Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jonno on August 8, 2016 at 12:42am

I'm giving this method a whirl. I see this guy uses this method I think. 2010 article http://jsnow.bootlegether.net/cbg/cbg.html Wonder if Jim was, or is a CBN er

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Permalink Reply by Fomhorach on August 8, 2016 at 10:06am

Go for it! 

The best thing I've learned is to just do it. 

Choose a method and go for it. There is more than one way. If it works then it was right if it fails then it wasn't. Easy peasy. 

You can strip all the parts out and rebuild around the stuff that worked with a different method if your not happy. The journey is just as good as the destination

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Permalink Reply by JL on August 8, 2016 at 3:28am

Shane posted a video here somewhere about, he glues more wood to the sides of the neck inside the box.

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Permalink Reply by Jonno on August 8, 2016 at 11:26pm

Such a wealth of info on this site. Its incredible repository of build experience. For my first build I used a top of the box method. Builds 2 and 3 thru the box. I started build 4 with a thru box. Build five is the one I posted showing the cut out and bracing for a transformer. But I am quite taken with this short piece thru the box and a neck then attached to that I am going to modify build 4 to try this method after getting onto some 40mm wide Merbau which I can make 3 necks out of for 6 bucks. Feel like a pig in %&it. Merbau hss a janka hardness about the same as Jarrah. Gonna be much harder workin with the few hand tools I have. All part of the journey. Cheers all. Jonno

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Permalink Reply by Fomhorach on August 8, 2016 at 11:32pm

Everyone seems to get much better woods than me. 

All I can get a regular (but quite cheap) supply of is mahogany.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on August 8, 2016 at 11:45pm

Jeez, I'd kill for some cheap mahogany...all I can get is cast off plywood. And yet, I can build decent necks and boxes with good tone out of them...

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Permalink Reply by Jonno on August 9, 2016 at 12:18am

Merbau is harder than rosewood or sugar maple. I nearly fell over when i discovered it tucked away in the tradies section at Bunnings. 2.4 metre straight lengths and the typical thickness and width in ya standard cbg neck setup ie 19x40mm .Howz about usin handtools on Australian Buloke.Its about 3 times as hard as the popular fretboard rosewood. Faaar out.

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Permalink Reply by Fomhorach on August 9, 2016 at 12:25am

Yeah it's decent, I'm just tired of working with it.

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Permalink Reply by Jonno on August 9, 2016 at 12:46am

Seeing as thread is bout neck structures and stability I was wondering if just using a hard wood neck without a seperate fretboard. I used seperate fretboard to get height above top of box. I'm not concerned muffin a neck that costs two bucks. A hardwood fretboard on a softer neck gives stability. But just using a hardwood neck on its own would be good. I know the bssic cbg is just a single neck as fretboard. I'm raving on I know but how is the action on a neck without a seperate frettie. I know low action aint such a big deal on a fretless and hence just the basic stick thru. But with frets action is important for playing comfort, fret buzz etc. What I am tryin to say is has anyone built a low action thru the box build with frets and no seperate fretboard, and no down angling of neck. apologies if I appear to be hijackin a thread started by someone else and introducing this question.

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Permalink Reply by Fomhorach on August 9, 2016 at 1:44am

That's what I build exclusively. 

I get my neck action down low no problem, you have to do he same consideration of leveling as you would with a fretboard. A little fret fall off is good to do with anything over 23" on the bass strings. 

I find it easier but it is always risky. If you mess up the frets you mess up the whole neck. I can get my 12th down to about 2mm but I find that 2&1/2 is good enough because I like changing tunings and slackening off my bass strings..

Neck seems stronger as a single piece, build time is cut but the instrument is not as nice looking and people think there's something wrong with it as they expect to see one.

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Permalink Reply by Blues Frog on August 9, 2016 at 11:01am

This build is just a red oak neck, no fretboard. I cut the neck down to level up with the box, but put a supporting piece underneath inside the box.

The action on this one is so low, that it is really only good for playing fingered notes, and not for slide. 

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Permalink Reply by Paul Craig on August 9, 2016 at 6:13am

What, you get cheap plywood? Too far for a joke.Hahaha

Mahogany is tops, be happy with all you can get.

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