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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on June 27, 2020 at 7:31am

Here’s a video on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttK09vKLOZI&list=PLyuUgT9WbK9iP...

Something else to think about is where your bridge is placed on the box, it will vibrate differently, depending on how close it is to the end of the box. If you look at conventional guitars, the bridge is placed quite a bit from the end for a good reason, volume & resonance? 

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Permalink Reply by Jon on July 1, 2020 at 6:24am

Thanks a lot! I just watched the video and it pretty much put that question out of my head! Great video and thanks again!

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Permalink Reply by Keith Rearick on July 1, 2020 at 5:51am

Some people in the past have used old books, like dictionaries and the like.

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Permalink Reply by BrianQ. on July 1, 2020 at 7:19am

That’s what I like about the Gittygang show, it’s not just about the music. 

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Permalink Reply by Order99 on July 6, 2020 at 8:42am

Unlike some here I have noticed a difference in 'real' Tonewood, Plywood and Masonite-but not very much. Also, there are often differences in both quality of material and in thicknesses of wood all of which can vary from box to box.

I have been experimenting lately with cheap plywood kids' Gits off Ebay, reinforcing or replacing the necks and replacing the Plywood faces with braced Basswood-the difference is actually quite astonishing. The Cigar boxes 0f Cedar Ply sound nice enough as is, though I've found that an inverted 'T' microbrace (bamboo chopstick or craft wood less than 1/3" wide and 1/8" tall) seems to really focus the sound a bit, as do Club or Strad style 'F' holes IMHO...again, mileage varies as per body...

As far as really thick 'real' wood, super-cheap Plywood and any Masonite go...i've been removing any offending paper inside, sealing up the pores with multiple coats of Spar varnish or even Epoxy for a more even echo, and using those for Resonators (film can, cookie tin lid or bottom, paint can lid/bottom etc). Sealing up any pores/voids definitely gives a better Dobro/metal body ring, where as the high quality laminates and braced Tonewood is definitely both fuller and warmer to my ears...

Naturally I am making sweeping generalizations that don't include:

Type of Nut and Bridge

Placement of Bridge

Size of Box or

Type of String (Gut vs Flourocarbon vs Silk-steel vs Nylgut vs Bronze-wound vs Electric vs Dulcimer Ad Nauseum...)

So as others before me have commented, just build what you want and play with it until it sounds good to you. Heck, if Uncle Crow can put a Stick on a Box with Bolts fore and aft, with Wingnut tuners and get the awesome sounds he does out of said instrument, then truly there are no wrong builds.

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