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Build idea! Phono-CBG?

This is Stroh Violin.

http://www.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&tbs=isch%3A1&sa...=

Do you think it would be possible to do this to a CBG?

Current manufacturer and sound samples:

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.kokatahiband.com/Str...

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on September 28, 2010 at 12:17pm

Thank you Naz Nomad for responding. I am not a builder myself. I am throwing this out there to stimulate ideas. Sounds a little more technically challenging then you decribe. I personally would love to see some one give it a stab. If it worked that would be Titanic! Enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by colin mcgrath on September 29, 2010 at 5:52am

i have a old fox horn somewhere?

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on September 29, 2010 at 8:32am

Thank you Colin for responding. Well as you know, I'm not a builder myself. I am hoping to inspire one of you mad scientists out there to give it a try. I don't know if it will even work, but if it could be done, I think it would be a real treasure. Enjoy.

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Permalink Reply by colin mcgrath on September 29, 2010 at 8:55am

i imagine the bridge would need to be attached to said tuna can with a hole where the trumpet is attached for sound to travel and amplify.?

Naz Nomad said:

It's a small resonator with a horn attached ... if you got an old trumpet, a tuna can and a small brazing torch, no problem.

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Permalink Reply by mike anderson Blues Box Guitars on September 29, 2010 at 8:58am

i think that the hardest part of this build,as with any build, is getting started, after that, it shouldnt be that hard.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on September 29, 2010 at 9:43am

Famous last words!

mike anderson said:

i think that the hardest part ...is getting started, after that, it shouldnt be that hard.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on September 29, 2010 at 10:05am

It's definitely possible to build a guitar-type instrument working like a stroh-viol. I've seen descriptions and pictures of a "stroh-uke" and the following link should take you to a pic of a stroh guitar (although a lap steel type guitar not a regular one).

http://www.elderly.com/vintage/items/images/300U/464-10_inside.jpg

As I see it, the real issues determining whether it's worth building a CBG version are complexity and sound quality.

Complexity could be an issue because the bridge arrangements on these things weren't simple. It seems to me that part of the beauty of the whole CBG thing is in the simplicity of the instruments and the joy of getting great sounds out of something that's apparently crude. So a stroh-CBG seem to cut across that ethos. But if your take on CBGs is more about wacky and unconventional stuff for the sheer hell of it then this isn't a problem.

Perhaps the real killer is sound quality. Would it sound any good? Obviously there's only one way to find out for sure but it would be a bummer to put loads of effort into a complicated instrument only to have it sound a lot worse than something much simpler. The main aim of the stroh-viol design was to project sound in a directional way and I fear that might have come at the expense of compromises in tonal quality. Obviously the ultimate decision about whether you like a sound is a subjective thing and maybe a stroh-guitar would give a novel and quirky sound that isn't like other guitars but is still worth having.

I might have a go at one eventually but it's not high on my list of potential projects.

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Permalink Reply by Keni Lee Burgess on September 30, 2010 at 12:35am

Thank you Mark for your detailed comment. Being a big resonator guitar fan, mainly for reasons of volume and the unique resophonic sound created, I personally think this would offer a unique old time gramophone record tone. Even if it needs a boost from a piezo, the tone might be worth it. It certainly would not be easy to create one that actually functioned effectively. I think one of the main problems might be the difference bewtween a violin attack and a guitar attack. A violin bow drawn across the strings transmits a steady stream of vibrational energy. A guitar receives quick sharp strikes. Strumming might be possible. This very difference might be the killer. I understand your point of the basic aim of CBG. I'm a big fan of the pursuit of those who strive to build a quality simple instrument too. Resonator guitars are definitely in the shadow of standard guitars too. I thought I would put it out there for interest. There are many builders out there experimenting with different resonator cones. I always encourage builders to try to take their paper dreams into the physical world. Who knows what may come to light. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy.