Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rand Moore on November 9, 2010 at 10:39pm

Hi Dirty Roger.

That's a nice first build. My first cookie tin "canjo-banjo" ended up in the trash... me and power tools, a dangerous mix! Anyway, I noticed you are using a magnetic pickup on yours. As I can't get videos from Youtube and most other websites from within China (where I live), I haven't heard your instrument for myself. Is the magnetic pickup a better pickup for canjos and cigar box guitars as compared to piezos? I have yet to find the right mix of sound deadening materials and hot glue to keep piezos from picking up all the "fingering and handling noise". So, I was wondering if you have that with the magnetic pickups? Magnetic pickups may be more expensive, but if they cut the noise, then they are probably worth it. I know it means going to steel (electric guitar) strings. Most my builds have been with ukulele strings to save the wear and tear on my finger tips.

Also, from you pictures, I see your bridge is located on the neck below the sound box. Was there a particular reason for this, or does it not really matter with magnetic pickups? I also thought it might be a sound deadening technique, but I guess that's not the problem with magnetic pickups.

I've been building since this past Spring and started on canjos and gradually eased into cigar box guitars. A lot of what I have done is documented on Cigar Box Nation on personal blog which you (as a novice builder) may find interesting reading. I document my disasters as well as my successes.

Well, I hope you have many more enjoyable builds.

-Rand.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on November 10, 2010 at 7:13am

Great sounds! Can't work out why it sounds so good when you've got the bridge in an odd place - but what the heck, if it works then keep it that way. Tins have a lot going for them and are in no way a "second class" type of box (as you've demonstrated). I used a tin for my first build for the same reason as you did. These days I find my builds split about 50:50 between tins and cigar boxes. Every box or tin seems to have its own particular tone.

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on November 10, 2010 at 9:48am

In this build the box is only there to hold the electronics and other elements together. As the bridge does not act upon any soundboard, the pickup and amp are the sole source of sound.
Don

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Permalink Reply by Mark on November 10, 2010 at 10:42am

Not entirely true. The bridge is connected to the box indirectly by the neck/tailpiece so there will almost certainly be some sympathetic resonance - not the same as if the bridge was mounted directly on the tin but it will affect the overall sound of the instrument. Also, the pickup is mounted on the box, so any movement of the top of the box will add to the relative movement between pickup and strings.

Don Thompson said:

In this build the box is only there to hold the electronics and other elements together. As the bridge does not act upon any soundboard, the pickup and amp are the sole source of sound.
Don

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Permalink Reply by Don Thompson on November 10, 2010 at 11:36am

http://www.akzstudios.com/DIDDLEYBOW2.html
where does the sound come from? A small tin, hence small sound unless plugged in.
http://www.mcld.co.uk/oddmu/danbau/
again, very faint sound without being plugged in. I could go on indefinately but no need. Built them all, I know what I hear. This is NOT an acoustic instrument. Hey, I have an idea, let the builder record it unplugged, I want to hear the magical resonance that against all laws of acoustics comes forth. Secondly, and I agree the position and material a pickup is mounted on affects it's tone. Been proven many times over. A solid body willl sound different than a hollow body however in those instances the Bridge Is in Contact With The Top of the Guitar. The builder could have used a pizza box and the sound will be so close as I doubt even a person with golden ears could hear a difference blindfolded.




Mark aka. Junk Box Instruments said:

Not entirely true. The bridge is connected to the box indirectly by the neck/tailpiece so there will almost certainly be some sympathetic resonance - not the same as if the bridge was mounted directly on the tin but it will affect the overall sound of the instrument. Also, the pickup is mounted on the box, so any movement of the top of the box will add to the relative movement between pickup and strings.

Don Thompson said:

In this build the box is only there to hold the electronics and other elements together. As the bridge does not act upon any soundboard, the pickup and amp are the sole source of sound.
Don

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Permalink Reply by Mark on November 10, 2010 at 11:54am

Don Thompson said:

http://www.akzstudios.com/DIDDLEYBOW2.html
where does the sound come from? A small tin, hence small sound unless plugged in.
http://www.mcld.co.uk/oddmu/danbau/
again, very faint sound without being plugged in. I could go on indefinately but no need. Built them all, I know what I hear. This is NOT an acoustic instrument. Hey, I have an idea, let the builder record it unplugged, I want to hear the magical resonance that against all laws of acoustics comes forth. Secondly, and I agree the position and material a pickup is mounted on affects it's tone. Been proven many times over. A solid body willl sound different than a hollow body however in those instances the Bridge Is in Contact With The Top of the Guitar. The builder could have used a pizza box and the sound will be so close as I doubt even a person with golden ears could hear a difference blindfolded.

Didn't say it was an acoustic instrument - just that all parts of a guitar interact through sympathetic resonance and thus affect overall sound. I know what I hear and I also read the scientific research.

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