Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jerryrig240 on July 11, 2010 at 8:24am

I am not sure what your tool standing is...but you really don't need anything fancy. I built my Licesne plate guitar with just a hand drill, some wood glue, and I do have a electric miter saw, but you can just use a standard miter box....And some clamps to glue everything togetgher. Really, a sodering iron is something you would need for hooking up the guitar jack. Other than that, most wires can just be twisted and taped together. Trust me, you don't want to spend a ton on tools, you will find out in the long run you really did not need them. A palm sander is a good tool to have too, but sand paper and some elbow grease will work find also.

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Permalink Reply by William Powell on July 11, 2010 at 8:34am

Thanks Jerryrig;
Yep I got all that stuff, except the electric miter saw. I use a miter box and a hand saw. I try to use as many simple hand tools as possible, since that's what they used back in the day. But My Dremel comes in pretty handy. Thanks for the input.
unclebill

Jerryrig240 said:

I am not sure what your tool standing is...but you really don't need anything fancy. I built my Licesne plate guitar with just a hand drill, some wood glue, and I do have a electric miter saw, but you can just use a standard miter box....And some clamps to glue everything togetgher. Really, a sodering iron is something you would need for hooking up the guitar jack. Other than that, most wires can just be twisted and taped together. Trust me, you don't want to spend a ton on tools, you will find out in the long run you really did not need them. A palm sander is a good tool to have too, but sand paper and some elbow grease will work find also.

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Permalink Reply by Mungo Park on July 11, 2010 at 8:58am

I think it is a matter of mentioning it is money well spent on tools to use your hands and mind instead of beer, big screen TV's, gambeling fancy box seat tickets to sports events.... These tools might come in handy to fix something around the house/apt. Who knowas you could sell a CBG or two.
If you already have beer, big screen TX... think of something else, no offense just a example.
Cheers Ron.

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Permalink Reply by Wes "I'm Baaaaack" Yates on July 11, 2010 at 10:10am

1. What are the pros/cons of using the same gauge string, say .036 electric 'A', for all of the strings and just tune them to the notes I want?

Tuning would be much like a dulcimer

2. How do you convince the missus to let you buy more tools?

Sex. Lots of sex. And Diamonds.

-WY

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on July 11, 2010 at 10:34am

To me there are no pros to using the same guage string. Nylon strings have much more latitude in pitch than your A string for example but even they have limits. It's surprising how much different a Fender length scale, longer, and a Gibson length,shorter, feel in tension even when strung with the same guages of strings, it's just physics at work. Your A string tuned lower to E would feel loose and floppy, up to D it would most likely break or would be difficult to fret. That's why there are different guages, diameters of strings to give the same feel to all the strings when brought up to pitch.
Concerning your second question, I'm divorced so I have no advice to offer.

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Permalink Reply by Larry McInnes on July 11, 2010 at 11:25am

1. What are the pros/cons of using the same gauge string, say .036 electric 'A', for all of the strings and just tune them to the notes I want?

I'd say there are no cons and only pros, given that there aren't supposed to be any rules in this game.

2. How do you convince the missus to let you buy more tools?

Buy first (and as inexpensive as possible), ask for forgiveness later.

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on July 11, 2010 at 2:24pm

Sometimes, I just have nothing to say.

Larry McInnes said:

1. What are the pros/cons of using the same gauge string, say .036 electric 'A', for all of the strings and just tune them to the notes I want?

I'd say there are no cons and only pros, given that there aren't supposed to be any rules in this game.

2. How do you convince the missus to let you buy more tools?

Buy first (and as inexpensive as possible), ask for forgiveness later.

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Permalink Reply by William Powell on July 11, 2010 at 4:20pm

Thanks Don. That Makes sense. I thought of another burning question: how do most folks cut the neck holes in the box? I made verticle cuts with a little coping saw and then made some careful taps with a hammer and a sharp wood chisel for the horizontal cut. It worked out OK, if maybe a little ragged. Better that if I used a chain saw. All the how-to videos get to that step and just say "...make the cut." How do you do it?


Don Thompson said:

To me there are no pros to using the same guage string. Nylon strings have much more latitude in pitch than your A string for example but even they have limits. It's surprising how much different a Fender length scale, longer, and a Gibson length,shorter, feel in tension even when strung with the same guages of strings, it's just physics at work. Your A string tuned lower to E would feel loose and floppy, up to D it would most likely break or would be difficult to fret. That's why there are different guages, diameters of strings to give the same feel to all the strings when brought up to pitch.
Concerning your second question, I'm divorced so I have no advice to offer.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on July 12, 2010 at 1:39am

String length (scale length, nut to bridge) and string gauge (thickness) determines the pitch of an instrument and the notes the strings can be tuned to play.
A ukulele is small and high in pitch. Thin strings. A bass is large and low in pitch. Thick strings.
Placing all the same strings strings on your CBG does not make a lot of sense from a functional point of view.
Decide first how you want your instrument to function and then create the form.
There are no rules here, but there are certainly consequences to your actions. LOL
I hope this is helpful. Enjoy your build.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Myers on July 12, 2010 at 1:02pm

I use a coping saw for the neck hole. As for the horizontal cut i drill a hole and cut either direction after I turn the blade.

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Permalink Reply by William Powell on July 12, 2010 at 1:44pm

Thanks Mark! That should work better than the wood chisel. I appreciate the input.
unclebill

Mark Myers said:

I use a coping saw for the neck hole. As for the horizontal cut i drill a hole and cut either direction after I turn the blade.

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