Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on August 25, 2010 at 2:19pm

You need to have a continuous block of wood connecting the lid to the bottom. That way your strings will have a continuous tunnel to guide them as you thread them through the body and out through the bridge.

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Permalink Reply by JFTL on August 25, 2010 at 4:14pm

Kinda what I was afraid of. Would I be able to just have the strings come through the small block glued to the bottom of the lid and then out through the bridge, or would that not work well?

Thanks!
Kevin

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Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on August 25, 2010 at 4:37pm

For 1, that would murder your sustain. 2, it would make it a pain to restring the guitar. Couldn't you just make a shim to glue in between the bridge block and the support wood? Then you could drill the string holes all the way through the entire thing.

Kevin Rees said:

Kinda what I was afraid of. Would I be able to just have the strings come through the small block glued to the bottom of the lid and then out through the bridge, or would that not work well?

Thanks!
Kevin

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Permalink Reply by JFTL on August 25, 2010 at 5:10pm

That's an excellent idea. You'll have to forgive me this is my first CBG, so I'm really in the learning process still. Do you think I could still build it so that the lid can open, or will it need to be all glued together?

Thanks!
Kevin

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Permalink Reply by JFTL on August 25, 2010 at 5:55pm

I'm beginning to wonder if doing a top loader bridge like the one pictured below would be the easier way to go.

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Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on August 25, 2010 at 6:33pm

No problem, but a six string like this is pretty ambitious for a first time build. Still, I continually see first time builds that blow my first build way, way out of the water, so what do I know?

You might be able to do that but I advise against it. For one, you may have issues getting the lid to close easily over the neck once it's set in place. In fact, I almost promise you will if the neck pocket is cut correctly. Second, for a string-thru-body, you really want everything glued solid. If you have any close gaps there is a very good possibility that two separate pieces of wood will vibrate together during play, which will create a buzzing, sitar like sound.

For a typical neck-thru this is less of a concern and it's a lot easier to preserve the box's ability to open.

JFTL said:

That's an excellent idea. You'll have to forgive me this is my first CBG, so I'm really in the learning process still. Do you think I could still build it so that the lid can open, or will it need to be all glued together?

Thanks!
Kevin

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Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on August 25, 2010 at 6:34pm

A top loader bridge is a good alternative and probably a better choice for your first go round. One thing to keep in mind for later builds: top loaders don't sustain as well as string-thru-bodies. The effect is small but it is there.

JFTL said:

I'm beginning to wonder if doing a top loader bridge like the one pictured below would be the easier way to go.

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Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on August 25, 2010 at 6:36pm

Also, since you're only going to have two pickups, can I suggest that you use a 3-way switch and make either your tone or volume knob a push/pull pot and use that for coil splitting?

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Permalink Reply by JFTL on August 25, 2010 at 6:45pm

Hey Josh,

Thanks for all the tips! I think I'll go with the top loader just to make thinngs a little easier on myself. Since this is going to predominantly be an "electric" I'm not as worried about sacrificing some sustain, frankly I'll just happy if it all comes together =). I'm planning on using a tele style control plate, and already have a scematic for using a 5t4p switch with two humbuckers for some interesting switching options. Electronics are more my forte', so about anything I do will have some kind of weird switch option =).

As is usually the case now that I've gotten my first taste I'm already planning my next build before this one is even done. It's going to be a 4 string guitar scale with a neck through and a license plate resonator top. lol.

Thanks!
Kevin

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Permalink Reply by Julian Perry on August 25, 2010 at 9:03pm

I'm kinda having the same dilemma with my six string build. My bridge is drilled for either through body strings or top loading, and was gonna go the top loading way, however I'm a bit woried about the weight of pull of the strings on the box lid. Ideally I want to be able to open the lid for any repairs and such, so I'm thinking of screwing it shut. With this set up tho, the hole weight of pull from the strings is on the box lid, whereas If I pass the strings through the body, the strings will in effect be pressing down on the box lid, keeping it tightly shut. I'm kinda making it up as I go along, because I've only built neck-through four stringers up til now!

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on August 25, 2010 at 11:00pm

Looking at the picture I don't think the hinges are not going to work for you unless you remove the neck first to work on the insides. Perhaps that is what you had planned.

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Permalink Reply by Mark Werner on August 26, 2010 at 4:26am

I recently completed my first 6-string electric, and went for a through-the-body approach for the strings.
First thing I had to do was go out and buy an extra-long drill bit, none I had were long enough!

I also cut away the area where the bridge is mounted to allow the top to open for access to the electrics. The result worked OK but is rather ugly....

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