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Lean-Back CBG Rack Design

First off, I'm still a newbie 'round here and not sure if this should be a blog post instead. This is my first time starting a 'discussion'. I figure it's easier to reply here if someone has a question or new idea. So anyway...

I'm a tinkerer. I can't help it. I built one of the PVC racks that was posted here where the guitars sit on top of a dual rail with the necks hanging down. It worked great, but after a few months I wanted to try something different. Yesterday I was looking at it and thought, hey I could convert that to a leaning rack like 1 of those travel guitar cases. So today I went at it. I'm sooooo happy with it! Thought I'd share in case it helps someone else. If you build one, you don't have to follow my dimensions exactly. Do what's right for your needs, tweak it, make it better... But to get you started, here's the design I used.

Notice the front lower rail is higher than the back lower rail (only by 1 inch), but this makes the guitars lean back against the top rail. This is key! The gap between the 2 bottom rails allows your neck through tail to hang down.

At first I did a quick assembly without the elevated sides (they look like arms on a chair). It worked great, but I decided to put the sides on to prevent a cbg domino slide onto the floor if my crazy dogs rammed into it while wrestling.

The whole thing's made from 1/2" PVC. I inserted a 1/2" aluminum tube inside the front lower rail which bears all the weight to keep it from bowing. Works really well & keeps it light. I tried a dowel, but it didn't stop the bowing.

I ended up with a lot of extra PVC vs where I started from with my original hang down rack. Like I said, I liked that design, but I'm a tinkerer and wanted to mix it up. I have a feeling a lot of people around here are tinkerers too! :)

Hope this helps!

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 16, 2016 at 4:51am

Thanks Wayfinder! I wanted to pay it forward since I appreciated the post of that original hang down rack so much. I was going crazy before that trying to figure out how to store & display the gitties.

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 17, 2016 at 9:31am

That will be really nice. I wanna see it when you're done!

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Permalink Reply by Bama Hound on April 16, 2016 at 4:24am

I don't know about the rest of them,but anybody that brings a rack full of CBG's, a bill of materials to make the rack and crazy 'raslin' dogs to the game on their first post is worth a warm welcome from me! Don't wait too long before coming back. I hope you have found a home for your tinkering self.

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 16, 2016 at 4:55am

Thank you for the warm welcome Bama Hound! You definitely made me feel at home here. I appreciate it. Now should I ruin this by admitting to you I went to Auburn? We can still be friends, right?

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Permalink Reply by Bama Hound on April 16, 2016 at 5:57am

Naah, You still good. I was born in Ga., but moved to Alabama 35 tears ago. I have adopted 6 retired from racing Greyhounds over the years,so that is where my handle and avatar come from. I like to wall hang mine when not being played at,but I am sure somebody will copy your rack. I will put tarp grommets in the drilled holes you see in the ends of these not yet fretted necks.

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'Vette Necks Work in progress.jpg, 763 KB

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 16, 2016 at 8:13am

Oh good! I love dogs. My dogs are pretty much my kids - 1 mix from the pound & a pre-owned Jack Russell from a rescue group. I grew up in TN, went to school in Alabama, and have been in GA for 12 years now.

Those necks are amazing! I have only basic woodworking skills and not a lot of nice tools. I'm intrigued with fretting but not there yet.

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on April 16, 2016 at 11:24am

Wayfinder, you are awesome!!! I'm inspired now. I think the timing of me going for it on frets just got a lot sooner! That was really nice of you to walk me through it. This set up isn't intimidating and makes sense. Thank you!

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Permalink Reply by Janis Wilson Hughes on May 9, 2016 at 3:34pm

Well, Way, it's all your fault. I made my first fretboard today, and dang it if I don't feel pretty dern great about it. ;) But seriously, thank you for pushing this baby bird out of the nest. Can't wait to get it into a build and feel how it plays and hear how it sounds.

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