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My Latest CBG Reso Build

I have been trying to get to finish this build since selling my last motorcycle a month or so ago. Having decided to hang up my boots and helmet after over sixty years of two-wheel fun on eighteen different bikes.

It seemed only fitting to build a CBG themed as you see here. I have just strung it up and as it's a prototype, you might say, I now have to iron out the 'warts' and do a bit of a rune up.

Some of these issues jump out at you right away, others take a bit of playing time to become evident. I will keep you posted on that.

Any way.....

Hanging up my boots and helmet

Spockets off my last bike

Large dog bowel large box.

Remade the neck heal so as to reposition it for better bridge location.
Engine sprocket volume pot. The tone is by switching pickups.

One humbucker and one piezo pickup Continuing the sprocket theme.... Thanks for looking Taff

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Permalink Reply by 3 String Blues on October 5, 2021 at 9:26am

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on October 7, 2021 at 9:28am

Super nice design (I like the boots too).
Do you have any sound clips yet?
Keep us posted as you get it "geared up"

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on October 7, 2021 at 12:58pm

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on October 7, 2021 at 12:58pm

H Tom T, thanks for that. Glad you like the boots. I could not see how to use them in a cbg build but had plans for the helmet.

A bowl-back style mandolin.

Upgrade to this build, as I expected, will include......

Why is this CBG so lacking in acoustic volume, considering it is the same as the last one I built, pretty much. I suspect the bridge and its mounting.

Reset the neck for more string clearance over the cover plate sprocket.

Reposition the disc piezo, or use strip piezo, for better sound.

Cheers Taff

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on October 8, 2021 at 8:56am

Hi Taffy,

I hung up my pair of Full Bores years ago. Got them after having a competitor's foot peg go through my ankle. Switched from MX to road racing a few years after that. Different mindset, but still great fun (except for the road rash).

The CBG volume thing seems to be a constant challenge. Wood, volume, depth, bridge type and mounting all play a part. I'm very curious about the hidden mag pickups I'm reading about. May be a clean alternative to a Piezo. Still have some research to do.
Keep us posted on you build.

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on October 7, 2021 at 1:08pm

Here is a tip for you guys, me included at times, that forget to post using HTML.

i type my comments...

I click add reply...

I go check that the post has appeared, just a quick scroll down...

If it has not appeared I I just simply scroll back up to the Reply To This box...

My post is still sitting there...so

I click across to HTML and resend...

Then I can delete to post that I stuffed up...Which I did not do in the post above.
Taff

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Permalink Reply by Taffy Evans on October 8, 2021 at 9:44pm

Hi Tom, I mainly rode big dirt bikes on desert trips then settled on Observed Trials, then a spell of 25 years touring on my Harley, and trials, and building and repairing guitars along the way. I have always been happy with the tone and volume of the CBG's that use the box I build, but this one is lacking acoustically. have not heard of the mag pickups that you mention, but being magnetic they would pick up string vibration instead of body or cone vibrations, I'm thinking. Taff

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Permalink Reply by Tom T on October 9, 2021 at 12:41am

Odd the range of things we get into for fun over the years.

You're correct that a mag pickup doesn't do a good job of picking up the sound of a resonator. I know from trying it.

Like I said, I am still learning about hidden mag pickups. Have to figure out where I read about it. If I remember, they are fairly traditional in design but wound very hot so that they can pick up string vibration through the top of a guitar or box. I'll pass on whatever I find.