my other builds are a little more complicated and more like traditional guitars but with biscuit tin bodies.

for the tuning, I'll definitely use the Gdg, but I wonder what gauge to use, for traditional cigar boxes, do most use light or heavy gauges, I want this thing to sound right, especially since I'm using the humbucker off an old Squier for amplification opposed to something like a cigar box single coil or Piezos

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by John Sawyer on March 26, 2016 at 9:42am

What Ron said... most of my builds are 25" scale, good call on shortening it.

Try a banjo style bridge.  Maple makes a decent floating bridge...  I make mine out of 1/4" strips, and they're pointy on the top to avoid string buzz.  You can see the a bridge example here:   It will better transfer vibration to the lid...   if you have a gap between the lid and body, you might need to put a shim under there so the bridge doesn't collapse the cookie tin...

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JP Lace Master on March 26, 2016 at 11:29am

collapsing the tin isn't an issue, the broom handle is directly under the bridge and supports it, plus the tin itself is quite thick and rigid, so it has some strength on its own.

I think i'll go with your scale of 25 inches, seems to be the safe option for this build.

as for the bridge itself, what I'm using work quite nicely, the pics don't show it strung, but the angle between the white hinge, which I use to mount the strings and the bridge itself is quite steep, so there is plenty of connect, no worry about fret buzz.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JL on March 28, 2016 at 2:30am

a couple of thoughts from an amateur mythbuster: here is a golden opportunity to learn a lot

Make 1 change at a time and take notes on each result. you might stumble across something you really like partway to what your current goal is.

1. at 30 inches, you are at a baritone/contrabass guitar scale, change the scale last, you could stumble on something you like and will be uncommon in CBGs

2. You got a 30 in scale tuned up to what would normally be standard for a 24-25.5 scale, without the strings breaking. good.  If you compare a pack of light tension and heavy tension strings, you will note the gauges for the 6-5-4 in a light pack are about the same as the 5-4-3 in a heavy tension set.  so you can keep these strings for a little while as you make changes. Most CBG builders use light tension to reduce the chance of the neck warping under pressure turning the guitar into an archery bow.

3. try dropping the tuning of the low E string to D, and you have DAd, and see how that sounds, its a perfect 5th below the standard Gdg .  this puts you more in Johnny Cash range than Willie Nelson range.

4. from the pics I would wager $1.00 that the nut and bridge are scrap pine?  definitely change them for maple, bone, threaded rod  or machine bolt

at this point you may like what you have

5.  then see how it changes when you lower the action.

6. change the scale and strings last, all else being the same will give great insight into how scale affects tone.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JP Lace Master on March 28, 2016 at 11:05am

couple of things:

for the tuning, I think I'm gonna stick with the Gdg tuning, I like the country tone of the DAd, but this thing is designed for the blues.

I don't know what the bridge and nut are made of, I just used whatever was in my scrap tin, I would replace them with machine bolts or anything metal, but I need these in decent sizes, to keep the break angle of the strings on the headstock, but I can change the bridge for something more suitable because the break angle is quite steep.

I have one useful piece of information, the broom handle is the anchor for both the bridge and headstock and if I unscrew a bolt in the back, I can simply slide it back and shorten the scale without even unstringing it, but it would reduce the angle of break over the bridge, but slightly increase the angle at the nut.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JL on March 29, 2016 at 3:12am

1. don't tell BB King you can only play the blues in the key of G, lol.  actually I get that Gdg speaks blues to you and DAd speaks country to you, but they are actually styles, not limits. 

2. I still recommend doing it in increments and making notes of the differences, tune what you have to DAd, scribble down your impressions, then change the nut and bridge to metal and again scribble down your impressions, then shorten the scale and again scribble some notes.  you may find this information very useful when making build decisions for future projects.

• ▶ Reply