Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Ben on May 12, 2011 at 1:26pm

Every stringed instrument has a "resonator." On a straight forward CBG, the box top resonates (vibrates). When you're using a metal resonating surface (spun cone, cookie tin, etc.) you want that to vibrate instead of the box top. So yes, if you have an additional piece like a license plate, get rid of the box top underneath. On my page you can see video of a cookie tin reso that has a through-neck design. The top does not contact anything else so it can vibrate freely.

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Permalink Reply by Don Goguen on May 12, 2011 at 1:33pm

I went kind of a different route.

It's basically a stick and a body.

Very good acoustic output, cheap and works for both slide and picking.

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Permalink Reply by James Boutilier on May 12, 2011 at 1:36pm

Saw this and Ben's vid... very cool guys.

Amazing this things work (grin).  Guess I just gotta understand music more.

I really want something with a wood main body but metal resonating.

Dont have the method yet to cut thin wood so I can build from scratch, but a box I can replace the top on seems the best way to work it right now.

jim

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Permalink Reply by Ben on May 12, 2011 at 2:15pm

I haven't tried it but you should be able to use something along the lines of an Altoid tin (half). Figure out where the bridge will be, center the tin in that area, cut a hole in the box top slightly smaller than the tin, place the bridge on top of the tin, let the string tension hold it in place. I've also hear that the tins from cat food resonate better than your equivalent tuna can (I am reminded of this every time I feed my cat and toss the can rather loudly into the recycling bin).

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on May 12, 2011 at 2:24pm

paint can lid / coffee can lid / saucepan lid under the bridge, no need to even cut the box top...

otherwise, a steel bowl of some sort, lotta guys done dog food bowls..

cookie tins are what i'd recommend, colourful, nice, easy to find...

if u reall wanna wooden box, just put the lid of a cookie tin on top, bridge on top of that..

 

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Permalink Reply by Ben on May 12, 2011 at 2:29pm

So you still get a decent acoustic reso sound without having a resonating chamber?

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Permalink Reply by James Boutilier on May 12, 2011 at 2:29pm

Very cool !

 

I could do this in my first build after all --

 

Love this forum !

 

Thanks

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Permalink Reply by James Boutilier on May 12, 2011 at 2:38pm

Hey Ben -- that has been my main question behind what I'm asking.

I think you get more of that bodied sound if there is a chamber (such as the upside down can I was asking about), and I "think" the metal tops only give you that metally/twanging sound "ontop" of the box's sound (if that makes sense)

 

jim

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Permalink Reply by Josh Gayou (SmokehouseGuitars) on May 12, 2011 at 5:56pm

Going ultra simple, you could could us the metal can from wet cat food.  Cut the top off, clean it out, ta-da (will sound thin though).  I really recommend you check out Mike Lowe's cones, though.  They are very easy to install and use and get you damned close to the sound of a real resonator.

 

http://smokehouseguitars.com/blognewsroll/?category_name=reso_cones

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Permalink Reply by c# merle on May 12, 2011 at 8:14pm

I used a  large soup can to great success. just cut the tin to fit around the thru-neck and epoxy to the soundboard.

has a nice reso twang to it

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Permalink Reply by The Phrygian Kid on May 12, 2011 at 9:16pm

C# merle.....    excellent...

 

i just thort, for a gazillion ideas for repurposing stuff into resos...

try here

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Permalink Reply by HOGS GRUNT on May 12, 2011 at 9:37pm

Check out my reply to you in the other forum.

Hogs.

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